| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08522360B2 |
Posted move in anchor point-based digital rights management
An anchor-point based digital rights management provides for a posted move of one or more digital rights between two devices. By executing a posted move, a user (1) disables a binding record of a source user device, thereby terminating authorized use of the digital property instance through at the source anchor point; and (2) enables a different binding record of a target user device, thereby allowing authorized use of the digital property instance through that target anchor point. Such a “move” can accomplished through secure communications links mediated by one or both of a content handler and an anchor point message system. |
| US08522358B2 |
Universal identity service avatar ecosystem
A system is configured to receive personal data associated with a user, verify one or more facts from the personal data, and form an avatar based on a first subset of the received personal data, where a second, differing, subset of the received personal data is not associated with the avatar. The system is also configured to receive, from a data requester, a query including a request for the avatar, and send, to the data requester, a message that includes information associated with the avatar and an indication that the one or more facts from the personal data were verified. |
| US08522357B2 |
Rights-based advertisement management in protected media
A user playing a media file having ads on a playback device is able to automatically skip the ads during playback depending on the user's subscription level, as indicated in a user license or user account information. Whether an ad is automatically skipped may depend not only on the user license but also on attributes of the ad. An ad may have a skip-level which indicates the “importance” of the ad. If the advertiser wants to ensure that the ad will be seen and not be automatically skipped by a media playback unit, it can pay a higher price for the ad and the ad will be assigned a higher skip-level value. On the user subscription side, a user who wants to avoid ads may pay a higher subscription fee and have a user license that determines, via an auto-skip level value (“user level”), how many ads the user can automatically skip during playback of the media file. With a higher the auto-skip level value, the user is able to automatically skip more ads on the playback device. |
| US08522349B2 |
Detecting and defending against man-in-the-middle attacks
A system, method and program product for defending against man in the middle (MITM) attacks directed at a target server. A system is provided that includes an activity recording system that records an incoming IP address, userid, and time of each session occurring with the target server; an activity analysis system that identifies suspect IP addresses by determining if an unacceptable number of sessions are occurring from a single incoming IP address during a predefined time period; and a countermeasure system for taking action against suspect IP addresses. |
| US08522341B2 |
Active intervention in service-to-device mapping for smart items
Systems and methods allow service-to-device mapping by which services are mapped onto best-suited smart items selected from a plurality of smart items of a sensor network. As part of the mapping, and/or subsequent thereto, a deployment of the service(s) onto the smart items is initiated. However, in some cases, the deployment may fail, or may only partially succeed. In such cases, one or more conditions of the deployment may be altered to obtain a modified, allowable deployment condition, so that the deployment may then proceed. As a result, users may achieve a desired result in a fast, convenient, and reliable manner, even when executing the deployment remotely or automatically. |
| US08522336B2 |
Gateway device and method for using the same to prevent phishing attacks
A gateway device that is in electronic connection with at least one client computer, a first domain name system (DNS) server located in a first communication network, and a second DNS server located in a second communication network separated from the first communication network. When a domain name is transmitted to both the first DNS server and the second DNS server, the first DNS server and the second DNS server respectively resolve the domain name into two groups of internet protocol (IP) addresses, and the gateway device compares the two groups of IP addresses with each other to select one of the two groups of IP addresses that is identified as all IP addresses of which are safe, and allows the client computer to access websites within the first communication network via the selected group of IP addresses to prevent the client computer from phishing attacks. |
| US08522334B2 |
Mobile middleware for generic bootstrapping architecture
A mobile terminal receives a Global Bootstrapping Architecture (GBA) authentication request from an application client, executing on a processor of the device, in non-standard GBA syntax. The mobile terminal converts the GBA authentication request into standard GBA syntax for a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) and sends the GBA authentication request having standard GBA syntax to the UICC. The mobile terminal receives, from the UICC, GBA authentication information responsive to the GBA authentication request, the GBA authentication information having standard GBA syntax, and converts, the GBA authentication information having standard GBA syntax into GBA authentication information having non-standard GBA syntax supported by the application client. |
| US08522331B2 |
Computer readable medium, authenticating method, computer data signal, authentication server, and single sign-on authentication system
A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for authenticating a user in a site included in an authentication system in which a plurality of sites are linked each other, the process comprising: receiving authentication information; authenticating the user in a first site of the authentication system based on the received authentication information; receiving suspicious behavior information of the user; registering the received suspicious behavior information; determining reliability of the user based on the suspicious behavior information registered in registering of the behavior information registration; in a case where the user accesses a second site of the authentication system, adding the reliability of the user determined, and transmitting the authentication information to which the reliability is added to the second site; and determining a function to be provided to the user in the first site based on the reliability of the user. |
| US08522330B2 |
Systems and methods of managing virtual world avatars
Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. |
| US08522329B2 |
Data sharing system with a digital key
The present invention provides a data sharing system with a digital key in order to deliver data sharing via Internet or a local area network by means of either at least one data storage device electrically connected to a digital box or a storage space inside a memory unit of the digital box which links a server. At the moment, a computer user could use one digital key only to link a server and further complete read-out, write-in, modification, deletion or addition of data/files in the data storage device or the storage space with the digital key's peer identification code and the digital box's peer authentication code belonging to the same group validated by the server. |
| US08522327B2 |
Multi-step captcha with serial time-consuming decryption of puzzles
A system and method for implementing a multi-step challenge and response test includes steps or acts of: using an input/output subsystem for presenting a series of challenges to a user that require said user to correctly solve each challenge before a next challenge is revealed to the user; receiving the user's response to each challenge; and submitting a last response in the series of challenges to a server for validation. The method further includes: using a processor device configured to perform for each challenge in the series of challenges: internally validating the response by comparing the user's response to a correct response; and using the user's response, decrypting the next challenge to reveal the next challenge; wherein the next challenge remains obfuscated until a previous challenge is correctly solved. |
| US08522326B2 |
System and method for authenticating a smart card using an authentication token transmitted to a smart card reader
A system for authentication comprises a mobile unit and a smart card reader. The mobile unit includes a security application that prevents access to functionalities and data stored thereon and further includes an authentication application that securely stores an authentication token. The smart card reader communicatively connects to a smart card. The smart card includes authentication data. The authentication application transmits the authentication token to the smart card reader to verify the smart card. The authentication application shares the authentication token with the security application when the verification is successful. The authentication token indicates to the security application to grant access to the functionalities and the data. |
| US08522324B2 |
Control of access to a secondary system
A method and system for controlling access of a user to a secondary system. A primary system sends a random string to a user system that is connected to the secondary system. The user is logged on the user system. The primary system receives from the user system first authentication information including an encryption of the random string by a private key of the user. The primary system generates a user-specific key consisting of the encryption of the random string. The primary system generates second authentication information from protected secondary authentication data stored in the primary system via application of the user-specific key to the protected secondary authentication data. The primary system provides the second authentication information to the secondary system to enable access of the user to the secondary system. |
| US08522321B2 |
System and method for privilege management and revocation
The present disclosure relates generally to the management of privileges associated with certain applications that are accessible by users of electronic equipment, such as, for example, networked computers, mobile wireless communications devices, and the like. In particular, the disclosure is directed to systems and methods for managing privileges associated with particular applications and for revoking these privileges in a timely and robust manner. For example, the device keeps track of which applications get access to which privileges. When policies or application control changes, the system detects which privileges have been revoked for which applications. This can be accomplished by simply comparing the old set of privileges with the new set of privileges. For each revoked privilege for a given application, the system determines if the application has ever accessed that privilege in the past. If an application has accessed a privilege that is now revoked at any time in the past, the device is reset. To ensure that privileges that may be passed between applications are not overlooked, the device is arranged to perform a reset if any revoked privilege accessible by the device is one that may be passed between applications. |
| US08522318B2 |
Enabling dynamic authentication with different protocols on the same port for a switch
The invention enables a client device that does not support IEEE 802.1X authentication to access at least some resources provided through a switch that supports 802.1X authentication by using dynamic authentication with different protocols. When the client device attempts to join a network, the switch monitors for an 802.1X authentication message from the client device. In one embodiment, if the client fails to send an 802.1X authentication message, respond to an 802.1X request from the switch, or a predefined failure condition is detected the client may be deemed incapable of supporting 802.1X authentication. In one embodiment, the client may be initially placed on a quarantine VLAN after determination that the client fails to perform an 802.1X authentication within a backoff time limit. However, the client may still gain access to resources based on various non-802.1X authentication mechanisms, including name/passwords, digital certificates, or the like. |
| US08522317B2 |
Method and a device for maintaining an address translation table
A device for maintaining an address translation table, placed in series between a user terminal and a third-party entity of a telecommunications network, is disclosed. The device is adapted to verify the existence in the address translation table of an entry specific to the exchange of application signaling messages using said protocol between the terminal and the third-party entity and, if there is no entry specific to the exchange of application signaling messages using said protocol between the terminal and the third-party entity, to create a specific entry in the address translation table associating with a private address and a private port of the terminal in a private network connecting it to said device a public address and a public port of the terminal in the telecommunications network and an indication of the validity of the entry, this validity indication taking into account the first reception time. |
| US08522315B2 |
Automatic configuration of client terminal in public hot spot
The invention herein provides an apparatus and a method for automatically configuring an IEEE 802.1x client terminal to provide limited access in a WLAN environment, specifically utilizing the access point to filter traffic associated with the limited access so as to redirect the client terminal's HTTP request to a designated local web server. The web server responds to the client terminal by requesting information required to establish an authorized communication. Thereafter the client terminal provides information required to establish an authorized communication. In the course of the communication the web server sends information such as transmission rates, new user account creation information, authentication method selection, and access user terms and conditions of acceptance, all typically required to establish an authorized access. The client responds with information, required to establish an authorized communication. |
| US08522314B1 |
VoIP phone authentication
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone authentication. In some examples, the method includes receiving an authentication request from a computing device; authenticating the computing device for access to a network based on the authentication request; determining if a VoIP endpoint device is associated with a network address associated with the authentication request; and authenticating the VoIP endpoint device if the VoIP endpoint device is associated with the network address. |
| US08522308B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a spatial-input-based multi-user shared display experience
Exemplary systems and methods for providing a spatial-input-based multi-user shared display session are disclosed herein. An exemplary system includes a spatial input subsystem configured to detect gestures made by a plurality of users within a physical user space associated with a display screen. The system further includes a shared display subsystem communicatively coupled to the spatial input subsystem and configured to authenticate the plurality of users, execute a multi-user shared display session that provides the plurality of authenticated users with concurrent control of a display on the display screen through the detected gestures, and control, based on a shared session heuristic, how at least one resource associated with the display is shared between the plurality of authenticated users during the multi-user shared display session. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US08522301B2 |
System and method for varying content according to a playback control record that defines an overlay
A network media player enables the addition of one or more overlays during content playback. This allows insertion of images, sound, text, logos, ticker bars, and the like in video, audio, or other available content. Overlays may be user-generated to customize content playback, or network-generated to allow insertion of advertising, source identification, logos, messages, news, and the like. |
| US08522288B2 |
IP broadcasting system and a multicast group management apparatus for the same
The present invention provides an IP broadcasting system that can receive IP broadcasting videos over an IP multicast network. In the IP broadcasting system, a multicast group management apparatus for IP broadcasting that holds multicast group identifiers is connected via an IP multicast network over which IP broadcasting services are provided. When a user issues a request to switch an IP broadcasting channel from an IP broadcasting terminal, a query message including the requested IP broadcasting channel identifier is transmitted to a management apparatus. The IP broadcasting terminal receives a response message indicating the correspondence between the IP broadcasting channel identifier and a multicast group identifier, and transmits a video reception request message to a multicast group by using the received multicast group identifier. |
| US08522287B2 |
Series reminders and series recording from an interactive program guide
An interactive media guidance system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. Options may be provided that allow the user to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all or selected channels for some or all episodes including reruns new episodes, network or syndicated episodes, on all days or only on selected days. |
| US08522286B2 |
Digital television signal, digital television receiver, and method of processing digital television signal
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs. |
| US08522282B2 |
Television schedule system and method of operation for multiple program occurrences
An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation. |
| US08522277B2 |
Interactive user interface
A user interface for an interactive information distribution system comprising a graphics region, a video region and a mask/reveal layer. The user interface is generated in a head end of the system as a digital bitstream and transmitted to subscriber equipment for display. Operation of the user interface is facilitated by functions on both a local level with the subscriber equipment and on a system level within the head end. One embodiment of the user interface is an interactive program guide. |
| US08522275B2 |
Methods, apparatus and computer-readable media for conveying television program advertisements
A method, which comprises identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream; causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and causing an indication of the second content stream to be transmitted to customer equipment in the form of a marker sent with the first content stream. Also, a method, which comprises identifying a television program whose start time falls within a time window of acceptable viewability relative to a promotional time slot appearing within a first content stream, the television program being carried by a second content stream; causing conveyance during the promotional time slot of an advertisement for the television program; and being attentive to an indication that, during the promotional time slot, a selection has been made by customer equipment to view the second content stream. |
| US08522274B2 |
System and method for selecting advertisements
A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television. |
| US08522271B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for sharing user profiles
Embodiments include methods and apparatus for personalizing access to broadcast content items. One embodiment includes a method comprising detecting physical proximity of a mobile device, receiving data from the mobile device identifying a user of the mobile device, identifying at least one local profile based on the data identifying the user, identifying at least one content item accessed by the user on the mobile device, updating the local profile based on the identified content item, and delivering content items to the user by reference to the user profile. Other embodiments include systems and apparatus configured to perform the method and related functions. |
| US08522263B2 |
Audio signal processor, television set and computer readable medium
In one embodiment, there is provided an audio signal processor. The processor includes: a person position detector configured to detect each position of one or more persons present in a specific space; a grouping module configured to allocate the detected persons to one or more groups, wherein the number of the groups is less than a given number; a plurality of directionality controllers configured to control directionality of a microphone array; and a directionality setting module configured to set directionality of each of the groups in a corresponding one of the directionality controllers. |
| US08522261B2 |
Using status models with state guards in a computer system
A design-time status schema model describes the progress of a data object through a computing process. The status schema model includes status variables, processing actions and constraints for performing actions. The status schema model also may describe permitted changes to a status variable in response to performing an action. At runtime, the status schema model is used to control processing performed by, or on, an instance of a data object corresponding to the status schema model. |
| US08522259B2 |
Event based routing between presentation and business logic components
A business application framework comprising a variety of components that operate on an event-driven basis is described. In an embodiment, a delegate component is provided that receives requests from one or more presentation layer components to process various event. For any given request, the delegate component instantiates a controller component to process the event. In turn, the controller instantiates a routing logic component in order to determine a specific handler component for processing of the event by the underlying business layer. The handler component acts as a parent to one or more business layer components necessary to process the event. The handler component creates a response that is subsequently returned to the presentation layer component. During the design phase, only a plurality of events relevant to the presentation layer need to be defined to allow completion of the presentation layer, thereby allowing for the rapid development business applications. |
| US08522258B1 |
Event handling system
A service that determines what event has occurred and provide a list of actions that the service can be performed in order to help the user through a hectic time period is disclosed. In one example, one or more modules can identify one or more events and transmitting an indication of the at least one event to a mobile device. Then, one or more modules can receive an indication that a mobile device has selected at least one of the at least one event, and determine at least one action to perform, wherein the at least one action can be associated with the at least one selected event. |
| US08522252B2 |
Load based file allocation among a plurality of storage devices
A method for balancing loads among a plurality of data storage devices, includes: receiving a request from a user device to download a data file; identifying a first set of storage devices containing the requested data file, wherein the first set comprises one or more storage devices; identifying a first storage device from the set that is currently least busy among the storage devices in the first set, and directing the first storage device to serve the request; determining if the first storage device is too busy; and if the first storage device is too busy copying the requested data file to a second storage device which did not previously store the data file, thereby adding the second storage device to the first set of storage devices containing the requested data file. |
| US08522251B2 |
Organizing task placement based on workload characterizations
Task placement is influenced within a multiple processor computer. Tasks are classified as either memory bound or CPU bound by observing certain performance counters over the task execution. During a first pass of task load balance, tasks are balanced across various CPUs to achieve a fairness goal, where tasks are allocated CPU resources in accordance to their established fairness priority value. During a second pass of task load balance, tasks are rebalanced across CPUs to reduce CPU resource contention, such that the rebalance of tasks in the second pass does not violate fairness goals established in the first pass. In one embodiment, the second pass could involve re-balancing memory bound tasks across different cache domains, where CPUs in a cache domain share a same last mile CPU cache such as an L3 cache. In another embodiment, the second pass could involve re-balancing CPU bound tasks across different CPU domains of a cache domain, where CPUs in a CPU domain could be sharing some or all of CPU execution unit resources. The two passes could be executed at different frequencies. |
| US08522250B2 |
Managing access to a shared resource in a data processing system
Processes requiring access to shared resources are adapted to issue a reservation request, such that a place in a resource access queue, such as one administered by means of a semaphore system, can be reserved for the process. The reservation is issued by a Reservation Management module at a time calculated to ensure that the reservation reaches the head of the queue as closely as possible to the moment at which the process actually needs access to the resource. The calculation may be made on the basis of priority information concerning the process itself, and statistical information gathered concerning historical performance of the queue. |
| US08522240B1 |
Systems and methods for collaborative task management
Systems and methods for collaborative task management are described. The apparatus may include a user interface module that provides a graphical user interface to a user, a form engine coupled to the user interface module to receive form data from a task data store, a scheduling engine that schedules task assignments, and the task data store that stores information related to one or more tasks. The method may include receiving from a user a request to update a task assignment, displaying to the user a task assignment form, receiving an indication to process the form, updating a task data store with information from the form. The method may alternately include receiving task information from a plurality of users, prioritizing task assignments using that information, generating one or more work queues, providing a work queue to a user, receiving an update to a task assignment, and re-generating the work queue. |
| US08522239B1 |
Methods and systems for safe execution of guest code in virtual machine context
System for safe execution of guest code in virtual machine context includes (a) a virtual machine monitor (VMM) that uses hardware virtualization means for handling potentially unsafe instructions; (b) a virtual machine (VM) running guest code; (c) wherein the hardware virtualization means handles interrupts when encountering at least some privileged instructions in the guest code, (d) wherein the hardware virtualization means continuously determines, at runtime, if the instruction in the guest code is safe or potentially unsafe, wherein the potentially unsafe instructions are non-privileged instructions that can execute incorrectly in a context of the VM; (e) wherein the VM executes the safe instructions in a native mode; (f) wherein the hardware virtualization means bypasses potentially unsafe instructions; and (g) wherein offset addresses in the guest code are the same as offset addresses in source code from which the guest code was generated. |
| US08522238B2 |
Feature driven backend switching
A method and system for switching backend devices in a virtual machine system based on features of the backend devices. In one embodiment, a computer system includes at least a first device and a second device that function as a backend device. The first device is currently used by a guest of the computer system as the backend device. A hypervisor of the computer system receives an indication from the guest to use a feature of the backend device. The hypervisor determines whether the use of the feature of the backend device triggers a switching condition. In response to a determination that the switching condition is triggered, the guest is switched to use the second device as the backend device. The switching operation can be transparent to the guest. |
| US08522231B2 |
Updating a plurality of computers
Updating a plurality of computers is accomplished. A first message is created in an update source, where the first message includes a one or more instructions and an address of a message repository. The first message is transmitted to a first computer using either a Push or a Pull protocol. A second message is transmitted to the first computer using the Push or Pull protocol, the second message comprising data retrieved from the address in the first message. The first computer executes one or more of the instructions in the first message with at least some of the second message. The address in the first message is updated to match the address of the first computer. The updated first message is transmitting to a further one of the computers. Transmission of the second message is repeated to further ones in the plurality of computers until all of the plurality of computers have been updated. |
| US08522229B2 |
Image forming apparatus, information processing method, and recording medium for directly update a module of the image forming apparatus without changing other modules
An image forming apparatus executing a program configured by connecting multiple modules operating exclusively with respect to each other is disclosed that includes an input part configured to receive an input of updating information of the program; a determination part configured to determine whether an operating state of the program corresponds to a time for updating specified in the updating information; and a change part configured to change the relationship of connection of the modules in accordance with the updating information if the determination part determines that the operating state of the program corresponds to the time for updating. |
| US08522211B2 |
Computer program testing
The invention provides a method and system for testing a software component, by instrumenting the software component under test with a component able to modify the execution of the component under test and able to generate an event corresponding to the performed modification, and by verifying that the order and the content of the event received match a predefined sequence. |
| US08522210B1 |
Detecting indexing errors in declarative languages
A computerized method for detecting errors in program code including searching for lines of command codes in the program code, wherein a line of command code includes a set of command codes and a set of indices; separating the sets of command codes from the sets of indices, wherein the sets of indices are a matrix; parsing the sets of command codes to locate three or more consecutive lines of command codes, which have the same sets of command codes; for the three or more consecutive lines of command codes, generating sets of vertical indices from vertically aligned indices in the matrix; determining if each set of vertical indices does not match at least one known series in a set of known series; and reporting to a user computer each set of vertical indices that does not match the at least one known series. |
| US08522207B1 |
Systems and methods for automated centralized build/merge management
Embodiments of the invention monitor requests for a source code build of a program. The source code build is generated using the most recent applicable release of the dependencies. The source code build is dynamically merged into at least one subsequent release. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08522202B2 |
System and method for managing computer environment setup requests
A system for managing requests for setting up computer test environments includes a setup request database storing the test environment setup requests and a request management module which provides a standardized user interface screen to submit the requests. If the request submitted by a user does not contain all of the required information necessary to set up the test environment, the user is prompted to provide the missing information, thereby minimizing a subsequent exchange of communications due to missing information. |
| US08522201B2 |
Methods and apparatus for sub-asset modification
Methods and apparatus for on-the-fly identification of sub-asset modifications in a data pipeline are described. |
| US08522200B2 |
Detouring in scripting systems
A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives third party code for execution in a host environment, wherein the third party code corresponds to a dynamic programming language, and wherein the third party code has at least one object reference to a first object that is used by the third party code. A detouring component automatically replaces the first object referenced by the third party code with a proxy object such that the third party code at runtime calls the proxy object instead of the first object. |
| US08522197B2 |
Hierarchical presentation techniques for a design tool
A design tool hierarchically presents information about a design with nested blocks. For example, the design tool presents scheduling information for the design in a hierarchical Gantt chart. The scheduling information includes hierarchical design schedule blocks which accurately depict the timing and scheduling of the nested blocks of the design. Each of the hierarchical design schedule blocks includes control steps numbered relative to the block. The scheduling information also includes a hierarchical list of scheduled operations for the design. The hierarchical list emphasizes which operations are associated with which nested blocks. The scheduling information further includes pseudo-operation icons that are easily differentiated from real operation icons in the hierarchical Gantt chart. |
| US08522195B2 |
Systems and methods to generate a software framework based on semantic modeling and business rules
A software framework based on semantic modeling and business rules, in which a method implemented in a data processing system, includes: receiving input from one or more first users to generate a first ontology describing a software requirement; and receiving input from one or more second users to map the first ontology to a second ontology describing software tools. The data processing system generates a software framework using the input that is received to map the first ontology that describes the software requirement to the second ontology that describes the software tools. |
| US08522194B2 |
Software modeling
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, to realize a software model are described. A plurality of process components characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business process is defined, and each of the process components defining a respective service interface for interacting with other process components. The plurality of process components is divided into multiple deployment units, wherein each deployment unit characterizes independently operable software, and each process component is entirely included in exactly one deployment unit. Context independent interactions are defined among the plurality of process components. |
| US08522187B2 |
Method and data processing system to optimize performance of an electric circuit design, data processing program and computer program product
A method to optimize performance of an electric circuit design is disclosed. The method comprises providing for each circuit element of the electric circuit design available design parameter options; transforming the electric circuit design and the design parameter options into a linear programming model; determining a solution for the linear programming model; and based on the solution generating a list of circuit elements which design parameters need to be changed to a different option to achieve performance optimization. |
| US08522185B1 |
Method for placement and routing of a circuit design
Approaches for placement and routing of a circuit design are disclosed. Two or more modules of a circuit design are assigned to respective regions of a programmable integrated circuit. Placement and routing constraints are created for non-global resources of two or more modules of the circuit design. The placement and routing constraints restrict placement and routing of non-global resources of each of the two or more modules to respective regions of a programmable IC. Each non-global resource is used by at most one of the two or more modules. The two or more modules are placed. In response to the one of the placed circuit elements not being placed within the assigned region, the routing constraint on the one of the circuit elements is removed. The circuit design is routed. |
| US08522181B2 |
Capacitance extraction for advanced device technologies
A technology specific information to design the integrated circuit is received. A plurality of canonical hierarchical models to capture an integrated circuit capacitance are created. The plurality of canonical hierarchical models includes at least a canonical model to capture a capacitance of a device having a plurality of conductors, and a canonical model to capture a capacitance between at least a portion of the device and one or more other conductors of the integrated circuit. The canonical hierarchical models can be applied to a layout of the integrated circuit. A capacitance for the layout can be determined based on the canonical hierarchical models. |
| US08522180B1 |
Method and system identifying IP blocks and block suppliers for an electronic design
An improved approach is described for identifying IP for an electronic design. The present approach can be used to handle situation where there may be difficulties in identifying which, if any, IP matches the desired requirements of an electronic design for which the IP is to be used or integrated. The search wizard of the present approach facilitates identification of IP for an electronic design. Expert systems and expert system services are provided for identifying IP blocks for an electronic design. Concierge-like services may be used to facilitate a connection between a consumer of electronic IP and the provider or vendor of the electronic IP in conjunction with the expert services. |
| US08522178B2 |
Re-modeling a memory array for accurate timing analysis
A system and method for analyzing the timing requirements of a memory array are disclosed. The memory cell circuitry used in the original memory array may utilize two bi-directional passgate transistors which are both used during read and write operations on the memory cell, e.g., where signals can flow across the passgate transistors in two directions. A model of the memory array may be created according to a memory cell model that uses uni-directional passgate transistors. Modeling the memory array with uni-directional circuitry may enable a static timing analysis tool to determine the critical path through the memory array. Once the critical path has been determined from the model of the memory array, a dynamic simulation of the critical path in the original memory array may be performed to accurately determine the timing requirements of the original memory array. |
| US08522174B2 |
Semiconductor memory
A method includes simulating a first design of a semiconductor memory that includes at least one device disposed between and coupled to a memory bit cell and to a power supply line, determining if at least one simulated operational value of the semiconductor memory is above a threshold value, and adjusting at least one of a size of the device or a type of the device if the at least one simulated operational value is below the threshold value. The memory bit cell is disposed in a column including a plurality of bit cells. The size or type of the device is repeatedly adjusted and the design of the semiconductor memory is repeatedly simulated until the at least one simulated operational value is at or above the threshold value. |
| US08522171B1 |
Method for checking die seal ring on layout and computer system
The invention is directed to a method for checking a die seal ring on a layout. The method comprises steps of receiving a digital database of a layout corresponding to at least a device with a text information corresponding to the layout. Tape-out information corresponding to the layout is received. A checking process is performed according to the digital database of the layout and the tape-out information and, meanwhile, a mask design procedure for designing a mask pattern corresponding to the layout is performed by using the digital database of the layout, the text information and the tape-out information. A result of the checking process is recorded in an inspection table corresponding to the layout. |
| US08522164B2 |
Portable terminal and display method and medium therefor
Provided are a portable terminal and display method and medium therefore for arranging a plurality of prepared tags according to a predetermined standard and displaying the plurality of prepared tags on a main display unit; and displaying one or more pieces of contents having a selected tag among the prepared tags among a plurality of pieces of prepared contents on a plurality of buttons. |
| US08522161B2 |
Visual image searching method
The method discloses a searching method by visual image, the method includes connecting to a searching engine, and then the user terminal transmits a key word to the searching engine. The searching outputs searching results which includes the virtual image and the web linking information to the user terminal. The user may use the cursor or finger to indicate a certain image to show the summary of the web site. |
| US08522159B2 |
System for accessing a large number of menu items using a zoned menu bar
A system that includes a pop-up graphical user interface that includes menu bars overlapping marking menu zones. The interface pops up at the current position of the cursor when the space bar is held down. The menu bars are positioned around a central marking zone with the common menu bars located above the central zone and task specific menu bars located below the central zone. The common application menu bar is positioned outer most and the common window menu bar is located inner most. The menu bars are sized in a “stair-step” pattern and the commands therein are left and right justified to fill the menu bar evenly. The menu bar menu items are accessed just like menu bar items typically found at the top of windows. The menu bars mimic the menu bars that a user may need to use during tasks that users typically perform using the menu bars found in application windows. The zones are divided into a central zone and four outer zones where user customizable marking menus are activated when a mouse button is held down while the cursor is in one of the zones. |
| US08522157B2 |
Terminal, controlling method thereof and recordable medium thereof
A mobile terminal includes a touchscreen configured to display a scroll region having a scroll bar at a portion of a displayed view and a controller configured to perform at least one function in response to a touch input received at the scroll region, the touch input including a first touch action in a first axial direction and a second touch action in a second axial direction, wherein a first function is performed in response to the first touch action, the first function being scrolling the displayed view and the first touch action being moving the scroll bar in the first axial direction along the scroll region and a second function is performed in response to the second touch action, the second function being a function that is different from the first function. |
| US08522155B2 |
System and method for a multimedia timeline
An interactive user interface on a computer system for presenting information about a deceased person comprises a viewable screen image. A plurality of types of life related recordations are associated with a time during the person's life. The user interface further includes a plurality of selection options. Each of the selection options corresponds to at least one type of recordation. The viewable screen image also presents an interactive timeline that is operable to effect a selection of time. The timeline is associated with at least a portion of the plurality of recordations such that when a specific time is selected the user interface presents one or more recordations that correspond to the selected time. The interface may also include a historical information feature that is operable to provide historical information relating to times during the deceased person's life, with the historical information being independent of the deceased person. |
| US08522154B2 |
Scenario specialization of file browser
In a graphical user interface environment, a situational-specific browser may be used to provide contextually appropriate levels of information for files whose information is to be displayed. As different views of files are to be displayed, the browser may dynamically adjust its configuration to display different types of information, features and/or command options. Different views may be predefined, or new views may be dynamically created in response to user navigation. |
| US08522152B2 |
Presenting question and answer data in a social networking system
A social networking system includes a question and answer system that displays to a viewing user questions and answers provides by other users of the social networking system. The question and answer system may display answers to a particular question in a way that visually indicates both the global answer set and a subset of the global answer set, such as the viewing user's friends. The social networking system may also display to a viewing user news stories about another user asking or answering a question, where the format of the displayed new stories is based on an affinity that the viewing user has for the user who provided the question or answer mentioned in the news story. The displayed questions and/or answers may be associated with an object in the social networking system, where the user interface provides additional information about those objects. |
| US08522151B2 |
Wizard for selecting visualization
A visualization design system is provided. The system includes a metadata component to describe characteristics of data. An analyzer determines attributes of a peer group, where the attributes are related to prior visualization design experiences of the group. A wizard component determines a subset of potential visualization types based in part on the characteristics of data and the attributes of the peer group. |
| US08522148B1 |
System for organization, display, and navigation of site information
A system and method for the organization, display, and navigation of digital information. The system and method allow for easy navigation of primary search results responsive to a search request, as well as navigation of secondary information related to the primary search results. In an example embodiment, primary search results are displayed as web page images. A user may select an image from the primary search results and view the web page in an operational window. Information from a web site associated with the selected page is used to populate a site item area of the screen comprising items from the web site responsive to the search criteria. When an item is selected from the site item area, information related to the item is displayed to the user. Selected items are used to populate an item history area while selected web pages are used to populate a search history area. |
| US08522145B2 |
Method and system for editing content in server
Techniques of allowing a communication terminal to edit original content stored in a content server are disclosed. According to the techniques, the original content is converted into decimated and downsized proxy content; the proxy content is transmitted from the content server to the communication terminal; the proxy content is displayed on a display screen of the communication terminal; in response to a user's editing operation on the communication terminal, proxy-editing information is produced by the communication terminal; the proxy-editing information is transmitted from the communication terminal to the content server; and the content server edits the original content in accordance with the proxy-editing information. |
