| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08544110B2 |
Sensitive data aliasing
Database management and security is implemented in a variety of embodiments. In one such embodiment, data sets containing sensitive data elements are analyzed using aliases representing sensitive data elements. In another embodiment, the sensitive data elements are stored in an encrypted form for use from a secure access, while the alias is available for standard access. |
| US08544108B2 |
Copyright protection storage medium, information recording apparatus and information recording method, and information playback apparatus and information playback method
To provide a copyright protection storage medium in which copyright protected contents are recorded by an information recording apparatus connected to a content server providing copyright protected contents and a license server handling licenses concerning recording/playback of the copyright protected contents through a network, in which the copyright protected contents are written by a simple copy-and-paste when the information recording apparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the copyright protected contents are written by combining a domain model which assures playback in the apparatus and a media-bind model when the information recording apparatus is possessed by another user. |
| US08544106B2 |
System and method for enabling access to a protected hardware resource
Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling access to a protected hardware resource. A hardware component includes at least one protected hardware resource. A unique hardware ID and a unique cryptographically secure or randomly generated enable value (EV) are integrated in the hardware component at the time of manufacturing. At run-time, special software generates or receives from an external source an enable register (ER) value and a comparison is made with the stored enable value. If the ER value and the EV match, access to the protected hardware resource is allowed. |
| US08544105B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing policies for time-based licenses on mobile devices
Methods and devices provide for creating, managing, modifying, and/or enforcing flexible digital rights management license policies for protecting games, media, data, or other software with a time-based license. Embodiments are especially directed toward situations in which a source of time is unavailable, untrustworthy, or unreliable. Licenses are defined by a small number of parameters. Parameter values may be defined by and included with protected content or applications. The parameter values may be chosen to define and enforce a desired level of compromise between usability and security characteristics. |
| US08544102B2 |
Interoperable digital rights management device and method thereof
Provided are an interoperable DRM device and method thereof. The interoperable DRM device includes: an interface for communicating with a terminal that performs predetermined operations for reproducing contents; and a DRM processor for managing digital rights of the contents. The DRM processor exchanges messages with the terminal for interoperably managing the digital rights. |
| US08544093B2 |
Illegal module identifying device, information processing device, illegal module identifying method, illegal module identifying program, integrated circuit, illegal module disabling system, and illegal module disabling method
A malicious-module identification device identifies and deactivates a malicious module operating in an information processing device connected thereto via a network. The malicious-module identification device is provided with a reception unit for receiving results of tampering detection from a plurality of modules for detecting tampering, and a determination unit for assuming that a module among the plurality of modules is a normal module, determining, based on the assumption, whether a contradiction occurs in the received results of tampering detection and identifying the module assumed to be a normal module as a malicious module when determining that a contradiction occurs. A deactivation unit outputs an instruction to deactivate the module identified as the malicious module. |
| US08544086B2 |
Tagging obtained content for white and black listing
A system and method for providing enhanced security with regard to obtained files is presented. Upon obtaining a file from an external location, the obtained file is tagged with tagging information regarding the origin of the obtained file. Additionally, an operating system suitable for execution on a computing device is also presented. The operating system includes at least one application-callable function (API) for obtaining content from an external location. Each application-callable function for obtaining content from an external location is configured to associate tagging information with each obtained file, the tagging information comprising the origin of the obtained file. The origin of the obtained file can be used for subsequent security policy decisions, such as whether to allow or block execution or rendering of the content, as well as whether the content will be accessed in a constrained environment such as a “sandbox” or virtual machine. |
| US08544085B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image forming apparatus
Provided is an image forming apparatus that improves operability while securing security of image data stored in an apparatus. In the image forming apparatus having a filing function, when image data is stored with the filing function, a password of a user authenticated by an authenticating portion is set as a password for storing the image data, and at the time of reading image data with the filing function, when the password of the user authenticated by the authenticating portion is set to the image data, the password of the image data is released. |
| US08544083B2 |
Identification security elevation
Security elevation techniques are described. In an implementation, a request is received for additional security access beyond that which is currently specified for a program. An identity that describes the program is checked with a plurality of conditions. The security level is automatically elevated to grant the additional security access when the identity corresponds to one of the conditions that indicates that the security level is to be automatically elevated. |
| US08544082B2 |
Security reuse in hybrid information handling device environments
Systems, methods and products directed toward providing security in hybrid information handling device environments are described herein. One aspect an information handling device comprising: one or more processors; and one or memories storing program instructions accessible by the one or more processors; wherein, responsive to execution of program instructions stored in the one or more memories, the one or more processors are configured to: ascertain a resume request for resuming to a secondary operating environment; and prior to resuming the information handling device to the secondary operating environment, initiate a primary operating environment security application. Other embodiments are described herein. |
| US08544081B2 |
Secure network architecture
The present invention provides a star-connected network (C1-C4, P1-P8) having a number of peripheral nodes (P1-P8) and a central control arrangement (C1-C4). Each peripheral node has means for restricting communications across the network to the central control arrangement using a respective encrypted connection unless the peripheral node has received explicit authorisation from the control arrangement to set up a direct connection with another peripheral node. The central control arrangement comprises: means for establishing an encrypted connection with each peripheral node; means for exchanging control packets with two or more peripheral nodes using two or more respective encrypted connections in order to set up an authorised connection between two peripheral nodes; a database storing security policy information specifying what connections between peripheral nodes are allowable; and authorisation means for authorising connections which are allowable according to the stored security policy information using the control packet exchanging means. |
| US08544078B2 |
Flexible network security system and method for permitting trusted process
A flexible network security system and method is provided for permitting a trusted process. The system includes a port monitoring unit for extracting information about a server port being used through a network communication program, an internal permitted program storage for extracting information about a program for which communication is permitted by the firewall and registering the extracted information, an internal permitted port storage registering the extracted information if the network communication program is registered in the internal permitted program storage; and a device for making the firewall flexible, determining whether a destination port of a packet of inbound traffic has been registered in the internal permitted port storage, and if the destination port has not been registered, transmitting the corresponding packet to the firewall, and if the destination port has been registered, allowing the corresponding packet to bypass the firewall. |
| US08544077B2 |
Internet protocol telephony security architecture
A secure Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system, apparatus, and methods are disclosed. Communications over an IP telephony system can be secured by securing communications to and from a Cable Telephony Adapter (CTA). The system can include one or more CTAs, network servers, servers configured as signaling controllers, key distribution centers (KDC), and can include gateways that couple the IP telephony system to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Each CTA can be configured as secure hardware and can be configured with multiple encryption keys that are used to communicate signaling or bearer channel communications. The KDC can be configured to periodically distribute symmetric encryption keys to secure communications between devices that have been provisioned to operate in the system and signaling controllers. The secure devices, such as the CTA, can communicate with other secure devices by establishing signaling and bearer channels that are encrypted with session specific symmetric keys derived from a symmetric key distributed by a signaling controller. |
| US08544075B2 |
Extending a customer relationship management eventing framework to a cloud computing environment in a secure manner
A customer relationship management (CRM) eventing framework may be extended to a cloud computing environment. A listening channel may be opened between a service and a service bus in a cloud computing environment. The cloud computing environment may also include an authenticating service. Service information for the service may be registered with a CRM. The CRM may receive a request made by a requester. The request may trigger a request processing pipeline in an eventing framework. The CRM may post event data responsive to the request to the service bus. The service may receive the event data, process it and may send back a confirmation or response. The CRM may finally send a response to the requester. |