| US08522141B2 |
Method for providing link and electronic apparatus thereof
A method for providing a link in an electronic apparatus capable of reproducing contents, includes storing a first part of a first contents in a link storage area, forming a link between a second part of a second contents and the first part stored in the link storage area, and if the link is selected, displaying the first part while a contents screen including the second part is displayed. Accordingly, a user may easily find related contents from among contents stored in the electronic apparatus as a link is formed between related contents. |
| US08522139B2 |
Modeling system for graphic user interface
A modeling system for universal specification of user interfaces. The system provides a means for defining user interfaces, including highly complex and dynamic user interfaces, in a manner that is independent of any implementation context. The modeling system leads from a user-friendly visual representation of the user interface, through progressively detailed specifications of structural and behavioral aspects of the user interface parts, until a rigorous definition of the user interface in all its contexts of use is achieved. Using the information captured in the model, tools that automatically generate the fully working user interface code can be built. |
| US08522137B1 |
Systems, methods, and machine readable media for social network application development using a custom markup language
Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods, and machine readable medium for programming an application for multiple target social networks using custom markup tags that are independent of any custom markup tags defined by social networking services. These independent tags may be translated into the custom markup tags defined by the social networking service of interest if the desired functionality is supported in that social networking service using custom markup tags or if the tags are not supported, by a set of instructions for executing the same functionality. |
| US08522135B2 |
Generating a transformation description document for transforming messages
The present disclosure provides a system and method of generating a transformation specification document describing transformations for transforming a received message conforming to a second interface definition to a message conforming to a first interface definition. The system and method comprise loading the first interface definition into memory; loading the second interface definition into memory; determining all additional elements of the second interface definition loaded into memory not contained in the first interface definition loaded into memory; generating processing logic for removing all of the determined additional elements from the received message; and generating the transformation specification document using the generated processing logic. The present disclosure further relates to a computer program product generating a transformation specification document. |
| US08522133B2 |
Incrementally tokenizing and/or parsing a style sheet
Techniques are described herein that are capable of incrementally tokenizing and/or parsing a style sheet. For example, tokens may be created to represent respective sequences of characters in a style sheet. A token that includes a change (a.k.a. a changed token) and other token(s) that follow the changed token may be re-tokenized and/or parsed without re-tokenizing and/or parsing token(s) that precede the changed token. In another example, hierarchical node trees may be used to represent a style sheet. Each of the hierarchical node trees includes a respective subset of tokens, which are assigned among various hierarchical levels of the respective hierarchical node tree. Each of the tokens has a respective absolute or relative character position that indicates a location in the style sheet of the sequence of characters that is represented by the respective token. Absolute character positions may be updated without updating the relative character positions. |
| US08522130B1 |
Creating notes in a multilayered HTML document
A notepad application enables users to create notes associated with electronic documents. The document, configured for rendering by an eReader browser application, is associated with a table of contents defining a plurality of sections of the document. The notepad application displays a note window associated with a section of the document within a user interface of the browser application. When a user generates a note in connection with the note window by indicating a location within the document, the notepad application adds the note to a note region in a note object that is associated with a section of the document defined by the table of contents. The notepad application then can access the note using the table of contents of the document. |
| US08522128B1 |
Systems and methods for modifying the order of links presented in a document
A system modifies documents to aid users in determining which of the entries in the documents to choose. The system identifies a document that includes one or more entries. The system determines a score for each of the entries and modifies the identified document, or entries in the identified document, based on the determined scores. The system then provides the modified document to a user. |
| US08522124B2 |
Semiconductor device and decoding method thereof
An error control coding (ECC) circuit includes a first decoder, a second decoder, and a controller. The first decoder receives encoded data comprising a first parity and a second parity. The first decoder decodes the encoded data to a first code by using the first parity. The second decoder is connected to the first decoder. The second decoder is configured to decode the encoded data when the first decoder is deactivated and decode the first code using the second parity when the first decoder is deactivated. The controller transmits a control signal to the first decoder and the second decoder to control the first decoder and the second decoder. |
| US08522115B2 |
Flash memory device and memory system comprising same
A flash memory device provided here comprises a user data area storing user data; and a security data area storing security data. The security data area stores a security data pattern in which first groups of memory cells storing security data are arranged respectively between second groups of memory cells storing dummy data. |
| US08522113B2 |
Selecting storage facilities and dispersal parameters in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a processing module receiving a data storage request that includes metadata and data. The method continues with the processing module determining a base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the metadata. The method continues with the processing module identifying candidate dispersed storage (DS) units based on the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters. The method continues with the processing module selecting DS units of the candidate DS units based on the metadata to produce selected DS units. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding the data in accordance with at least a representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module sending the set of encoded data slices to the selected DS units for storage therein. |
| US08522109B2 |
Loss correction encoding device and loss correction encoding method
A loss correction encoding device having an improved capability of loss correction using LDPC-CC is disclosed. In the loss correction encoding device (120), a rearranging unit (122) rearranges information data contained in n information packets according to the constraint length Kmax and the encoding rate (q−1)/q of a cheek polynomial of the loss correction code used in a loss correction encoding unit (123). Specifically, the rearranging unit (122) rearranges the information data in such a way that continuous Kmax×(q−1) pieces of information data after rearrangement are contained in different information packets. The rearranging unit (122) distributes the information data to information blocks from n information packets (n satisfies formula (1)). Kmax×(q−1)≦n (1). |
| US08522097B2 |
Logic built-in self-test programmable pattern bit mask
In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes mapping failing bit positions within multiple scan chains to memory locations of a memory mask. The method also includes executing logic built-in self-test (LBIST) testing on a semiconductor device using the memory mask to selectively mask certain results within the multiple scan chains. The results are associated with performance of LBIST testing on the semiconductor device. |
| US08522096B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing 3D integrated circuits
A method and apparatus for testing a scan-based 3D integrated circuit (3DIC) using time-division demultiplexing/multiplexing allowing for high-data-rate scan patterns applied at input/output pads converting into low-data-rate scan patterns applied to each embeddded module in the 3DIC. A set of 3D design guidelines is proposed to reduce the number of test times and the number of through-silicon vias (TSVs) required for both pre-bond testing and post-bond testing. The technique allows reuse of scan patterns developed for pre-bond testing of each die (layer) for post-bond testing of the whole 3DIC. It further reduces test application time without concerns for I/O pad count limit and risks for fault coverage loss. |
| US08522092B2 |
Compare circuitry with scan cell separate from serial scan circuitry
A scan test architecture facilitates low power testing of semiconductor circuits by selectively dividing the serial scan paths into shorter sections. Multiplexers between the sections control connecting the sections into longer or shorted paths. Select and enable signals control the operation of the scan path sections. The output of each scan path passes through a multiplexer to compare circuits on the semiconductor substrate. The compare circuits also receive expected data and mask data. The compare circuits provide a fail flag output from the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08522091B1 |
Prioritized detection of memory corruption
In one embodiment, a method of detecting corruption of configuration memory is provided. A bitstream of a circuit design that includes at least a first module and a second module is generated. Configuration memory cells used to implement each of the first and second modules are determined. The configuration memory cells are programmed with the bitstream. After programming, configuration memory cells used to implement the first module are checked for corruption at a first frequency, and configuration memory cells used to implement the second module are checked for corruption at a second frequency, with the first frequency being different from the second frequency. |
| US08522086B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing relocation notification
In one embodiment, a method and apparatus for notifying a client computer that a service accessed by the client computer is unavailable as a result of the service being relocated. In a further embodiment, a method and apparatus providing a notification to a client computer that a service has been relocated so that the service is no longer accessible via a network address stored in the local store of the client computer. In one embodiment, further flushing a local store of a client computer in response to a notification that a service has been relocated so that the service is no longer accessible via a network address stored in the local store of the client computer. |
| US08522084B2 |
Computer system and method employing separate storage area for computer program recovery
A computer system, a control method thereof and a recording medium storing a computer program thereof are provided to recover a program efficiently and be resistant to viruses, worms, and user error. The control method of computer system receives a user's request for a recovery of a program which is installed in a first storage unit. A file system of a second storage unit is determined which stores therein a recovery program corresponding to the program for which the recovery is requested. The recovery program is read from the second storage unit with reference to the determined file system, and the program in the first storage unit is recovered by using the read recovery program. |
| US08522080B2 |
Generation of simulated errors for high-level system validation
This invention relates to error simulation for system validation. Errors can be simulated by modifying data presented to the processor as well as generating interrupts consistent with the modified data in the ASIC hardware. Modify logic may be added to the ASIC so when the microprocessor attempts to read a specific address, the modify logic may mask one or more of the data bits returned by the requested address. Address, bit mask, and force value data may be stored in registers to determine which address may be modified, the bit location to be modified, and the value that bit location should be changed to. Selection logic may then determine whether data from the modify logic or the unmodified value from an attached device should be sent to the ASIC interface and on to the microprocessor. A timer may also be used to decouple the setup from the test. |
| US08522079B2 |
System and method for multi-core synchronous debugging of a multi-core platform
A system and a corresponding method for multi-core synchronous debugging of a multi-core platform including a plurality of cores are provided. The method includes the following steps. Transmit a core debugging instruction to one of the cores selected by a system debugging instruction or store a group setting included in the system debugging instruction according to the type of the system debugging instruction. Control every core in a group to start executing program instructions simultaneously according to another system debugging instruction. The group is a subset of the cores and the group setting indicates which ones of the cores are included in the group. Use a handshaking mechanism to control all cores of the group to enter a debug mode simultaneously when a debug event happens in any core of the group. |
| US08522078B2 |
Trouble coping method for information technology system
A trouble coping apparatus includes an incident registration section which registers information about an incident which has solved a problem, a solution knowledge generation section which generates trouble solution knowledge from the incident information, a risk registration section which registers risk items which are materials for judging appropriateness of selection of a work candidate, with the trouble solution knowledge, a risk evaluation section which generates navigation information showing a trouble solution procedure from the trouble solution knowledge, and a solution procedure display section which displays the navigation information. |
| US08522077B2 |
Power supply grid switch
Examples relate to a grid switch adapted for use with a power supply, wherein the grid switch selects an operational power grid from first and second power grids if one of power grids has failed, and selects between the first and second grids based on a policy if both the first and second power grids are operational. |
| US08522067B2 |
Variable latency interface for read/write channels
A variable latency interface and method for managing variable latency. An apparatus includes a storage device controller and a read/write channel coupled to the storage device controller by a variable latency interface. The variable latency interface includes a media control component configured for read and write operations. The variable latency interface also includes a data transfer component configured for read and write operations. A read or write operation in the media control component is offset from a respective read or write operation in the data transfer component by a latency period. |
| US08522065B2 |
Generating a random number in an existing system on chip
A system for generating a true random number and implemented within an existing System on Chip (SoC) is provided herein. The system includes one or more sub circuitry synchronous modules configured to operate in a specified nominal clock rate, wherein each sub circuitry synchronous modules yields expected deterministic results when operating in its nominal clock rate; and a control module configured to clock the one or more sub circuitry synchronous modules each in a clock rate higher than its respective the nominal clock rate and beyond a specified value, to yield a non deterministic behavior of the one or more sub circuitry synchronous modules, resulting in one or more random signals, wherein the system is implemented within an existing system on chip (SOC). |
| US08522064B2 |
Server system having mainboards
The present invention provides a server system comprising a first group of mainboard modules and a second group of mainboard modules, each of the first and second groups of mainboard modules including a plurality of mainboard modules. Each mainboard module includes a mainboard and a daughter board electrically connected to the mainboard; a first adaptor and a second adaptor; a hard disk array including a hard disk backplane and a plurality of hard disks, wherein the hard disk backplane is electrically connected to the first adaptor and the second adaptor; a first power control board and a second power control board respectively connected to at least one power supply, wherein the first power control board and the second power control board are electrically connected to the hard disk array; and a management board electrically connected to the first adaptor and the second adaptor. |
| US08522061B2 |
Method and apparatus of power management of a node in home entertainment network by shifting from a normal state into either a first low power state based on the traffic at the node or a second low power state upon receipt of a message granting a request for the second low power state at the node
A power management system for home entertainment networks having three power states. The network controller is empowered to move nodes within the home entertainment network between the power states. |
| US08522056B2 |
Energy-efficient server location determination
A heat potential value for each of a set of available server locations is calculated via a data center controller based upon at least one active server in a data center. A minimal calculated heat potential value for the set of available server locations is identified. An available server location associated with the identified minimal calculated heat potential value is selected from the set of available server locations. A maximal calculated heat potential value is identified for the set of available server locations. An available server location associated with the identified maximal calculated heat potential value is selected from the set of available server locations. A server located at the selected available server location associated with the identified maximal calculated heat potential value is automatically de-energized. |
| US08522052B1 |
Method and integrated circuit for secure encryption and decryption
In one embodiment of the present invention a secure cryptographic device is provided. The device includes a power supply interface, a cryptographic processing block coupled to the power supply interface, a random number generator, and a complex multiplication circuit. The complex multiplication circuit has an output coupled to the power supply interface for modulating a power variation waveform detectable on the power supply interface. The complex multiplication circuit also has a first input coupled to an output of the random number generator and a second input coupled to the power supply interface. |
| US08522050B1 |
Systems and methods for securing information in an electronic file
A computer-implemented method for securing information in an electronic file is described. Data in the electronic file is automatically scanned. Sensitive information in the electronic file is identified. The sensitive information is extracted from the electronic file. The sensitive information is encrypted. The encrypted sensitive information is stored. |
| US08522045B2 |
Multi-functional system, security method, security program, and storage medium
A multi-functional system includes a main system, and sub-systems operated by sub-programs and the main system. The sub-systems includes a first memory storing a first public key, and a second memory storing an encrypted sub-program and second public key, a first communication controller transmitting the first public key for encrypted communication, a decryption unit decrypting the encrypted sub-program and second public key using an encryption key, and a second controller transmitting the decrypted second public key for encrypted communication. The main system includes a first public key, a second public key, a security device, and first and second communication controllers. The sub-systems execute a plurality of corresponding subprograms under the control of the main system. |
| US08522041B2 |
System and method for efficiently performing a data encryption operation
A system and method for efficiently performing a data encryption operation in an electronic system preferably includes a processor that may initially create an encryption structure in a memory device. The encryption structure may preferably include one or more command structures for performing data encryption or decryption operations. The processor may subsequently program local control registers of a DMA engine with selected encryption information in response to a data encryption or decryption requirement. The processor may then instruct the DMA engine to perform the required data encryption or decryption operation. Next, the DMA engine may responsively copy one or more of the command structures from the memory device into local command registers that are coupled to the DMA engine. The DMA engine may then reference the foregoing control registers and command registers to thereby efficiently perform one or more data encryption or decryption operations. During the data encryption or decryption operations, the DMA engine may preferably provide source data from the memory device to an encryption module for encrypting or decrypting. The DMA engine may then responsively store the encrypted or decrypted data back into the memory device as destination data that may be subsequently provided to any appropriate destination entity that is coupled to the electronic system. |
| US08522035B2 |
Assisted certificate enrollment
A certificate enrollment assistant module may be provided to inject a challenge password into a certificate signing request to be sent, to a Certificate Authority, from a computing device. The certificate enrollment assistant module, thereby, acts as a trusted proxy to assist the computing device in building a valid certificate signing request without the computing device having access to the challenge password. |
| US08522033B2 |
Authentication device, authentication method, program, and signature generation device
Provided is an authentication device including a key setting unit for setting sεKn to a secret key and setting a multi-order polynomial fi(x1, . . . , xn) (i=1 to m) on a ring K and yi=fi(s) to a public key, a message transmission unit for transmitting a message c to a verifier, a verification pattern reception unit for receiving information on one verification pattern selected by the verifier from k (k≧3) verification patterns for one message c, and a response transmission unit for transmitting, to the verifier, response information, among k types of response information, corresponding to the information on the verification pattern received by the verification pattern reception unit, where the response information is information that enables calculation of the secret key s in a case all of the k verification patterns for the message c performed by using the k types of response information have been successful. |
| US08522026B2 |
Automatic authentication method and system in print process
This invention provides an automatic authentication method and system in a print process, which can obviate the need for user's input operations of the user ID and password and can improve security since authentication is automatically done based on print information embedded in a file or information from an application program without any user's input.In a print process that requires user authentication, a printer driver extracts information related to an application and/or a document for the print process as attribute information, and user authentication is made by comparing the attribute information with information stored in a user registration information database of a server. If user authentication has succeeded, the printer driver controls a printer to print, and the server manages and stores accounting information and the like for respective departments in a department management information database. |
| US08522024B2 |
Authentication method, system, and device
The present invention provides an authentication method, an authentication system, and an authentication device, which is in information security field. The method includes that a service side receives a username and a first value from a client side, searches a seed of a dynamic password token, and generates a first dynamic password according to the first value and the seed, converts the first dynamic password to the first authentication password and the second authentication password, and sends the first authentication password to the user; the dynamic password token generates a second dynamic password and sends the first authentication password to a user; the dynamic password token generates a second dynamic password and converts the second dynamic password to a third authentication password and a fourth authentication password; the user compares the first authentication password and the third authentication password to determine that they are identical, so as to confirm that the user is legal or the transaction is permissible. The invention prevents malicious attack and operation of illegal users, which improves the security of information and property of the users. |
| US08522023B2 |
Rural services platform
A middleware platform is executable by a computer to receive a request for a service, the service provided by a service application in communication with the middleware platform. The middleware platform determines, via a device adaptation component of the middleware platform, capabilities of a device subject to the request. The middleware platform selects an interface having a format that is compatible with the capabilities of the device, and provides the interface to the device in a format corresponding to the capabilities, accesses the service application responsive to the request, processes the request, and returns a response, via the interface, to the device responsive to the processing. |
| US08522022B2 |
Distributed storage network employing multiple encoding layers in data routing
A distributed storage processing unit creates multiple different data slices from the same data object, and generates a message including one or more of the different data slices. The distributed storage processing unit identifies a chain of distributed storage units, and encrypts the message into multiple nested layers using, for example, public keys of public/private key pairs associated with each of the storage units in the chain. The distributed storage processing unit sends the layered, encrypted message to the first storage unit in the chain, which decodes and removes the outermost layer, and forwards the message to the next storage unit in the chain. This process continues until the message reaches the endpoint distributed storage unit, which decodes the innermost layer and stores the data slice encoded in the message. |
| US08522021B2 |
Communication channel of a device
A method including transferring a device ID through a first communication channel between a device and a transaction device, configuring the device to send secured information in response to receiving a transaction request and sending user information to a service provider through a second communication channel in response to receiving a request to authenticate the secured information. |
| US08522016B2 |
On-the-fly data masking
Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for securing data of a production server. The invention, in one implementation, includes reading a data value on the production server, obfuscating the data value in the memory of the server to create a masked value, transmitting the masked value to a non-production server, and storing the masked value on the non-production server. |
| US08522015B2 |
Authentication of binaries in memory with proxy code execution
Presented is an anti-tampering method that validates and protects specific sections of a binary file. In one embodiment, this method permits a proxy engine to execute (via emulation by a virtual machine) the protected code on behalf of the binary in kernel mode upon successful completion of an integrity check. The integrity check can optionally check only the specific parts of code that the developer wishes to validate. The integrity check can cross binary boundaries. Moreover, the integrity check can be done on a hard drive or in memory. Furthermore, since the encrypted code is executed by the proxy engine in kernel mode, hackers are further deterred from modifying the code. Additionally, a method of creating a protected binary file is described herein. |
| US08522014B2 |
Method and system for storing a key in a remote security module
A system obtains assurance by a content provider that a content control key is securely stored in a remote security module for further secure communications between the content provider and the security module. A security module manufacturer, which has a pre-established trustful relation with the security module, imports a symmetric transport key into the security module. The symmetric transport key is unique to the security module. The content provider shares the symmetric transport key with the security module manufacturer. The content provider exchanging messages with the security module through a security module communication manager in order to get the proof that the security module stores the content control key. At least a portion of the messages exchanged between the content provider and the security module are protected using the symmetric transport key. The symmetric transport key is independent of said content control key. |
| US08522012B2 |
Method for the application of implicit signature schemes
A method of certifying a correspondent in a data communication system by a certifying authority. The certifying authority includes a cryptographic unit. The method includes generating a random number and implicit certificate components based on the random number using the cryptographic unit. The implicit certificate components have a first component and a second component. The method also includes providing the implicit certificate components for use in the data communication system and providing a public key of the certifying authority for use in derivation of a public key of the correspondent from the first component. The certifying authority recertifies the correspondent by providing implicit certificate components using a changed value for the random number. |
| US08522011B2 |
Computer implemented method for authenticating a user
The invention relates to a computer implemented method for performing a user authentication, wherein an asymmetric cryptographic key pair is associated with the user, said key pair comprising a public key and a private key, wherein the method comprises selecting the user to be authenticated using a pseudonym of said user, wherein said pseudonym comprises the public key of the user, the method further comprising performing a cryptographic authentication of the user using the asymmetric cryptographic key pair. |
| US08522009B2 |
Device management system, site monitoring apparatus and method
A server certificate and root certificate for performing secure communication with monitoring target devices are issued in a site monitoring apparatus. Using a secret key that is paired with a public key, a digital signature is issued based on communication destination information in which the site monitoring apparatus is the communication destination and the issued root certificate, and the communication destination information, root certificate, and digital signature are transmitted to the monitoring target devices. The monitoring target devices receive the communication destination information, root certificate, and digital signature from the site monitoring apparatus. Authentication is performed on the received digital signature using the public key, and in accordance with successful authentication, the communication destination for device monitoring information is changed from a management server to the site monitoring apparatus and secure communication is performed with the site monitoring apparatus, using the received communication information and root certificate. |
| US08522006B2 |
Enhanced distribution of digital content
The enhanced distribution of digital content, in which a digital content distribution process is dynamically modeled, the digital content distribution process is invoked, and a serviced digital copy is provided to a recipient. Invoking the digital content distribution process further includes ingesting digital content, further including storing a digital master of the digital content in a digital vault, and servicing the digital copy of the stored digital master based on a servicing request received from the recipient. |
| US08522004B2 |
Method and system for power management for a handheld mobile electronic device executing-in-place an application kernel from execute-in-place non-volatile memory (XIP NVM)
Methods and systems for trusted boot using an original design manufacturer secure partition using execute-in-place non-volatile memory (XIP NVM) can include forming a secure partition within the XIP NVM and loading an initial program load within the secure partition wherein the initial program load comprises computer instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising a trusted boot. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08522000B2 |
Trap handler architecture for a parallel processing unit
A trap handler architecture is incorporated into a parallel processing subsystem such as a GPU. The trap handler architecture minimizes design complexity and verification efforts for concurrently executing threads by imposing a property that all thread groups associated with a streaming multi-processor are either all executing within their respective code segments or are all executing within the trap handler code segment. |
| US08521999B2 |
Executing touchBHT instruction to pre-fetch information to prediction mechanism for branch with taken history
A method comprising receiving a branch instruction, decoding a branch address and the branch instruction, executing a branch action associated with the branch address, determining whether a branch associated with the branch action was taken, and saving an identifier of the branch instruction and in indicator that the branch action was taken in a prefetch history table responsive to determining that the branch associated with the branch action was taken. |
| US08521996B2 |
Pipelined microprocessor with fast non-selective correct conditional branch instruction resolution
A microprocessor includes a pipeline of stages for processing instructions and first and second types of conditional branch instruction includable by a program. The microprocessor makes a prediction of conditional branch instructions of the first type and flushes the pipeline of instructions if the prediction is subsequently determined to be incorrect, thereby incurring a branch misprediction penalty related to processing of conditional branch instructions of the first type. The microprocessor always correctly resolves conditional branch instructions of the second type without making a prediction of conditional branch instructions of the second type, thereby avoiding ever incurring a branch misprediction penalty related to processing of conditional branch instructions of the second type. |
| US08521995B2 |
Handling operating system (OS) transitions in an unbounded transactional memory (UTM) mode
A method includes receiving control in a kernel mode via a ring transition from a user thread during execution of an unbounded transactional memory (UTM) transaction, updating a state of a transaction status register (TSR) associated with the user thread and storing the TSR with a context of the user thread, and later restoring the context during a transition from the kernel mode to the user thread. In this way, the UTM transaction may continue on resumption of the user thread. |
| US08521994B2 |
Interleaving corresponding data elements from part of two source registers to destination register in processor operable to perform saturation
An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to pack the packed data responsive to a pack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a second packed data element are received from the first source register. A third packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit packs packing a portion of each of the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the portion from second packed data element adjacent to the portion from the first packed data element, and the portion from the fourth packed data element adjacent to the portion from the third packed data element. |
| US08521989B2 |
Programmable and scalable microcontroller architecture
A microcontroller includes a program memory, data memory, central processing unit, at least one register module, a memory management unit, and a transport network. Instructions are executed in one clock cycle via an instruction word. The instruction word indicates the source module from which data is to be retrieved and the destination module to which data is to be stored. The address/data capability of an instruction word may be extended via a prefix module. If an operation is performed on the data, the source module or the destination module may perform the operation during the same clock cycle in which the data is transferred. |
| US08521984B2 |
Computer system and control method therefor
A physical storage area that is allocated to an unused area of a virtual volume is removed. A management unit sends a request to a server computer to make every piece of data stored in a first logical volume migrate to a second logical volume. The server reads all the data out of the first logical volume and writes the data in the second logical volume. A storage system that includes the first logical volume and the second logical volume allocates a physical storage area to an area of the second logical volume where the data is to be written, and writes the data in the allocated physical storage area. The storage system then deletes the first logical volume. |
| US08521983B2 |
Program, apparatus and method for managing data allocation of distributed storage system including storage nodes
In a computer for executing processing based on a storage management program, a management information storing unit designates, from the data blocks having the same content, main-data used as an access destination and sub-data used as a backup, and stores management information that registers storage nodes as allocation destinations of the respective main-data and sub-data; a load information collecting unit continuously collects load information on the storage nodes; a replacement object detecting unit detects a pair of the main-data and the sub-data having the same content and having a predetermined condition such that a load difference between the allocation destination of the main-data and that of the sub-data exceeds a predetermined allowable value; and a management information updating unit replaces roles of the main-data and the sub-data between the detected pair of data blocks. |
| US08521982B2 |
Load request scheduling in a cache hierarchy
A system and method for tracking core load requests and providing arbitration and ordering of requests. When a core interface unit (CIU) receives a load operation from the processor core, a new entry in allocated in a queue of the CIU. In response to allocating the new entry in the queue, the CIU detects contention between the load request and another memory access request. In response to detecting contention, the load request may be suspended until the contention is resolved. Received load requests may be stored in the queue and tracked using a least recently used (LRU) mechanism. The load request may then be processed when the load request resides in a least recently used entry in the load request queue. CIU may also suspend issuing an instruction unless a read claim (RC) machine is available. In another embodiment, CIU may issue stored load requests in a specific priority order. |
| US08521977B2 |
Information processing apparatus and access control method
An information processing apparatus includes nodes having a first node and a second node each of which includes a processor and a memory in which at least a part of area is set as a shared memory area, and an interconnect that connects the nodes. The first node transmits communication data to be transmitted to the second node by attaching identification information used for accessing a memory in the second node. The second node determines whether or not an access to the shared memory area in the memory in the second node is permitted on the basis of the identification information that is attached to the communication data transmitted from the first node and identification information stored in a storing unit and used for controlling permission to access, from another node, the shared memory area in the memory in the second node. |
| US08521975B2 |
Cluster families for cluster selection and cooperative replication
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for cooperative replication of multiple clusters. A copy request to copy a volume into a first cluster is received. A determination is made whether the first cluster is a family member of a cluster family. If the first cluster is a family member of the cluster family, a determination is made whether another family member already completed copying the volume. If another family member has not already copied the volume, the first cluster is designated to inherit the copy request. The copy request is executed and the volume is cooperative replicated into the cluster family. Cumulative consistency is achieved within the cluster family. The volume is shared within the cluster family so that all copies of the volume within the cluster family are consistent. |
| US08521974B2 |
Migration of data in a distributed environment
Embodiments of the invention migrate dynamically changing data sets in a distributed application environment. Writes to a source device are intercepted and it is determined whether data in the source device is being migrated to a target device. If data is being migrated, then the intercepted write is mirror written synchronously to both the source and the target. Data being migrated is read from a region of the source and written to a region of the target and also to a mirror writing memory location. The source region data is re-read and compared to the originally read data that is written to the mirror writing memory location. If the compared data does not match, the data migration from the source region to the target region (and to the mirror writing memory location) is repeated until the originally read data and the re-read data match. |
| US08521970B2 |
Addressing, command protocol, and electrical interface for non-volatile memories utilized in recording usage counts
Electrical interfaces, addressing schemes, and command protocols allow for communications with memory modules in computing devices such as imaging and printing devices. Memory modules may be assigned an address through a set of discrete voltages. One, multiple, or all of the memory modules may be addressed with a single command, which may be an increment counter command, a write command, a punch out bit field, or a cryptographic command. The commands may be transmitted using a broadcast scheme or a split transaction scheme. The status of the memory modules may be determined by sampling a single signal that may be at a low, high, or intermediate voltage level. |
| US08521969B2 |
Apparatus and method for directing micro architectural memory region accesses
In an embodiment, memory access requests for information stored within a system memory pass through an integrated circuit. The system memory may include a micro-architectural memory region to store instructions and/or data, where the micro-architectural memory region is to be exclusively accessible by a micro-architectural agent The integrated circuit may include memory access director to direct memory access requests to the micro-architectural memory region if the memory access director determines that the memory access request includes a location within the at least one micro-architectural memory region and the micro-architectural agent is operating in a micro-architectural memory region access mode. |
| US08521965B2 |
Hardware acceleration for a software transactional memory system
A method and apparatus for accelerating transactional execution. Barriers associated with shared memory lines referenced by memory accesses within a transaction are only invoked/executed the first time the shared memory lines are accessed within a transaction. Hardware support, such as a transaction field/transaction bits, are provided to determine if an access is the first access to a shared memory line during a pendancy of a transaction. Additionally, in an aggressive operational mode version numbers representing versions of elements stored in shared memory lines are not stored and validated upon commitment to save on validation costs. Moreover, even in a cautious mode, that stores version numbers to enable validation, validation costs may not be incurred, if eviction of accessed shared memory lines do not occur during execution of the transaction. |
| US08521962B2 |
Managing counter saturation in a filter
Filters and methods for managing presence counter saturation are disclosed. The filters can be coupled to a collection of items and maintain information for determining a potential presence of an identified item in the collection of items. The filter includes a filter controller and one or more mapping functions. Each mapping function has a plurality of counters associated with the respective mapping function. When a membership status of an item in the collection of items changes, the filter receives a membership change notification including an identifier identifying the item. Each mapping function processes the identifier to identify a particular counter associated with the respective mapping function. If a particular counter has reached a predetermined value, a request including a reference to the particular counter is sent to the collection of items. The filter receives a response to the request and modifies the particular counter as a result of the response. |
| US08521960B2 |
Mitigating busy time in a high performance cache
A method, information processing device, and computer program product mitigate busy time in a hierarchical store-through memory cache structure. In one embodiment, a cache directory associated with a memory cache is divided into a plurality of portions each associated with a portion memory cache. Simultaneous cache lookup operations and cache write operations between the plurality of portions of the cache directory are supported. Two or more store commands are simultaneously processed in a shared cache pipeline communicatively coupled to the plurality of portions of the cache directory. |
| US08521955B2 |
Aligned data storage for network attached media streaming systems
Described embodiments provide a server for transferring data packets of streaming data sessions between devices. A redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) array having one or more stripe sector units (SSU) stores media files corresponding to the one or more data sessions. The RAID control module receives a request to perform the write operation to the RAID array beginning at a starting data storage address (DSA) and pads the data of the write operation if the amount of data is less than a full SSU of data, such that the padded data of the write operation is a full SSU of data. The RAID control module stores the full SSU of data beginning at a starting data storage address (DSA) that is aligned with a second SSU boundary, without performing a read-modify-write operation. |
| US08521952B2 |
Hierarchical memory architecture with a phase-change memory (PCM) content addressable memory (CAM)
A Phase-Change Memory (PCM) Content Addressable Memory (CAM) utilized to store addresses of defective rows or columns of a memory array or memories attached to a backside bus of a concentrator device. |
| US08521944B2 |
Performing memory accesses using memory context information
In one embodiment, a processor includes an address generation unit having a memory context logic to determine whether a memory context identifier associated with an address of a memory access request corresponds to an agent memory context identifier for the processor, and to handle the memory address request based on the determination. |
| US08521943B2 |
Data transmission system and method of reading data
In a request issuing device, a specific read request unit generates a read requesting write packet including a predetermined address of a memory of a request receiving device as a write address and including, as a read address, the address of the memory in a payload. In the request receiving device, when data is written into the predetermined address of the memory, a specific read request responding unit detects reception of the read request, reads the data from the read address of the memory written into the predetermined address, and generates a read responding write packet including, in the payload, the data that has been read. |
| US08521938B2 |
Universal serial bus host controller and control method thereof
A USB host controller is provided. The USB host controller is capable of communicating with multiple USB apparatuses having endpoints and sends a request to a first endpoint. The USB host controller includes a first storage and a first control unit. The first control unit stores endpoint information from the first endpoint into the first storage when the first endpoint issues an unready transaction packet in response to the request. The unready transaction packet indicates that the first endpoint is not ready. |
| US08521937B2 |
Method and apparatus for interfacing multiple dies with mapping to modify source identity
A package includes a die and at least one further die. The die has an interface configured to receive a transaction request from the further die via an interconnect and to transmit a response to the transaction request to said further die via the interconnect. The die also has mapping circuitry which is configured to receive the transaction request including at least first source identity information, wherein the first source identity information is associated with a source of the transaction request on the further die. The mapping circuitry is configured to modify the transaction request to replace the first source identity information with local source identity information, wherein that local source identity information is associated with the mapping circuitry. The mapping circuitry is configured to modify the received transaction request to provide said first source identity information in a further field. |
| US08521936B2 |
Administering computing system resources in a computing system
Administering computing system resources in a computing system, the computing system comprising at least one slot adapted to receive an electrical component having a set of pins, the slot configured to couple pins of the electrical component to the computing system, installed within the slot a presence detectable baffle, the presence detectable baffle comprising a passive chassis having a form factor consistent with the electrical component and a presence detectable pin set connected to the passive chassis, the pin set consistent with the electrical component, including: identifying, by a system manager, the presence detectable baffle; and managing, by the system manager, computing system operating attributes in dependence upon presence detectable baffle attributes. |
| US08521934B1 |
Multi-port context-based host controller
A host controller for a bus is disclosed. The host controller includes a plurality of functional modules interconnected to manage transfer of data between a host bus and a root hub configured to communicate with one or more USB device endpoints on the bus. The plurality of functional modules comprises a DMA engine to transfer one or more data payloads between the host bus and the root hub, a transfer manager configured to determine what control data and/or data payloads should be transferred, and a scheduler to schedule actions performed by the transfer manager. A plurality of control memories, each associated with one or more of the functional modules, store state and/or data information fields accessible by its one or more associated functional modules. The plurality of control memories are distinct and independently accessible from one another. |
| US08521930B1 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling transactions in a host-controlled packet-based bus environment
Systems and methods schedule periodic and non-periodic transactions in a multi-port bus environment. The method may comprise performing multiple search passes through a first array of endpoints to determine whether dispatch resources are available for active endpoints satisfying a set of sort criteria. When dispatch resources are not available for an endpoint, a sort level may be marked with a marker to indicate that an endpoint has not been serviced. After the active endpoints in the first array have been serviced by dispatching a periodic transaction to the endpoint or by marking a sort level corresponding to the endpoint, a non-periodic transaction may be dispatched to an active endpoint in a second array. In response to receiving an indication that the dispatch resources have become available, a subsequent search pass may be made through the first array, starting with a highest priority sort level that is marked with the marker. |
| US08521927B2 |
System and method for text entry
A text entry system for an electronic device comprising: an input subsystem receives user input operations, interprets them as letters, characters, symbols, commands or functions, where the said received user operations interpreted as letters are comprising: (1) single letter operations that select any possible letter from the alphabet, (2) letter group operations that select a group of possible letters from the alphabet; and a text prediction subsystem receives a sequence of the said single letter entries and letter group entries, and produces a list of possible words the user intends to enter based on a priori database of words; and a word processing subsystem, receives the said list of possible words, displays them to the user, receives the user selection of the desired word and further processes the text entry as required. |
| US08521926B2 |
Remote desktop control system using USB interface and method thereof
A desktop sharing and remote control system where the server (the computer being controlled) and the client (the computer controlling the server) are connected by a connecting device using the USB protocol. The connecting device includes a control unit (MCU) and two USB controllers. The MCU transfers data between the two USB controllers. The server-side USB controller emulates a USB CD-ROM/keyboard/mouse composite device; the client-side USB controller emulates a USB CD-ROM. The server continuously writes video data (desktop image) to the server-side emulated CD-ROM and the client continuously reads the data from the client-side emulated CD-ROM and applies it to its monitor. Keyboard and mouse data is transferred in the opposite direction via the client-side emulated CD-ROM and server-side emulated keyboard and mouse devices. The connecting device stores applications programs to be automatically executed by the server and client using auto-run functions of the emulated CD-ROMs to accomplish plug-and-play. |
| US08521924B2 |
Method of context aware data-centric storage for wireless sensor networks
There is provided a method of context aware data-centric storage for dynamically changing a data storage range comprising: collecting data from entire sensor nodes, after establishing a data storage range of an entire sensor network, dividing areas, and transmitting a message of data storage range information to the entire sensor nodes by a base station; storing the collected data in a storage sensor node by determining whether there is a node responsible for storing the collected data to carry out operation depending on the determination result; determining whether the data storage has not been carried out for a period of time longer than a specified time in each sensor node after storing the data; and to determining whether the scale of invalid range is not smaller than Γ. |
| US08521921B1 |
Automatic direct memory access (DMA)
In one embodiment, a method includes storing, in a storage unit, a number of data transfer requests to issue for a data request signal. Data transfer requests are issued to a direct memory access (DMA) controller of a system for transfer of data to a buffer unit. The stored number of data transfer requests is determined. The issuance of data transfer requests are stopped when the stored number of data transfer requests is met. |
| US08521918B2 |
Selectively hiding an interface controller from an operating system
A method and other embodiments associated with an interface controller (310) are described. One example method (100) includes monitoring an interface device presence signal for an interface port connector (330) associated with an interface controller (310). The example method (100) also includes controlling (120) the interface controller (310) to be selectively hidden from an operating system (360) in response to the interface device presence signal being negative. The example method (100) further includes controlling (130) the interface controller (310) to be selectively disclosed to the operating system (360) in response to the interface device presence signal being positive. |
| US08521917B2 |
Remote inking
In one or more embodiments, a bus driver, included on a local computing system, enables detection of hardware available on a host computing system for a remote access session. Upon detecting a hardware device on the host computing system, an operating system included in the local computing system may obtain a device driver for controlling data captured from the hardware device. The device driver may be used to inject data captured from the hardware device into the local operating system's input stack. In some examples, the data is injected into the local operating system's input stack at a layer that corresponds to a layer at which the data was captured on the host computing system. |
| US08521916B2 |
Method and system for connecting a host and multiple storage devices formed by optical interconnects and optical link creation method
A connection scheme for connection from a host or the like to multiple storage devices via an optical link, and in particular to an optical connection scheme or an optical wiring scheme for realizing multiplexing/redundancy by utilizing branches of an optical link and the unidirectionality of the optical link. When a host or the like and multiple storage devices such as memories are optically connected via two or more optical couplers, a configuration is made in which a loop is provided between the two optical couplers by utilizing branches of the optical couplers and the unidirectionality of light. Accordingly, a configuration is adopted in which an IO controller makes a selection from among multiple operation modes. |
| US08521912B2 |
Method and system for direct device access
Methods and systems for direct device access are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a plurality of GOSs directly accessing a first network interface device, where the first network interface device may provide access to a network. One or more of the GOSs may be migrated to directly access a second network interface device, based on state information for each of the GOSs, where the state information may be maintained by the host. The GOSs may communicate data to a device coupled to the network by direct accessing the first and/or second network interface device. Similarly, the first and/or second network interface device may communicate data received from a device coupled to the network to one or more of the plurality of GOSs via direct access of the first and/or second network interface device. |
| US08521911B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for executing discovery in network
An apparatus, system and method for executing discovery in a network are provided. The system for executing discovery in a network is configured with a SyncML server and a SyncML client, and includes a SyncML server that transmits a multicast search message to the SyncML client in order to search for a SyncML client that exists in a network, and executes a data synchronization with the found SyncML client, and a SyncML client that transmits a notify-alive message to the SyncML server in order to notify that the SyncML client exists in a network, and executes a synchronization with the SyncML server. |
| US08521910B2 |
Data collection system, data collection method and data collection program to reduce the communication time
It is an object to provide a data collection system that is configured to reduce a communication amount, etc. at the time when data are collected from devices, so as to reduce a communication amount attended by the collection of data without increasing processing loads imposed on devices. The data collecting device comprises a code operating means for deriving a frequency of the symbol for each symbol corresponding to the code being contained in the already compressed data based upon the data analysis result being contained in the received already compressed data, and a code operation developing means for adding the frequency of the description format, out of the frequencies obtained by the code operating means, to the frequency of the basic symbol corresponding to the above description format, and adding the frequency of the derivative symbol to the frequency of each basic symbol constituting the derivative symbol. |
| US08521905B2 |
System for flexible and extensible flow processing in software-defined networks
A system for flexible and extensible flow processing includes a first network device to act as a controller within a software-defined network. The first network device receives a processing definition, translates the processing definition to create a parser configuration package and transmit the parser configuration package to a plurality of forwarding elements, and transmit data to populate flow tables within the plurality of forwarding elements. The system also includes a second and third network device, each acting as a flow switching enabled forwarding element and able to receive a parser configuration package from the first network device. The second network device compiles the parser configuration package into machine code, which is executed on a processor to perform packet processing. The third network device includes a co-processor to execute the parser configuration package to perform packet processing. The parser configuration package includes representations of header, table definition, and stack instructions. |
| US08521904B1 |
Devices, systems, and/or methods for determining internet topology
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method, which can comprise, based upon a quantified completeness of a determined topology of an interconnected set of Autonomous Systems of the Internet, at a user interface of an information device, automatically rendering a determined identity of a customer to which telecommunications products will be offered. |
| US08521899B2 |
Multi-out media distribution system and method
To deliver a digital media stream to remote clients of differing client types that support the original encoding format of the digital media stream, but that do not support the original container format of the digital media stream, a media distribution server may, for each request that it receives for the digital media stream, dynamically repackage the media stream into a container format and delivery protocol supported by the requesting remote client. The repackaged media stream includes the digital media data of the original digital media stream encoded unchanged in its original encoding format, but the encoded media data is re-packetized according to the container format and delivery protocol determined to be supported by the requesting remote client. |
| US08521896B2 |
Method and system for negotiating the bidirectional forwarding detection session discriminator of pseudo wire
A method, apparatus and system for negotiating the BFD session discriminator of the PW are disclosed. The method includes: a second equipment receives a negotiation message from a first equipment, where the message carries the BFD capability of VCCV of the PW at the first equipment and the BFD discriminator; and then sends to the first equipment a message which carries the BFD capability of the VCCV of the PW at the second equipment and the BFD discriminator allocated to the PW after obtaining the BFD capability and BFD discriminator from the first equipment if the local PW supports the BFD capability; or, sends to the first equipment a message which carries information indicating that the local PW does not support the BFD capability if the local PW does not support the BFD capability. Through this method, the process of negotiating the BFD session discriminator is simplified. |
| US08521895B2 |
Management of application to application communication requests between data processing systems
A mechanism is provided for managing an application communication request. A first operating system passes a call from a first application in a first data processing system intended for a second application in a second data processing system to a first host fabric interface controller in the first data processing system without processing the call. The first host fabric interface processes the call using state information associated with the call to determine the second data processing system with which the call is associated. The first host fabric interface initiates a connection to a second host fabric interface in the second data processing system and transfers the call to a second operating system in the second data processing system via the connection to the second host fabric interface. The second data processing system then processes the call intended for the second application without assistance from the second application. |
| US08521893B2 |
Multi-rate proximity based peer discovery methods and apparatus
Various embodiments relate to wireless communications devices which support multiple modes of peer discovery operation. In some embodiments, the multiple modes of peer discovery operation include different modes which are associated with different rates of transmitting peer discovery information. In some embodiments, the multiple modes of peer discovery operation include different modes which are associated with different rates of monitoring peer discovery information. In various embodiments, a communications device determines whether or not to switch between different peer discovery modes of operation as a function of proximity to a location of interest. Proximity determinations may be, and sometimes are, based upon geographic position comparisons. Alternatively or in addition, proximity determinations may be, and sometimes are, based upon received signal strength measurements. |
| US08521891B1 |
Network browser system, method, and computer program product for conditionally loading a portion of data from a network based on a data transfer rate
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for optimizing network browser performance by conditionally loading a portion of data from a network based on a data transfer rate. In use, a data transfer rate associated with a device connected to a network is identified. Additionally, a portion of data from the network is conditionally loaded utilizing a network browser of the device, based on the identified data transfer rate. Further, the portion of the data is selected based on a relevancy of the portion of the data. |
| US08521890B2 |
Virtual network configuration and management
A Hardware Management Console (HMC) configures virtual networks. The HMC extends Internal Queued Direct I/O to an intra-ensemble data network (IEDN) within a cluster of virtual servers to define a single channel path identifier, and to define a channel parameter. The HMC defines at least one virtual network. The HMC defines a bridge port within each CPC that supports at least one of the virtual servers. The HMC defines a network interface for each virtual server within each cluster. The HMC grants access to a corresponding virtual network for each virtual server. |
| US08521888B2 |
System and method employing an agile network protocol for secure communications using secure domain names
A method and system are used to transparently create an encrypted communications channel between a client device and a target device. Audio video communications between the client device and the target device are allowed over the encrypted communications channel once the encrypted communications channel is created. The method comprises: (1) receiving from the client device a request for a network address associated with the target device; (2) determining whether the request is requesting access to a device that accepts an encrypted channel connection with the client device; and (3) depending on the determination made in step (2) providing provisioning information required to initiate the creation of the encrypted communications channel between the client device and the target device such that the encrypted communications channel supports secure audio/video communications transmitted between the two devices. |
| US08521887B2 |
Aggregating connection maintenance to optimize resource consumption
Combining network connection maintenance operations that use a resource to extend battery life. Each of the network connections has a timer and a defined tolerance for early connection maintenance. After receiving notification of an event, the network connections are accessed to identify the connections for which a maintenance operation may be performed early based on the timer and the tolerance. In an embodiment, the maintenance operation includes sending a transmission control protocol (TCP) keep-alive packet on the connection. |
| US08521885B1 |
Dynamically translating resource identifiers for request routing using popularity information
A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing based on content popularity information are provided. A client computer transmits a request for content from a content provider. The content provider utilizes executable code, such as translation request code, for facilitating request routing utilizing popularity information. The translation request code, may direct a client computing device to request further translation request code and/or translation information. Thereafter, the client issues a DNS query with the translated information including popularity information. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat until a DNS nameserver resolves a DNS query from the client computing device. |
| US08521883B1 |
Techniques for network bandwidth management
Techniques for network bandwidth management are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for network bandwidth management comprising determining, using at least one computer processor, a throughput measurement for a first network client of a plurality of network clients, determining if throughput for the first network client is adequate for a first task based at least on the throughput measurement, in the event throughput is not adequate, negotiating for a different amount of network bandwidth, wherein the negotiation comprises sending a first task priority for the first network client and the throughput measurement to at least one second network client of the plurality of network clients, and receiving an allocation of network bandwidth based on a comparison of the first task priority with at least one second task priority for the at least one second network client. |
| US08521881B2 |
Resource allocation
A mobile telecommunications system is described in which a base station allocates each mobile telephone a plurality of physical resource blocks by signalling data identifying a virtual resource block. The virtual resource block is mapped onto the plurality of physical resource blocks using stored mapping data. The mapping data is such that the mapped physical resource blocks are spaced over the operating bandwidth and all belong to the same resource block group subset. |
| US08521878B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for parallelizing access to shared assets
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for parallelizing access to shared assets. A size module determines if a size of a first spoke of a plurality of spokes is greater than a low threshold. The spokes are arranged in a circular order wherein a global spoke pointer identifies the first spoke as a current spoke. Each spoke is configured as an asset queue. A request module requests an asset from the first spoke if the size of the first spoke is greater than the low threshold. A rotate module rotates the global spoke pointer to a second spoke of the plurality of spokes if the size of the first spoke is not greater than the low threshold, wherein the second spoke becomes the current spoke. |
| US08521877B2 |
Method for configuring access rights, control point, device and communication system
In a method for configuring access rights, a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) device receives CPID information sent by a first CP without administrator rights, wherein the CPID information comprises an ID of another CP obtained by the first CP. Then the UPnP device sends a CPID list that carries the CPID information to a second CP with administrator rights. And the UPnP device receives a CP right configuration command sent by the second CP, and configures access rights for at least one CP corresponding to a CPID in the CPID list. |
| US08521872B2 |
Computer product, verification support apparatus, and verification support method
A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing therein a verification support program that causes a computer to execute a process that includes detecting a point in time when data of any one transaction among a series of transactions that are to be transmitted in a prescribed sequence from a device under verification, is skipped; detecting a point in time when the data is first transmitted after the detected point in time when the data is skipped; computing time elapsing from the detected point in time when the data is skipped until the detected point in time when the data is transmitted; and outputting a computation result obtained at the computing. |
| US08521869B2 |
Method and system for reporting defects within a network
A method and system for reporting defects within a network are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for reporting defects within a network comprises generating a summary alarm by a network element based on defects detected within a network. The method further comprises receiving at the network element a first request for the detected defects within the network from a network management system in response to generation of the summary alarm. The method further comprises reporting the detected defects by the network element in response to the first request from the network management system. |
| US08521866B2 |
Reporting multiple events in a trap message
A method for reporting events relating to objects of a network element manageable by a network management device, using a network management protocol, and devices, a network, and computer-readable storage medium storing control logic, that operate in accordance with the method. Events for each object are detected, event information is generated for detected events, generated event information for multiple events is packaged into a trap message for each object type, the trap message is communicated from the network element to the network management device, and the event information from the communicated trap message is unpacked at the network management device. In this manner, network congestion and processor overload at the network management device can be reduced. |
| US08521863B2 |
Method and device for operating resource on shared network element
Management of resources on a shared network element is provided to enhance security of user information of the operators having access to the network element. An operation management command is received from a user for operating a resource on a shared network element. According to the operation management command, an operator attribute of the resource to be operated and an operator attribute of the user are acquired. In instances where the operator attribute of the user is consistent with the operator attribute of the resource to be operated, an operating action corresponding to the operation management command is performed. |
| US08521862B2 |
Wireless channel allocation in a base station processor
A system and method are provided for allocating wireless channels in a base station processor to messages sent between a subscriber and the base station processor in a wireless network. A latency period is determined corresponding to a return message to be received from a responsive node in response to an outgoing message sent from a sender via the base station processor. A latency manager in the base station processor computes the latency period and stores the latency period in an allocation table. A scheduler schedules a channel to be available at the end of the latency period indicated in the allocation table. At the end of the latency period, the return message is received and the scheduler allocates a channel as defined in the allocation table. The scheduled channel is used to transmit the message to or from the corresponding subscriber. |
| US08521860B2 |
Providing a witness service
Described are embodiments directed at providing a witness service that sends notifications with a resource state to clients. Embodiments provide a protocol that includes various messages for registering and receiving notifications regarding the state of a resource. The protocol may include a message for requesting node information from a first node in a cluster. The node information identifies nodes in the cluster that provide a witness service, which monitors a resource. The protocol includes a message that is used to register with the witness service for notifications regarding a state, or state change, of a network or cluster resource. The protocol also includes messages for sending notifications with state information of the resource. |
| US08521858B2 |
Selection of a policy and charging rules function device
A system includes a first device, in a first network; a second device, in a second network; and a policy rules and charging function (PCRF) database that associates Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to user equipment (UE) devices with PCRF devices; where the first device is to identify a plurality of policy rules and charging function (PCRF) devices in the first network, select a PCRF device from the plurality of PCRF devices based on a selection rule, and provide information about the selected PCRF device to the second device; and where the second device is to receive a request to set up a communication session associated with a UE device; determine an IP address associated with the UE device; identify a PCRF device, based on the determined IP address, by accessing the PCRF database, and send session information associated with the communication session to the identified PCRF device. |
| US08521857B2 |
Systems and methods for widget rendering and sharing on a personal electronic device
Systems and methods for providing, sharing, storing and playing widgets and associated media content on a personal audiovisual device, such as a digital photo frame, are described. In one implementation, widgets may be selected by a user for rendering based on capabilities of a user's device, with the widgets then provided to the device for playback. Digital content such as audio files, images, and/or video may be rendered in conjunction with playback of the widget. Widgets may be shared between users so as to facilitate sharing of media content. |
| US08521853B2 |
Apparatus and method for server network management to provide zero planned retrofit downtime
Methods and systems are presented for updating software applications in a processor cluster, in which the cluster is divided into first and second processor groups and the first group is isolated from clients and from the second group with respect to network and cluster communications by application of IP filters. The first group of processors is updated or retrofitted with the new software and brought to a ready-to-run state while the second group is active to serve clients. The first group is then transitioned to an in-service state after isolating the then-active service providing application on second group. Thereafter, the second group of processors is offlined, updated or retrofitted, and transitioned to an in-service state to complete the installation of the new application version across the cluster with reduced or zero downtime and without requiring backward software compatibility. |
| US08521850B2 |
Content containing a steganographically encoded process identifier
A method includes receiving graphic data and steganographically encoding machine-readable data in the graphic data. The machine-readable data identifies a computer implemented process that is to be invoked when the steganographic encoding is decoded and acted upon by a computing device. |
| US08521848B2 |
Device sensor and actuation for web pages
An embedded device sensor and actuation web page access system and method for providing a web application (such as a web page) access to sensor data about an embedded device and access to actuation mechanisms (such as vibration) associated with the device. The system and method can use the sensor data to obtain context information about the embedded device and understand what a user of the device is doing at any given moment. The sensor data can be used by the web application to influence how content is served up to the user. In some embodiments, the sensor data is provided to the web server using the headers in HTTP requests. Moreover, actuation commands for actuation mechanisms on the embedded device are provided using the headers of HTTP responses. Embodiments of the system and method provide a website access to sensor data and actuation commands without changing website operation. |
| US08521844B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method and program
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus configured to distribute stored content to a client reproducing apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus via a network, which may include acquiring means; real item information generating means; extracting means; virtual item generating means; reproduction sequence list generating means; virtual item information generating means; collecting means; and distributing means. |
| US08521843B2 |
Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network
Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network. In an aspect, a method is provided that includes determining a designated set of terminals, and transmitting tracking parameters to the designated set of terminals, wherein the tracking parameters identify at least one upload window. In an aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes provisioning logic configured to determine one or more tracking parameters that identify at least one upload window, and targeting logic configured to determine a designated set of terminals, and to transmit tracking parameters to the designated set of terminals. In another aspect, a method is provided for performing usage tracking. The method includes receiving tracking parameters that identify at least one upload window, performing usage tracking according to the tracking parameters to produce a tracking log, and transmitting the tracking log during the at least one upload window. |
| US08521841B2 |
Efficient delivery of cross-linked reports with or without live access to a source data repository
Reports of data elements from a data repository, such as may be used in a browser based business information system, can be displayed whether or not the data repository is currently accessible. Report documents, comprising a master report as well as linked reports, may be exported to a local storage. Upon invoking a master report that has been previously exported to the local storage, requests for the data elements in parameter form that are ordinarily directed to the data repository are intercepted and the local storage is checked for copies of the previously exported reports. Any existing copies of the desired reports are presented as a first option. A browser applet may be used to intercept the data requests and convert them to the corresponding subdirectory paths on the local storage. The linked reports may also be exported to the local storage as a group in a batch operation. |
| US08521838B2 |
Managing consistent interfaces for communication system and object identifier mapping business objects across heterogeneous systems
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a communication system and/or an object identifier mapping business object. |
| US08521836B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device providing enhanced file transfer management features and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, at least one wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a controller carried by the portable housing and coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver. The controller may be configured to operate a plurality of different mobile device applications for processing different electronic file types and generating download electronic file transfer requests and upload electronic file transfer requests, download requested electronic files for the plurality of different device applications via the at least one wireless transceiver using a common file transfer application responsive to the download electronic file transfer requests, and upload requested electronic files for the plurality of different device applications via the at least one wireless transceiver using the common file transfer application responsive to the upload electronic file transfer requests. |
| US08521835B2 |
Collection and distribution of sense-on-demand data
A method and system for collecting and distributing sense-on-demand data is provided. The sense-on-demand data system uses a network of centralized computers and remote units. The centralized computers may be operated by or on behalf of the operator of the sense-on-demand data system, and the remote units may be operated by users of the network. The remote units may consist of a variety of mobile and fixed-location devices, such as cellular telephones, personal data assistants, laptop computers, desktop computers, and stand-alone data sensor units. The system receives requests for information, identifies remote units that are proximate to the location, forwards the requests to the identified remote units, receives responses from the remote units, and provides responses to the requester. |
| US08521834B2 |
Communication system, communication device and communication method
A communication system exchanges electronic mail information. Communication devices are operable to input a telephone number that includes an identification number of a telephone telecommunication services operator and to transmit electronic mail information together with the telephone number. A storage device is operable to store a reference table in which the identification number of a telecommunication services operator is correlated with the domain name of the telecommunication services operator. A communication management device is operable to receive the transmitted electronic mail information and telephone number, to read the domain name of the telecommunication services operator from the reference table using the identification number of the telecommunication services operator, to merge the telephone number with the domain name read from the reference table to form an electronic mail address, and to forward the electronic mail information to the electronic mail address. |
| US08521830B2 |
Pull-configured distribution of imagery
The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for flexible image sharing. In a system for flexibly distributing imagery in an image sharing session, an image cache can be disposed between an image sharing host and a plurality of image sharing viewers. Additionally, a multipoint communications server can be disposed between the image cache and the image sharing viewers and can be communicatively linked to the image sharing host. Importantly, a pull-based subscription model can be implemented in an image cache server hosting the image cache. In particular, the model can have a configuration for registering respective ones of the image sharing viewers to receive notifications of available updated imagery. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the image sharing host can be an application sharing host hosting a shared application among the image sharing viewers. |
| US08521829B2 |
System and method for providing conditional access to server-based applications from remote access devices
Systems and methods are provided for providing users at remote access devices with conditional access to server-based applications. Requests for access to server-based applications (e.g., requests to launch or obtain data associated with the server-based applications) by remote access devices may be prevented or allowed based on device compliance with one or more policies including whether data-retention prevention code can be downloaded to and operational on the remote access devices. The data-retention prevention code may be used to both determine whether data can be automatically deleted from a cache or file directory at the remote access device and to delete potentially retention-sensitive data once the data is downloaded to the remote access device from the server-based application. |
| US08521828B2 |
Themes indicative of participants in persistent communication
An auditory theme represents at least one participant in a networked group interaction, and reflects an attribute of that participant. |
| US08521827B2 |
Presentation of information to end-users
In one embodiment, a message containing message information is received in an end-user's computer. A portion of the message information is first displayed in a caption area. Preferably, the caption area only has enough information to attract the end-user's attention, or provide a hint of the information contained in a subsequently displayed slider window area. A slider window area containing another portion of the message information is displayed after the caption area. Typically, the slider window area is larger than the caption area and contains more information. If the end-user has not acted on either the caption area or the slider window area, indicating that she is not interested in the presented message information, the slider window area automatically closes after a predetermined amount of time. |
| US08521826B1 |
Systems and methods for performing an action relating to an event
A method according to one embodiment includes causing a message to be sent from a remote site to a user device, the message including information about a pay-per-view show and a hyperlink associated with the pay-per-view show for selection by a user; receiving data corresponding to a selection of the hyperlink in the message; outputting a webpage having a second hyperlink upon receiving the data corresponding to the selection of hyperlink; receiving data corresponding to a selection of the second hyperlink on the webpage; and performing an action in response to receiving the data corresponding to a selection of the second hyperlink on the webpage, the action comprising at least one of: ordering the pay-per-view show associated with the first or second hyperlink, and sending an instruction to a recording device to record the pay-per-view show. |
| US08521825B2 |
Electronic message monitoring
A tool for preventing incorrect addressing of an electronic message. The tool analyzes incoming and outgoing electronic messages for indications that the user previously sent a message to a recipient mistakenly. The tool flags the recipient as potentially incorrect for future electronic messages. When selecting a recipient from a list, flagged recipient IDs display lower than other recipient IDs. The tool may require verification if a flagged recipient ID is selected. |
| US08521824B2 |
Venue-centric social network
A venue may be registered with a venue-centric social networking service. The venue may be associated with a physical location where subscribers may congregate. Subscribers may join the venue by visiting the physical location, receiving an invitation, receiving a password (or other credential), or the like. The venue-centric social networking service may track which subscribers are at which venues and provide a “Who's here” listing to other subscribers. Subscribers at the same venue may be introduced to one another through the venue-centric social networking service by, inter alia, browsing the profiles of the subscribers in the “Who's here” list and/or initiating contact with other subscribers at the venue through the venue-centric social networking service. Subscriber visibility and contact preferences may be determined by subscriber privacy settings and/or privacy settings of the venues. |
| US08521822B2 |
Recipient change notification
An electronic communication device may, perhaps with the assistance of a mobile device server, determining that a new electronic message received by the device is part of a message thread that includes the new message and at least one prior electronic message previously received at the device. A comparison may be made of address information of the new message with address information of the at least one prior electronic message in the message thread to determine that there has been a change in addressed recipients between the new message and the at least one prior electronic message. The device may then notify a user of the device of the change. |
| US08521820B2 |
System, methods, and computer program products for virtual presence service triggered when consuming content
System, methods, and computer program products for a virtual presence service are provided. The virtual presence service includes configuring a virtual presence community and registering a user for the virtual presence community. Also, the virtual presence service includes providing a filter to detect triggering events corresponding to the virtual presence community and initiating group communications in response to detecting the triggering event. |
| US08521813B2 |
Content replication workflow in content delivery networks
A method for populating edge servers within a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of points of presence (POPs) is disclosed. A first function is performed that gathers popularity information for a content object. Popularity trends for the popularity information are determined through analysis with historical popularity information. A number of copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs is determined. The number is passed as a variable to a second function. The second function is performed that adds or deletes copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs as a function of the popularity trend and the number. |
| US08521812B2 |
Accessing local network resources in a multi-interface system
A method is provided for selectively routing data packets on a client device having of plurality of network interfaces for communicating over a network. The method comprising the following steps. It is determined if the data packets should be routed to a network server accessible by a corresponding one of the network interfaces to access local resources offered thereon. If the data packets should be routed to the network server, the data packets are routed directly to the network server via the corresponding network interface. Otherwise, the data packets are routed via a default route. A client device configured to implement the method is also provided. |
| US08521809B2 |
Mobile device notification controls system and method
Provided herein are systems and methods for facilitating mobile device users to control notifications pushed to their mobile devices. |
| US08521804B2 |
Interconnection system between at least one communication device and at least one remote data system and interconnection method