| US08544064B2 |
Techniques for automatic registration of appliances
Techniques, in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, include automatic registration of appliances and delivery of location specific information utilizing the registration. |
| US08544055B2 |
Communication apparatus, control method, and computer-readable storage medium
A communication apparatus includes a transmission unit, a command processing unit, an acquisition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a control unit. The second determination unit determines whether a first physical address acquired from the external apparatus by the acquisition unit matches a second physical address included in a second command received by the command processing unit. The control unit controls the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if it is determined that the first physical address matches the second physical address. |
| US08544054B2 |
System and method for remote device pairing
A system and method for optimizing pairing between a remote device and a plurality of devices including establishing a list of pairing-capable devices, the list comprising a portion of the plurality of devices, measuring a plurality of link qualities between the remote device and the pairing-capable devices, comparing, with a processor, the plurality of link qualities with one another and determining a highest link quality, selecting, by a computing device, an available pairing-capable device having the highest link quality, pairing with the selected device, and controlling a presentation device, the controlling including checking if the selected device is the associated device and where the selected device is not the associated device, relaying commands via the network to the associated device. |
| US08544051B1 |
Broadcast solution for cable IPTV
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for offering broadcast IPTV solutions over cable (HFC networks). Rather than bypass the CMTS, a reduced number of downstream ports are utilized for video streams. Each input video stream is streamed to a multicast group address. In one embodiment, several RF channels are configured so that they are RF spanned across all the Fibernodes in the CMTS service area. In an embodiment, an STB sends a service request for a desired video stream using an IGMP request, and the CMTS responds by issuing a DBC request to tune the corresponding CM to the RF channel that is carrying the requested stream. Preferably, the CMTS ports that carry the static multicast streams are RF spanned across all the Fibernodes, or a selected subset. |
| US08544049B2 |
Contents receiving system and client
A contents receiving system uses a digital broadcast wave or a broadband network to enable a user to suitably view main content, and provide a user with subsidiary content information desired by the user. Each of subsidiary content control receivers A (101), B (102) transmits ID information specific to each of the subsidiary content control receivers A (101), B (102), and a request for acquiring subsidiary content, from a communication control unit (405) to a main content receiving display unit 100. The main content receiving display unit 100 uses a content separation control unit (310) to separate a stream into subsidiary content corresponding to the request. Then, a request information input/transmission control unit (313) transmits the separated subsidiary content and the received ID information to the subsidiary content control receiver in question. The subsidiary content control receiver judges from the ID information that the subsidiary content should be acquired. |
| US08544047B2 |
Automatically reconfigurable multimedia system with interchangeable personality adapters
A TV-set is equipped with HDMI and USB connections that allow it to display and run audio-video content from a variety of conventional consumer devices. The TV-set is further equipped to provide a secure HDMI-USB interface that will allow the transfer of licensed high definition content and Internet subscriber services. Such secure HDMI-USB interface also enables a selection of proprietary application modules to be attached. Downloadable user interface templates, much like XML style sheets, are rendered to a user interface displayed on the screen. These are associated with corresponding thumbnails and URI's that allow a user to surf through lists and catalogs of materials, and then to play them in the appropriate formats and provide the machine with a customized controller. A remote commander is simplified, yet expanded to control all the attached devices through interactions with the user interface. The functions of the remote commander's keys change depending on where the user is navigating and what device is being controlled, similar to so-called soft-keys. |
| US08544043B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing content information to content servers
Methods and apparatus for maintaining program-guide records comprises the steps of requesting a program-guide index, receiving the program-guide index, and determining whether there exists any new program-guide record based on the received program-guide index. The method further comprises requesting a new program-guide record and receiving the program-guide record. In one aspect, a method for maintaining program-guide records comprises the steps of receiving a program-guide update indication, and determining any new program-guide record based on the received program-guide update indication. The method further comprises requesting an updated program-guide record, receiving the updated program-guide record, and updating the program-guide records. |
| US08544039B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing consumer advertisements
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box (STB) having a controller to present a plurality of advertisement categories, detect a selection of one of the plurality of advertisement categories, present an advertisement template associated with the selected advertisement category, detect a plurality of entries in the advertisement template for constructing a consumer classified advertisement, generate an advertisement graphical user interface (GUI) corresponding to the entries, detect one or more demographic patterns in the plurality of entries, identify a plurality of users of a media communication system from which the STB operates according to the detected one or more demographic patterns, and provide the plurality of users of the media communication system accessibility to the advertisement GUI. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08544038B2 |
System for insertion of locally cached information into a received broadcast stream
A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a broadcast comprising a plurality of program channels and generating a playback stream using at least one of a buffered program channel and stored indexed content (e.g., commercials, programs, songs) for insertion. Control data controls which receivers insert which indexed content and when the indexed content is inserted into a received program channel, allowing for playback of songs from playlists, tiered subscription services, and sponsorship of broadcast program channels to provide market-directed content to selected receivers and listeners. Buffer management operations prevent uncontrolled buffer growth and commercial content avoidance through rapid channel changes. |
| US08544032B2 |
Disc device, a multimedia apparatus including a disc device, and a method of driving the disc device
A disc device that includes a loading unit configured to load an storage medium into the disc device, a chucking unit configured to accommodate the loaded storage medium thereon, an ejection unit configured to eject the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit. The ejection unit moves the storage medium to a loading position for loading the storage medium onto the chucking unit when the storage medium is initially inserted. |
| US08544030B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method, and program
An information processing apparatus is provided including a first operating system incapable of adding or deleting an application and a second operating system capable of adding and deleting an application; and determines whether a received command is a command directed to the first operating system or a command directed to the second operating system by referencing a table in which the command and an operating system for processing the command are associated with each other; retains the table; controls a memory so that the first operating system or the second operating system can start processing based on a result of the determining by the means for determining; and transfers the received command to the first operating system or the second operating system based on the result of the determining. |
| US08544028B2 |
Extracting and processing data from heterogeneous computer applications
A computer-implemented method, system, and article of manufacture for extracting and processing event data from heterogeneous computer applications. The method includes providing a computer system having software modules for performing the steps of: receiving data related to a first event; identifying a data type of the first event based on data type definitions; selecting a set of extraction rules for extracting an attribute of an event having the identified data type; extracting the first attribute from the first event data based on the set of extraction rules; and mapping the first attribute to an event attribute of a unified structure. |
| US08544023B2 |
Management interface for a system that provides automated, real-time, continuous data protection
A data management system that protects data into a continuous object store includes a management interface having a time control. The time control allows an administrator to specify a “past” time, such as a single point or range. When the time control is set to a single point, a hierarchical display of data appears on a display exactly as the data existed in the system at that moment in the past. The time control enables the management interface to operate within a history mode in which the display provides a visual representation of a “virtual” point in time in the past during which the data management system has been operative to provide the data protection service. |
| US08544022B2 |
Transactional memory preemption mechanism
Mechanisms for executing a transaction in the data processing system are provided. A transaction checkpoint data structure is generated in internal registers of a processor. The transaction checkpoint data structure stores transaction checkpoint data representing a state of program registers at a time prior to execution of a corresponding transaction. The transaction, which comprises a first portion of code that is to be executed by the processor, is executed. An interrupt of the transaction is received while executing the transaction and, as a result, the transaction checkpoint data is stored to a data structure in a memory of the data processing system. A second portion of code is then executed. A state of the program registers is restored using the data structure in the memory of the data processing system in response to an event occurring causing a switch of execution of the processor back to execution of the transaction. |