The interconnection system comprises at least one preferably mobile communication device which can be connected to a remote data system by a communication channel enabling firewalls to be by-passed. The communication device comprises means for emitting presence signals. A service component of the communication device establishes a communication channel to a remote service agent of the remote data system, that is assigned thereto. The service component of the communication device indicates its presence at regular intervals by notification signals to the remote service agent in order to keep the communication channel active. The period of the notification signals is defined by the remote service agent at least once after the channel has been established. The remote service agent can then send messages in real time to the service component. |
| US08521803B2 |
Method for transmitting mini-messages and associated device
To reduce the call cost for user messages of a few tens of bytes through a mobile telephone network (3), and to avoid having to set up a call channel as is necessary for transmitting data of several thousands of bytes, spare fields in signaling messages are used to convey the user messages, a call then taking place via signaling messages, and without a dedicated call channel being set up. |
| US08521802B1 |
Arbitrary power law function generator
The arbitrary power law function generator uses an equal number of exponential and logarithmic circuits, e.g., two exponential and two logarithmic circuits, which are current-mode, current-controlled circuits that provide positive, negative, integer, or non-integer powers independent of temperature. Moreover, the circuit can operate from a DC power supply as low as ±1.5V. SPICE simulation results using practical bipolar junction transistor (BM parameters are included to confirm the feasibility of the function generator. |
| US08521798B2 |
Second order real allpass filter
A digital all-pass filter has an input port leading to an input sum block and a first feed forward path. Within the first feed forward path is a multiplier. The filter also has an output port coupled to an output sum block that receives a signal from the first feed forward path. A first feedback path is also provided from the output port to the input sum block. The first feedback path includes a multiplier therein. Nested within this structure is a first order all-pass filter having a feed forward path including a forward path delay and forward path that is delayed and a feedback path absent a separate delay element and beginning after the forward path delay element. |
| US08521796B2 |
Setting cordic iteration counts
This disclosure relates to setting the iteration count of a Cordic module as a function of a signal characteristic of an input signal provided to the Cordic module. |
| US08521792B2 |
Rate multiplication method
The present invention discloses a rate multiplication method for counting a sequence of original pulse signals and outputting a target pulse signal. In this method a comparison data and original pulse signal sequence is received. The original pulse signal sequence is counted in order to obtain a pulse count. Comparing the pulse count and the comparison data. If the pulse count is equal to the comparison data, a corresponding original pulse signal is outputted as the target pulse signal. Reset and recount the pulse count, and obtain which repeatedly. In this present invention the pulse count and the pulse interval between the target pulse signals can be determined freely according to a rate. |
| US08521790B2 |
Increasing efficiency of data storage in a file system
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for storing data in a file system. A determination is made as to whether space is available in an inode of the file in the file system. The data is stored into the inode in response to space being available. Additionally, data for a file may be stored in a block that is partially filled with data from another file. Data for a file may be stored using either the inode or by sharing a block. Data also may be stored using both of these mechanisms. |
| US08521789B2 |
Undrop objects and dependent objects in a database system
Techniques for undropping objects (e.g., tables) and dependent objects in a database systems are provided. When an object is dropped, the object is moved to a recycle bin where it resides until the user undrops the objects or the object is purged. Dependent objects are also moved into the recycle bin with the object to which they depend. The object can be purged from the recycle bin explicitly by a user or when more storage space is needed. Purging of dependent objects and partitions can be deferred if not required to obtain more storage space. |
| US08521788B2 |
Techniques for maintaining column vectors of relational data within volatile memory
Techniques are provided for more efficiently using the bandwidth of the I/O path between a CPU and volatile memory during the performance of database operation. Relational data from a relational table is stored in volatile memory as column vectors, where each column vector contains values for a particular column of the table. A binary-comparable format may be used to represent each value within a column vector, regardless of the data type associated with the column. The column vectors may be compressed and/or encoded while in volatile memory, and decompressed/decoded on-the-fly within the CPU. Alternatively, the CPU may be designed to perform operations directly on the compressed and/or encoded column vector data. In addition, techniques are described that enable the CPU to perform vector processing operations on the column vector values. |
| US08521787B2 |
Generating a consolidated social story for a user of a social networking system
To generate dynamic relationship-based content personalized for members of a social networking system, at least one action of one or more members of the social networking system is associated with relationship data for the one or more members to produce consolidated data. One or more elements associated with the consolidated data is identified and used to aggregate the consolidated data. Further exemplary methods comprise weighting by affinity the aggregated consolidated data to generate dynamic relationship-based content personalized for the members of the web-based social network. |
| US08521786B2 |
Techniques for assigning promotions to contact entities
A computer implemented method for target group management is described. The method includes producing a table including one or more group entries corresponding to one or more defined contact group entities with each of the entries having a first set of group attributes, and producing a visual representation of a marketing campaign, the representation including one or more instances of defined contact group entities, with the one or more instances having a second set of group attributes and with the representation linked to the table according to the second set of group attributes. |
| US08521784B2 |
DDL and DML support for hybrid columnar compressed tables
Techniques for storing and manipulating tabular data are provided. According to one embodiment, a user may control whether tabular data is stored in row-level or column-major format. Furthermore, the user may control the level of data compression to achieve an optimal balance between query performance and compression ratios. Tabular data from within the same table may be stored in both column-major and row-major format and compressed at different levels. In addition, tabular data can migrate between column-major format and row-major format in response to various events. For example, in response to a request to update or lock a row stored in column-major format, the row may be migrated and subsequently stored into row-major format. In one embodiment, table partitions are used to enhance data compression techniques. For example, compression tests are performed on a representative table partition, and a compression map is generated and applied to other table partitions. |
| US08521779B2 |
Metadata record generation
A computer implemented method and system provide for automatic selection and extraction of metadata and media content from projects in a craft tool. Automated identification, classification and management of such metadata and content is provided using including techniques such as pattern recognition for audio and visual content. The automatic tracking and centralised storage of metadata and content for compliance purposes can be facilitated, and can enable querying of organized metadata stored in a central database. In an example, metadata and media content are extracted automatically from a project in a craft tool at a client system and are forwarded to a host system for the creation of a cue sheet including timings for media files from timing metadata in a project file to create the timings on the cue sheet. |
| US08521775B1 |
Systems and methods for implementing a master policy repository in a policy realization framework
Various systems and methods for providing a policy realization framework for a communications network are disclosed. The policy realization framework can be an application and service layer policy framework that is separate and distinct from the network layer policy framework. As such, policy decisions can be made remote from the network layer, and common policies across multiple networks are possible. Methods and systems for providing these and other features are disclosed. A master policy repository for a policy realization framework, and methods of implementing the master policy repository, are also disclosed. |
| US08521773B2 |
System and method for web mining and clustering
A method and system for web mining and clustering is described. The method includes receiving and dividing input data into a plurality of primitive datasets. Additionally, one or more combinations of the plurality of primitive datasets may be created. Further, a model for each primitive dataset in the plurality of primitive datasets and each of the one or more combinations of the plurality of primitive datasets may be generated. Subsequently, a cost associated with a model corresponding to each primitive dataset in the plurality of primitive datasets, and each of the one or more combinations of the plurality of primitive datasets may be computed. Further, a sum of the costs associated with the models corresponding to each primitive dataset in the plurality of primitive datasets may be compared with the cost associated with each model corresponding to each of the one or more combinations of the plurality of primitive datasets. Finally, the plurality of primitive datasets may be partitioned into one or more clusters based on the comparison of the costs such that each primitive dataset is a part of a cluster in the one or more clusters or a stand-alone primitive dataset. |
| US08521772B2 |
Document enhancement system and method
A system, apparatus and method for enhancing documents, including using a graphical capture device, are described herein. |
| US08521771B1 |
Management of class-associated object mapping information corresponding to a distributed storage system
Systems and methods for managing mapping information for objects maintained in a distributed storage system are provided. The distributed storage system can include a keymap subsystem that manages the mapping information according to object keys. Requests for specific object mapping information are directed to specific keymap coordinators within the keymap subsystem. Each keymap coordinator can maintain a cache for caching mapping information maintained at various information sources. To manage the cache, the keymap system can utilize generation identifiers that identify the component within the distributed storage system that last updated information sources. Additionally, the keymap subsystem can utilize multiple generation identifiers to manage different classes of data. Each keymap coordinator can determine whether cached version of a class of keymap information is valid based on an analysis of generation identifiers. |
| US08521764B2 |
Query rewriting with entity detection
A system determines whether a received search query includes an entity name, determines whether to rewrite the received search query based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name, and rewrites the received search query when it is determined that the received search query should be rewritten. The system further determines whether to provide a suggestion of rewriting the received search query, as a rewriting suggestion, based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name when it is determined that the received search query should not be rewritten. The system also generates the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided. The system performs a search based on one of the received search query and the rewritten search query to obtain search results, presents the search results, and presents the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided. |
| US08521763B1 |
Computer-based system and method for processing data for a journalism organization
According to one example embodiment, a computer-based system is provided for collecting, assimilating, and processing large amounts of data to allow journalists to harness wide networks of public sources. The system includes an interactive communication tool, a data-collection analyzer, a public-source database and processor, and a media publication center. The interactive communication tool includes public-directed queries and an input device to collect data provided from the public in response to the public-directed queries, and the collected data is analyzed by the data-collection analyzer. The public-source database and processor stores and retrieves qualified information in response to the interactive communication tool and the data-collection analyzer. The media publication center includes a publicly-accessible interface to disseminate the journalistic pieces that were developed based on the analyzed data. |
| US08521760B2 |
Dynamic translator for requests for system resources
Techniques for selectively translating resource requests from a program running on a computer system are disclosed. The resource request may be a request to access a file, library file, API, etc. The resource request may be a system call or library call. The computer program may be non-native to the computer system. Translation of resource requests may occur within the operating system or outside it. A resource request containing a reference to a first path and file name may be selectively translated by altering the resource request to contain a reference to a second path and file name. After selectively translating a request, he request is caused to be serviced. A resource request may be serviced by forwarding it to an operating system, and a result may be sent back to the program. |
| US08521756B2 |
Data converting apparatus, method, and computer product
A data converting apparatus includes a storage unit that stores encoded meta-definition information, a data converting function, a conversion rule table, and a conversion rule; an input unit that receives input of data to be converted; a detecting unit that uses the encoded meta-definition information to detect metadata codes for a conversion source and a conversion destination for which the conversion rule code matches; a determining unit that determines whether the detected metadata codes match; a specifying unit that, by referring to a conversion rule and based on the determination result at the determining unit, specifies the data converting function, according to the combination of the metadata codes for the conversion source and for the conversion destination; and a converting unit that uses the specified data converting function to convert the data of the conversion source to have a property prescribed by metadata for the conversion destination. |
| US08521754B2 |
System and methods for web data transformation sourcing
A computer-implemented system for web data transformation sourcing is disclosed to include a search module defined to receive a set of original input data types and a set of ultimate output data types. The search module is defined to locate one or more web based sources defined to transform the set of original input data types into the set of ultimate output data types. The search module is further defined to generate a transformation solution that when executed utilizes the one or more located web based sources to transform the set of original input data types into the set of ultimate output data types. The transformation solution is digitally conveyed. |
| US08521748B2 |
System and method for managing metadata in a relational database
In a method for managing metadata in a relational database system using a processor, the metadata is created in a form of rough values corresponding to collections of values, wherein each rough value represents summarized information about values, the values are elements of the corresponding collection of values, and each rough value is substantially smaller than the corresponding collection of values. A collection of values is assigned to a structure dictionary, wherein each of the values represents the value of a row for an attribute and has a unique ordinal number within the collection, and wherein the structure dictionary contains structures defined based on at least one of interaction with a user of the system via an interface, automatic detection of structures occurring in data, and predetermined information about structures relevant to data content that is stored in the system. A match granule is formed, and for each structure in the structure dictionary, a structure granule is formed. Information represented by the match granule and the structure granules is summarized to form a rough value. |
| US08521746B1 |
Detection of bounce pad sites
A system may identify a set of related documents, identify one or more documents in the set of related documents that are sources of redirects, and identify organizations that are targets of the redirects. The system may also determine a redirect score based on the number of the identified documents that are sources of the redirects, determine a spam score based on a number of the organizations that are targets of the redirects, determine whether to classify the set of related documents as a bounce pad based on the redirect score and the spam score, and storing information associated with the result of the determination of whether to classify the set of related documents as a bounce pad. |
| US08521738B2 |
System and method for classification and retrieval of chinese-type characters and character components
Recurring components found in Chinese-type characters can be identified and classified by stroke count and free-endpoint count according to embodiments of the present invention. The bidirectional many-to-many relationships between characters and their components can be identified and recorded in electronic or non-electronic format and the recurring components can be ordered and retrieved according to stroke-endpoint value pair. In accordance with an embodiment, bidirectional many-to-many relationships between simple and composite components can be identified and recorded in an electronic or non-electronic format. An embodiment can provide a classification/retrieval method and apparatus for rapid search and retrieval of Chinese-type characters and their components based on stroke-endpoint value pairs and relationships between components and characters. |
| US08521734B2 |
Search engine with augmented relevance ranking by community participation
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for ranking a result set. The method according to one embodiment comprises selecting an item from the result set, selecting a user profile from one or more user profiles and selecting one or more items of personalized information from the selected user profile. A rank is calculated for the item on the basis of the selected one or more items of personalized information and the selected item in the result set is ranked in accordance with the calculated rank. |
| US08521730B1 |
Scoring documents in a linked database
A method assigns importance ranks to nodes in a linked database, such as any database of documents containing citations, the world wide web or any other hypermedia database. The rank assigned to a document is calculated from the ranks of documents citing it. In addition, the rank of a document is calculated from a constant representing the probability that a browser through the database will randomly jump to the document. The method is particularly useful in enhancing the performance of search engine results for hypermedia databases, such as the world wide web, whose documents have a large variation in quality. |
| US08521723B1 |
Transforming correlated scalar subqueries
A method, apparatus, and stored instructions are provided for transforming an initial query having a scalar subquery with correlated predicates into a transformed query having transformed predicates that are not in the scalar subquery. The transformed predicates correspond to the correlated predicates, but the transformed predicates are no longer correlated. The transformed predicates reference an outer join operation to preserve null values that may have been generated by the correlated predicates that were in the scalar subquery of the initial query. The transformed query is semantically equivalent to the initial query. When creating an execution plan for the transformed query, the query processor may choose from a much larger set of access paths, join methods, and join permutations than those that were available for the initial query. The transformed query may qualify for other transformations or optimizations, or may otherwise be executed or optimized differently from the initial query. |
| US08521713B2 |
Domain expert search
Expert domains for a query category represent domains from which a high percentage of search results for queries associated with the query category are retrieved. The expert domains are identified by establishing a base statistical model that indicates frequencies of appearance for domains in search results retrieved for queries corresponding to multiple categories. In addition, frequencies of domain appearance are determined for search results retrieved for queries associated with a category. Domains that appear more frequently in the search results corresponding to the category are identified as expert domains for the category. A user may be allowed to customize expert domains related to one or more categories by adding or removing expert domains for the category. |
| US08521710B2 |
Distribution of enterprise related alerts via the emergency alert system
Enterprise related alert messages are distributed via the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The enterprise community (e.g., a company, a business, or a firm, a school, a corporation, a department of transportation, a law enforcement agency, commuter service, or the like) is provide the ability to distribute enterprise related information via the EAS. Enterprise related alerts can be generated automatically, semi-automatically, and/or manually. Enterprise related alerts can be used to notify TV and radio broadcasters. |
| US08521708B2 |
System and method for developing and processing building system control solutions
A system supports the development and processing of a building system application. The system may include an application definition verifier, a system design converter, a computer tool interface, and an external program module interface. The system permits a building engineer to define a building system application solution in a familiar system design language, such as XML, and then generate a computer program for controlling a building system. The system does not require the building engineer to have specialized computer programming knowledge, either of the target building system language or of the computer tools used to provide data for incorporation within the computer statements implementing the building system application solution. |
| US08521706B2 |
Low-downtime and zero-downtime upgrades of database-centric applications
A database may facilitate zero-downtime upgrades by concurrently maintaining multiple editions of database objects for use by both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients of a database application. Operations performed within the database are associated with an edition based on, for example, an initiating client or transaction. When an operation references an object or data, the database automatically performs the operation using the object or data associated with the edition with which the operation is itself associated. The database may determine the associated edition without explicit identification of the associated edition in a query or in code. Thus, no client or stored procedure code changes are necessary to reflect a new edition added during an update. Data changes in one edition may be automatically and immediately propagated to the other edition through the use of cross-edition triggers, thereby allowing both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients to remain fully functional throughout an upgrade. |
| US08521705B2 |
Accelerated deduplication
Mechanisms are provided for accelerated data deduplication. A data stream is received an input interface and maintained in memory. Chunk boundaries are detected and chunk fingerprints are calculated using a deduplication accelerator while a processor maintains a state machine. A deduplication dictionary is accessed using a chunk fingerprint to determine if the associated data chunk has previously been written to persistent memory. If the data chunk has previously been written, reference counts may be updated but the data chunk need not be stored again. Otherwise, datastore suitcases, filemaps, and the deduplication dictionary may be updated to reflect storage of the data chunk. Direct memory access (DMA) addresses are provided to directly transfer a chunk to an output interface as needed. |
| US08521700B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for reporting on enterprise data processing system configurations
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reporting on enterprise data processing system configurations. A collection module records a plurality of entity configurations for a DPS in a history database. In one embodiment, a selection module selects a subset of entities of the DPS. A report module generates a historical report of the plurality of entity configurations. In addition, the report module may generate the historical report for the selected subset of the entities. |
| US08521699B2 |
Tracking changes across collection of data tables
A system is provided for tracking changes from two or more tables stored in a database management system. The system may enable two or more applications to track changes from two or more tables in the database management system, and may enable one or more tables to be tracked for changes concurrently. The system may be configured to automatically build a change tracking query in order to retrieve tracked changes from a collection of related tables, or an entity, in the database management system. The entity based tracking system may determine the relationships between the tables in the entity, and may generate a relational query based on the determined relationships. The system may automatically construct a union query from the relational query to activate tracking changes across the collection of tables in the database management system. |
| US08521696B2 |
Structure of an alternative evaluator for directory operations
A system for responding to directory service operations includes a receiving data path for receiving operations. An alternate evaluator includes a local data store, the alternate evaluator responding to the received operations. A responding data path for sending the responses to the operations from the alternate evaluator. |
| US08521693B2 |
Storage system and its operation method
Predicting whether a file migration will be executed successfully or not.A file storage apparatus in a high-order tier generates a migration task list that records scheduled time periods of migration execution and a total file size of files which are targets to be migrated, and transfers the generated migration task list to a file storage apparatus in a low-order tier; and the file storage apparatus in the low-order tier generates, based on the migration task list, a migration overlap table that records, for each unit time, whether the execution of a migration is scheduled or not, and a remaining file size table that records a predicted value of a data transfer amount for each unit time and a predicted value of a remaining file size for each unit time; and if the predicted value in the last scheduled time period, from among the predicted value of the remaining file size for each unit time which is recorded in the remaining file size table, is equal to or less than 0, it is predicted that the migration will be executed successfully; and if the predicted value in the last scheduled time period is more than 0, it is predicted that the execution of the migration will fail. |
| US08521688B1 |
Ranking providers for advertising leads
Systems and methods for provider ranking. Provider ranking systems can identify relevant providers for requests received from users for a product or service offering, and can rank the providers based upon performance ratings associated with the providers. The provider ranking system can submit the request to providers on behalf of the user based upon the ranking. |
| US08521687B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for selecting optimal replica sources in a grid computing environment
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for selecting optimal replica sources in a grid computing environment. As disclosed, the present invention overcomes shortcomings in the art involving location and selection of replica sources. In particular, the present invention selects an optimal replica source based on current and historical network statistics, as well as user-defined policies. The user-defined policies allow for customization of the replica source search, and the option of obtaining multiple ranked sources for parallel data transfer. |
| US08521681B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing a context of an object
Moving information of an object is input, and first sound information around the object is input. A motion status of the object is recognized based on the moving information. Second sound information is selectively extracted from the first sound information, based on the motion status. A first feature quantity is extracted from the second sound information. A plurality of models is stored in a memory. Each model has a second feature quantity and a corresponding specified context. The second feature quantity is previously extracted by the second extraction unit before the first feature quantity is extracted. A present context of the object is decided based on the specified context corresponding to the second feature quantity most similar to the first feature quantity. The present context of the object is output. |
| US08521675B2 |
Integrated automatic user support and assistance
A method of integrated automatic support and assistance includes identifying a user and retrieving models representing the user's device, apparatus, service, or system, receiving a query from the user, as necessary refining the query, determining if the received query is a machine translatable query, restructuring machine translatable terms of the received query into semantic components based upon the retrieved models, determining a set of candidate knowledge bases both related to the semantic components, submitting the machine translatable query to each knowledge base of the set of candidate knowledge bases, receiving a set of responses from each knowledge base of the set of knowledge bases in response to the submitting, formatting the set of responses, submitting the formatted set of responses to the user, determining if a response of the submitted formatted set of responses is accepted by the user, applying updated weights within the formatted set of responses, and storing the updated weights for future queries. |
| US08521674B2 |
Information analysis system, information analysis method, and information analysis program
A system includes a time-series data pattern checking means that receives time-series data from an input device and extracts a time-series pattern corresponding to the received time-series, and an effective period determination means that extracts an effective period corresponding to the time-series pattern from a time-series pattern/effective period correspondence table stored in a time-series pattern/effective period correspondence table storage means. The effective period determination means determines effective period time-series data which is a portion of the time-series data received from the input device in the effective period, according to the determined effective period and causes an output device to outputs the determined effective period and the determined effective period time-series data. |
| US08521667B2 |
Detection and categorization of malicious URLs
This document describes techniques for using features extracted from a URL to detect a malicious URL and categorize the malicious URL as one of a phishing URL, a spamming URL, a malware URL or a multi-type attack URL. The techniques employ one or more machine learning algorithms to train classification models using a set of training data which includes a known set of benign URLs and a known set of malicious URLs. The classification models are then employed to detect and/or categorize a malicious URL. |
| US08521664B1 |
Predictive analytical model matching
Methods, systems, and apparatus, for selecting a trained predictive models. A request is received from a client-subscriber computing system for access to a trained predictive model that can generate a predictive output in response to receiving input data having one or more input types. Information that describes each of the trained predictive models in a predictive model repository can be used to determine that one or more models included in the repository match the request. Determining a match can be based (at least in part) on a comparison of the one or more input types to input types included in the information that describes the trained predictive models. Access is provided to at least one of the models to the client-subscriber computing system. The models that match the request are models that were trained using training data provided by a computing system other than the client-subscriber computing system. |
| US08521662B2 |
System and methods for finding hidden topics of documents and preference ranking documents
Systems and methods are disclosed to perform preference learning on a set of documents includes receiving raw input features from the set of documents stored on a data storage device; generating polynomial combinations from the raw input features; generating one or more parameters; applying the parameters to one or more classifiers to generate outputs; determining a loss function and parameter gradients and updating parameters determining one or more sparse regularizing terms and updating the parameters; and expressing that one document is preferred over another in a search query and retrieving one or more documents responsive to the search query. |
| US08521659B2 |
Systems and methods of discovering mixtures of models within data and probabilistic classification of data according to the model mixture
Discovering mixtures of models includes: initiating learning algorithms, determining, data sets including a cluster of points in a first region of a domain and a set of points distributed near a first line extending across the domain; inferencing parameters from the cluster and the set of points; creating a description of the cluster of points in the first region of the domain and computing approximations of a first learned mixture model and a second learned mixture model; determining a first and second probability, generating a confidence rating that each point of the cluster of points in the first region of the domain corresponds to the first learned mixture model and generating a confidence rating that each point of the set of points distributed near the first line correspond to the second learned mixture model, thus causing determinations of behavior of a system described by the learned mixture models. |
| US08521658B2 |
Systems and methods for producing and managing a tracking label in an item delivery system
Providing an information system in an item delivery system comprises reading a tracking indicia (410) on a unit load, updating a database (415) with first data from the tracking indicia, and updating the database with information that the unit load has been terminated. In addition, receiving (425) second data to be included in a label, and printing the label may be included. |
| US08521653B2 |
System and method for providing postage indicia
A method and system of providing postage indicia to a user. The method includes receiving an account number of the user at a computer server associated with a postage provider and receiving a request to print one or more postage indicia from the user at the computer server. The method further includes selectively prompting the user to enter an activation code associated with a plurality of postage labels by the computer server, wherein the prompting is waived if a predetermined parameter is satisfied; and sending, by the computer server, an authorization to print one or more postage indicia on at least one of the plurality of postage labels to the user if the activation code is valid. |
| US08521652B2 |
Discovering licenses in software files
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for discovering licenses in open source files. One method of software execution includes discovering a software license in code; and determining if the software license is a pre-existing open source software license. |
| US08521649B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for funds transfer
A computer-based funds transfer system provides funds transfer by making a request of a cash amount from an authorized device, then, responsive to the request, the authorized device transmits the request to a transaction server where the transaction server allocates funds and sends a code back to the authorized device. The authorized device displays the code as a bar code and the bar code is scanned by a terminal/system of a recipient. The terminal/system of the recipient sends the code and the cash amount to the transaction server. The transaction server validates the request and, if approved, sends a confirmation back to the recipient terminal/system and debits the user's account for the cash amount and the transaction server initiates a cash transfer to the recipient. |
| US08521643B2 |
System and method for on-line payment transactions
An e-commerce transaction system accommodates transactions between a consumer and merchant without requiring that the consumer provide any sensitive credit card or other personal information. The transaction is carried out by a system provider. The consumer opens an account with the system provider and is provided with an account number and access code. The consumer uses the account number and access code in transactions with the merchant. The merchant communicates with the system provider to verify the customer information and to obtain payment on the transaction. The system provider communicates with a credit card bank to verify credit card information of the consumer and to debit a certain amount to be held in the customer account for later transactions. |
| US08521642B2 |
Method and system for improved online auction
Methods and systems for improving auction-based online commerce are provided, including methods and systems for facilitating advance, rapid, accurate estimation of shipping costs between a seller and the winner of an online auction. Methods and systems include an application for facilitating seller estimation of shipping costs, including various components of shipping costs, and for providing to the buyer a shipping estimate based on the circumstances of the buyer and the auction. |
| US08521641B2 |
System and method for event driven virtual workspace
A system and method for an event driven virtual workspace are described. According to one example method, a trader can define a plurality of windows to be associated with a virtual workspace. Also, the trader could define one or more triggering events, the combination of which may be used to activate the virtual workspace. In such an embodiment, when the system detects the one or more triggers, the system can attempt to activate the virtual workspace. According to the example method, the trader may place a number of limiting conditions before any states of the currently displayed windows are modified such that the triggered virtual workspace could be displayed. If no limiting conditions are detected, the system can display the triggered virtual workspace. |
| US08521640B2 |
System and method for changing order priority levels in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for fee-based order priority level modification in an electronic trading environment are described. When an order reaches an exchange, a priority level of the order may be changed to a higher priority level, and the priority level of the order initially at the higher priority level may be changed to a lower priority level of the received order. In one embodiment, a trader who is gaining a higher priority level will be preferably charged a fee for having his order moved to the higher priority level, and at least a portion of that fee may be paid to a trader who is giving up his high priority level. |
| US08521631B2 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for loan evaluation using a credit assessment framework
Systems and methods are provided for evaluating loan applications. A computer environment can include a loan evaluation system which operates on a processor-based system and which evaluates loan applications. A credit assessment framework is also provided for operating on the processor-based system and has a data connection to the loan evaluation system. The credit assessment framework generates a categorization of credit risk for each of the loan applications to be evaluated. |
| US08521623B2 |
Return payment card process
A payment card returned as undeliverable is processed with a card administration system that responds to the return of the payment card by setting a “returned” indicator in a data record of a cardholder to whom the payment card was intended for delivery, and otherwise maintains the cardholder's account without change. A card handling system initiates destruction of the returned payment card and provides a replacement payment card to the cardholder if updated profile information of the cardholder is received within a predetermined time period, and closes the cardholder account and returns any funds in the cardholder account if no updated profile information of the cardholder is received within the predetermined time period. |
| US08521619B2 |
Computer-based system and method for determining a quantitative scarcity index value based on online computer search activities
An online product or service listing arrangement logs searches performed and uses the logged information to calculate a scarcity index that measures the scarcity of products and services. Scarcity may indicate the number of searches that consumers have conducted compared to available listings. Empirical techniques are used to take into account certain types of searches that may not accurately reflect actual consumer demand. Reports may compare item scarcity within different geographical or other markets to determine relative scarcity. Particularly advantageous but non-limiting applications include new and used motor vehicles, employment opportunities, and real estate. |
| US08521616B2 |
Method and system for providing fitting and sizing recommendations
A method and system for displaying footwear information. The method and system utilize a database on a computer readable medium, the database including a plurality of footwear representations including various measurement parameters. A user inputs a selection of a reference footwear model. A footwear representation of the reference footwear model is loaded from the database along with footwear representations for a plurality of additional models of footwear. The footwear representation for the reference footwear model and the footwear representations for the additional models of footwear are compared to identify at least one of the additional models of footwear having similar measurement parameters as the reference footwear model. Additional models identified are presented to the user as a recommendation. |
| US08521615B2 |
System and method for sales generation in conjunction with a vehicle data system
Embodiments of sales generation, including sales generation employing reverse lead generation using vehicle data systems and methods, are presented herein. In particular, in certain embodiments a user may utilize the vehicle data system to obtain pricing data corresponding to a desired vehicle configuration. When the user is presented with the pricing data associated with the specified vehicle configuration the user may additionally be presented with an upfront price offered by a dealer, where by providing their personal information the user may obtain the name of the dealer offering the upfront price and may additionally be offered the opportunity to purchase the desired, or similar, vehicle at the upfront price. |
| US08521614B1 |
Metadata-driven merchant feed processing system
A metadata-driven merchant feed processing system is described herein. A merchant providing an online marketplace for the sale of items by a variety of sellers implements a feed processing mechanism driven by feed metadata. The feed metadata consists of declarative metadata statements that model the semantics for transforming seller-facing feed data describing the seller's items to customer-facing listings data to be loaded to an item catalog. The feed metadata captures differences between different versions of the item catalog by maintaining the semantics of the product categories and attributes of the item catalog as of a certain version. Similarly, semantics in the feed metadata modeling new product categories and/or attributes are utilized to support supplemental feeds from sellers to support new features and improvements in the item catalog. The metadata driven feed processing system also provides support for multiple types of seller-facing data entities and feed formats through metadata mapping. |
| US08521612B2 |
Methods and systems for facilitating the provision of opinions to a shopper from a panel of peers
In particular embodiments, a request for at least one opinion is received from one or more participants regarding an image of the user's appearance. An image of the user's appearance is determined, wherein the image showing how the user's appearance is changed by a product or changed after a service has been performed. The one or more participants from whom to obtain the at least one opinion are then selected. Each of the one or more participants may have a rating above a certain level. At least one response to the request is received from at least one of the one or more participants, each response comprising an opinion of the respective participant. An indication of at least one opinion of at least one participant from whom a response was received is then provided, the indication being based on the received responses regarding the user's appearance. |
| US08521611B2 |
Article trading among members of a community
Articles such as compact discs or electronic files are traded among a plurality of members who are registered in a common community. Each member has an account including a trading credit balance and a mailing address. A user interface is provided that allows a member to enter articles that the member owns and is willing to trade and articles that the member wants to own. The user interface also receives article trading instruction messages. An administration computer hosts the plurality of members and facilitates article trades among the members. The administration computer identifies matches between owned and wanted articles. A priority algorithm is used to select the member who will receive the article if there is more than one member who wants an article that another member owns and is willing to trade. The priority algorithm is based in part on a member score that is a function of the relative value of the articles that a member owns and sends to another member compared to the relative value of the articles that the member wants and receives from another member, the relative value of the articles being determined by a demand for the article compared to a supply for the article among the members. |
| US08521610B2 |
Online auction and method