| US08544015B2 |
Dynamic resource allocation using a resource configuration effort score
A provisioning method and a corresponding apparatus for managing a data processing system including a plurality of exploiter entities and a plurality of resources, the system maintaining a repository with system requirements of the plurality of exploiter entities. The provisioner monitors any possible needs for further resources of the exploiters. When such needs arise, the provisioner select an available resource within a pool of possible available resources. Such selection is done so that the effort for configuring the resource according to exploiter requirements is reduced. One feature of the method of the present invention is that two levels of requirements are defined: the “Hard Properties”, i.e. those system features which cannot be easily configured; and the “Soft Properties”, i.e. those features which can be easily configured. Of course the definition of Hard and Soft can be customized according to predetermined conditions. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Hard Properties are those features which cannot be automatically configured and which may require an operator intervention or long awaiting times, while Soft Properties are those which can be automatically modified. |
| US08544011B2 |
Generation and concurrent execution of a virtual task in an execution order determining system
A job control information storing section stores execution conditions under which execution of tasks is started, and an execution order of the tasks. A job executing section executes the tasks. A job execution administering section monitors a state of the task being executed to detect the task whose state is shifted to a process standby state of waiting for a response from another one of the tasks, based on the execution conditions, and responds to a request of executing the another task from the task whose state is shifted, in response to accepting the request from the task whose state is shifted. A virtual task generating section generates a virtual task as a copy of the task whose state is detected to be shifted. A virtual task registering section adds the virtual task to the execution order to concurrently execute the virtual task with the task whose state is shifted. |
| US08544010B2 |
Providing notification to speculatively waking up target virtual machine for an I/O event using multiple virtual machines and processors
A computer system having a plurality of processor cores utilizes a device driver running in a driver virtual machine to handle I/O with the corresponding device for other virtual machines. A hypervisor in the computer system receives an interrupt from the corresponding device and identifies a virtual machine that best correlates to the received interrupt prior to forwarding the interrupt for handling by the driver virtual machine. The hypervisor then speculatively transmits a notification to the identified virtual machine to wake up and poll a memory shared between the identified virtual machine and the driver virtual machine. Once the driver virtual machine completes handling of the forwarded interrupt, it copies data made available by the corresponding device to the shared memory for access by the polling identified virtual machine. |
| US08544009B2 |
Method, apparatus, and product for scheduling of distributed processing based on average execution time and communication time
A master calculator assigns a series of processing groups to a communicable worker calculator. The master receives information about an execution time and a waiting time from the worker calculator for the series of processing groups. The computer acquires the time elapsed between transmitting the processing group transmitted to the worker calculator and receiving the execution result of the processing group from the worker calculator. The master calculates the communication time required for communication with the worker calculator on the basis of the information received and the elapsed time acquired. The master calculates the number of processings to be assigned to the worker calculator on the basis of the communication time calculated. The master generates a processing group to be assigned to the worker calculator on the basis of the number of processings calculated, and transmits the processing group generated to the worker calculator. |
| US08544008B2 |
Data processing system and method for cache replacement using task scheduler
A data processing system is provided with at least one processing unit (1) for an interleaved processing of multiple tasks (T1-T3), and a cache (5) associated to the at least one processing unit (1) for caching data for the multiple tasks (T1-T3) to be processed by the at least one processing unit (1). The cache (5) is divided into a plurality of cache lines (6). Each of the cache lines (6) is associated to one of the multiple tasks (T1-T3). Furthermore, a task scheduler (10) is provided for scheduling the multiple tasks (T1-T3) to be processed in an interleaved manner by the at least one processing unit (1). A cache controller (20) is provided for selecting those cache lines (6) in the cache (5), which are to be evicted from the cache (5). This selection is performed based on the task scheduling of the task scheduler (10). |
| US08544006B2 |
Resolving conflicts by restarting execution of failed discretely executable subcomponent using register and memory values generated by main component after the occurrence of a conflict
A method and apparatus for speculatively executing a single threaded program within a multi-core processor which includes identifying an idle core within the multi-core processor, performing a look ahead operation on the single thread instructions to identify speculative instructions within the single thread instructions, and allocating the idle core to execute the speculative instructions. |
| US08543996B2 |
System and method for updating wind farm software
A method is provided for updating software of at least one installation in a wind farms wherein the at least one installation is connected to a wind farm network. The method including the steps of establishing a connection between a remote control center and a connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting an update software from the remote control center to the connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting the update software from the connection unit of the wind farm to the at least one installation via the wind farm network, and updating the software of the at least one installation with the update software. |
| US08543994B2 |
Developing java server components without restarting the application server
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for developing components, such as Java server components, without restarting the application server hosting those components. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include providing a component comprising an implementation class and an interface class. At the application server, access to the implementation class may be inhibited to enable the application to execute the component without restarting the application. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described. |
| US08543985B2 |
System and method for verification of programs using threads having bounded lock chains
A system and method for model checking of concurrent multi-threaded programs with bounded lock chains includes analyzing individual program threads in a concurrent multi-threaded program to determine sets of reachable states and lock access patterns for bounded lock chains by tracking sets of states reachable from a given set of states and tracking lock acquisitions and releases by maintaining a bi-directional lock causality graph. Analysis results from multiple threads are combined using an acceptance condition of the lock causality graph to determine whether there is a violation of a correctness property in the concurrent multi-threaded program. |
| US08543983B2 |
Creating hierarchical message sequence charts for visualizing user-interactive applications
In one embodiment, access use information associated with a user-interactive software application, the use information identifies one or more transitions between specific ones of one or more displayable views of the software application and one or more corresponding user actions that cause the transitions; and construct a hierarchical message sequence chart (hMSC) comprising one or more basic message sequence chars (bMSCs) and one or more edges linking specific ones of the bMSCs to represent the use information, comprising: represent the views and the user actions with respect to the views identified in the use information with the bMSCs; represent the transitions and the user actions that cause the transitions identified in the use information with the edges; and for each one of the transitions identified in the use information, link the bMSCs representing the views associated with the transition with the edge representing the transition. |
| US08543982B2 |
Delivering financial services to remote devices
A financial institution can provide financial services to a plurality of remote devices, such as personal computers, personal data assistants, screen phones, automatic teller machines, external service providers, and internally to staff terminals and individual branches. By separating the components of the system into independent components, the system and method can be developed and tested on a component level rather than the entire system level, thereby reducing the development and maintenance cycle time. The system and method operate in sessions and can employ a dialog component for gathering information from a customer, a rule broker component for providing answers to the various legal and regulatory rules in a particular country, a language man component for selecting appropriate language, a transaction executor component for performing transactions, and a presentation manager component for formatting outputs to the customer. |
| US08543980B2 |
State driven testing
Software testers can generate test scripts for validating and verifying software without navigating all possible actions or keywords. The current application state is described with one or more test objects. Each test object has one or more associated test methods and each test method can describe one or more state transitions. Only test methods accessible through test objects in the current application state are displayed to the software tester. The current state changes only if the state transition described by the test method selected by the software tester indicates a change from the current state. |
| US08543978B2 |
Systems and methods for creating software
Software generates interfaces and functionality for an application program. At least a portion of an application is created by given names to data elements according to a syntax. Data tables are generated having fields that correspond to the elements and characteristics are associated with the fields specifying how the data in the fields interact with each other. Relationships among the elements are inferred as a function of their names. A functional interface can be generated from the inferred relationship. |