An online auction and method of conducting an online auction accessible over a communications network includes the step of providing a computer programmed to host the auction, the computer being accessible to a user through the communications network and adapted to provide a user interface to allow the user to bid on or sell an item on the auction. The method also including the steps of providing instructions to the computer through the user interface, the instructions providing parameters for the auction being conducted; and displaying the item for sale on the user interface with an initial sale price and prompting a bidder to bid on the item. The method further including the steps of allowing the bidder to bid on the item through the communications network, wherein in response to a bid by the bidder, the computer reduces the initial sale price by the bid value and displays a new sale price on the user interface; and using the computer to determine a winning bidder and shipping the item to the winning bidder. |
| US08521608B2 |
Co-branded Internet service provider and retailer Internet service site with retailer-offered incentives for member use
A system and method for a retailer to sell merchandise over the Internet in affiliation with an Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site is accessible through the Internet service site of the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site includes designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site including one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer. Client software for accessing the co-branded Internet site is distributed at retailer locations. Members of the co-branded Internet site are provided with incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site. |
| US08521604B2 |
Server, information communication terminal, product sale management method, and storage medium and program transmission apparatus therefor
A product retail sales management server for managing the retail sales of a product across a communication network comprises: a retail sales management module for managing the retail sales of the product; a price update module 13 for dynamically setting the price of the product in accordance with rules and the retail sales state of the product and in accordance with the actual retail sales state of the product when managed by the retail sales management module; and an acceptance module 11 for, upon the receipt of an information request via the communication network, furnishing a request transmission source with the information concerning the product and the price of the product, set by the price update module at the time the information request is received. |
| US08521600B2 |
Online ordering system and method for keyed devices
An online product ordering system first displays images of different product categories, such as different types of padlocks, and then displays all product models available in a category when the user clicks on a selected category image. The user selects a product model and then customizes various aspects of the selected model. In the case of a padlock, the user can select a shackle type and bumper type from available options, with images of each option displayed to the user for selection purposes, and may order a customized plate with user entered text or other indicia. In the case of a padlock, the user may enter their existing key number and the padlock can be customized to open with the user's existing key. |
| US08521598B1 |
Placement identification and reservation
A reservation system receives placement inventory data from publishers that define placements that the publishers are offering for reservation. Placement queries that include targeting criteria for advertisements are received from an advertiser. Available placements that satisfy the target query from the placements defined in the placement inventory data are identified as target placements. The advertiser can reserve the placements from the publisher, and modify the reservation during a reservation period. Advertisements belonging to a campaign of the advertiser can be provided to the publisher either by the advertiser directly in response to publisher requests to serve an advertisement for the reservation, or can be provided to the publisher by the reservation system or an advertising server in communication with the reservation system. Discrepancies of reported performance of advertisements in the placements reported by the advertisers and the publishers can be reconciled and attributed to either the advertiser or the publisher. |
| US08521596B2 |
Method and apparatuses for offline selection of pay-per-call advertisers
Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements for groups of advertisers. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining a geographic area after receiving a telephone call to a first telephone number publicized in an advertisement; determining a telephone number of a first advertiser; and connecting the telephone call to the telephone number of the first advertiser, the first advertiser billed for the advertisement based on telephonic connections made to connect the first advertiser and telephone calls to the first telephone number. |
| US08521583B2 |
Computerized management system for multi-chain promotions, and related audit system
A promotion management system identifies store-selected identifiers as necessary to implement a particular promotion across multiple store chains. An audit system compares number of promotion offers distributed to number of linking items sold. |
| US08521579B2 |
Predicting marketing campaigns having more than one step
Methods and systems for assigning customers to steps in marketing campaigns. An assignment module assigns and reassigns the customers to the marketing activities. An evaluation module determines a predicted goal value of the marketing campaign for each assignment. The assignment module does not reassign a customer to a marketing activity that the customer has previously been assigned to. An execution module may execute campaign steps by performing marketing activities, and a response detection module may detect responses from the customers. The responses may be used in determining subsequent steps of the campaign. Creating sample target groups representative of the customers that are predicted to respond to a prior campaign step. The sample target group(s) may be used for predicting the outcome of subsequent campaign steps directed at the sample target group. |
| US08521578B2 |
Method of determining whether to develop products for potential customers
A method is disclosed for determining whether to develop products for potential customers. The method may involve: identifying a plurality of potential products; identifying a plurality of potential customers; assessing salability attributes of the potential products from perspectives of the potential customers to generate attribute assessments; using an input device to enable a user to input the pluralities of potential products and potential customers, as well as the attribute assessments, to a processor; using the processor to determine, for each of the potential products, and using the attribute assessments, all possible implementation combinations in which at least n of the potential customers implement the product, where n is a positive whole number; using the processor to determine the probability of each implementation combination, for each product; and using the processor to assist in determining, based upon the probability determinations, which of the potential products to develop. |
| US08521575B2 |
Systems and methods for classifying computer video game genres utilizing multi-dimensional cloud chart
Features of electronically embodied games are logically categorized, analyzed, and compared. Features are preferably organized according to a hierarchical classification scheme, according to a classification scheme that is not strictly tautological. All suitable feature sets are contemplated, including sets corresponding to characteristics of personifications of players and non-players, types and/or uses of game space, methods of rewarding a player, etc. In other aspects comparisons are made between an evaluation game and one or more sets of historically available games. Such sets can be grouped by genre and the number of games in such sets can range anywhere from a single game to hundreds of games, or more. Reporting and guidance can include providing a risk assessment score or other risk analysis, feature assessment (prevalence), market placement, business model analysis, dynamic trend analysis, clustered pattern recognition, and image analysis. |
| US08521574B1 |
Prioritizing client accounts
A system for prioritizing accounts is provided. The method includes receiving operational metrics and data values associated with the operational metrics. The data values are aggregated and noisy data is removed from the operational metrics. Statistical averages associated with a performance of accounts are calculated and each account is modeled as a collection of operational performance variables and key performance indicators A ranking list is generated and a minimum number of independent operational parameters necessary are calculated. Pair wise ranks {r} of the accounts are calculated and values associated with a tolerance limit epsilon and selected. |
| US08521573B2 |
System and method for supporting selection of subject for restriction countermeasure
Disclosed is a method for supporting the selection of a component or chemical substance for countermeasure in compliance with a restriction or the like to limit a content rate or content amount of a chemical substance of a product coming in or going out from each enterprise. The method accepts the products to inspect a situation in compliance with the restriction and an evaluation subject restriction that are inputted by a user; acquires a threshold value of the chemical substance content rate for every subject substance under the restriction, composing components of the subject product, weight and a category of the components, and chemical substance content rates of the components; extracts components with no information on the chemical substance content rates out of the components; searches similar components with the same categories as those of the extracted components; acquires chemical substance content rates of the similar components; allocates statistic values, such as the maximum value or average value of the chemical substance content rates of the similar components to chemical substance content rates of the extracted components; calculates a chemical substance content rate of the product from the information on the composing components of the product, the weight of the components and the chemical substance content rates of the components or similar components; compares the chemical substance content rate of the extracted product with the threshold value; categorizes the chemical substances into the one that exceeds the threshold value and the other that does not exceed the threshold value as a comparison result; stores the categorized data at the memory device; and displays the comparison result on a display device. |
| US08521572B2 |
Customer care support system with call avoidance processing
Methods and systems for managing customer activity in a call center include monitoring event data. A mediator filters the event data into an event data set associated with a selected customer. A context component creates a context for the customer based on the event data set. A decision engine performs a probabilistic assessment of an occurrence related to the customer, based on the customer context, and determines an action based on the probabilistic assessment. An action processor initiates the action. |
| US08521570B2 |
Integration of distributed business process models
A process modeling tool provides a process designer with the ability to design a plurality of business process models that include tasks for achieving a desired result(s). The process modeling tool allows the process designer to merge the process models into a merged process model by replacing event flow coordinators within the process models with control flow coordinators that dictate a flow of the merged process model. Accordingly, the process designer is allowed to use the merged process model for monitoring of a current status of the tasks, and for re-distributing the tasks in a desired manner for execution by selected entities, while the original process models are maintained and may be executed in their original execution environment. |
| US08521566B2 |
Systems and methods for determining optimal pricing and risk control monitoring of auctioned assets including the automatic computation of bid prices for credit default swaps and the like
Embodiments of the invention provide an innovative, fully-automated system that facilitates the buying and selling of debt-based derivatives and other assets. The techniques described herein eliminate opaqueness, inefficiencies, and lack of risk monitoring and provide an end-to-end, highly efficient reverse-auction platform that considers many aspects of risk control and other parameters. This is accomplished while computing a true CDS price by incorporating reference entity, primary and secondary insurance company default risks. Furthermore, the reference entity pricing model decouples the borrower from the entity issuing the debt and eliminates rating inflation due to digital discontinuity. |
| US08521565B2 |
Electronic health record system utilizing disparate record sources
A system for facilitating patient ownership of his or her medical data through the use of third-party health repositories that preserves the maximum information content of the medical records by displaying information relevant to the authority of the medical data as reflected by its source and types of modification as it has moved between institutions, as well as the data itself. In this way, improved use of this data is made possible. |
| US08521559B1 |
Systems, devices, and methods for providing healthcare information
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method that can comprise, for a predetermined user, automatically determining a score for each resource from a plurality of predetermined resources based on the user's weighting of predetermined factors associated with the resources and an objective score for each factor for each resource, ranking the scored resources, and/or providing an identity of a best matched resource for the user. |
| US08521558B2 |
Communication station and software for interfacing with an infusion pump, analyte monitor, analyte meter, or the like
A communication station is for use with a medical device (such as an infusion pump) and a processing device (such as a computer). The communication station includes a housing, a medical device interface coupled to the housing, a processing device interface coupled to the housing and a processor coupled to the housing. The device interface interfaces with the medical device, and the processing device interface interfaces with the processing device. The processor provides a communication path between the medical device and the processing device such that programming and instructions may be communicated from the processing device to the medical device and data may be transferred from the medical device to the processing device. The communication station may be combined with a system that is capable of generating reports either locally or remotely. In addition, the medical device interface may be a cradle that is configurable to attach to different shaped medical devices. |
| US08521557B1 |
System and methods for processing rejected healthcare claim transactions for over-the-counter products
Systems and methods for processing rejected healthcare claim transactions for over-the-counter (“OTC”) products are provided. A healthcare claim transaction associated with a product requested by a customer may be received from a healthcare provider computer. The healthcare claim transaction may be communicated to a claims processor for adjudication, and a denied claim response for the healthcare claim transaction may be received from the claims processor. Based at least in part upon a classification of the product, the denied claim response may be converted to an approved claim response, and the approved claim response may be communicated to the healthcare provider computer. In certain embodiments, the above operations may be performed by one or more computers associated with a service provider. |
| US08521555B2 |
System and method using a predictive model for nurse intervention program decisions
According to some embodiments, historical claim data may be stored in a computer storage unit. The historical claim data may be used to train and verify a predictive model, the predictive model being associated with an evaluation of claim transactions to determine whether to refer each claim transactions to a nurse intervention program. Data for current claim transactions may be processed, and the trained and verified predictive model may be applied to the data for the current claim transactions to generate a respective output for each of the current claim transactions. Some of the current claim transactions may be selectively routed to a case management center associated with the nurse intervention program based on the outputs generated by the predictive model. |
| US08521551B1 |
Systems and methods for analyzing spend and/or trend for a prescription drug plan
Systems and methods for analyzing spend and/or trend for a prescription drug plan may be provided. In response to receiving a request to analyze spend and/or trend, a prescription drug spend and/or trend application may retrieve data related to the prescription drug plan from a database. The data may include drug claims data related to the prescription drug plan. The results of the analysis may be provided to a user computing device for display. In connection with the spend and/or trend analysis, a profile may be created for a prescription drug plan using data from at least one data source. The creation of a profile for a prescription drug plan may include the selection of a performance metric for a parameter of the prescription drug plan. If the performance metric deviates from plan data, a performance alert may be provided to the user computing device indicating this deviation. |
| US08521549B2 |
Methods and systems for recommending vendors to submit bids for a print job
A method of recommending vendors to bid on a print job may include identifying a print job for which a recommendation of vendors to bid on the print job is desired and identifying one or more vendors as potential bidders for the print job. The method may include, for each identified vendor, determining, by a computing device, a bidding probability associated with the vendor, a winning probability associated with the vendor, a recommendation probability associated with the vendor, and identifying the vendor as a recommended vendor based on the associated recommendation probability. The method may include notifying a user of the recommended vendors. |
| US08521548B2 |
Rate center translation
The described system and apparatus facilitate the identification, on a per rate center (Npa Nxx) basis, of a best carrier rate center for a wireless subscriber, and also allow detection of errors in a provider's local inventory or in performance reference data. In one aspect, carrier performance data is combined with updated available inventory data via a SIT environment to create a correlated array of rate centers relative to service record and orderable carrier rate center inventory. The described system thus provides improved ordering and forecasting compared to existing systems, and can thus also provide enhanced customer satisfaction and a decrease in customer calls for HFC number change. |
| US08521547B2 |
Mechanic certification tracking validator
The present invention provides a system, method, and program product for tracking mechanic certification information. In one instance, information related to the certification of the mechanic is received and compared with stored authorized mechanic certification information. If a match is found, indicia indicating that the mechanic is an authorized mechanic is stored with the type of service. |
| US08521543B2 |
Method and apparatus for load-based billing in communication networks
A method of load-based billing for customers in a communication network, wherein each customer has a calling plan. The method comprises monitoring utilization of the network in real-time via a switching center in the network; detecting at the switching center a Usage Level Event based upon the occurrence of a predetermined event trigger; informing a usage level application of the Usage Level Event; recording at the usage level application the Usage Level Event; and determining at the usage level application whether action should be taken based upon the Usage Level Event. When it is determined that action should be taken, the usage level application reports the Usage Level Event to a set of network elements via the usage level application and the switching center, where the set of network elements includes a customer billing platform and a broadcast message application. Further, a set of customers is notified of a change in pricing for calls based upon the Usage Level Event through the broadcast message application and a messaging center. |
| US08521542B1 |
Systems and methods for classifying account data using artificial neural networks
Systems, methods, and articles are provided for classifying account data using artificial neural networks. An example embodiment may include receiving account holder data for a plurality of account holders, identifying through computer automated operations relationships between the plurality of account holders and the account holder data, and analyzing the account holder data of the plurality of account holders to create one or more classifications based on the relationships between the plurality of account holders and the account holder data. Another example embodiment may include classifying financial account holder data for a plurality of financial account holders using a Kohonen network, and displaying a graphical representation of the classified financial account holder data to visualize one or more relationships between plurality of financial account holders and the financial account holder data. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08521537B2 |
Detection and use of acoustic signal quality indicators
A computer-driven device assists a user in self-regulating speech control of the device. The device processes an input signal representing human speech to compute acoustic signal quality indicators indicating conditions likely to be problematic to speech recognition, and advises the user of those conditions. |
| US08521533B1 |
Method for sending multi-media messages with customized audio
A system and method of creating a customized multi-media message to a recipient is disclosed. The multi-media message is created by a sender and contains an animated entity that delivers an audible message. The sender chooses the animated entity from a plurality of animated entities. The system receives a text message from the sender and receives a sender audio message associated with the text message. The sender audio message is associated with the chosen animated entity to create the multi-media message. The multi-media message is delivered by the animated entity using as the voice the sender audio message wherein the mouth movements of the animated entity conform to the sender audio message. |
| US08521532B2 |
Speech-conversion processing apparatus and method
An address character-string structure analyzer analyzes an address character-string structure with respect to address data selected from input data for speech conversion, in accordance with data stored in the address speech-conversion application-rule data storage section. A street speech-conversion structure data element divider divides the address data into structure elements. A street-name speech-conversion pronunciation symbol dictionary is provided. When the structure elements contain a street name, an address speech-conversion data-storage-section selector/reader searches the dictionary and reads pronunciation symbols for the street name. For another structure element, a general dictionary, an individually-created general dictionary, individually-created phonetic-symbol dictionary, or the like is searched and pronunciation symbols are read. When the processing for all elements is completed, speech data is created and reproduced in accordance with general speech data. |
| US08521529B2 |
Method for segmenting audio signals
An input signal is converted to a feature-space representation. The feature-space representation is projected onto a discriminant subspace using a linear discriminant analysis transform to enhance the separation of feature clusters. Dynamic programming is used to find global changes to derive optimal cluster boundaries. The cluster boundaries are used to identify the segments of the audio signal. |
| US08521528B2 |
System and method for distributed speech recognition
A system and method for distributed speech recognition is provided. Audio data is obtained from a caller participating in a call with an agent. A main recognizer receives a main grammar template and the audio data. A plurality of secondary recognizers each receive the audio data and a reference that identifies a secondary grammar, which is a non-overlapping section of the main grammar template. Speech recognition is performed on each of the secondary recognizers and speech recognition results are identified by applying the secondary grammar to the audio data. An n number of most likely speech recognition results are selected. The main recognizer constructs a new grammar based on the main grammar template using the speech recognition results from each of the secondary recognizers as a new vocabulary. Further speech recognition results are identified by applying the new grammar to the audio data. |
| US08521525B2 |
Communication control apparatus, communication control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a communication control program for converting sound data into text data
A communication control apparatus for communicating sound and image with another communication control apparatus via a network, includes a sound input device that acquires sound data from a sound of a user's speech, a level measuring device that measures a volume level of sound data input from the sound input device, a first determining device that determines whether the volume level measured by the level measuring device is smaller than a predetermined standard volume value, a sound recognizing device that executes sound reorganization of the sound data so as to create text data when the first determining device determines that the volume level is smaller than the standard volume value, and a transmitting device that transmits the text data created by the sound recognizing device to the another communication control apparatus. |
| US08521524B2 |
Automated detection of spoken numbers in voice messages
An apparatus, program product and method utilize voice recognition to process voice messages in an automated manner to detect spoken numbers contained therein. Detected spoken numbers can then be analyzed to automatically determine whether such numbers are telephone numbers, and thus enable such numbers to be automatically dialed. |
| US08521523B1 |
Selecting speech data for speech recognition vocabulary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting training data. In one aspect, a method comprises: selecting a target out of vocabulary rate; selecting a target percentage of user sessions; and determining a minimum training data freshness for a vocabulary of words, the minimum training data freshness corresponding to the target percentage of user sessions experiencing the target out of vocabulary rate. |
| US08521521B2 |
System for suppressing passing tire hiss
A voice enhancement logic improves the perceptual quality of a processed voice. The voice enhancement system includes a passing tire hiss noise detector and a passing tire hiss noise attenuator. The passing tire hiss noise detector detects a passing tire hiss noise by modeling the passing tire hiss. The passing tire hiss noise attenuator dampens the passing tire hiss noise to improve the intelligibility of a speech signal. |
| US08521520B2 |
Handoffs between different voice encoder systems
Provided are methods and systems of managing handoffs in a wireless communication system having different types of vocoders. Some embodiments include translating state memory of a first vocoder to a second vocoder using a state memory transcoder. The state memory may be delayed to align differences in algorithmic delays between the first vocoder and the second vocoder. In one embodiment, a speech signal may be decoded from the first vocoder, delayed, and encoded to the second vocoder. Furthermore, for a period of time during and/or adjacent to the handoff, the first vocoder may output with decreasing amplitude while the second vocoder outputs with increasing amplitude. Such techniques may be used alone or in combination. |
| US08521519B2 |
Adaptive audio signal source vector quantization device and adaptive audio signal source vector quantization method that search for pitch period based on variable resolution
An adaptive sound source vector quantization device includes a first pitch cycle instructor, a search range calculator, and a second pitch cycle instructor. The first pitch cycle instructor successively instructs pitch cycle search candidates in a predetermined search range having a search resolution which transits over a predetermined pitch cycle candidate for the first sub-frame. The search range calculator calculates a predetermined range before and after the pitch cycle of the first sub-frame as the pitch cycle search range for the second sub-frame, if the predetermined range includes the predetermined pitch cycle search candidate. In the predetermined range, the search resolution transits over a boundary defined by the predetermined pitch cycle. The second pitch cycle instructor successively instructs the pitch cycle search candidates in the search range for the second sub-frame. |
| US08521516B2 |
Linguistic key normalization
Systems, methods, and apparatuses including computer program products are provided for training machine learning systems. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a collection of phrases, normalizing a plurality of phrases of the collection of phrases, the normalizing being based at least in part on lexicographic normalizing rules, and generating a normalized phrase table including a plurality of key-value pairs, each key value pair includes a key corresponding to a normalized phrase and a value corresponding to one or more un-normalized phrases associated with the normalized key, each un-normalized phrase having one or more parameters. |
| US08521515B1 |
Automatic completion of fragments of text
A system offers potential completions for fragments of text. The system may obtain a text fragment and identify documents that include the text fragment. The system may locate sentences within the documents that include at least a portion of the text fragment, identify sentence endings associated with the located sentences, and present the sentence endings as potential completions for the text fragment. |
| US08521514B2 |
Verification of extracted data
Facts are extracted from speech and recorded in a document using codings. Each coding represents an extracted fact and includes a code and a datum. The code may represent a type of the extracted fact and the datum may represent a value of the extracted fact. The datum in a coding is rendered based on a specified feature of the coding. For example, the datum may be rendered as boldface text to indicate that the coding has been designated as an “allergy.” In this way, the specified feature of the coding (e.g., “allergy”-ness) is used to modify the manner in which the datum is rendered. A user inspects the rendering and provides, based on the rendering, an indication of whether the coding was accurately designated as having the specified feature. A record of the user's indication may be stored, such as within the coding itself. |
| US08521513B2 |
Localization for interactive voice response systems
A language-neutral speech grammar extensible markup language (GRXML) document and a localized response document are used to build a localized GRXML document. The language-neutral GRXML document specifies an initial grammar rule element. The initial grammar rule element specifies a given response type identifier and a given action. The localized response document contains a given response entry that specifies the given response type identifier and a given response in a given language. The localized GRXML document specifies a new grammar rule element. The new grammar rule element specifies the given response in the given language and the given action. The localized GRXML document is installed in an interactive voice response (IVR) system. The localized GRXML document configures the IVR system to perform the given action when a user of the IVR system speaks the given response to the IVR system. |
| US08521512B2 |
Systems and methods for natural language communication with a computer
A system for natural language communication with a computer, comprising a database configures to store at least one table the table configured to store associations between concepts in a text string and associated concept identifiers; and a builder interfaced with the database, the builder configured to construct a concept defined by a text string by performing a process comprising the following steps: assigning a unique identifier to the concept, breaking the concept into sub-concepts, assigning a unique identifier to each sub-concept, using legal joins to join cub-concepts into higher order sub-concepts, assigning a unique identifier to the higher-order concepts, and repeating the steps until the higher order sub-concepts join to form the concept, and storing the concept, sub-concepts, higher order sub-concepts and unique identifiers in a table in the database. |
| US08521510B2 |
Method and system for providing an automated web transcription service
A system, method and computer readable medium that provides an automated web transcription service is disclosed. The method may include receiving input speech from a user using a communications network, recognizing the received input speech, understanding the recognized speech, transcribing the understood speech to text, storing the transcribed text in a database, receiving a request via a web page to display the transcribed text, retrieving transcribed text from the database, and displaying the transcribed text to the requester using the web page. |
| US08521507B2 |
Bootstrapping text classifiers by language adaptation
Training data in one language is leveraged to develop classifiers for multiple languages under circumstances where all of those classifiers will be performing the same kind of classification task, but relative to linguistically different sets of texts, thereby saving the cost of manually labeling a different set of training data for each language. Classification knowledge is learned for a source language in which training data are available. That knowledge is transferred to another target language's classifier through the integration of language transition knowledge. The transferred model is adjusted to better fit the target language. In one technique, leveraging one language's classification knowledge in order to generate a classifiers for another language involves training a text classifier in a source language, transferring the learned classification knowledge from the source language to another target language using language translation techniques, and further tuning the transferred model to better fit the target language text. |
| US08521504B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing registers in a binary translator
The invention relates to managing registers during a binary translation mode in a virtual computing system. A set of registers is saved to memory before beginning to execute a series of blocks of translated code, and the contents of the set of registers are restored from memory later. A status register is maintained for tracking the status of each register within the set, the status indicating whether the contents are valid and whether the contents are saved in memory. Before the execution of each block, a determination is made as to whether the actions taken within the block relative to the registers are compatible with the current status of the registers. If the actions are not compatible, additional registers are saved to memory or restored from memory, so that the translation block can be executed. |
| US08521500B2 |
Method and device for measuring integrated circuit power supply noise and calibration of power supply noise analysis models
A method and device for measuring integrated circuit power supply noise and calibration of power supply noise analysis models. The method includes collecting power supply noise monitor data from an integrated circuit having one or more power supply noise monitors connected between a power supply and respective scan cells of a scan chain and one or more functional circuits connected to the scan chain by scanning a power supply noise generation pattern into the scan chain and scanning a resultant pattern out of the scan chain; converting the resultant data into actual values of selected power supply parameters; generating simulated values of the selected power supply parameters using a power supply noise simulation model based on design data of the integrated chip; comparing the actual values of the selected power supply parameters to the simulated values of the selected power supply parameters; and modifying the power supply noise simulation model based on the comparing. |
| US08521494B2 |
System and method for characterizing fractures in a subsurface reservoir
The disclosed methods, systems, and software are described to optimize fracture characteristics and simulate fluid flow rates in a well model. The well model, which includes at least one fracture intersecting a production well, is generated with static and dynamic data. Fluid flow in the well model is simulated to obtain simulated fluid flow rates between fractures and the well. Fracture properties, such as length, height and aperture, are then updated responsive to measured and simulated fluid flow rates. Multiple simulation runs and updating of the fracture properties can be performed until the simulated fluid flow rates converge with the measured fluid flow rates. Pressure data can be used to determine gridblock permeability, which in turn helps constrain the model, thus providing more reliable fracture properties. Uncertainty ranges of the fracture properties can also be calculated. |
| US08521493B2 |
Rotating blade analysis
Methods are provided for: (i) measuring the position of the blade stagger angle axis for one or more blades of a row of blades attached to a rotor, (ii) measuring the blade tip stagger angle for one or more such blades, and (iii) measuring the blade tip axial displacement for one or more such blades. The methods use forward and rearward blade tip timing datasets for successive rotations of the blades from two axially spaced blade tip timing probes. The forward probe is forward of the rearward probe along the axial direction of the rotor. The blade tip timing datasets allow the times of arrival of the blades at the respective probes to be measured. The methods also use a once per revolution dataset for the successive rotations of the blades. The once per revolution dataset allows the angular velocity of the blades to be measured. |
| US08521492B2 |
Tuning implants for increased performance
A method for preoperatively characterizing an individual patient's biomechanic function in preparation of implanting a prosthesis is provided. The method includes subjecting a patient to various activities, recording relative positions of anatomy during said various activities, measuring force environments responsive to said patient's anatomy and affected area during said various activities, characterizing the patient's biomechanic function from said relative positions and corresponding force environments, inputting the measured force environments, relative positions of knee anatomy, and patient's biomechanic function characterization into one or more computer simulation models, inputting a computer model of the prosthesis into said one or more computer simulation models, and manipulating the placement of the prosthesis in the computer simulation using said patient's biomechanic function characterization and said computer model of the prosthesis to approximate a preferred biomechanical fit of the prosthesis. |
| US08521491B2 |
Correction of chemical image collected using ATR through germanium hemisphere
A method and corresponding apparatus provide correction of chemical images collected with a germanium hemisphere ATR microscope. A model is developed for rays passing through a simulated germanium (Ge) hemisphere attenuated total reflection (ATR) microscope. The model determines a data set for rays reaching the detector plane. Movement of the hemisphere is simulated along a first axis between each data set determination. A calculated background spectrum is produced by multiplying the percentage of rays by a background spectrum to produce a calculated background spectrum. A real Ge hemisphere ATR microscope having parameters that substantially match those of the simulated Ge hemisphere microscope is then used to collect a chemical image of a sample that is in contact with the Ge hemisphere. The collected image is then corrected to produce a corrected chemical image. |
| US08521490B2 |
Statistical model for predicting falling in humans
Dependent variables believed to contribute to a likelihood of falling are analyzed using a latent class analysis. The dependent variables are biomedical factors, which may include, for example, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, foot disorders, Parkinson's Disease, stroke, eye disorder, limb disorder, or proprioceptive disorder. Data pertaining to the biomedical factors is gathered from a population of individuals at risk of falling. Covariate data, including for example age and the number of prescriptions taken, is further analyzed against latent class data. For a particular group of at risk individuals, a set of five classes produced useful results broadly corresponding to groups representing individuals who have: good health; a range of diseases; Parkinson's Disease; arthritis; and high blood pressure. A probability of falling is determined, relative to the group of individuals with good health. |
| US08521489B2 |
Method and device for contact simulation using layered depth images
A method for the interactive simulation of an intersection between at least two volumetric objects modelled using geometric primitives. The method first includes applying a Layered Depth Image (LDI) algorithm along a first display axis in order to determine a set of contact pixels. The method further includes: —calculating an intersection volume (V) from the contact pixels; —at each summit of the geometric primitives, calculating a partial derivative of the size of the intersection volume (V) relative to the coordinate of the summit along the projection axis; repeating the preceding steps for the two other orthogonal display axes in order to determine a vector containing the partial derivatives of the size of the volume relative to the coordinates of each of the summits; and—at each summit, associating a force f calculated from the partial derivatives. |
| US08521487B2 |
Method for generating a minimum set of analytical redundancy relations for the diagnosis of systems
A method for generating a minimal set of Analytical Redundancy Relations representing a system to which a plurality of sensors is associated for the observation of variables indicative of operating conditions and adapted to enable detection and isolation of faults. The minimal set of Analytical Redundancy Relations is derived from a complete set of Analytical Redundancy Relations in implicit form, for which an associated binary Fault Signature Matrix is specified, and comprises the relations associated to a minimal subset of rows of the original matrix, which has the same number of non-zero columns and the same number of distinct columns as the original matrix. |
| US08521479B2 |
Automatic design and sale of complex multi-vendor electronic and mechanical systems
The automation of design and sale of electronic and mechanical components is accomplished by allowing a user to design a plan for their electronic and mechanical component needs using specialized software. The software utilizes predefined models of components to aid the user in designing a system where all the components are compatible, even in cases where the components are made by different manufacturers. This is accomplished by creating a model for each proposed piece of equipment in the system, the model having properties and rules, wherein the rules define conditions and actions. Then an object is created for each piece of equipment in the system. Selections for values for the properties are received for each of the pieces of equipment. Any rules that have as a condition the properties for which value selections are received are executed. Finally, testing may be undertaken to determine if a proposed configuration is valid by examining results of the rule execution. |
| US08521478B2 |
Automatic coloring of rigid groups of parts
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a CAD application configured to receive an instruction to process a first rigid body in a CAD model and to create a graphic style table that includes a listing of available graphic styles to apply to the rigid bodies in the CAD model. The CAD application is further configured to analyze assembly data associated with the first rigid body to determine if the first rigid body includes any user-defined characteristics. The CAD application is configured to select a first graphic style and apply the first graphic style to each of the geometric bodies included in the first rigid body. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide users with a better visual understanding of each rigid body in an assembly and the dynamic relationships between those rigid bodies. |
| US08521477B2 |
Method for separating blind signal and apparatus for performing the same
A method for separating a blind signal includes: converting mixed signals of a time domain collected by using a plurality of sensors into mixed signals of a frequency domain; calculating a separation filter from the mixed signals which have been converted into those of the frequency domain; calculating an inverse filter of the separation filter; calculating the difference in phase between the respective sensors from the calculated inverse filter; permutation-sorting the separation filter by using the calculated phase difference; and separating the mixed signals of the frequency domain by using the permutation-sorted separation filter. |
| US08521476B2 |
System for monitoring the energy efficiency of technology components
A system is described for monitoring the energy efficiency of a technology component. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory may store a baseline power consumption value for a plurality of operating states of a technology component. The interface may communicate with a device of a user. The processor may monitor the technology component to determine a current power consumption value and a current operating state of the technology component. The processor may determine the baseline power consumption value corresponding to the current operating state. The processor may determine whether the current power consumption value is within a threshold of the baseline power consumption value. The processor may provide an alert to a device of the user if the current power consumption value of the technology component is not within the threshold of the baseline power consumption value. |
| US08521471B2 |
Measurement of thickness of dielectric films on surfaces
A system and method by which thickness of a dielectric film on substrates can be noninvasively determined is invented. The system and method are especially applicable to areas and applications where traditional techniques have proven unsuccessful or limited. According to embodiments of the present invention the present system and method can be used to measure film thickness in confined and inaccessible locations, and on substrates of complex geometry. The method can be used with an arbitrary and time varying orientation of the substrate-film interface. The measurements of the film thickness on the inside of open or enclosed channels of an arbitrary geometry, and on flexible substrates are possible. With multiple embedded sensors, the film thickness in different lateral locations can be simultaneously measured. The dielectric permittivity of the FUT as a function of the distance from the substrate of the film can also be measured. |
| US08521468B2 |
Diagnostic method for use with a vehicle dynamic control system (VDCS)
A diagnostic method for improving the reliability, accuracy, efficiency and/or robustness of a vehicle dynamic control system (VDCS) by providing analytical redundancy for one or more sensor readings. Sensor readings such as wheel speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration and steering angle are oftentimes related to one another. Thus, the diagnostic method may use these dynamic relationships to detect faults in the sensor readings without having to add additional redundant hardware or use complex circular logic structures, which can increase the cost and impose processing burdens on the VDCS. In an exemplary embodiment, the diagnostic method checks for faulty sensor readings through a process of analytical redundancy that includes intra- and inter-parameter evaluations having linear and forward dependencies. |
| US08521466B2 |
Method and device for determining interface particle used in particle method, and program for determining interface particle
A method for determination of interface particles used in a particle method is proposed. According to the present invention, the method for determination includes a density acquiring step of acquiring density in a predetermined range based on a determining-target particle, a first discriminating step of comparing the density with a predetermined threshold, a second discriminating step of determining a symmetry of an arrangement of the other particles within a predetermined range based on the determining-target particle, and a determining step of determining the determining-target particle as an interface particle in the case that the density determined by the first discriminating step is found to be smaller than the predetermined threshold and the arrangement of the other particles determined by the second discriminating step is found to be asymmetrical. |
| US08521463B2 |
System for performing electrical characterization of asynchronous integrated circuit interfaces
An integrated circuit with a single-channel input/output (I/O) interface and a multi-channel I/O interface includes functional circuits that operate in different clock domains and a test circuit. For a single-channel I/O interface, the test circuit simulates read/write operations by bypassing the functional circuits and performs electrical characterization of the single-channel I/O interface. For a multi-channel I/O interface, the test circuit configures a plurality of channels of the multi-channel interface in a half-duplex mode and performs electrical characterization using data loop back by bypassing the functional circuits. |
| US08521462B2 |
Calibration system for a pressure-sensitive catheter
A calibration apparatus includes a fixture, which is coupled to accept a probe so that a distal tip of the probe presses against a point in the fixture and produces first measurements indicative of a deformation of the distal tip relative to a distal end of the probe, in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip. A sensing device is coupled to the fixture and is configured to produce second measurements of a mechanical force exerted by the distal tip against the point. A calibration processor is configured to receive the first measurements from the probe, to receive the second measurements from the sensing device and to compute, based on the first and second measurements, one or more calibration coefficients for assessing the pressure as a function of the first measurements. |
| US08521455B2 |
System and method for estimating corona power loss in a dust-loaded electrostatic precipitator
The method for estimating corona power loss in a dust-loaded electrostatic precipitator numerically solves Poisson's equation and current continuity equations in which the finite element method (FEM) and a modified method of characteristics (MMC) are used. The system is a computerized system that produces results showing how different parameters such as discharging wire radius, wire-to-wire spacing, wire-to-plate spacing, fly ash flow speed and applied voltage polarity influence corona power loss and current density profiles. |
| US08521454B2 |
Zone selective interlocking test method and apparatus, and circuit interrupter apparatus and power distribution system including the same
A circuit interrupter apparatus includes circuit interrupter and a device. The circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes a zone selective interlocking input and a zone selective interlocking output. The device includes a first input electrically interconnected with the zone selective interlocking input, a second input electrically interconnected with the zone selective interlocking output, and an indicator circuit structured to indicate that the zone selective interlocking input occurred at the first input or that the zone selective interlocking output occurred at the second input. |
| US08521451B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring oil viscosity
Embodiments of a probe for measuring an oil viscosity are provided. In one embodiment, the probe includes a housing, a magnetoelastic ribbon, an electromagnetic coil, a temperature sensor and an electrical board. The housing is mounted to an oil containing member. The magnetoelastic ribbon is fixed to an inside of the housing through a first insert member at one end and is at least partially immersed in the oil at an opposite end. The electromagnetic coil is disposed in the housing to surround the magnetoelastic ribbon. The temperature sensor is mounted to the housing for measuring a temperature of the oil. The electrical board is electrically connected to the electromagnetic coil and the temperature sensor. |
| US08521449B2 |
Three dimensional air flow sensors for data center cooling
Techniques for airflow analysis are provided. In one aspect, a mobile sensing device is provided. The mobile sensing device includes an airflow sensing system having a plurality of airflow sensing units arranged in a grid. Each airflow sensing unit includes a first air passage that contains at least one first airflow sensor; a second air passage perpendicular to the first air passage, wherein the second air passage contains at least one second airflow sensor; and a third air passage perpendicular to the first air passage and the second air passage, wherein the third air passage contains at least one third airflow sensor. |
| US08521444B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating damage in a structure
Detecting damage in a structure without comparing sensor signals to a baseline signal. Once a structure is interrogated, a process based on a Gaussian Mixture Model is applied to the resulting data set, resulting in quantities for which Mahalanobis distances and Euclidian distances can be determined. A damage index is then determined based on the calculated Euclidian distance. A high value of this damage index coupled with an abrupt change in Mahalanobis distance has been found to be a reliable indicator of damage. Other embodiments may employ a baseline, but determine damage according to ratios of energy values between current and baseline signals. |
| US08521443B2 |
Method to extract parameters from in-situ monitored signals for prognostics
Through the methods of this invention, prognostics tools are provided to more efficiently and more accurately predict when a component product may fail. In a first embodiment a method is described whereby a number of environmental factors are monitored, the provided sensors obtaining raw data, variations in said raw data measured, the parameters of interest extracted and binned according to predetermined criteria, with the raw data thereafter discarded. In a second embodiment of the invention, the same sensor readings are recorded along with the performance characteristics for the component/product and compared to estimated performance for the product. The performance drift is then observed, whereby in monitoring said drift, trends may be determined and time or cycles to failure predicted. |
| US08521440B2 |
Systems for genome selection
Systems, methods, compositions and apparatus relating to genome selection are disclosed. |
| US08521436B2 |
Multi-phase fluid measurement apparatus and method
The present disclosure provides a flowmeter including a vibrating element configured to be inserted in a measured fluid; a driver circuit to vibrate the vibrating element in its natural frequency of oscillation; one or more additional technology flow meters configured to measure an additional property of the fluid; a data acquisition circuit configured to measure signals effected by the flow of a multi-phase fluid; and a computer suitable to solve non-linear simultaneous equations. The fluid may include gas, oil and/or water. The fluid may also include solids. |
| US08521432B2 |
Performance assessment system for deep geologic repository for radioactive waste disposal
A performance assessment system for deep geologic repository for radioactive waste disposal is introduced to integrate a number of independent sub-system to perform the repository assessments in a systematic way under computer-based environment. Basically, the sub-system includes the input data file preparation sub-system for near-field/far-field multiple running, the near-field/far-field multiple running sub-system and the uncertainty and sensitivity analysis sub-system. With the system, the assessment for the deep geologic repository for radioactive waste disposal in many aspects can be achieved more completely and precisely. |
| US08521430B2 |
Managing differences between geographic database versions
A method and system for managing differences between geographic database versions is disclosed. A user registers his version of a geographic database with a map management application and thereafter enters a destination on a graphical user interface. The map management application checks to see if data representing the destination is located in the user's version of the geographic database and a more current version of the geographic database. If the data representing the destination is located in the more current version but not the user's version of the geographic database, the map management application provides the user with options, including upgrading to a more current version of the geographic database. |
| US08521427B1 |
Vehicle navigation using cellular networks
The present disclosure provides a method for navigation of a vehicle using cellular networks that involves determining, with an inertial navigation system, a vehicle location estimate. The method also involves transmitting, with a transmit antenna, a transmit signal to the cellular tower requesting a cell identification (CID); and receiving, with a receive antenna, a receive signal from the cellular tower containing the CID. Further, the method involves determining the cellular tower location by looking up the CID in a lookup table; determining a difference in time from the time the transmit signal was sent to the time the receive signal was received; calculating the distance from the vehicle to the cellular tower by using the time difference; and refining the vehicle location estimate by using the cellular tower location, the distance from the vehicle to the cellular tower, and the angle of the transmit antenna and the receive antenna. |
| US08521423B2 |
In-vehicle display apparatus
An in-vehicle display apparatus, which is coupled to a terminal device having a terminal display section, includes an in-vehicle display section equipped to a vehicle and a display controller. The display controller controls the in-vehicle display section to display a pseudo terminal display window, which indicates a terminal display window displayed on the terminal display section of the terminal device. The display controller controls the in vehicle display section to display the pseudo terminal display window, which includes a specified region and another region other than the specified region in such a manner that the specified region is scaled up compared with the another region. Thus, the specified region is easily confirmed and the pseudo terminal display window displays a broader scope thereby reducing display loss of necessary information. |
| US08521421B2 |
GPS navigator
Disclosed is a method and system for identifying a location of interest between a user and an identified endpoint and creating a user preference profile containing at least one location of interest to the user. A sampling bandwidth is designated based on current distance to the identified endpoint, wherein the navigation unit dynamically expands the sampling bandwidth as the user approaches within a predetermined distance of the endpoint. At least one user preference profile location of interest is selected that is within the sampling bandwidth that is between the user and the indentified endpoint. A sampling vector is computed for the at least one location of interest within the sampling bandwidth, and the user is alerted to the sampling vector for the at least one location of interest within the sampling bandwidth. |
| US08521419B2 |
Method for locating a vehicle
Methods of locating a vehicle are disclosed. Location coordinates are received at regular intervals via a handheld locator device for the current location of the handheld locator device. The handheld locator device detects the cessation of the presence of the vehicle. The location coordinates last-received before the detection of the cessation of the presence of the vehicle are stored automatically, and represent the approximate location of the parked vehicle when the cessation of the presence of the vehicle is detected. |
| US08521418B2 |
Generic surface feature extraction from a set of range data
An example embodiment includes a method including receiving a three-dimensional set of range data including a plurality of points from one or more range finders. The method also includes extracting one or more surface features. Extracting includes segmenting the set of range data into a plurality of surfaces based on one or more edges, selecting one or more of the plurality of surfaces as the one or more surface features, and describing the one or more surface features based on a generic descriptor that can describe both planar and non-planar surface features. |
| US08521414B2 |
Vehicle safety driving apparatus
In a vehicle safety driving apparatus, a predetermined steering torque is applied as the warning and a change amount of driver's steering torque relative to the applied predetermined steering torque is calculated, and a contact avoidance assistance operation is conducted in place of applying the predetermined steering torque when the calculated driver's steering force change amount is less than a set value. With this, it becomes possible to conduct more perceivable operation or vehicle control when it is estimated that the driver does not recognize it, thereby enabling to assist the contact avoidance appropriately. |
| US08521409B2 |
Continuous driving mileage calculation control system and calculation control method
The invention discloses a continuous driving mileage calculation control system and a calculation control method. The calculation control system comprises an MCU microprocessor, a continuous driving mileage digital display, a vehicle speed signal sampling circuit, an instantaneous fuel consumption signal sampling circuit and a fuel signal sampling circuit. According to the received instantaneous fuel consumption signal and the vehicle speed signal, the MCU microprocessor calculates the average fuel consumption, and then calculates the continuous driving mileage according to the average fuel consumption and the current remaining fuel amount. The digital display is used for displaying the continuous driving mileage. The average fuel consumption refers to the amount of fuel consumption per hundred kilometers between two refilling; and the remaining fuel amount is obtained by deducting the amount of fuel consumption calculated according to the instantaneous fuel consumption signal from the amount of remaining fuel amount measured right after the refilling. |
| US08521402B2 |
Method for controlling the air supply in a cylinder of a four-stroke internal combustion engine with controlled ignition
A method for controlling air supply in a cylinder of a four-stroke internal-combustion engine with controlled ignition includes steps of: determining, in a phase prior to a suction phase, an estimate of mass of desired air to be sucked into the cylinder during the suction phase; determining, in a phase prior to the suction phase, a forecast of suction pressure during the suction phase; determining, in a phase prior to the suction phase, programming of suction of air as a function of the estimate of the mass of the desired air to be sucked into the cylinder during the suction phase and of the forecast of the suction pressure during the suction phase; and controlling, until an end of an exhaust phase, the suction of air into the cylinder by piloting a control device for implementation of an intake valve according to the programming of the suction of air. |
| US08521400B2 |
Combustion apparatus and method for combustion control
A combustion apparatus (water heater) includes a combustion unit (burner) combusting fuel, at least two flame detector (flame rods) detecting whether there is a flame or not in the combustion unit, a determination unit (control device) determining whether or not there is a misfire, based on detected results of the flame detectors, and a control unit (control device) stopping supply of the fuel to the combustion unit in response to a determined result of the determination unit. |
| US08521399B2 |
System and method for reducing particulate matter produced by an engine
A method for reducing particulate matter emitted by an engine is disclosed. In one example, the start of fuel injection timing is adjusted in response to a change in engine operating conditions. In particular, start of injection timing may be advanced and then retarded to promote fuel vaporization. |
| US08521391B2 |
Methods and systems for brake pedal tuning and braking control in vehicles
A method for calibrating a braking system of a vehicle having a brake pedal includes the steps of measuring, via a sensor, a speed of the vehicle, generating, via a processor, an optimized mapping relating a movement of the brake pedal and a deceleration of the vehicle based at least in part upon the speed of the vehicle, and calibrating, via the processor, a relationship between an engagement of the brake pedal and the deceleration of the vehicle using the optimized mapping. |
| US08521390B2 |
Antilock brake system for a land craft
Hydraulic brake system and method for controlling a hydraulic brake system for a land craft, in which a quantity of hydraulic fluid delivered to wheel brakes during pressure build-up phases in antilock braking mode is limited so that substantially no hydraulic fluid thereof can flow to a master cylinder. |
| US08521389B2 |
Spring brake valve
Methods and valve arrangements for controlling the flow of pressurized air from a tractor to a trailer reservoir and to a trailer spring brake chamber. In one exemplary embodiment, pressurized air from a tractor is supplied from a tractor to the trailer reservoir and to the trailer spring brake in different filling modes based on a user input. In another exemplary embodiment, pressurized service air is used to charge or partially charge the trailer reservoir. |
| US08521387B2 |
Method for assisting with hill starts
A method for assisting a motor vehicle with a hill start, the motor vehicle having previously been held stationary when parked by a brake. The method measures inclination of the vehicle, previously establishes a map between engine torque and engine speed, defines, within the map, an authorized zone and a forbidden zone, provides a vehicle engine speed value, provides a vehicle engine torque value, deduces from these coordinates of the engine operating point within the map, and releases the brake automatically only if the coordinates of the operating point lie within the authorized zone of the map. |
| US08521383B2 |
Method for controlling an automated clutch system
A method for controlling an automated friction clutch that is located between a drive motor and a transmission in a motor vehicle that is equipped with fraction control and driving condition recognition for detecting current driving conditions. |
| US08521379B2 |
Method for operating a vehicle having a freewheel mode or a rolling mode
A method of operating a vehicle in a freewheel mode or a rolling mode, in which the vehicle has a drive train comprising a controllable drive engine, an automatic or automated transmission, and a controllable shifter for interrupting a flow of power in the drive train. To enable fuel-efficient and low-emission, as well as safe and comfortable driving, it is intended that the freewheel mode or the rolling mode is prognostically activated, deactivated or retained by performing a plausibility check of a currently active, automatic driving speed control function or a driving speed and a distance control function and/or other current driving operation or driving state data. The method includes coordinating and adapting relevant marginal conditions of the active driving speed control function or the driving speed and the distance control function, and of the freewheel mode or the rolling mode, according to the driving situation, and initiating control measures by a transmission control. |
| US08521375B2 |
Transmission control device
A transmission control device (7) of a transmission (3) for a drivetrain which includes, in addition to the transmission (3), a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine (1) and an electric motor (2). The transmission control device (7) stores parameters which form the basis of the manner with which gearshifts are controlled or regulated. At least some parameters are stored in duplicate, firstly, for operating the transmission (3) under purely electric-motor power using only the electric motor (2), and secondly for operating the transmission (3) during hybrid driving using both the internal combustion engine (1) and the electric motor (2). |
| US08521371B2 |
Systems and methods for remapping of machine implement controls
Systems and methods for selectively remapping implement control commands in a machine comprise receiving a first input command signal for controlling a plurality of actuators associated with the machine. The first input command signal is associated with controlling a first work tool such that each of the plurality of actuators is independently controllable by one or more implement controllers. A current work tool attached to the machine is identified and compared with a first work tool. If the current work tool is different from the first work tool, the first input command signal is transformed into a second input command signal associated with the current work tool and provided to a plurality of actuators of the machine. The second input command signal is associated with controlling the current work tool such that less than each of the plurality of actuators is independently controllable by the one or more implement controllers. |
| US08521367B2 |
System provided with an assistance-controller for assisting an operator of the system, control-operation assisting device, control-operation assisting method, driving-operation assisting device, and driving-operation assisting method
A target-travel-path generating circuit calculates a target travel path along which the controlled object can travel in the future from the current controlled object position, an ideal-control-signal calculating circuit calculates a control profile Ŝ to travel along the target travel path P, and a difference calculating circuit calculates a difference δ between the ideal control magnitude Ŝ and a current control magnitude Ŝ. An operation system assistance controller controls the operation system based on the magnitude of the calculated difference δ to assist the control operation of the operator, the control-operation-state of the operator, the environment-state, and the required operation-precision. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the operator with control operation assistance that is a function of the magnitude of the difference δ from an ideal control state, the control-operation-state of the operator, the environment-state, and the required operation-precision, and thus, a control-operation assistance control can be outputted that is suitable for the conditions that characterize the state of the operator, the environment, and the controlled object. |
| US08521356B2 |
Air conditioner for vehicle, and system and method of vehicle air-conditioning management
A management system for vehicle air-conditioning and a method of managing the same are provided. Changes of a temperature in a vehicle from various environmental information, between a standard for showing a comfortable environment in the vehicle and actual environment information, are recognized to identify abnormalities occurring in components at an early stage and to appropriately judge the necessity and urgency of maintenance. A management system of vehicle air-conditioning includes an air-conditioning controller that predicts abnormalities of components of the refrigeration cycle by comparing a temperature in the vehicle obtained when the refrigeration cycle is actually driven with a preset temperature in the vehicle that constitutes a standard. |
| US08521355B2 |
Method for operation of a drive train
A method of operating a drive train of a motor vehicle in which the drive train comprises at least a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, a clutch connected between the combustion engine and the electric motor, a transmission arranged between the hybrid drive and a drive output, and preferably a transmission-internal or -external starting element. When the combustion engine is entrained into motion with the help of the electric motor, the clutch connected between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor is partially engaged to a slipping condition where the clutch transmits a constant torque, and during this entrainment, and comparing an actual gradient of the combustion engine's speed produced with a nominal gradient of the combustion engine's speed. When the actual gradient is greater than the nominal gradient, the method concludes that the combustion engine is started and actively providing torque. |
| US08521354B2 |
Diagnosis of sensor failure in airflow-based engine control system
An air-flow based control system for an internal combustion engine has various sensors that are used to calculate various control commands. By comparing pairs of values calculated from different sensors, errors in connection with the sensors can be detected. |
| US08521352B1 |
Controlling a vehicle having inadequate map data
A vehicle can be controlled in a first autonomous mode of operation by at least navigating the vehicle based on map data. Sensor data can be obtained using one or more sensors of the vehicle. The sensor data can be indicative of an environment of the vehicle. An inadequacy in the map data can be detected by at least comparing the map data to the sensor data. In response to detecting the inadequacy in the map data, the vehicle can be controlled in a second autonomous mode of operation and a user can be prompted to switch to a manual mode of operation. The vehicle can be controlled in the second autonomous mode of operation by at least obtaining additional sensor data using the one or more sensors of the vehicle and navigating the vehicle based on the additional sensor data. |
| US08521347B2 |
Marine vessel steering apparatus and marine vessel including the same
A marine vessel steering apparatus includes a steering mechanism arranged to be operable by an operator, a steering unit arranged to turn a pivoting unit mounted pivotally on a marine vessel, a detecting unit arranged to detect if an actual pivoting angle, the turning angle of the pivoting unit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, a locking unit arranged to lock the turning of the steering mechanism, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting angle based on the turning state of the steering mechanism and to drive the steering unit to make the actual pivoting angle equal to the target pivoting angle. The control unit is also programmed, when the detecting unit detects that the actual pivoting angle becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined angle, to drive the locking unit to lock the turning of the steering mechanism. |
| US08521346B2 |
Method for operating a rail vehicle
A method for operating a rail vehicle includes coasting point determination for a route section. Upon reaching that point, vehicle traction is deactivated and coasting occurs over at least part of the remaining route to a route section end. Coasting points are stored for the route section and assigned a fixed distance and fixed travel time to the section end. Upon passing the route section, continuous evaluation is performed whether a currently recorded distance to the section end is shorter than the fixed distance to the route section end for one coasting point according to a first condition, and whether a current travel time to the section end is longer than or equal to the fixed travel time to the section end according to a second condition. Possible traction deactivation is signaled when fulfilling both conditions. If not fulfilled, another stored coasting point is evaluated for fulfillment of the conditions. |
| US08521345B2 |
System and method for rail vehicle time synchronization
A communication method includes the steps of, at a first system, communicating with a second system for the establishment of a mutual clock and, at the first system, performing a first set of operations based on the mutual clock and performing a different, second set of operations based on a first clock of the first system, wherein the first clock is different from the mutual clock. |
| US08521344B2 |
System and method for generating a route navigation database
A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program including instructions, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to acquire route data in a first format for a route, the route data comprising a plurality of route parameters for a plurality of route locations. The computer is further programmed to re-format the acquired route data in the first format into a second format different from the first format, filter the reformatted route data into a route dataset having a lesser number of route locations than the number of route locations in the acquired route data, and to store the route dataset in computer memory. |
| US08521341B2 |
Methods and systems for fault determination for aircraft
A method for fault determination for an aircraft includes the steps of generating a predicted maneuver of the aircraft using an aircraft operating input and a model of aircraft performance, determining an actual maneuver of the aircraft using information obtained from an inertial measurement system, comparing the predicted maneuver and the actual maneuver, and determining a fault of the aircraft based on the comparison of the predicted maneuver and the actual maneuver. |
| US08521337B1 |
Systems and methods for operating electrical supply
One embodiment of the instant invention is a computer-implemented method that includes steps of: receiving load data for a load, where the load is associated with a smart node that controls a flow of electricity, where the load data includes a service type indication; where the service type indication identifies whether the load receive in a non-firm electricity service, a firm electricity service, or both, where the non-firm electricity service is based on a non-firm service supply arrangement associated with the load and a supplier of electricity, where the non-firm service supply arrangement defines electricity usage based on a reliability level of the electrical supply provided by the supplier of electricity without a guaranteed level of uninterrupted electricity supply, and where the reliability level of the electrical supply is based on an ability to instruct to reduce or shut off the electricity supply. |
| US08521332B2 |
Actuator for HVAC systems and method for operating the actuator
An actuator for an HVAC system having a stored model definition defining an HVAC control application, and an element library including a variety of stored model elements and controller modules (D, E) having instructions for controlling a processor of the actuator. The controller modules (D, E) include model elements and are configured to control the sequential order of their execution. The controller modules (D, E) are further configured to propagate any external data input (S66′, S68′) to their model elements prior to executing their first model element, and to propagate any data output (S63, S65, S67, S69) to external components after executing their last model element. The controller modules (D, E) are instantiated in different threads of execution, so that data is interchanged asynchronously between instantiated controller modules (D, E) and neither temporal dependencies nor change of value links are imposed on components of the HVAC control application. |
| US08521331B2 |
Patient-side surgeon interface for a minimally invasive, teleoperated surgical instrument
A patient-side surgeon interface provides enhanced capabilities in using a minimally invasive, teleoperated surgical system. The patient-side surgeon interface has components within the sterile surgical field of the surgery. The components allow a surgeon to control teleoperated slave surgical instruments from within the sterile surgical field. The patient-side surgeon interface permits a surgeon to be in the sterile surgical field adjacent a patient undergoing surgery. Controlling minimally invasive slave surgical instruments from within the sterile surgical field permits minimally invasive surgery combined with direct visualization by the surgeon. The proximity to the patient allows the surgeon to control a teleoperated slave surgical instrument in tandem with controlling manually controlled instruments such as a laparoscopic instrument. Also, the surgeon, from within the sterile surgical field, can use the patient-side surgeon interface to control at least one proxy visual in proctoring another surgeon. |
| US08521329B2 |
Obstruction-determining apparatus for preventing mobile robot from becoming obstructed and boundary-estimation method and medium using the obstruction-determining apparatus
An obstruction-determining apparatus for preventing a mobile robot from being obstructed in a niche and a boundary-estimation method and medium using the obstruction-determining apparatus are disclosed. More particularly, an obstruction-determining apparatus which can determine whether a mobile robot is obstructed in a niche, and enable a mobile robot to easily escape from an obstacle if the mobile robot is determined to be obstructed in the niche, and a boundary-estimation method and medium for estimating the boundaries of an obstacle with a niche using the obstruction-determining apparatus. The obstruction-determining apparatus includes a contact module which collides with an obstacle above the mobile robot, a contact-operating module which rotates or moves linearly as a result of the collision between the contact module and the obstacle, and a sensing module which detects the rotation or the linear movement of the contact-operating module and determines whether the mobile robot is obstructed in a niche. |
| US08521328B2 |
Control system for robotic vehicles
A method and apparatus may be present for controlling robotic vehicles. A processor system may identify hardware for a robotic vehicle to form an identification. The processor system may run an interface layer for the hardware for the robotic vehicle using the identification. The interface layer may be configured to receive information from the hardware in which the information may be received using a number of protocols for the hardware. The processor system may send the information received from the hardware to a control layer in which a number of applications running in the control layer may be configured to indirectly control operation of the robotic vehicle. The information may be received in the control layer using a protocol used by the number of applications. |
| US08521326B1 |
Canister arrangement for refilling pharmaceutical dispenser
A canister arrangement for refilling a pharmaceutical dispenser. The dispenser can hold a predetermined number of pills, tablets, or capsules at one time. Since the canister arrangement can hold considerably more than the dispenser can, the canister is able to fill the dispenser to capacity multiple times before the canister must be refilled. The canister has a housing and one or more chambers in the housing. When a plurality of chambers is present, at least one of the chambers has a sloping floor at the bottom of the housing. A swinging door is disposed between each pair of adjacent chambers. The swinging door(s) are automatically activated when the dispensing apparatus senses that the dispenser and the previous chamber are both empty. An opening is also provided at the bottom of the housing. A sliding door covers the opening to prevent pills, tablets and capsules from exiting the housing. The sliding door is automatically opened upon the occurrence of an external condition, such as when the dispensing apparatus senses that the dispenser is empty. |
| US08521324B2 |
Automatic store and method for storing plates of electronic circuits
An automatic store and a method for storing plates of electronic circuits comprising a feed belt that feeds the plates of electronic circuits along a first plane (F); collection boxes positioned along at least one side of the feed belt and in which the plates of electronic circuits fed by the feed belt are grouped together according to quality classes; and one or more clearing stations disposed in cooperation with the feed belt in order to position the plates of electronic circuits in the respective collection boxes. The store comprises at least two rows of collection boxes disposed along at least one side of the feed belt, and a movement unit associated with the collection boxes to discharge the filled collection boxes and to position new collection boxes to be filled. |
| US08521323B2 |
Device and method for arranging vials
There is provided a device and method for arranging a vial, which can efficiently arrange a plurality of vials in the same arrangement place. A device for arranging a vial includes an arm member 150 for sandwiching one vial 1 and a carrying means 58 for carrying the vial 1 sandwiched by the arm member 150 to a vial arranging section 202. A layout of the vials 1 in the vial arranging section 202 can be set according to the number (n) of the vials 1 carried into the same vial arranging section 202. The carrying means 58 can advance and retract the arm member 150 in at least two or more directions in the vial arranging section 202. |
| US08521321B2 |
Sewing machine system, sewing machine, and storage device
A sewing machine system includes a sewing machine and a storage device. The storage device includes an embroidery information storage portion, a conditions information storage portion, and a use history storage portion. The sewing machine includes a mounting portion to and from which the storage device can be mounted and removed, a first individual unit information storage portion that stores the first individual unit information, a use conditions determination portion that determines whether the sewing machine corresponds to the use conditions information, a usability determination portion that determines whether the embroidery information that is stored in the embroidery information storage portion can be used, a first decryption portion that decrypts the embroidery information, an individual unit information storage control portion that stores in the use history storage portion the first individual unit information, and an embroidery portion that performs embroidery sewing on a cloth. |
| US08521316B2 |
Coordinated group musical experience
Sharing of a music experience amongst a group of people each using a personal communication device is described. In some cases, the group can congregate at the same geographic location or at least some of the group can be located at widely dispersed locations and yet still be able to share a music experience. Information can be passed between the personal communication devices using point to point wireless communication, a distributed network of computers such as the Internet, a wireless cellular communication network, and so on. The information can include an indication of a shared music characteristic. The personal communication devices can use the shared music characteristic to identify and start to privately play those music items stored in the personal communication device having a characteristic that matches or most closely matches the shared music characteristic at about the same time. |
| US08521315B2 |
Apparatuses, methods and computer-readable storage mediums for browsing and selecting a multimedia object
An apparatus is provided that includes a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform a number of functions. The functions include selecting or receiving selection of a multimedia object including an associated identifier, and generating one or more audio tracks of audio tones representing the identifier. The multimedia object is presentable by a computing apparatus, and the audio track(s) collectively form an album for the multimedia object. The functions also include directing a transfer of the album including the audio track(s) to a media player for subsequent playback of the audio track(s). The computing apparatus is configured to pickup the audio tones of the audio track(s) during the playback, interpret the audio tones to identify the multimedia object from the identifier represented by the audio tones, and access and present the identified multimedia object. |
| US08521314B2 |
Hierarchical control path with constraints for audio dynamics processing
Information useful for modifying the dynamics of an audio signal is derived from one or more devices or processes operating at one or more respective nodes of each of a plurality of hierarchy levels, each hierarchical level having one or more nodes, in which the one or more devices or processes operating at each hierarchical level takes a measure of one or more characteristics of the audio signal such that the one or more devices or processes operating at each successively lower hierarchical level takes a measure of one or more characteristics of progressively smaller subdivisions of the audio signal. |
| US08521312B2 |
Apparatus and method for wireless access and control of process control instruments
A method includes moving a wireless device into communication range of a process control instrument in an industrial process system. The method also includes presenting to a user, at the wireless device, a graphical user interface associated with the process control instrument. The method further includes receiving from the user one or more configuration settings associated with the process control instrument. In addition, the method includes transmitting information identifying the one or more configuration settings to the process control instrument in order to reconfigure the process control instrument. The method could optionally include presenting to the user, at the wireless device, a second graphical user interface when the wireless device is used to perform a function unrelated to interacting with the process control instrument. Here, the graphical user interface associated with the process control instrument could be presented in response to the wireless device detecting the process control instrument. |
| US08521309B2 |
Method for operating a system of field devices
A method for operating a system of field devices, wherein the system has at least two field devices, and wherein the field devices especially are measuring devices and/or actuators and/or display devices. A second field device is activated by a first field device, and that, in the case of a successful activation of a field device different from the first field device, the first field device is deactivated. |
| US08521308B2 |
System, method and program for supervisory control
A supervisory control system includes a supervisory control target device and a supervisory control device. The supervisory control device is configured such that an attribute usage flag that indicates whether the supervisory control device supports any changes in the attributes due to adding of a function, and an attribute effectiveness flag which indicates whether the supervisory control target device supports the changes, are added, as information concerning the attributes that undergo the changes, to a definition of the instance which the supervisory control device retains. Further, the supervisory control device includes a control unit which, on a basis of data of the attribute usage flag and attribute effectiveness flag relating to the attributes undergoing the changes due to adding of a function, determines whether the supervisory control target device supports a new function or whether supervisory control based upon the new function is effective. |
| US08521304B2 |
MRI compatible implantable lead with a distributed band stop filter
An implantable lead includes a lead body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion with a connector located at the proximal end and an electrode located at the distal end. The implantable lead further includes a coil conductor that has spiral sections wound within a lumen of the lead body and couples the lead connector to the electrode. The coil conductor has an insulation material provided on at least a segment of the coil conductor. The insulation material has a dielectric constant set such that the coil conductor forms a distributed band stop filter when exposed to a known RF magnetic field. The coil conductor comprises a filar wound into the spiral sections. The filar of the coil conductor has an insulation coating provided thereon with the insulation coating forming a dielectric layer between adjacent spiral sections of the filar. |
| US08521299B2 |
Remote monitoring and control of implantable devices
A treatment system includes a regulator implanted within a patient, a computing device storing at least one patient database associated with the patient in whom the regulator is implanted, and a data transfer device. The data transfer device provides bi-directional communication (e.g., voice communication) and a data exchange (e.g., a treatment history, a patient database, and operational instructions) between the regulator and the computing device. A programmer can obtain patient reports and/or default treatment values from the computing device based on the data exchange. |
| US08521296B2 |
Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for characterizing hearing prosthesis channel interaction
The present application discloses systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for characterizing hearing prosthesis channel interaction. Some embodiments may include applying a probe signal to a region of auditory neurons via a first hearing prosthesis channel, and applying a perturber signal to the region of auditory neurons via a second hearing prosthesis channel, where the perturber signal is configured to cause a polarity-independent neural excitation in an auditory neuron. Some embodiments may additionally include measuring one or more metrics corresponding to a neural response to the application of the probe and perturber signals. |
| US08521295B2 |
Location and deactivation of muscles
Methods and devices for treatment to at least interfere with the function of a muscle are described herein. These methods and devices may have application in cosmetic and plastic surgery, dermatology, suppression of tension and/or migraine-type headaches, pain management, one particular application of the subject matter deals primarily with reducing wrinkles caused by ongoing muscular activation. The devices and methods described herein allow medical practitioners to effectively identify selective nerves for paralyzingmuscles, without the need for injections of agents such as botulism toxin. Moreover, the devices and methods herein, may allow for artificial generation of signals in nerves that were otherwise damaged by stimulating transmission of nerve signals across damaged nerves. |
| US08521290B2 |
Implantable medical device connector
Disclosed is an implantable medical device including a connector block that allows varied lead configurations to be used with a single connector block and implantable medical device assembly. The connector block is configured with one or more lead insertion lumens that are open at both ends, such that each end of the lead insertion lumen may receive a separate lead. The circuitry within the implantable medical device is configured to allow the delivery of electrical pulses from a pulse generator within the implantable medical device to two separate leads, or to a single lead (with a plug positioned within the opposite, open end of the insertion lumen), inserted within a single lead insertion lumen. |