| US08543976B1 |
Generation of multi-domain code from a graphical program
A system and method configures a target processing entity having multiple processing elements to execute a graphical program. A first part of the graphical program is designated for execution by a first processing element, and a second part of the graphical program is designed for execution by a second processing element. A code generation system generates a single build file from the graphical program having an initialization section, suitable executable code sections for each processing element, and a communication section that supports communication between the two processing elements. The build file may be downloaded to, and run by the target processing entity to implement the graphical program at the target processing entity. |
| US08543972B2 |
Gateway data distribution engine
Implementations include a method, system, and apparatus for receiving, from a user communicably connected to a network, a selection of one or more gateway service data categories; receiving, from the user, a selection of an operating platform of a mobile device operable to be communicably connected to the network; generating a configuration file comprising a selection of gateway service data associated with one or more gateway service data categories and the operating platform selection; generating a data store file and a development library associated with the operating platform selection; transferring the configuration file, the data store file, and the development library to a repository communicably connected to the network; and generating an application template comprising the configuration file, the data store file, and the development library, wherein the mobile application is developed on the mobile device from the application template while the mobile device is communicably disconnected from the network. |
| US08543963B2 |
Global leakage power optimization
Some embodiments provide techniques and systems for optimizing a circuit design's global leakage power. During operation, the system can determine leakage potentials for logic gates in the circuit design, such that a logic gate's leakage potential indicates an amount or degree by which the logic gate's leakage power is decreasable. The system can then determine a processing order for processing the logic gates based at least on the leakage potentials. Next, the system can optimize the circuit design's leakage power by attempting to decrease leakage power of logic gates according to the processing order. |
| US08543962B2 |
Method for identifying redundant signal paths for self-gating signals
A method for identifying and removing redundant signal paths includes determining whether a given input to a logic circuit is coupled to both an input of a cone of logic of a data input of a clocked state element and a clock gate circuit that is coupled to disable a clock input to the clocked state element. The method may include removing the given input from the cone of logic such that the given input is no longer coupled to the input of the cone of logic responsive to determining that the given input is coupled to both the input of the cone of logic and the clock gate circuit. The method may include preserving the given input to the clock gate circuit such that the given input continues to be coupled to the clock gate circuit after being removed from the input of the cone of logic. |
| US08543958B2 |
Optical proximity correction aware integrated circuit design optimization
An EDA method is implemented for modifying a layout file after place and route. The method includes storing a library of shape modifications for cells in the design library used for implementation of the circuit. The library of shape modifications includes the results of process-specific calibration of the shape modifications which indicate adjustment of a circuit parameter caused by applying the shape modifications to the cells. The layout file is analyzed to identify a cell for adjustment of the circuit parameter. A shape modification calibrated to achieve the desired adjustment is selected from the library. The shape modification is applied to the identified cell in the layout file to produce a modified layout file. The modified layout file can be used for tape out, and subsequently for manufacturing of an improved integrated circuit. |
| US08543957B2 |
Optical network design apparatus and method
An optical network design apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a connection limit corresponding to the number of connections between ports. The processor provisionally designs a traffic path across an optical network independently of a connection limit of an asymmetric optical hub, calculates a penalty allowance with respect to the penalty limit of the traffic path, calculates an additional penalty caused on a detour path derived by replacing a port with a replacement port in the asymmetric optical hub, and if an asymmetric optical hub is included in the detour path, generates asymmetric optical hub information about the included asymmetric optical hub, generates, based on the connection limit, penalty allowance, additional penalty, and asymmetric optical hub information, a constraint condition for adopting the traffic path satisfying the connection limit and penalty limit, and calculates the traffic path by mathematical programming under the constraint condition. |
| US08543955B1 |
Apparatus and methods for time-multiplex field-programmable gate arrays
A time-multiplexed field programmable gate array (TM-FPGA) includes programmable logic circuitry, programmable interconnect circuitry, and a plurality of context registers. A user's circuit can be mapped to the programmable logic circuitry, the programmable interconnect circuitry, and the plurality of context registers without the user's intervention in mapping the design. |
| US08543952B2 |
Method and apparatus for thermal analysis of through-silicon via (TSV)
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for performing thermal analysis of an integrated circuit (“IC”) design layout. The IC design layout includes several wiring layers in some embodiments. The IC design layout includes a substrate that has at least one through-silicon via (“TSV”). The method divides the IC design layout into a set of elements. The method identifies a temperature distribution for the IC design layout by using the set of elements. In some embodiments, at least one element includes a metal component and a non-metal component. The non-metal component is silicon in some embodiments, and a dielectric in other embodiments. |
| US08543951B2 |
Modeling approach for timing closure in hierarchical designs leveraging the separation of horizontal and vertical aspects of the design flow
A method of designing a model of an integrated circuit block, an electronic design automation tool and a non-transitory computer-readable medium are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) generating an input and output timing budget for the block based on design constraints of the block and a netlist of the block, (2) updating the input and output timing budget with clock customization data based on designer knowledge of the integrated circuit and (3) providing the model for the block based on the update of the input and output timing budget, wherein the model represents clock information of the block separately from data path information of the block. |
| US08543949B1 |
Allocating hardware resources for high-level language code sequences
Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing a programmable chip using a high-level language. Code sequences or subroutines provided in a high-level language are overloaded with information to specify the number of hardware resources such as logic elements or functional blocks used to implement the code on a programmable chip. Code sequences remain compliant with standard high-level language compilers while also being able to provide resource count information to high-level language to hardware compilers. |
| US08543942B1 |
Method and system for touch-friendly user interfaces
A computing device has a processor executing instructions to provide a graphical user interface rendered on a display device, the user interface includes a first control rendered on the display device and a second control rendered on the display device, wherein, by receiving input through the user interface of a selection within a proximity of at least one of the first control and the second control, the computing device renders at least one supplemental control on the display device corresponding to the selection. |
| US08543931B2 |
Preview including theme based installation of user interface elements in a display environment
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided including a method for displaying a user interface element in a display environment. The method includes receiving a selection of a user interface element to be displayed in a display environment, and selectively displaying the user interface element in a preview environment prior to installing the user interface element and prior to displaying the interface element in the display environment. Preview includes instantiating the user interface element in a preview environment including displaying the user interface element in a presentation window along with a preview designator and supporting interaction of the user interface element with a user; and selectively installing the user interface element in the display environment. |
| US08543930B2 |
System and method for human identification proof for use in virtual environments
System, method and computer program product for verifying an avatar owner as a human user of an avatar in a virtual world environment in which humans interact through avatars via client devices in network communication with a server device. A request for challenging an avatar in the virtual world environment is received to determine whether that avatar is controlled by an application program user (bot). A user client device associated with a challenged avatar is identified and a Human Identification Proof (HIP) message for detecting a human user versus a bot controlling the challenged avatar is generated and communicated, for receipt at the identified user client device. It is determined from the response, whether the user is a bot or a human user. If a challenged avatar is determined to be a bot, then the server device prevents the challenged avatar from further interaction in the virtual world environment. |
| US08543929B1 |
User ratings allowing access to features for modifying content
Methods and apparatus provide for a Virtual Environment that receives content associated with a first user and stores the content for presentation to a second user. When the second user accesses the virtual community, the Virtual Environment transmits the content for display of the content to the second user. The Virtual Environment receives data (e.g. ratings, feedback) associated with the content from the second user(s). The Virtual Environment processes the received data from the second user in order to determine an amount of reward for the first user. The Virtual Environment allows the first user to use the amount of reward (e.g. virtual money) towards obtaining one or more features that allow the first user to modifying the content. |
| US08543925B2 |
Contextually aware client application
Techniques and processes for subsidizing network access via content and advertising revenue are described. In one implementation, a user installs a context bar tool on the user's computing device. To access a network (e.g., a wireless network), the user activates the context bar tool and requests access to a network, such as the Internet. A network services provider detects the context bar tool and provides network access to the user. A content and ads service gathers content and advertising and populates a context bar graphic interface that is displayed on the user's device with the content and advertising. Providers of the content and advertising pay for this exposure and thus generate revenue that can be used to offset the cost of providing the network access and other network services. |
| US08543920B2 |
Method and device for composing a menu
Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected. |
| US08543913B2 |
Identifying and using textual widgets
The disclosure is directed to a method and system for accessing textual widgets. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes: entering a string expression into a document; invoking a spell-checker to check a spelling of the string expression; marking the string expression as misspelled; identifying a textual widget based on the misspelling of the string expression; evaluating the misspelled string expression using the identified textual widget, the identified textual widget returning at least one result of the evaluation; displaying the at least one result of the evaluation; selecting a result of the evaluation; and replacing the string expression in the document with the selected result of the evaluation. |
| US08543911B2 |
Ordering document content based on reading flow
For a page that has been decomposed into a set of primitive areas, a novel method for organizing the set of primitive areas into an ordered list is disclosed. The primitive areas in the ordered list are initially sorted using start point order relation ordering, which compares the start points of the primitive areas in the coordinate system of the page. The ordering of the primitive areas in the ordered list are then refined by using contextual order relation ordering, which compares primitive areas against each other according to coordinate systems local to the primitive areas being compared. A new ordered list is then created by transposing primitive areas that are incorrectly ordered according to contextual order relation ordering. |
| US08543910B2 |
Dog ear-based page turning for electronic documents
A method includes presenting a content page of a number of content pages on a display of an electronic device. The content page is placed in a content page container. A page turning container is created having length and width that is based on length and width of the content page, and the page turning container is positioned off-angle relative to a display of an electronic device. The content page container is positioned within the page turning container at approximately at a same angle as the display of the electronic device. A dog ear is placed in a dog ear container such that the initial size of the dog ear covers the top corner of the content page is within the page turning container. The method includes performing page turning operations comprising rotating the page turning container and rotating and shifting the content page container and the dog ear container. |
| US08543909B2 |
Rich text handling for a web application
A method and apparatus for representing and controlling documents including rich text for Web based applications and browsers is provided so that editing of rich text can be facilitated within the browsers. The rich text is represented in a memory structure so that various formats may be flexible maintained. Text, images, tables, links and the like are represented in the memory structure, which may be maintained in databases for eventual editing. A controller class and subsidiary classes represent the rich text and provide methods to convert html to the memory structure and back, representing the rich text in a relational database, retrieving the rich text from a relational database, and presenting the rich text for editing. A spell checking facility for the rich text is included. |
| US08543908B2 |
Aiding in creating, extending, and verifying accessibility metadata
Degrees of similarity between pages from the viewpoint of metadata creation and verification can be estimated based on degrees of similarity between pages in terms of structure, style (appearance), and accessibility error, and, based on the estimation, representative pages appropriate for efficiently adding metadata can be recommended, or target pages appropriate for efficiently verifying the metadata can be recommended. |
| US08543906B2 |
Probabilistic learning method for XML annotation of documents
A document processor includes a parser that parses a document using a grammar having a set of terminal elements for labeling leaves, a set of non terminal elements for labeling nodes, and a set of transformation rules. The parsing generates a parsed document structure including terminal element labels for fragments of the document and a nodes tree linking the terminal element labels and conforming with the transformation rules. An annotator-annotates the document with structural information based on the parsed document structure. |
| US08543904B1 |
Multi-column search results interface having a whiteboard feature
Graphical user interfaces that are well suited for displaying search results from multiple search categories are described. In one aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface is provided that includes a window having at least two panes that are arranged to display search results from searches in different search categories. Each pane can be presented in an open state suitable for displaying information and a closed state. A user may adjust the relative sizes of the panes and the user may switch the panes between the open and closed states. |
| US08543900B1 |
Web page associated with a node in a website traffic pattern
A method of improving a traffic pattern through web page nodes of a website is provided, including selecting web page nodes. The traffic pattern includes a sequence of nodes. Each node represents a first page having a link to a second page in a subsequent node. A visitor to a node prior to a conversion node either navigates to a subsequent node or fails to progress to a subsequent node. The method also includes, for each web page, identifying display elements on the web page node that are associated with a decreased probability that the user progresses through the traffic pattern to a subsequent web page node in the predetermined traffic pattern, determining a metric representing an impact on a conversion attributable to the display elements, ranking the plurality of web page nodes based on the metrics for each web page node. |
| US08543898B2 |
Techniques for more efficient generation of XML events from XML data sources
One may increase the efficiency of an XML event-generating process by reducing the number of requests to allocate or deallocate system memory. Such reduction may occur as the result of pre-allocating a memory chunk of sufficient size to contain all of the memory buffers required by a particular event-generating process. Instead of allocating new memory chunks for new memory buffers, an application may store any required buffers within the pre-allocated memory chunk. A sufficient memory size may be estimated by performing the event-generating process on a training set of XML documents. Also, an application may re-use buffers during the process or between different iterations of the process, thus avoiding the need to deallocate and reallocate memory that is essentially being used for the same purpose. |
| US08543896B2 |
Iterative decoder
An iterative decoder for decoding a code block comprises a computation unit configured to perform forward and backward recursions over a code block or a code sub-block in each decoding iteration. A first forward/backward decoding scheme is used in a first iteration and a second forward/backward decoding scheme is used in a second iteration. The first and second decoding schemes are different in view of forward and backward processing. |
| US08543893B2 |
Receiver for error-protected packet-based frame
In one embodiment, a receiver for a frame of media packets employing the real-time transmission protocol (RTP) and forward error correction (FEC) is disclosed. The receiver comprises a packet buffer and an FEC decoder. After a packet is received by the packet buffer, the FEC decoder reads the packet and, as part of FEC processing, performs an XOR operation on the packet, without waiting for the entire frame (or, indeed, for any subsequent packet of the frame) to be received. The XOR operation results are accumulated until sufficient packets are received to reconstruct a missing packet in the frame. Because the XOR operations are performed immediately after a packet is received, without any delay from waiting for subsequent packets, the receiver has a very low latency, and the packet buffer may be relatively small. |
| US08543891B2 |
Power-optimized decoding of linear codes
A method includes accepting an input code word, which was produced by encoding data with an Error Correction Code (ECC), for decoding by a hardware-implemented ECC decoder. The input code word is pre-processed to produce a pre-processed code word, such that a first number of bit transitions that occur in the hardware-implemented ECC decoder while decoding the pre-processed code word is smaller than a second number of the bit transitions that would occur in the ECC decoder in decoding the input code word. The pre-processed code word is decoded using the ECC decoder, and the data is recovered from the decoded pre-processed code word. |
| US08543890B2 |
Supporting global input/output interconnect features on ports of a midpoint device
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a midpoint device utilizing an Input/Output (I/O) interconnect is provided, wherein the midpoint device contains a plurality of ports, the method comprising: receiving a request to initiate a session between a device on a first port of the midpoint device and a device on a second port of the midpoint device; retrieving information regarding whether the first port supports a feature, and information regarding whether the second port supports the feature; and when the first port supports the feature and the second port does not support the feature, permitting the session to be initiated, such that communications between the first device and the second device are performed partially using the feature, independently of support of the feature on other ports. |
| US08543884B2 |
Communications channel parallel interleaver and de-interleaver