| US08521289B2 |
Automated device programming at changeout
This document discusses, among other things, methods and systems for facilitating automated device programming at changeout. A method comprises receiving, from a first device, physiological data at a temporary storage device; and processing the received physiological data, wherein the processing includes determining if a first signal processing function was used by the first device and substantially offsetting the first signal processing function if the first signal processing function was used by the first device; and processing the resultant physiological data to be compatible with a second device. The method further comprising providing the processed resultant physiological data to the second device. |
| US08521285B2 |
Estimation of dedicated bipolar pacing vector threshold
Methods and devices are described that allow estimation of an electrostimulation capture threshold, such as a dedicated bipolar pacing vector threshold. In an example, an equal-energy assumption between first and second pacing vectors can be used to estimate an electrostimulation capture threshold of a second pacing vector from a measured electrostimulation capture threshold of the first pacing vector and impedances of the first and second pacing vectors. In an example, a relationship between first and second pacing vectors can be determined from measured data, and a parameter of the relationship can be used with a measurement of an electrostimulation capture threshold of the first pacing vector to estimate an electrostimulation capture threshold of the second pacing vector. |
| US08521281B2 |
Electrogram classification algorithm
The present disclosure is directed to the classification of cardiac episodes using an algorithm. In various examples, an episode classification algorithm evaluates electrogram signal data using a probabilistic ventricular oversensing algorithm. The algorithm may look at a plurality of factors weighing for and against a determination of ventricular oversensing. In some examples, the algorithm may also determine whether the cardiac episode includes atrial sensing issues. |
| US08521272B2 |
Method and device for monitoring breastfeeding
A method of monitoring amount of milk consumed by an infant being breastfed by a breast is disclosed. The method comprises: determining variations in electric capacitance of the breast during breastfeeding, and correlating the electric capacitance variations to an amount of milk consumed by the infant. |
| US08521268B2 |
Techniques for determining cardiac cycle morphology
A method includes storing an electrogram (EGM) template in a memory. The EGM template includes first and second alignment points at first and second peaks of the EGM template, respectively. The method further includes identifying first and second peaks of a cardiac cycle EGM acquired by a medical device and selecting one of the first and second peaks of the cardiac cycle EGM to align with one of the first and second alignment points based on an order in which the first and second peaks of the cardiac cycle EGM occur. Additionally, the method includes aligning the selected one of the first and second peaks with one of the first and second alignment points and determining an amount of similarity between the cardiac cycle EGM and the EGM template after alignment. |
| US08521265B2 |
Heart monitor
Embodiments relate to a heart monitor, which is connected to or can be connected to at least one sensor for pressure and volume data or equivalent substitute variables and which comprises an evaluation unit for processing at least one input signal reflecting the temporal course of pressure and volume data or equivalent substitute variables of the heart. The evaluation unit is configured such that it segments the input signal in accordance with individual completed cardiac cycles and examines segments of the input signal obtained in this way as to whether a particular segment of the input signal represents a PV diagram, which corresponds to specified quality conditions regarding the direction of circulation, morphology and distance between a starting and end values. |
| US08521256B2 |
Retrospective motion compensation in magnetic resonance imaging
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprises a data acquisition system with motion compensation means for acquiring an image data set in respect of a moving object within an imaging region, the image data set comprising a plurality of acquisitions each in respect of one or more slice planes. Further there are means for averaging, on a slice-by-slice basis, said plurality of acquisitions to generate a single, average image set of said moving object. Also means are provided for calculating the actual scan location of all of said slice planes from all of said acquisitions, means for averaging a selected set of slice planes to generate a single, average image set of a static object within said imaging region. This averaging results in a high image quality in respect of the moving object (12) because for the static object, slice locations change for each acquisition. |
| US08521255B2 |
Registration pointer and method for registering a bone of a patient to a computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system
A registration pointer includes a camera located in an elongated shaft having a distal end configured to be contacted to a bone of a patient to register the bone to a computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system. The camera may be a hemispherical camera and may include a panoramic camera and a wide-angle camera equipped with a fish-eye lens. The registration pointer is configured to transmit images received by the cameras to the computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system for display thereon. The computer assisted orthopaedic surgery system may be configured to generate an image, such as a hemispherical image, based on the images received from the registration pointer. |
| US08521251B2 |
Method and system for providing a noise based scan control
Method and system for scanning a patient using a medical imaging system is described. The described method includes measuring a signal-to-noise ratio of an acquired data and/or reconstructed image and comparing the same with a selectable signal-to-noise ratio threshold. The method further includes controlling a remainder of the scan based on the comparison. |
| US08521250B2 |
Evoked stapedius reflex threshold (ESRT) tile electrode
An electrode arrangement is described for sensing electrical activity in target tissue. An inner electrode has an elongate electrode body formed as a cylindrical section with an inner penetrating end for insertion into the stapedius muscle target tissue. An outer electrode fits over the inner electrode and an outer penetrating end for insertion into the target tissue. The two electrodes are joined together with their electrode bodies in parallel so that the penetrating ends of the electrodes penetrate in the same direction into the target tissue to sense electrical activity in the target tissue. |
| US08521248B2 |
Fiber-optic probe
In a fiber-optic probe for intravascular measurements, e.g. oxygen saturation measurements, the fiber-optical core has only two fibers. A single fiber core is also possible. A reinforcement fiber improves stiffness, kink resistance and overall strength of the probe. The reinforcement fiber is arranged essentially parallel to the core fibers. The reinforcement fiber may also be wound around the core in a helical manner thus improving the mechanical properties to an even higher degree. The outside of the sheath is coated with an antithrombogenic coating for reducing the danger of clots forming at the surface. The reinforcement fiber may be made of carbon, metal, ceramics or aramide. |
| US08521239B2 |
Mobile telephone
A mobile telephone includes a cartilage conduction unit for making contact with the ear cartilage. The cartilage conduction unit is provided to at least one of two corner parts at an upper side of the mobile telephone. The mobile telephone can include a surface of an outer wall and a cartilage conduction vibration source arranged inward from the surface of the outer wall, the vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source being transmitted to the surface of the outer wall, wherein when the surface of the outer wall is brought into contact with at least a part of the ear cartilage around the entrance part to the external auditory meatus without making contact with the auricular helix, the sound pressure inside the external auditory meatus at about 1 cm from the entrance part of the external auditory meatus has an at least 10 dB increase compared to the non-contact state. |
| US08521238B2 |
Power management profile
The present invention provides a method and system suitable for managing the power consumption of a mobile communication device by way of a user-selectable profile. In response to receiving a power management-initiating signal the mobile communication device performs at least one of the following: Receipt of incoming communication is deferred while other functionality of the mobile communication device is retained; outgoing communication is grouped into a single transmission; and a subsequent transmission is deferred if the transmission requires power exceeding a predetermined threshold. |
| US08521234B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for programming user-defined information into electronic devices
A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste. |
| US08521233B2 |
System and method for processing a call request
A call request processing system includes a monitoring module, a call alert module and a keyboard. The monitoring module receives a call request from a calling party and generates a corresponding call alert message. The call alert module receives and processes the call alert message, and the keyboard receives different key inputs. The call alert module processes the call alert message to generate corresponding alert information to inform the called party to respond to the call request. The keyboard receives different key inputs to access and query corresponding operation instructions, and the called party replies and responds to the call request from the calling party according to the operation instructions. |
| US08521231B2 |
Communication device and display system
A communication device includes a microphone, communication unit, storage unit, extraction unit, and display control unit. The microphone converts the sound inputted into audio data, and then outputs the audio data. The communication unit receives audio data from an external communication device capable of communication. The storage unit stores registered word data corresponding to specific words. The extraction unit extracts, based on at least one among audio data outputted from the microphone and audio data received by the communication unit, and on the registered word data stored in the storage unit, specific words included in the sound based on the respective audio data. The display control unit causes the specific words extracted by the extraction unit, or phrases or sentences including the specific words, to be displayed on a display unit. |
| US08521229B2 |
Cellular telephone apparatus, control method and cellular telephone system
In a cellular telephone apparatus a sub-terminal constitutes a part of the cellular telephone apparatus and is separable from a main terminal constituting the apparatus body. Each of the sub-terminal and the main terminal has a battery section, provided are battery remaining amount detecting sections, battery remaining amount notifying sections, table holding sections that hold operation tables that define operations of devices that the main terminal and sub-terminal have corresponding to the battery remaining amounts of the main terminal and sub-terminal. Control sections are provided that determine the operations of devices available based on battery remaining amount. |
| US08521227B2 |
USB stacking devices and applications
A modular device formed with USB connectors. The USB can be used for connecting different kinds of devices, for example memories, user interfaces and the like. The USB devices can be piggybacked. In an embodiment, the USB devices can be located in a cavity formed inside the computer. Another embodiment forms a modular cellular telephone. |
| US08521226B2 |
Implementation of the user interface of mobile telephones based on browser technology
The invention relates to a mobile communications terminal device having a user interface for operating the mobile communications terminal device and/or use of services accessible via a mobile communications network, having a menu structure and a graphic user interface for visualizing the menu structure, wherein the mobile communications terminal device is operated by means of an operating system, wherein the user interface may be implemented independently of the operating system of the mobile communications terminal device, particularly in a network provider-specific fashion, and the data required for the user interface may be supplied by a memory unit independent of the mobile communications terminal device. |
| US08521225B2 |
Communication system, control method thereof, terminal station, and computer-readable storage medium
A terminal station having a first mode to control communication and a second mode in which the communication is controlled by a terminal station operating in the first mode, comprising: a connection unit configured to connect the terminal station operating in the second mode to other terminal station operating in the first mode; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire a communication band from the other terminal station connected by the connection unit when starting an operation in the first mode. |
| US08521222B2 |
Multiservice communication device with dedicated control channel
A multiservice communication device includes a plurality of transceivers that wirelessly transceive data with a corresponding plurality of networks in accordance with a corresponding plurality of network protocols. A control channel transceiver transceives control channel data with a remote management unit including local control data sent to the management unit and remote control data received from the management unit. A processing module processes the remote control data and generates a least one control signal in response thereto, the at least one control signal for adapting at least one of the plurality of transceivers based on the remote control data. |
| US08521220B2 |
Media transfer and control system
A media transfer and control system that includes a handheld device and an audio/visual system. The media transfer and control system provides for: (i) the transfer of media files between the handheld device and the audio/visual system, (ii) the transmission of control commands from the handheld device to the audio/visual system for controlling the function and operation of the audio/visual system through a user interface provided on the handheld device, and (iii) the unsolicited transfer of media descriptive data between the handheld device and the audio/visual system to create a synchronized global view on the handheld electronic device and/or the audio/visual system of all of the media content currently stored on and/or available through both the handheld device and the audio/visual system. |
| US08521219B2 |
Radio communication device and data reception method to receive content data being broadcast via radio waves
A wireless communication device which can receive broadcast multi-casted data without sending a radio wave, and data reception method of the same. A mobile phone (1) is provided with a storage unit (34) which stores the time that BCMCS transmission takes place; a communication unit (31) which is compliant with CDMA2000_1x and EVDO which allows for acquisition of the channel of the BCMCS transmission; and a control unit (30) which performs control so that the communication unit (31) begins to receive BCMCS transmitted content data, using EVDO, at the time stored in the storage unit (34). When in a state where an instruction has been made to shift to a radio wave non-sending state in which radio waves are not sent, the control unit (30) does not use CDMA2000_1x when the content data is being received at the time stored in the storage unit (34). |
| US08521218B2 |
Method for an electronic device for providing group information associated with a group of contacts
There is disclosed a method of an electronic device for providing group information associated with a group of contacts. After a group name associated with a group of contacts is obtained, the electronic device allows selection of one or more contacts of the group of contacts. Distinction between contacts of the group of contacts that are recipients and contacts of the group of contacts that are not recipients is provided based on the selection of the contact(s). The electronic device displays contacts that are recipients in place of the group name at a display. |
| US08521217B2 |
Content sharing methods and systems
A first device (such as a cell phone) is equipped with a micro-projector, and used to present imagery on a display surface. A second device (such as a second cell phone) is equipped with a digital camera, and used to capture some of the projected imagery. The captured imagery allows a user of the second device to access digital content of interest from a user of the first device, or from elsewhere. The content may be visual, or of other form (content examples include audio, games, maps, text documents, video, spreadsheets, etc.). In one particular arrangement, the projected imagery is encoded with digital watermark data. Through such arrangements, one user can readily share content, and also engage in collaborative activities—such as cooperative game play, with one or more other users. |
| US08521212B2 |
Method and arrangement for power control
A method for setting a power control level (600) in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of obtaining (620) transmission information from a wireless subscriber unit, and modifying a power control level and/or a communication channel format (660) in response to said transmission information. Preferably, the transmission information is re-transmission requests from a wireless subscriber unit, which are transmitted frequently. In this manner, rapid adjustment of power control can be attained utilizing an optimal selection of the available communication channel format, followed by a fine-tuning power control operation. |
| US08521208B2 |
Methods and apparatus of transmission power control in the presence of interference
A method of operating a wireless device is provided in which an interference level on a resource is determined. In addition, a signal is transmitted on the resource with a first power when the interference level is low. The first power is such that the signal is received with a first SNR. Furthermore, the signal is transmitted on the resource with a second power when the interference level is high. The second power is such that the signal is received with a second SNR less than the first SNR. |
| US08521206B2 |
Interference management with reduce interference requests and interference indicators
Techniques for managing interference in a wireless network are described. In an aspect, reduce interference requests and interference indicators may be used for interference management to enable operation in scenarios with dominant interferers. In one design, a terminal may receive a reduce interference request from a first base station requesting lower interference on specified time-frequency resources. The terminal may also receive an interference indicator conveying the interference observed by a second base station. The terminal may determine its transmit power based on the reduce interference request and the interference indicator. For example, the terminal may determine an initial transmit power based on the reduce interference request (or the interference indicator) and may adjust the initial transmit power based on the interference indicator (or the reduce interference request) to obtain its transmit power. The terminal may transmit data to a serving base station at the determined transmit power. |
| US08521203B2 |
Communication system and method for dispatch service
A communication system and method for dispatch service is suitable for RF communication system of a group, wherein the mobile device receives dispatch services of paging message on the first channel, then executes quick reply function via 2-Way Radio or GSM network, so as to transmit text or voice message to the dispatch center; the mobile device also comprises a channel scanning function and a double frequency scanning function, of which the channel scanning function is used to monitor and select a second channel and write into the device, and then the double frequency scanning function is executed to transmit message on the second channel. |
| US08521196B2 |
Method and system for implementing multimedia broadcast/multicast service
A method and a system for implementing MBMS. According to embodiments of the present invention, the MBMS are born on different multimedia broadcast multicast bearers; each multimedia broadcast multicast bearers corresponds to a multimedia broadcast multicast area; an association relationship between the different multimedia broadcast multicast bearers of MBMS of a same type is set at a network side; when the UE switches between different multimedia broadcast multicast areas, the network side provides the UE with the multimedia broadcast multicast bearer of the multimedia broadcast multicast area where the UE is located currently according to the association relationship between the multimedia broadcast multicast bearers corresponding to the MBMS request by the UE. The method and the system in accordance with the present invention can support MBMS better. |
| US08521195B1 |
Paging power control based on page concatenation
Exemplary methods and systems are disclosed herein that may help to dynamically adjust page-transmission power based on the amount of concatenation being applied to a page. An exemplary method involves: (i) before transmission of a page to a mobile station by an access network, the access network identifying any concatenation that is being applied to the page; (ii) based at least in part on the concatenation that is being applied to the page, the access network selecting a page-transmission power for the page; and (iii) the access network transmitting the page to the mobile station at the selected page-transmission power. In an exemplary embodiment, a base station may increase the page-transmission power as the amount of concatenation increases, which may help to improve the paging success rate (PSR) for concatenated pages, among other benefits. |
| US08521194B2 |
Performing paging in a wireless peer-to-peer network
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate paging within a peer-to-peer communication network. A first wireless terminal monitors the paging channel of a wide area network. When a second wireless terminal intends to establish a peer-to-peer connection with the first wireless terminal, the second wireless terminal generates a paging message and transfers the message to the WAN, which routes the paging message to a base station. The base station uses its paging channel to send a paging message to the target first wireless terminal. The paging message indicates to the target first wireless terminal that the second wireless terminal intends to establish a peer-to-peer connection with the first wireless terminal. The paging message may further include parameters to be used to establish the peer-to-peer connection. Upon reception of the paging message, the second wireless terminal sends a signal directly to the first wireless terminal to start the direct peer-to-peer communication. |
| US08521193B2 |
Energy-efficient positioning system for smartphone using cell-id sequence matching
A method for navigation based on a cellid-aided positioning system includes: determining, at a cellid-aided positioning system-compatible device, that a user has moved through a sequence of cellids, wherein moving through a sequence of cellids comprises moving from a first region corresponding to a first cellid to a second region corresponding to a second cellid; accessing previously stored route information corresponding to the sequence of cellids, wherein the previously stored route information includes previously recorded sequences of cellids and global positioning system (GPS) information; estimating a current position of the user based on the previously stored route information; and displaying the current position of the user. |
| US08521190B2 |
Methods and apparatus for leaving and/or discovering locally relevant pieces of information
Methods and apparatus for storing user generated information, e.g., reviews, comments, suggestions relevant to a particular geographic region, using local access nodes and/or facilitating discovery of the availability of the locally stored and locally relevant content through the use of peer-to-peer signals are described. In various embodiments, the locally stored and available content can be discovered when passing within range a local access point, storing the locally relevant user provided content. User generated information, in some embodiments, can be stored subject to user specified sharing restrictions. In various embodiments, users can limit the information they are provided by controlling profile setting and/or a setting used to control what information is provided as they move through a region. In some embodiments, user provided information distribution and/or access can be, and sometimes is, restricted based on group membership, user identity and/or interests. |
| US08521187B2 |
Methods and apparatus for session control in a networked locationing system
A session control method includes establishing a locationing session between a mobile device and a remotely located server over a network, sending information related to the geographical location of the mobile device to the remotely located server after establishing the locationing session, and providing two or more notifications via the mobile device, at predetermined intervals or in response to an event, that the locationing session is active. The user may then validate or invalidate the active session, thereby providing greater control of such information. Additional configuration options are provided to the user in order to control the nature and distribution of such locationing data. |
| US08521183B2 |
Localized detection of mobile devices
Various aspects are disclosed herein for detection of mobile devices. Detection of mobile devices can be localized to an environment that is radio frequency enclosed. Within this environment, any packages can be scanned for the presence of mobile devices and for the interrogation of information from such mobile devices, such as the mobile device number and mobile device equipment information. The environment can contain an antenna for communicating with any mobile devices within the environment and a receiver component configured to receive information from any contacted mobile device. Based on this information, a determination can be made whether to validate a contacted mobile device or to take any alternative action. |
| US08521180B2 |
Location-based automated check-in to a social network recognized location using a token
A user with a user account on a social network uses an interface to communicate user identification information and the user's intent to participate in a social network application. The user also communicates an identifier associated with an entitlement token to the social network application. When a server receives, from a device at a fixed location, a message indicative of the user's presence at the fixed location as determined by the receipt of the identifier and a site specific identifier, the server generates and sends a communication sufficient to cause the social network to implement a behavior as if the user had generated a message to the social network from their mobile device. |
| US08521177B2 |
Devices, methods, and computer-readable media for providing broad quality of service optimization using policy-based selective quality degradation
Devices, methods and computer-readable media for providing broad quality of service optimization using policy-based selective quality degradation. Data associated with a quality of service for customers and QoS policy rules are stored. Customers are grouped for potential degradation. Levels of degradation are defined for each type of user device. Degradation for the group of customers is optimized using policy rules. Degradation is adjusted to account for variations in user treatment within the group. The adjusted degradation is then implemented. |
| US08521170B2 |
System and method for routing an incoming call to a proper domain in a network environment including IMS
In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for routing an incoming call in a network environment including a circuit-switched (CS) network and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network, wherein the incoming call is being directed to a user equipment (UE) device disposed in the network environment. A network node disposed in the IMS network is operable to perform a number of determinations with respect to the UE device's domain, state, applicability of user and/or operator policies and preferences, location, et cetera. The incoming call is terminated to an appropriate domain (e.g., CS domain or IMS domain) based at least in part upon the foregoing determinations. |
| US08521169B2 |
FEMTO jamming of macro pilot
A system and methodology that facilitates triggering device scanning and efficient femtocell detection in areas dominated by macro cells is provided. In particular, the system can includes a jamming component that generates a small and measured amount of interference to user equipment or user equipments (UEs) camping on nearby macro carriers. Moreover, the power utilized to introduce the interference can be enough to cause macro signal quality around the femtocell access point (AP) to fall below a scan trigger level. The UE(s) can detect the macro signal quality decline below the scan trigger level and scan other frequency bands, including the femtocell, on which to camp. Additionally, the system can perform femto pilot gating, such that the jamming component can scan the radio environment surrounding the femto AP during an off state, to determine information that facilitates jamming of a macro pilot. |
| US08521168B1 |
Resource allocation based on wireless device motion specified in connection request
A method and corresponding system is disclosed for enhanced resource allocation in a wireless communication system. According to the method, when an idle wireless device seeks to initiate a call in a given coverage area, the device will provide with its initiation request to the serving radio network a motion specification indicating an extent of movement of the device, based on the device's tracking of its own movement. The network will then use that motion specification provided with the initiation request as a basis to determine whether to select a resource to allocate for the call in the given coverage area based on resource implementation in at least one neighboring coverage area or whether to instead select the resource to allocate without regard to resource allocation in the at least one neighboring coverage area. |
| US08521167B2 |
Cell re-selection in a cellular telecommunications network
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method in a wireless cellular telecommunications device camped on a serving cell, the device storing a parameter obtained from a first cell. The method comprising: measuring an attribute of a signal received from a candidate cell; and, evaluating the candidate cell for re-selection. If a carrier frequency of the candidate cell matches a carrier frequency of the first cell, the evaluation of the candidate cell for re-selection is based on at least the measured attribute and the stored parameter, else the evaluation of the candidate cell for re-selection is performed without using the stored parameter. A device and computer readable medium are also provided. |
| US08521165B2 |
Method of distributing load and base stations
A method including: setting a first index value and a second index value representing levels of received power or received quality of reference signals from a first base station and a second base station; handing over a mobile station assigned to the first base station to the second base station when the first index value is smaller than a first threshold and when the second index value is larger than a second threshold; handing over a mobile station assigned to the second base station to the first base station when the second index value is smaller than a third threshold or when the first index value is larger than a fourth threshold; and performing adjustment of at least one of the first threshold, the second threshold, the third threshold, and the fourth threshold in accordance with load on the first base station and the second base station. |
| US08521161B2 |
System and method for communications device and network component operation
A system and method for communications device and network component operation in an ID/Locator Split Based heterogeneous network is provided. A method for control node operation includes receiving an attach request, and attempting to authenticate/authorize the communications node. The attach request is a request from a communications node to attach to a heterogeneous network. The method also includes if the communications node authenticated/authorized successfully, causing an identification and a location to be assigned for the communications node, completing an attachment for the communications node, and transmitting information to the communications node. The method further includes if the communications node did not authenticate/authorize successfully, sending an attach reject message to the communications node. The identification and the location are separate values. |
| US08521160B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling URA information
A method and apparatus for handling URA information for a wireless communication device are disclosed. A method for handling URA information for a wireless communication device, the device configured to be operable in a mobile telecommunications system, the method comprising, at the device receiving a message to enter a new state, and initiating a URA update procedure dependent on the message not comprising a URA information. |
| US08521158B2 |
Wireless communication device using a base station radiated effective transmit power for performing an automatic roaming
Methods, systems and apparatus are disclosed for using effective radiated transmit power of a base station at a wireless communication device to perform an automatic roaming method. In one implementation, the disclosed embodiments can be applied in a two-way wireless communication system. |
| US08521155B2 |
Presence-based call switching
To facilitate establishment of connections between dual-mode mobile wireless devices within a local wireless data network, at a network gateway for the local wireless data network, receiving from a first dual-mode mobile wireless device following entry of the first dual-mode mobile wireless device to the local wireless data network a registration request, a first dual-mode mobile wireless device telephone directory number (DN), and a first dual-mode mobile wireless device session initiation protocol (SIP) uniform resource identifier (URI). A first device dynamic data network address is assigned to the first dual-mode mobile wireless device. The first device DN and the first device SIP URI are forwarded to a database for storage no that the first device SIP URI is associated with the first device DN in the database. The first dual-mode mobile wireless device is returned a network SIP URI for the wireless data network. |
| US08521153B1 |
Using the maintenance channel in a mobile data network to provide subscriber data when a cache miss occurs
A mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A first service mechanism in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation. When data is broken out by the first service mechanism, the data is delivered at the edge, which means the true activity of the channel is not visible to the core network. In order to maintain the high-speed channel, channel maintenance data packets are sent to and from the radio network controller on the network tunnel. The maintenance channel is also used to send cache miss data to a subscriber when a cache miss occurs at the edge of the mobile data network, without regard to a need for channel maintenance data packets. |
| US08521152B2 |
System and method for determining mobile device location
A computer-implemented mobile device locating method is provided. The method includes determining a current cell sector of a mobile device and comparing the current cell sector with a cell sector list of previously determined cell sectors. A current location of the mobile device is determined if the current cell sector is not listed in the cell sector list. The current location is compared with a last determined location. The current cell sector is added to the cell sector list if the current location is substantially the same as the last determined location. The cell sector list is cleared if the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location. |
| US08521148B1 |
Method of reducing power consumption within a portable communication device
A method of reducing power consumption within a portable communication device uses spatial sensing modules to identify a stationary state or to sense motion of the device, and continuously monitors the device's surroundings. The device includes a control module coupled to the spatial sensing modules, which include a global positioning system, and a module that identifies the location of the device through a cellular wireless communication network. The method uses the control module to switch on or switch off the spatial sensing modules based on identifying that the device has been in a spatially static state for a time period or has been suddenly moved, or if any sudden changes have been detected in the device's surroundings. Furthermore, if the device is identified to be at an indoor location for a specific period of time, the control module switches off the global positioning system of the device. |
| US08521137B2 |
System and method for voicemail service mobility
A method for utilizing a common voicemail box for a fixed-mobile convergence device includes automatically providing a confirmation message from a mobile client to an enterprise system in response to an enterprise call from the enterprise system being answered by a user at the mobile client. An incoming call from a calling party is connected with the mobile client in response to the confirmation message being received by the enterprise system to indicate that the enterprise call has been answered by the user at the mobile client. The incoming call is connected to a voicemail box associated with the mobile client (e.g., enterprise voicemail) in response to determining that the user did not answer the incoming call at the mobile client. |
| US08521135B2 |
Message relay host for delivering messages to out of coverage communications devices
System and method for delivering messages to devices not in communication with a transmitting server. One or more wireless devices serve as host devices to relay a message from the server to the target device that is not in communication with the server. The server sends the message to host devices when they are in communication with the server. The host device or devices store the message to be relayed to the target device. When the host device is close to the target device, it establishes a short range wireless link with the target device and transmits the message to the target device. In an example, the messages sent to and stored by the host device are encrypted so they are not able to be read by a user of the host device. |
| US08521133B2 |
System, method and terminal for communication between WAPI terminals
The present invention provides a system, method and terminal for communication between WAPI terminals, and the method includes: a calling terminal that has a WAPI function sending a WAPI link establishment request to a called terminal that has a WAPI function, and establishing a WAPI link with the called terminal, the calling terminal communicating with the called terminal directly through the established WAPI link. Using the technical scheme according to the present invention, the direct communication between the WAPI terminals can be realized, and the technical scheme is easy to implement and can reduce the communication costs, and would not be influenced by the coverage ratio of radio signal of a radio operator, a real-time communication will be realized as long as it is within the application scope of the WAPI. |
| US08521129B2 |
Adaptive pricing service plan
A method may include enrolling a subscriber device in an adaptive pricing service plan for providing telecommunication service to the subscriber device; associating, with the telecommunication service, a first pricing scheme including a first number of allotted minutes within a current billing cycle; tracking, for the subscriber device within the current billing cycle, cumulative used minutes of the telecommunication service; determining, using a forecasting model and the cumulative used minutes, prospective minutes usage with respect to the first number of allotted minutes for an entirety of the current billing cycle; generating, based on the prospective minutes usage, a recommendation related to a second pricing scheme including a second number of allotted minutes; and sending, within the current billing cycle, the recommendation to the subscriber device. |
| US08521127B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic location-based message notification
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for dynamic location-based message notification. In one embodiment, a method for providing alerts to a computing device includes identifying, via a set of location-specific computing resources, a current location of the computing device and sending at least one alert to the computing device, based on the current location. |
| US08521121B2 |
System and method for performing an abbreviated power-up sequence on a wireless communications device
A system and method for powering-up a wireless communications device may include (i) powering-up the wireless communications device using a standard power-up sequence in response to a request for a standard power-up sequence by a user, and (ii) powering-up the wireless communications device using an abbreviated power-up sequence in response to a request for an emergency message to be communicated by the user. |
| US08521118B2 |
Circuit arrangement with radio-frequency mixer, and receiver arrangement with the circuit arrangement
A circuit arrangement is disclosed with a radio-frequency mixer in which a plurality of preamplifiers in a receiver have a common output node. This node is connected to a common, broadband radio-frequency mixer via common coupling capacitances. Switching means can be used to connect and disconnect the preamplifiers, which can be associated with various frequency bands, independently of one another. The present principle can be applied in multiband receivers in mobile radio and allows integration using little chip area with good radio-frequency characteristics. |
| US08521117B1 |
System and method for digital interference cancellation
A system and method for receiving a signal, comprising an input adapted to receive a radio frequency signal having a strong interferer; a signal generator, adapted to produce a representation of the interferer as an analog signal generated based on an oversampled digital representation thereof; and a component adapted to cancel the strong interferer from radio frequency signal based on the generated analog signal to produce a modified radio frequency signal substantially absent the interferer. The system typically has a nonlinear component that either saturates or produces distortion from the strong interferer, which is thereby reduced. The system preferably employs high speed circuits which digitize and process radio frequency signals without analog mixers. |
| US08521115B2 |
Method and apparatus for a temperature compensated phase locked loop supporting a continuous stream receiver in an integrated
An integrated circuit including a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) configured for use with a continuous stream receiver is disclosed. A control voltage line is configured to deliver a control voltage with a capacitive load delivered by a capacitor array to the control voltage based upon an add signal and a subtract signal. A threshold generator generates a high threshold voltage and a low threshold voltage using and including at least one process dependent resistor and at least two temperature and process dependent current sources. The PLL responds during calibration to the control voltage being above the high threshold voltage by asserting the add signal directing the capacitor array to increase the capacitive load on the control voltage line, and to the control voltage being below the low threshold voltage by asserting the subtract signal to decrease the capacitive load. |
| US08521113B2 |
Methods and apparatus for predicting a channel quality indicator in a communication system
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for predicting a channel quality indicator in a communication system, and in particular a delayed receiver. A disclosed method for determining the predictive channel quality indicator for a delayed receiver includes determining at least one channel quality indicator from a non-delayed receiver. The method also includes determining another channel quality indicator from the delayed receiver, and then calculating the predictive channel quality indicator for the delayed receiver through a function of the channel quality indicators from the non-delayed receiver and the channel quality indicator from the delayed receiver. Corresponding apparatus are also disclosed. |
| US08521111B2 |
TV tuner and the manufacturing method thereof
A TV tuner includes an Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking filter, an UHF/VHF matching circuit and a single conversion Tuner IC. The UHF/VHF tracking filter includes a first Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) inductor, a first varactor diode and a fine-tune capacitor electrically connected to determine the maximum gain frequency of the UHF/VHF tracking filter. The UHF/VHF matching circuit includes a second LTCC inductance, a second varactor diodes and a fine-tune capacitor electrically connected to determine the maximum gain frequency of the UHF/VHF matching circuit. |
| US08521109B2 |
Radio communication devices, information providers, methods for controlling a radio communication device and methods for controlling an information provider
In an embodiment, a radio communication device may be provided. The radio communication device may include a first receiver configured to receive from a first cell first data representing a content encoded using a first codec; a second receiver configured to receive from a second cell second data representing the content encoded using a second codec; and a combiner configured to combine the first data and the second data. |
| US08521107B2 |
Minimizing mutual coupling
Disclosed herein are techniques, systems, and methods relating to minimizing mutual coupling between a first antenna and a second antenna. In one implementation, a plurality of antennas and at least one tuning module are provided. A control module may be coupled to the tuning module. The control module may be configured to control the at least one tuning module to alter a phase and an amplitude of a control signal communicated to at least one of the plurality of antennas to reduce mutual coupling between the plurality of antennas. |
| US08521106B2 |
Method and system for a sub-harmonic transmitter utilizing a leaky wave antenna
Methods and systems for a sub-harmonic transmitter utilizing a leaky wave antenna are disclosed and may include transmitting wireless signals at a harmonic frequency of a source signal utilizing one or more leaky wave antennas (LWAs) in a wireless device including one or more transceivers on a chip. The LWAs may be configured with a resonant frequency at the harmonic frequency. The source signal may be communicated to the LWAs utilizing a power amplifier, which may be operated in switching mode thereby generating a square wave from the source signal. The LWAs may be integrated on the chip, on a package to which the chip is affixed and/or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. The harmonic frequency may be three times a frequency of the source signal. The transmitted wireless signal may be amplitude modulated utilizing a bias voltage applied to the LWAs. |