A parallel interleaver that operates to interleave convolutionally and turbo encoded data packets is described. Packets are divided into subpackets and interleaved in parallel for improved performance. The Pruned Bit Reversal Interleaver (PBRI) function used to generate interleaver addresses is invertible such that its inverse function can be used to generate de-interleaver addresses. For convolutionally encoded subpackets, encoder output bits are demultiplexed into three sequences V0, V1, V2 with the first bit going to V0, the second bit going to V1, the third going to V2, and the fourth to V0, etc. Next, each of the three sequences is bit-permuted independently using PBRIs to generate the sequences π(V0), π(V1), π(V2). For turbo encoded subpackets, the encoder NT output data bits are demultiplexed into five sequences U, V0, V1, V′0, V′1. Next, the demultiplexed sequences are bit-permuted using five PBRIs into three separate interleaved blocks, denoted as π(U), π(V0/V′0), and π(V1/V′1). |
| US08543882B2 |
Joint carrier phase estimation and forward error correction
Methods and systems for processing an optical signal in a communication system are disclosed. The disclosed methods yield benefits for estimation and tracking of carrier phase of received signals at a digital coherent receiver without the use of differential coding. Specifically, phase ambiguity is removed by calculating the slope of the CPE at a location where the CPE begins to lose track of the received carrier phase signal. As such, a CPE offset adjustment may be applied in accordance with the calculated slope to reduce the number of ones and zeros corrected by a FEC decoder. Thus, the FEC aided CPE scheme may be a feed forward scheme that requires no training. |
| US08543879B2 |
Method and apparatus for correction of digitally transmitted information
A method and correct apparatus for correction of at least one digital information item which is transmitted by at least one information source to at least one information sink is provided. The information source can be connected both to an information sink and also to a correction apparatus by means of a data transmission medium. The information processed by the information source for the information sink comprises a first variable name, with the following process steps: a) provision of listed variable names in a second memory area of the correction apparatus, b) then the information source transmits an information item which contains the first variable name, c) extraction of the first variable name from the transmitted information item and saving thereof in a first memory area, d) comparison of the first variable name with a listed variable name and determination of a discrimination criterion on the basis of this comparison, e) a decision is made using the discrimination criterion as to whether the first variable name remains unchanged or is replaced by the listed variable name from method step c) or whether method steps d) and e) are to be repeated by application of an additional, listed variable name and by determining of an additional discrimination criterion. |
| US08543868B2 |
Distributed computing system that monitors client device request time and server servicing time in order to detect performance problems and automatically issue alerts
A client device in a distributed system may include a timer for timing a request time duration substantially including a period of time that the client device is waiting for results to be received via a network from a server in response to a request sent by the client device. A network interface may receive a value of a service time duration from the server. The service time duration may correspond to time that the server spent servicing the request. A processor may subtract the service time duration from the request time duration to thereby calculate a difference time duration, and automatically control the network interface to issue one or more alert messages to a network operation center (NOC) via the network when the difference time duration is greater than a difference time threshold. The difference time threshold may be determined according to a type of the request. |
| US08543866B2 |
Remote access diagnostic mechanism for communication devices
A method for diagnosing and correcting errors at a data processing system is disclosed includes detecting at a first device of the system, such as a network interface device, an error at a second device of the system, such as a data processor. In response to detecting the error, the first device communicates a help request via a network. In response to the help request, the first device receives diagnostic and error correction routines from a remote system. The first device executes the routines and provides information to the remote system to diagnose and correct errors at the second device. |
| US08543865B2 |
Method for coupling a control unit to a program for modeling an active chain diagnosis
A method for coupling a control unit, in particular an engine control unit, for controlling a system, especially an engine, to a program for modeling an active chain diagnosis or to other programs for error analysis, having the following steps: within the scope of a first run, starting up an operating point of the system, generating an error and computing an intervention using a program for modeling the active chain diagnosis or the other programs for the error analysis, within the scope of a second run, resetting the control unit and deleting the error memory in the control unit, renewed starting up of the operating point, renewed applying of the error from the first run, carrying out the first intervention computed using the active chain diagnosis in the first run, and computing a second intervention using the program for modeling the active chain diagnosis, and within the scope of at least one additional run, resetting the control unit and deleting the error memory, renewed starting up the operating point, renewed application of the error, carrying out the intervention computed in preceding runs using the active chain diagnosis, and, if necessary, computing at least one additional intervention using the active chain diagnosis. |
| US08543857B2 |
Method and apparatus for low power operation of multi-core processors
Embodiments of an apparatus, system and method are described for low power operation of a multi-core processing system. An apparatus may comprise, for example, a power management module operative to initialize a low power mode, detect one or more un-affinitized software threads, and affinitize the one or more un-affinitized software threads to run on a set of processor cores of a multi-core processor, wherein the set of processor cores comprises less than a total number of processor cores of the multi-core processor. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08543854B1 |
Method and system for power configuration
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for power mode switching. The method includes sending a pausing request to an application executed in an electronic system. The pausing request informs the application of an intent to switch the electronic system from an active mode to a power saving mode that causes the electronic system to pause executing the application. Then, the method includes determining that the application accepts the pausing request, and configuring the electronic system into the power saving mode, such that the application pauses at a pausing point determined in response to the pausing request. |
| US08543853B2 |
Information processing apparatus with power saving mode and method for controlling information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store data, a supply unit configured to supply electric power to the storage unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether to cause the information processing apparatus to operate in a power saving mode, a measuring unit configured to measure an elapsed time after a power source of the information processing apparatus is turned on and until the determination unit determines to cause the information processing apparatus to operate in a power saving mode, and a control unit configured to control the supply unit to decrease electric power supplied from the supply unit to the storage unit at a timing determined based on the elapsed time and a predetermined reference time, in case that the determination unit determines to cause the information processing apparatus to operate in a power saving mode. |
| US08543846B2 |
Temperature control method and electronic device thereof
A temperature control method and an electronic device thereof are disclosed. A temperature control method applicable to an electronic device comprises the following steps. A power-consumption vs. temperature lookup table is provided, which records a plurality of thermal zones and a plurality of power consumption budgets corresponding thereto. An initial power consumption budget is obtained from the power-consumption vs. temperature lookup table based on an initial thermal zone value. The power consumption modes of the plural processing units are dynamically regulated according to each detected duty basis of the processing units, and the initial power consumption budget. The power consumption budget is dynamically changed according to a detected temperature of the electronic device and the power-consumption vs. temperature lookup table. |
| US08543845B2 |
Method for suppressing a voltage fluctuation applying to a load by a second power section with the same or opposite voltage polarity
A power supply device includes: a first supply section that supplies power in accordance with an extent of a load in processing in a processing device by applying a voltage to the processing device which processes data; and a second supply section that supplies, to the processing device, power smaller than the supplying power by the first supply section, in accordance with an extent of a load in processing in the processing device to increase and decrease a voltage with respect to the application voltage by the first supply section. |
| US08543832B2 |
Service provision system and communication terminal
A first memory unit is arranged outside a block that is under security control. The block includes: a second memory unit; an acquisition unit for acquiring biological information on a living body from a captured image of a location of the living body; an encryption unit for encrypting attribute information with an encryption key; a registration unit for registering encrypted attribute information encrypted by the encryption unit into the first memory unit, and registering the biological information and the encryption key into the second memory unit; and a presentation unit for decrypting the encrypted attribute information with the encryption key and presenting the attribute information decrypted to the service provision server if the biological information registered in the second memory unit and biological information acquired by the acquisition unit coincide with each other. |
| US08543822B2 |
Device authentication
A first device in possession of a value is able to determine, without communicating the value and without communicating any information from which the value can be identified, whether a second device is also in possession of the value. The first device accomplishes this with the assistance of a third device that is able to communicate with the first device and with the second device. The second device also does not communicate the value and does not communicate any information from which the value can be identified. The first device may send additional information to the third device which, if passed to the second device, enables the second device to determine that the first device is in possession of the value. The value may be a secret. |
| US08543819B2 |
Secure authenticated distance measurement
The invention relates to a method for a first communication device to performing authenticated distance measurement between said first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the first and the second communication device share a common secret and said common secret is used for performing the distance measurement between said first and said second communication device. The invention also relates to a method of determining whether data stored on a first communication device are to be accessed by a second communication device. Moreover, the invention relates to a communication device for performing authenticated distance measurement to a second communication device. The invention also relates to an apparatus for playing back multimedia content comprising a communication device. |
| US08543816B2 |
Secure, auditable file exchange system and method
Secure and auditable file exchange between a professional and a client, patient, colleague, or other associate of the professional may be achieved via a file exchange service that automatically verifies the professional's professional status and identity and provides applications and/or tools to accept files for transfer to the verified professional. The files are stored in encrypted form, along with cryptographic integrity codes. After the files have been transferred to the professional, the cryptographic integrity codes may be used to verify that the professional received a correct copy of the file that was originally provided. |
| US08543815B2 |
Authentication method and related devices
A method for authenticating a first party with a second party, the first and second parties having means for communicating with each other, the first party having secret information and supporting a plurality of authentication modes for authenticating the first party with another party, using said secret information, the authentication modes of said plurality being arranged for protecting the first party's privacy with respective degrees. A degree with which the first party's privacy must be protected when authenticating the first party with the second party is negotiated between the first party and the second party. If the negotiation is successful, the first party is authenticated with the second party according to the authentication mode of said plurality having the negotiated degree of protection of the first party's privacy. |
| US08543814B2 |
Method and apparatus for using generic authentication architecture procedures in personal computers
A method and apparatus for authenticating to a third party service provider from a personal computer. The method includes authenticating, with a mobile terminal, to the service provider with a universal subscriber identity module associated with the mobile terminal to obtain credentials specific to the service provider, transferring the credentials specific to the service provider from the mobile terminal to the personal computer, and accessing the service provider with the personal computer using the credentials transferred from the mobile terminal. The apparatus includes a mobile terminal, a computing device, a bootstrapping security module, and a network application function that cooperatively work to allow the computing device to access the network application function using a security credential from the mobile terminal. |
| US08543811B2 |
Efficient identity-based ring signature scheme with anonymity and system thereof
An identity-based ring signature authentication method provides an efficient identity-based ring signature method, which has a constant number of bilinear pairing computations independent the number of ring members in a verification process. The method does not use a special type of function, e.g., MapToPoint. |
| US08543810B1 |
Deployment tool and method for managing security lifecycle of a federated web service
A method for managing a security lifecycle of a federated web service provider (WSP) is described. The method includes populating a graphical user interface with available security mechanisms, receiving a selection of a selected security mechanism from a user, and creating a deployment time policy generator for instantiating the selected security mechanism in outgoing messages generated by the WSP. A system and machine readable-medium for a deployment tool for performing the method are also described. |
| US08543807B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting application layer in computer network system
A method and apparatus for protecting an application layer in a computer network system. The method includes creating a session between a client and a data provider in response to a session connection request from the client, and determining the client as an application layer attacking client when the client generates a session termination request before the data provider transmits to the client a response packet to a data request from the client under the created session. |
| US08543806B2 |
System, method and apparatus for electronically protecting data and digital content
Systems, methods and apparatus for protecting sensitive data in a file that has been replaced with pointer(s) for each sensitive data. The sensitive data items are protected by restricting subsequent access to and use of the sensitive data items via the pointers by: receiving a first request for data stored in a file on the data storage, determining whether the requested data includes at least one of the pointers, providing the requested data whenever the requested data does not include any of the pointers, and performing the following steps whenever the requested data includes at least one of the pointers: sending a second request containing the pointer(s) included in the requested data to the server that authenticates the second request, denying the first request whenever the authentication fails, and receiving and providing the extracted data item(s) corresponding to the pointer(s) included in the requested data whenever the authentication succeeds. |
| US08543798B2 |
Electronic device board level security
A system may include a printed circuit board, a first component located on the printed circuit board, the first component having a first unique identifier and a processor located on the printed circuit board, the processor including a one time programming section. The processor may acquire the first unique identifier from the first component and store the first unique identifier in the one time programming section during the first time initialization. Upon subsequent initializations, the processor may acquire the first unique identifier from the first component and compare the first unique identifier to the stored first unique identifier. The processor may allow the subsequent initializations to proceed if the first unique identifier matches the stored first unique. The processor may disallow the subsequent initializations from proceeding if the first unique identifier does not match the stored first unique identifier. |
| US08543794B2 |
Adaptive integrated circuitry with heterogenous and reconfigurable matrices of diverse and adaptive computational units having fixed, application specific computational elements
The present invention concerns a new category of integrated circuitry and a new methodology for adaptive or reconfigurable computing. The preferred IC embodiment includes a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network. The plurality of heterogeneous computational elements include corresponding computational elements having fixed and differing architectures, such as fixed architectures for different functions such as memory, addition, multiplication, complex multiplication, subtraction, configuration, reconfiguration, control, input, output, and field programmability. In response to configuration information, the interconnection network is operative in real-time to configure and reconfigure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a plurality of different functional modes, including linear algorithmic operations, non-linear algorithmic operations, finite state machine operations, memory operations, and bit-level manipulations. The various fixed architectures are selected to comparatively minimize power consumption and increase performance of the adaptive computing integrated circuit, particularly suitable for mobile, hand-held or other battery-powered computing applications. |
| US08543791B2 |
Apparatus and method of reducing page fault rate in virtual memory system
An apparatus for reducing a page fault rate in a virtual memory system includes a page table stored in a main storage unit which stores a reference address so as to read page information from the main storage unit; a buffer unit which stores a portion of the page table; and a processor which reads data from the main storage unit or which stores data in the main storage unit. When changing information for referring to a first page that exists in the page table, the processor performs a task invalidating information related to the first page in the buffer unit. A method of reducing the page fault rate includes resetting reference information stored in the page table; detecting whether the reference information exists in a buffer unit; and invalidating the reference information when the reference information exists in the buffer unit. |
| US08543784B1 |
Backup application coordination with storage array power saving features
Various techniques for coordinating the resource allocation and management capabilities of a backup application with the power saving features provided by a storage array are disclosed. One method involves accessing power management information associated with a logical storage unit (LSU) and image property information that indicates a future pattern of access to a backup image. The method also involves selecting the LSU, based upon both the power management information and the image property information, and then causing the backup image to be written to the LSU. Another method, performed by a backup module, involves receiving power management information associated with a storage array, selecting a logical storage unit (LSU) implemented on the storage array, based upon the power management information, and performing a backup storage management operation on the LSU, in response to selecting the LSU. |
| US08543783B2 |
Data storage apparatus and method of controlling data storage apparatus