| US08521099B2 |
Transceiver having multiple signal processing modes of operation
A transceiver includes a processor, which is adapted to in a transmit mode of the transceiver, form at least part of a transmitter and in a receive mode of the transceiver, form at least part of a receiver. The transceiver may include at least one analog-to-digital converter to provide digital signals to the processor in both the transmit and receive modes of operation; and the transceiver may include at least one digital-to-analog converter to receive digital signals from the processor in the transmit and receive modes of operation. The processor may be fabricated on an integrated circuit with at least one of the analog-to-digital converters and/or with at least one of the digital-to-analog converters. |
| US08521090B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for reducing interference at the front-end of a communications receiving device
Embodiments of the invention may provide for reducing interference in the front-end of a communications receiver. The cancellation circuitry may be utilized in conjunction with a preliminary rejection filter for improved rejection of out-of-band interference from other radio services or circuitry. The cancellation circuit may be placed in parallel with the preliminary rejection filter and may enhance suppression at the interference frequency by matching the gain and phase of the preliminary rejection filter prior to subtracting the matched signal from the preliminary rejection filter output. The cancellation circuit need not necessary know beforehand the characteristics of the preliminary rejection filter, the interference source, or the coupling mechanism, as it may adapt to unknown or varying interferers by adapting the matching gain and phase values based on the output of the preliminary rejection filter at tap points occurring both before and after application of the cancellation signal. |
| US08521088B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication system
There is disclosed a communication apparatus which wirelessly communicates information with a first other communication apparatus by a first communication method and using a second frequency band which is at least partially overlapping a first frequency band usable according to the first communication method. The communication apparatus includes a first communicator which implements the wireless information communication with the first other communication apparatus by the first communication method, and a requestor which requests the first other communication apparatus, where at least there is a possibility that a field strength of an external radio wave in the second frequency band is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold, to increase the number of times the first other communication apparatus sends information when making the wireless information communication with the communication apparatus using the second frequency band, as compared to where there is not the possibility. |
| US08521083B2 |
Time synchronization system via two-way interactive wireless communication
The time synchronization system according to the present invention can allow the master and slave time Tx/Rx devices to communicate information therebetween via two-way interactive wireless communication, so that it can rapidly detect an error that occurs in the system, via a monitoring device and a network management device for performing real-time integral management. Therefore, the system can reduce the user's system maintenance fee and can also maximize efficiency. In addition, the time synchronization system can allow for the easy extension of the equipment construction coverage area even in a long distance environment, by installing only repeaters, and can manage log information that may be used as evidence data for various incidents. |
| US08521077B2 |
System and method for detecting unauthorized collaboration on educational assessments
A collaboration detection system and a method for detecting collaboration amongst a class of two or more students in answering a plurality of problems of an assessment administered to the students are provided. The system includes a tangible processor and a memory with instructions to be executed by the tangible processor. The processor executes the instructions for accessing granular assessment data associated with each student. The granular assessment data includes an independent determination of correctness of the answer submitted by the student for each respective problem of the plurality of problems of the assessment. The processor then executes the instructions for determining for each combination of students of the class of students the number of problems for which it was determined that the same problem was answered incorrectly by all of the students of the combination of students. |
| US08521073B2 |
Intermediate transfer member and image forming apparatus using the same
An intermediate transfer member including a base layer as first layer, an elastic layer as second layer, and a particle layer as third layer and containing fine spherical particles arranged in plane direction thereof where the particle layer has a concavo-convex pattern formed by the fine spherical particles, the elastic layer and the particle layer being formed on the base layer in this order, wherein the intermediate transfer member has a Martens hardness of 1.0 N/mm2 or lower and an elastic recovery rate of 75% or higher when the intermediate transfer member is indented at a load of 40 mN under conditions of 25° C. and 50% RH, wherein an embedment rate of the fine spherical particles in the elastic layer is 33% to 99%, and wherein the intermediate transfer member is configured to receive a toner image formed by developing, with a toner, a latent image on an image bearing member. |
| US08521072B2 |
Image forming apparatus and color registration method thereof
An image forming apparatus and a color registration method thereof. The color registration method includes checking a change in a status of an image forming apparatus, selecting color registration patterns having a different length according to the status change, and performing color registration by printing the color registration patterns having the different length onto a transfer belt. |
| US08521070B2 |
Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus including the same
A toner cartridge comprises a toner cartridge body, a screw shaft, a paddle member, and a toner inflow block piece coupled to a part of the paddle member. The toner cartridge body comprises a toner storage section where the paddle member is disposed and a toner conveying passage The toner conveying passage, where the screw shaft is stored is adjacent to and communicates with the toner storage section. The toner inflow block piece is disposed at an end on a toner discharge port side of an agitating blade of the paddle member so as to project in a direction perpendicular to a rotary shaft of the screw shaft and has a cutout recess for the rotary shaft of the screw shaft to fit in. |
| US08521068B2 |
Image forming apparatus using liquid developer
An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a liquid developer supplying device including a liquid developer flow path and supplying a liquid developer containing a solid content to the developing device through a discharge port of the liquid developer flow path, a storage container storing the liquid developer, a conveying mechanism capable of feeding the liquid developer from the storage container to the liquid developer flow path and feeding the liquid developer in the liquid developer flow path back to the storage container and a controller controlling the conveying mechanism. At the time of non-developing operation in which a toner image forming operation is not performed by the developing device, the controller controls the conveying mechanism to feed at least a part of the liquid developer present in the liquid developer flow path back to the storage container. |
| US08521062B2 |
Developer container and image forming device
A developer container includes a casing having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber, conveying member, a conveying-member accommodating unit, and a supporting member. The conveying member conveys waste developer in a longitudinal direction of the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The conveying-member accommodating unit accommodates the conveying member therein and has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is provided in an upstream end portion and allows the waste developer to move from outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit. The second opening allows the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The supporting member is provided on the casing. The supporting member supports the conveying-member accommodating unit such that the conveying-member accommodating unit is movable in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction relative to the casing. |
| US08521054B2 |
Charging device
The present invention provides a charging device which can suppress the deterioration of a photosensitive member and the occurrence of an image deletion phenomenon on an electrophotographic image due to an electric discharge product having deposited on a charger shutter, even when having been used for a long period of time. The charging device has an image bearing member which bears an image thereon, a charging member which charges the image bearing member, and a shielding member which shields the charging member from the image bearing member, wherein the shielding member includes a specific material. |
| US08521053B2 |
Cooling device and image forming apparatus
Disclosed is a cooling device that includes a cooling part that is movably provided between a first position and a second position different from the first position with respect to an image forming apparatus main body and cools a periphery thereof with a cooling medium to be supplied; a cooling medium supply part that is provided in the image forming apparatus main body and cools and supplies the cooling medium to the cooling part; and a connecting member that connects the cooling part to the cooling medium supply part to circulate the cooling medium between the cooling part and the cooling medium supply part; wherein the connecting member is configured to include a flexible member and spirally provided with a moving direction of the cooling part as an axis center. |
| US08521052B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a corona charge device to charge a photoconductor. The corona charge device includes first and second shielding members arranged to shield most of a space between a surface of the photoconductor and the corona charge device, and a guide member to guide outside air stream to an outside air inlet. The image forming apparatus prevents damage and contamination of the photoconductor due to byproducts of corona discharge. |
| US08521051B2 |
Apparatus and method of controlling power supply to heating roller and phase control circuit corresponding to the apparatus and method
A method and an apparatus to control power supplied to a heating roller and a phase control circuit corresponding to the method or the apparatus. The phase control circuit may include an examination unit to compare levels of a sine wave having a predetermined first period and a switching signal to increase and decrease repeatedly according to a predetermined second period, and a phase control signal generation unit to generate a phase control signal having a non-zero in intervals of time sections including a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in a decreasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero, and a time when levels of the switching signal and the sine wave which is in an increasing section are equal to each other during a time period when the level of the sine wave is zero. |
| US08521048B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing apparatus control method, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit and a fixing unit. The image forming unit may form an image on a sheet based on image data by using a recording agent. The fixing unit may fix the recording agent on the sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a control unit to receive the image data and transmit the received image data to the image forming unit and a determination unit to determine a type of an interface via which the image data has been received. The control unit additionally determines whether to start raising a temperature of the fixing unit before the image data becomes ready to be transmitted to the image forming unit based on the type of the interface determined by the determination unit. |
| US08521047B2 |
Image forming apparatus and toner concentration sensor
An image forming apparatus includes a toner carrier, a toner image forming unit, and a toner concentration sensor. The toner carrier includes a transparent film. The toner image forming unit forms a toner image onto the toner carrier. The toner concentration sensor senses the concentration of toner on the toner carrier. The toner concentration sensor includes first and second light emitting elements and a light receiving element. The light emitting elements each radiate light directly or indirectly to the toner carrier. The light receiving element receives reflecting light originating from the light emitting elements. The first light emitting element radiates light having a wavelength of a predetermined reflectance resulting from direct radiation to the toner carrier. The second light emitting element radiates light having a wavelength that causes a lower reflectance resulting from direct radiation to the toner carrier than a reflectance resulting from radiation to the toner. |
| US08521039B2 |
Optical communication apparatus and optical add/drop apparatus
An apparatus comprising an optical modulator modulating a light in accordance with a modulation signal and an operating point of the optical modulator, to thereby output a modulated optical signal; and a controller controlling the operating point in accordance with a branched portion of the modulated optical signal and a detected intensity of the modulation signal so that the operating point is kept stable when the detected intensity falls below a predetermined value. |
| US08521038B1 |
Robustly stabilizing laser systems
A robustly stabilized communication laser can output a multimode optical signal remaining aligned to a coordinate of a dense wavelength division multiplexing (“DWDM”) grid while responding to a fluctuating condition or random event, such as, without limitation, exposure to a temperature fluctuation, stray light, or contamination. Responsive to the fluctuating condition, energy can transfer among individual modes in a plurality of aligned longitudinal modes. Modes shifting towards a state of misalignment with the DWDM coordinate can attenuate, while modes shifting towards a state of alignment can gain energy. Fabrication processes and systems and light management, such as beam steering, epoxy scaffolds, spectral adjustments, mode matching, thermal expansion control, alignment technology, etc. can facilitate nano-scale control of device parameters and can support low-cost fabrication. |
| US08521023B2 |
Hierarchical passive networks
A communication network is described in which a number of computing nodes are situated in a logical multidimensional array and are linked by communication cables. The communication cables carry conduits connecting each node with all other nodes in the array so that a direct physical connection exists between every pair of computing nodes in the array. A method of providing interconnection among nodes in a communication network comprises arranging and connecting computing nodes in an array as described above, where each node passively redirects conduits to columns and rows in the array. |
| US08521020B2 |
Forward error correction (FEC) enabled photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chips with multiple signal channels
A forward error correction (FEC) communication device that includes a transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) or a receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) and a FEC device for FEC coding at least one channel with a first error rate and at least one additional channel with a second error rate, wherein the first error rate is greater than the second error rate. The TxPIC chip is a monolithic multi-channel chip having an array of modulated sources integrated on the chip, each operating at a different wavelength, wherein at least one of the modulated sources is modulated with a respective FEC encoded signal. The TxPIC also includes an integrated wavelength selective combiner for combining the channels for transport over an optical link. |
| US08521007B2 |
Information processing method, information processing device, scene metadata extraction device, loss recovery information generation device, and programs
An information processing method includes the steps of analyzing moving-image content including image data and audio data, extracting scene metadata characterizing each scene for each scene constituting the moving-image content, deciding a reproduction mode of the moving-image content according to at least one of a reproduction environment of the moving-image content and setting information set by a user, generating loss recovery information for recovering loss information lost by changing the reproduction mode of the moving-image content using the scene metadata according to the decided reproduction mode, and outputting the generated loss recovery information in accordance with the moving-image content to be reproduced in the decided reproduction mode. |
| US08521002B2 |
Recording medium, reproduction device, program and method
A BD-ROM has a video stream and an entry map recorded thereon. The entry map indicates a plurality of entry points (SPN_EP_start) in the video stream, in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of entry times (PTS_EP_start) and flags (is_angle_change_point). Each flag (is_angle_change_point) indicates whether a 1picture located at a corresponding entry point is an IDR picture for causing decoder refresh or Non-IDR I picture having a reference to a preceding picture. |
| US08521001B2 |
Information recording method, information recording medium, and information reproducing method, wherein information is stored on a data recording portion and a management information recording portion
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface. |
| US08520995B2 |
Single-mode optical fiber
An optical fiber includes a central core, which has a radius r1 and a refractive index n1, and a surrounding optical cladding, which has a refractive index n2 such that n2 |
| US08520991B2 |
Optical coupling method
A method of coupling a light beam into a waveguide. The method includes applying the light beam onto a grating portion at non-zero degree angle with respect to a plane of the grating portion, coupling the light beam into the waveguide using the grating portion and converting a spot-size of the light beam to correspond with a size of the waveguide using the grating portion. |
| US08520985B2 |
Mach-Zehnder modulator
Provided is a Mach-Zehnder modulator. The Mach-Zehnder modulator comprises an input wave guide and an output wave guide arranged on a substrate, a first branch wave guide and a second branch wave guide connected in parallel between the input and output wave guides, and a connecting region configured to connect the first branch wave guide and the second branch wave guide. Each of the first and second branch wave guides comprises first doped regions doped with a first dopant and second doped regions doped with a second dopant having different conductivity from the first dopant, and the connecting region is doped with the first dopant and arranged between the first regions of the first and second branch wave guides. |
| US08520984B2 |
Silicon-based optical modulator with improved efficiency and chirp control
A silicon-based optical modulator exhibiting improved modulation efficiency and control of “chirp” (i.e., time-varying optical phase) is provided by separately biasing a selected, first region of the modulating device (e.g., the polysilicon region, defined as the common node). In particular, the common node is biased to shift the voltage swing of the silicon-based optical modulator into its accumulation region, which exhibits a larger change in phase as a function of applied voltage (larger OMA) and improved extinction ratio. The response in the accumulation region is also relatively linear, allowing for the chirp to be more easily controlled. The electrical modulation input signal (and its inverse) are applied as separate inputs to the second region (e.g., the SOI region) of each arm of the modulator. |
| US08520983B2 |
Gesture-based selective text recognition
An image is displayed on a touch screen. A user's underline gesture on the displayed image is detected. The area of the image touched by the underline gesture and a surrounding region approximate to the touched area are identified. Skew for text in the surrounding region is determined and compensated. A text region including the text is identified in the surrounding region and cropped from the image. The cropped image is transmitted to an optical character recognition (OCR) engine, which processes the cropped image and returns OCR'ed text. The OCR'ed text is outputted. |
| US08520982B2 |
Method and system for providing targeted documents based on concepts automatically identified therein
A system and method for providing a graphical document are provided. A graphical document is processed to identify one or more ideas associated with the graphical document. The identified ideas may be used to determine concepts to associate with the first electronic document and suggest those concepts for association with the first electronic document for use in a document distribution system that distributes documents based on a price parameter associated with concepts and a performance parameter. A request for a document associated with a concept is received. Responsive to the request, the graphical document is delivered if an association between the one or more ideas and the concept is determined. |
| US08520980B2 |
Image searching method and apparatus
An image searching method includes: resizing an input image in question; generating 3D image identifiers for the resized input image in question; and performing an image search for the input image in question by using the 3D image identifiers. Said resizing an input image includes: extracting a black-and-white image and a color image from the input image in question; resizing the black-and-white image; and resizing the color image. Said generating 3D image identifiers includes: extracting an MGST feature of the input image in question; extracting an angular partition feature of the input image in question; and extracting a color feature of the input image in question. Further, said performing an image search includes: calculating similarity between representative colors of the input image in question and a reference image; and if the similarity is above a predetermined level, matching the 3D image identifiers for the two images. |
| US08520979B2 |
Methods and systems for content processing
Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US08520978B2 |
Methods, computer program products, apparatuses, and systems for facilitating viewing and manipulation of an image on a client device
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to accommodate decision support and reference case management for diagnostic imaging. An apparatus may include a processor configured to receive a request for an image from a client device. The processor may be further configured to retrieve a source image corresponding to the requested image from a memory. The processor may additionally be configured to process the source image to generate a second image having a greater resolution than the source image. The processor may also be configured to provide the second image to the client device to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the second image at the client device. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided. |
| US08520976B2 |
System, method, and product for imaging probe arrays with small feature size
An embodiment of a method for resolving features on a probe array is described that, comprises acquiring a plurality of micro-shifted images of a region of a probe array; reconstructing an image of the probe array using the micro-shifted images; and deriving intensity values for one or more probe features disposed on the probe array from the reconstructed image. |
| US08520966B2 |
Image background enhancement for color images
A technique is provided for enhancing the background of an original document image. In the case of a black-and-white image, the background color of the original document image is detected, the desired enhanced background color of the original document image is determined from a background pixel value Pb that is in the center of the background color range, and the original document image is enhanced to the desired enhanced background color. However, if the background of the original document image is in color, the technique further includes obtaining color image histograms of red, blue and green colors of the original document image, smoothing the histograms, and comparing the histograms to determine if they have the same shape. If the histograms do not have the same shape, and hence the background is in color, the background color of the original document image is detected for each color channel and the background color is enhanced for each channel based on table values so that the hue of the background is not changed. |
| US08520965B2 |
Context adaptive hybrid variable length coding
A coding method for an ordered series of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data, including a context adaptive position coding process to encode the position of clusters of non-zero-valued coefficients, e.g., a multidimensional position coder that uses one of a plurality of code mappings selected according to at least one criterion including at least one context-based criterion, and an amplitude encoding process to encode any amplitudes remaining to be coded, the amplitude coding using one or a plurality of amplitude code mappings selected according to at least one criterion, including a context-based criterion. A context-based selection criterion means a criterion that during encoding is known or derivable from one or more previously encoded items of information. Also a coding apparatus, a decoding apparatus, a computer readable medium configured with instructions that when executed implement a coding method, and another medium for a decoding method. |
| US08520962B2 |
Method and apparatus for effectively compressing motion vectors in video coder based on multi-layer
A method and apparatus of improving the compression efficiency of a motion vector is provided. The method includes obtaining a motion vector in a base layer frame having a first frame rate from an input frame, obtaining a motion vector in a first enhancement layer frame having a second frame rate from the input frame, the second frame rate being greater than the first frame rate, generating a predicted motion vector by referring to a motion vector for at least one frame among base layer frames present immediately before and after the same temporal position as the first enhancement layer frame if there is no base layer frame at the same temporal position as the first enhancement layer frame, and coding a difference between the motion vector in the first enhancement layer frame and the generated predicted motion vector, and the obtained motion vector in the base layer. |
| US08520957B2 |
System and method for comparing documents
The present invention relates to a system and a method for comparing information contained on at least two documents belonging to an entity. The present invention includes at least one device configured to receive information from at least one first document and at least one second document; then, compare at least one first document information and at least one second document information; and determine whether at least one second document contains at least one first document information. The present invention then outputs a result of whether the at least one second document contains at least one first document information. |
| US08520956B2 |
Optimized correlation filters for signal processing
A system and method for generating and using a correlation filter. The method includes providing a plurality of training images, each training image being paired with an associated target correlation plane. Each training image and target correlation plane pair is processed. A final filter is generated, wherein the final filter is useable to generate a filtered output correlation plane of each training image. The final filter is selected to collectively minimize errors between the filtered output correlation plane of each training image and its associated target correlation plane. The final filter can be used in a wide variety of still image and video based object location and tracking applications. |
| US08520951B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and computer readable storage medium
The present invention enables mixture of a core line vectorization process and a outline vectorization process, and comprises: inputting an object image of a vectorization process; extracting a core line of the object image; computing an original line width for every pixel of the core line acquired by the extracting; judging whether every section is indicative of an equal-width line or indicative of a surface figure by using the line width value for every pixel of the core line acquired by the estimating, the every unit delimiting the core line acquired by the extracting between two points of intersections and endpoints; separating a surface figure from the object image on the basis of a judging result of the judging; and approximating functionally the core line judged to be the equal-width line at the judging and a outline of the surface figure separated at the separating, respectively. |
| US08520948B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus for performing image processing for a plurality of band areas obtained by dividing image data is provided. The apparatus includes a dividing unit configured to divide the image data such that each of the plurality of band areas has an area overlapping an adjacent band area, and an image processing unit configured to perform the image processing for the band areas with respect to each of a plurality of planes that constitute the image data. A processing range within a band area used in the image processing by the image processing unit differs between at least two planes among the plurality of planes. |
| US08520946B2 |
Human pose estimation in visual computing
The present invention discloses a method of estimating human pose comprising: modeling a human body as a tree structure; optimizing said tree structure through importance proposal probabilities and part priorities; performing foreground detection to create image region observation; and performing image segmentation to provide image edge observations. |
| US08520944B2 |
Method for improving visualization of infrared images
A coding process applicable to an original infrared image, generated from any value matrix, to change the infrared image into negative or inverted black and white and grey with the addition of specific split colors, causing a substantial difference in the way the retina and the brain processes the resultant images. The result obtained is a much less exhaustive way to see, identify and interpret infrared images generated by any infrared camera that uses this conversion process. |
| US08520942B2 |
Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. |
| US08520941B2 |
Method and system for document image classification
A method of classifying an input image includes the initial steps of labeling an input image in accordance with a class and extracting at least one connected component from the input image. The method also includes the steps of calculating at least one feature of the input image and generating a model based on the at least one calculated feature. The method also includes the steps of repeating at least one of the previous steps for at least one other input image and comparing the at least one other input image with the model. The at least one other input image is classified in accordance with the class of the model if the at least one calculated feature of the at least one other input image is substantially similar to that of the model. |
| US08520936B2 |
Method and apparatus for use of an universal color index (UCI): a color appearance system calibrated to reflectance spectra
A method for establishing a relationship between a physical structure of reflectance spectra as defined in a Euclidean color space and a perceptual space of color appearance defined in terms of human perception of colors is performed by obtaining a cube root spectrum of the physical reflectance spectrum in a selected spectral range, reconstructing the cube root of the physical reflectance spectrum by a weighted linear combination of three basis functions, the weights of the linear combination of the basis functions constituting the coordinates in a three-dimensional Euclidean color space with respect to which similarities and differences among reflectance spectra in metric terms and a color characterized in a perceptual space of color appearance can be analyzed, and making an analytic comparison between a physical system in the three-dimensional Euclidean color space and the perceptual system by means of a linear transformation therebetween. |
| US08520933B2 |
Method for searching and constructing 3D image database
The present invention relates to methods for searching and constructing a 3D motif image database, wherein said 3D motif image database can be used to understand the connection relationship of a 3D network, e.g. a neural network comprising biological neural networks or artificial neural networks. The searching and constructing methods are applied on the 3D motif image database, a proper computer-aided graphic platform. The database not only facilitates the management of the huge amount of categorized data but also rationally excavates the hidden information cloaked within. |
| US08520932B2 |
3D tissue model formation from non-parallel 2D images
Biopsy of the prostate using 2D transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guidance is the current gold standard for diagnosis of prostate cancer; however, the current procedure is limited by using 2D biopsy tools to target 3D biopsy locations. We have discovered a technique for patient-specific 3D prostate model reconstruction from a sparse collection of non-parallel 2D TRUS biopsy images. Our method can be easily integrated with current TRUS biopsy equipment and could be incorporated into current clinical biopsy procedures for needle guidance without the need for expensive hardware additions. We have demonstrated the model reconstruction technique using simulated biopsy images from 3D TRUS prostate images of 10 biopsy patients. This technique of model reconstruction is not limited to the prostate, but can be applied to the reconstruction of any tissue acquired with non-parallel 2-dimensional ultrasound images. |
| US08520931B2 |
Position and orientation measurement apparatus and method thereof
A position and orientation measurement apparatus extracts a plurality of geometric feature based on geometric information of an observation object by drawing three-dimensional model data which represents a surface shape of the observation object. Further, the position and orientation measurement apparatus searches an image feature corresponding to the plurality of geometric feature in a reference image in which a position and orientation of an imaging apparatus relative to the observation object has been calculated and selects the geometric feature whose corresponding image feature is detected from the plurality of extracted geometric features. The position and orientation measurement apparatus calculates the position and orientation of the imaging apparatus relative to the observation object by associating the selected geometric feature with an image of the observation object in an input image. |
| US08520930B2 |
Method and computer program for improving the dimensional acquisition of an object
The present invention relates to a method for improving the efficiency of dimensional acquisition of an object by a dimensional measurement device directed over the object, comprising the steps: a) directing the measurement device over the object to acquire its dimensions, b) providing an indication of the resolution of the acquired regions, c) re-directing the measurement device over at least part of the acquired regions indicating insufficient resolution according to predetermined criteria, d) updating the indication of the resolution of the acquired regions, and e) repeating steps c) and d) until sufficient resolution is indicated according to the predetermined criteria, thereby efficiently acquiring the dimensions of the object at sufficient resolution. It also relates to a computer program therefor. |
| US08520928B2 |
System and method for motion-compensated compressed sensing for dynamic imaging
A method for reconstructing a digital image from a set of measurements includes providing a previous image frame in a time series of measurements of an image signal and a current image frame in the time series, calculating an estimated motion vector for a spatial point and current time point between the previous and current image frames, calculating a motion compensated current image frame from the previous image frame, estimating a known support set of a sparse signal estimate of the motion compensated current image frame where the support set comprises indices of non-zero elements of the sparse signal estimate, calculating a sparse signal corresponding to the current image frame whose support contains a smallest number of new additions to the known support set while satisfying a data consistency constraint, and correcting the motion compensated current image frame image frame from the sparse signal. |
| US08520925B2 |
Device for taking three-dimensional and temporal optical imprints in color
Device for taking three-dimensional and temporal optical imprints in color, including a three-dimensional dental imaging device that does not employ structured light projection. The device includes a stereo camera having at least two CCD or CMOS color sensors in preset positions, an optical system of fixed and preset focal length, an LED lighting system, and an electronic system located behind or near the sensor, controlling the latter but also the LEDs illuminating the imprint capture region. The system includes a central processing unit and a card for controlling said LEDs. The sensors are distributed over all or part of a dental arch, being placed in a sort of optical impression tray allowing a complete image of the arch to be captured in a single exposure. |
| US08520921B2 |
Method for reconstructing a fluorescent image of the interior of a turbid medium and device for imaging the interior of a turbid medium
A method for reconstructing a fluorescence image of the interior of a turbid medium is provided. The method comprises the step: accommodating a turbid medium (1) to which a fluorescent contrast agent has been administered in a measurement volume (4). The fluorescent contrast agent is capable of emitting light in a first range of wavelengths upon irradiation with light. The method further comprises: performing attenuation measurements at a plurality of different wavelengths (λi, . . . , λk) by subsequently irradiating the turbid medium (1) with light from a plurality of different source positions and detecting light emanating from the turbid medium (1) in a plurality of detection positions for each source position; reconstructing absorption properties (μa(r, λ) as a function of the position in the interior of the turbid medium (1) for the plurality of different wavelengths from the attenuation measurements; calculating absorption properties as a function of the position in the interior of the turbid medium (1) for wavelengths of the first range of wavelengths; performing a fluorescence measurement by subsequently irradiating the turbid medium (1) with light causing the fluorescent contrast agent to emit light in the first range of wavelengths from the plurality of source positions and detecting the light emanating from the fluorescent contrast agent in the plurality of detection positions for each source position; and reconstructing a fluorescence image of the spatial distribution of the fluorescent contrast agent in the interior of the turbid medium (1) from the fluorescence measurement using the calculated absorption properties. |
| US08520920B2 |
System for dynamically improving medical image acquisition quality
A system dynamically improves quality of medical images using at least one processing device including an image analyzer, a correction processor and a message generator. The image analyzer automatically parses and analyzes data representing an image of a particular anatomical feature of a patient acquired by a medical image acquisition device to identify defects in the image by examining the data representing the image for predetermined patterns associated with image defects. The correction processor uses a predetermined information map associating image defects with corresponding corrective image acquisition parameters to determine corrected image acquisition parameters for use in re-acquiring an image using the image acquisition device in response to an identified defect. The message generator generates a message for presentation to a user indicating an identified defect and suggesting use of the corrected image acquisition parameters for re-acquiring an image. |
| US08520916B2 |
Enhancement of region of interest of radiological image
A method for displaying a radiographic image identifies a region of interest in a portion of the radiographic image, suppresses background image content within the identified region of interest, and enhances contrast of the image within the region of interest to form an enhanced region of interest. The enhanced region of interest is displayed within the remaining portion of the radiographic image. |
| US08520910B2 |
Method for predicting constellations by using fingerprint types and blood types, and system thereof
A method for predicting constellations includes the steps of: providing probability data of correlations between constellations and combined fingerprint types and blood types, and constellation fortune-telling data; detecting and classifying a fingerprint image; inputting a personal blood type; calculating probabilities of correlations between the constellations and the combined fingerprint types and blood types; and correspondingly outputting the constellation fortune-telling data according to the calculated probability. A constellation-predicting system of a preferred embodiment includes a fingerprint-image-detecting device, a blood-type-inputting unit, a calculating unit, a memory unit and a terminal unit which are connected to form the system. |
| US08520907B2 |
Sending a digital image method and apparatus thereof
An automatically sending digital image method for a portable communication apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has multiple contact person data. Each contact person data corresponds to a contact person and includes a face photograph and an E-mail address. The method comprises the steps of gathering a digital image; recognizing a face picture of the digital image; comparing the face picture of the digital image with the face photograph of each contact person; setting the contact person as a picture contact person when the face picture of the digital image matches the face photograph of the contact person; selecting multiple communication contact persons from the contact persons based on the picture contact persons according to a sending mode; attaching the digital image to an E-mail; and sending the E-mail to the E-mail addresses of the communication contact persons. |
| US08520905B2 |
Data security system
A data security system comprises a host processor, and a plurality of remote computers. Each remote computer provides biometric authentication of a user prior to responding to the user request for data access. The remote computers are handheld when in operational mode. A sensor in the handheld computer captures a biometric image while the remote computer is being used. The biometric sensor is positioned in such a way that the sensor enables the capture of the biometric image continually during computer usage with each request for access to secure data. The biometric authentication occurs in a seamless manner and is incidental to the data request enabling user identity authentication with each request to access secure data. |
| US08520903B2 |
Method and system of accounting for positional variability of biometric features
A method of text-based authentication that accounts for positional variability of biometric features between captured biometric data samples includes capturing biometric data for a desired biometric type from an individual, and processing the captured biometric data to generate a biometric image and a biometric feature template. A selected conversion algorithm is executed by superimposing a positional relationship medium on the biometric image. The positional relationship medium includes a plurality of cells textually describable with words derivable from the positional relationship medium. The positions of biometric features are permitted to vary in overlapping border regions within the positional relationship medium. The method also includes identifying the position of at least one biometric feature within the overlapping border regions and generating a plurality of words for the at least one biometric feature. |
| US08520902B2 |
Optical control method for detecting printed products during print finishing
An optical control method for use in print finishing, comprising the following steps: First, guiding a planar printed product (12, 13) along a conveying path past at least one optical sensor (14). Secondly, detecting an electronic image by the optical sensor (14), wherein the electronic image comprises at least one region of the printed product (12, 13). Thirdly, transferring the electronic image into a corrected image on the basis of corrective information, which converts a recording perspective of the at least one optical sensor (14) into a target perspective. Fourth, comparing the corrected image to a reference value or a reference image, and generating at least one signal (27) on the basis of a result of the comparison. |
| US08520901B2 |
Image generation system, image generation method, and information storage medium
An image generation system includes an image information acquisition section that acquires image information from an image sensor, a skeleton information acquisition section that acquires skeleton information based on the image information from the image sensor, the skeleton information specifying a motion of an operator, a reliability information acquisition section that acquires reliability information that indicates reliability of the skeleton information, and an image generation section that generates an image displayed on a display section. The image generation section generates an image corresponding to the acquired reliability information as the image displayed on the display section. |
| US08520898B2 |
Method and system for determining a region of interest in an image
A system and method for determining a region of interest in an image, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a plurality of lines Li i=1, . . . , n formed by pixels is defined in the image; in each line Li, a plurality of segments Sj j=1, . . . , m constituted by pixels is defined; a luminance level NVG(Sj) is calculated for each segment Sj based on the luminance of the pixels constituting this segment Sj; depending on this luminance level NVG(Sj) the segment Sj is selected or excluded from the region of interest; and the region of interest is obtained by amalgamating all the segments selected for each line. |
| US08520897B2 |
Object information derived from object images
Search terms are derived automatically from images captured by a camera equipped cell phone, PDA, or other image capturing device, submitted to a search engine to obtain information of interest, and at least a portion of the resulting information is transmitted back locally to, or nearby, the device that captured the image. |