A compressing unit generates a plurality of types of compressed blocks for each of divided blocks of data, by using a plurality of algorithm executing units. A comparing unit stores, in a storage unit, comparison result information on a compressed block having the smallest size. A writing start determining unit makes a decision to start writing of a write block and compression of a next block, when a quotient obtained by dividing the size of the compressed block that is indicated in the comparison result information by a writing speed is determined to be less than or equal to an elapsed time. A writing unit selects, as a write block, a compressed block having the smallest size among the generated compressed blocks at the time the start decision is made by the writing start determining unit, and writes the selected write block to a block storage unit. |
| US08543780B2 |
Method of verifying system performance and performance measurement apparatus
A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing a program for measuring a performance in a system including a storage unit and a plurality of control units for controlling an access to the storage unit, the program causing a computer to execute a procedure, the procedure includes estimating a specification area in address information including an address area in which an address of an access target of the storage unit is set and the specification area in which specification information for specifying a control unit for controlling an access to the access target is set, and verifying a reliability of the system by accessing the storage unit on the basis of a specification information in the specification area. |
| US08543776B2 |
On-die logic analyzer for semiconductor die
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a semiconductor die such as a system on a chip (SoC) that includes a logic analyzer with a built-in trace buffer to store information communicated between on-die agents at speed and to provide the information to an off-die agent at a slower speed. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08543774B2 |
Programmable logic apparatus employing shared memory, vital processor and non-vital communications processor, and system including the same
A programmable logic apparatus includes a shared memory having a first port, a second port and a third port; a first vital processor interfaced to the first port of the shared memory; and a non-vital communications processor separated from the first vital processor in the programmable logic apparatus and interfaced to the second port of the shared memory. The third port of the shared memory is an external port structured to interface an external second vital processor. |
| US08543773B2 |
Distributed shared memory
Systems and methods for implementing a distributed shared memory (DSM) in a computer cluster in which an unreliable underlying message passing technology is used, such that the DSM efficiently maintains coherency and reliability. DSM agents residing on different nodes of the cluster process access permission requests of local and remote users on specified data segments via handling procedures, which provide for recovering of lost ownership of a data segment while ensuring exclusive ownership of a data segment among the DSM agents detecting and resolving a no-owner messaging deadlock, pruning of obsolete messages, and recovery of the latest contents of a data segment whose ownership has been lost. |
| US08543771B1 |
Method for maintaining cache coherence using a distributed directory with event driven updates
The present invention is a protocol for maintaining cache consistency between multiprocessors within a tightly coupled system. A distributed directory is maintained within the data-sharing processors, so that copies can be invalidated when modified. All transfers are event driven, rather the polled, to reduce bus-bandwidth consumption. Deadlocks are avoided by placing to-be-executed command codes in the returned response packets, when the request-forwarding queues are full or not present. |
| US08543767B2 |
Prefetching with multiple processors and threads via a coherency bus
A processing system includes a memory and a first core configured to process applications. The first core includes a first cache. The processing system includes a mechanism configured to capture a sequence of addresses of the application that miss the first cache in the first core and to place the sequence of addresses in a storage array; and a second core configured to process at least one software algorithm. The at least one software algorithm utilizes the sequence of addresses from the storage array to generate a sequence of prefetch addresses. The second core issues prefetch requests for the sequence of the prefetch addresses to the memory to obtain prefetched data and the prefetched data is provided to the first core if requested. |
| US08543759B2 |
Method for scheduling memory refresh operations including power states
A method for performing refresh operations on a rank of memory devices is disclosed. After the completion of a memory operation, a determination is made whether or not a refresh backlog count value is less than a predetermined value and the rank of memory devices is being powered down. If the refresh backlog count value is less than the predetermined value and the rank of memory devices is being powered down, an Idle Count threshold value is set to a maximum value such that a refresh operation will be performed after a maximum delay time. If the refresh backlog count value is not less than the predetermined value or the rank of memory devices is not in a powered down state, the Idle Count threshold value is set based on the slope of an Idle Delay Function such that a refresh operation will be performed accordingly. |
| US08543742B2 |
Flash-memory device with RAID-type controller
A smart flash drive has one or more levels of smart storage switches and a lower level of single-chip flash devices (SCFD's). A SCFD contains flash memory and controllers that perform low-level bad-block mapping and wear-leveling and logical-to-physical block mapping. The SCFD report their capacity, arrangement, and maximum wear-level count (WLC) and bad block number (BBN) to the upstream smart storage switch, which stores this information in a structure register. The smart storage switch selects the SCFD with the maximum BBN as the target and the SCFD with the lowest maximum WLC as the source of a swap for wear leveling when a WLC exceeds a threshold that rises over time. A top-level smart storage switch receives consolidated capacity, arrangement, WLC, and BBN information from lower-level smart storage switch. Data is striped and optionally scrambled by Redundant Array of Individual Disks (RAID) controllers in all levels of smart storage switches. |
| US08543739B2 |
Dynamic interpretation of user input in a portable electronic device
The embodiments describe both the interpreting and modifying the interpretation of an input event to an electronic device having limited user input resources. The input event interpretation can be based in part on a connection state of the device. In some cases, the interpretation of the input event can also be based upon an indication of a current operating state of the device in addition to or exclusive of the connection state. Furthermore, in some embodiments, an operating state of the portable electronic device can be resolved based in part on the connection state of the portable electronic device. |
| US08543737B2 |
System and method to control access to data stored in a data storage device
Various aspects of the invention provide a plurality of systems and methods of selectively enabling access to data stored in a data storage device, by one or more data processing devices communicatively coupled to the data storage device. In a representative embodiment, selective access to one or more data pools may be made as a function of one or more interfaces of the data storage device. In a representative embodiment, selective access to one or more data pools may be made as a function of one or more data file types associated with one or more data pools of the data storage device. In a representative embodiment, access to data stored in one or more data pools of the data storage device may be based on or associated with one or more types networks associated with the data storage device. |
| US08543732B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing internet domain names
The current disclosure describes an edge application (user agent) that supports name multiplexing and allows users the convenience of the ‘name*number.com’ format while allowing registration of the real domain name as exemplified by ‘ml-name-number.com’ which parallels the approach standardized for Internationalized Domain Names. Multiplexed domain names allow a virtually unlimited number of domain names under any Internet top level domain. The current improvement requires no new central associated directories, multi-tiered or sub-directories. It does not require modification of the DNS to allow additional characters such as the asterisk. It uses the DNS exactly as it is configured today. |
| US08543730B2 |
Peer node selection in a peer to peer communication network
A method and apparatus for selecting a peer node in a P2P network. A requesting peer node in the P2P network requests geographical location information relating to a plurality of target peer nodes. In response to the request, the requesting node receives geographical location information for each target peer node. The requesting node uses the geographical location information and other information to select a target peer node. The request may either be sent to each target peer node, or to a central resource record peer node that maintains geographic location information for each target peer node. This allows target peer nodes to be selected on the basis of their location, and provides advantages in terms of trust depending on location, and allowed content depending on location. |
| US08543727B2 |
Devices and methods for routing a unit of data in a network
A device for routing a unit of data in a network, the device comprising a processing means that is operable to: determine an identity of a first path in the network that was used to transfer the unit of data; identify a second path in the network based on the identity of the first path; and forward the unit of data over the second path to thereby route the unit of data in the network. |
| US08543724B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for a projected PVR experience
Exemplary embodiments of methods and apparatuses to project personal video recorder (“PVR”) trick mode operations over a network are described. A first content stream may be at a first speed. A request to access the first content stream at a second speed can be received. A second content stream can be generated based on a second speed. The second content stream can be send over a network to be rendered at the first speed by a client device. One or more anchor frames in the first content stream are selected. The second content stream is generated based on the one or more anchor frames. One or more dummy frames can be inserted into the second content stream. Indexing information can be generated to create a second content stream to send over the network. |
| US08543715B1 |
Redirect control in web browsers
The capability to limit the number of user redirects for a third-party content provider or third-party content provider network, such as, for example, an advertiser or advertising network, is provided. Such a capability extends the functionality of an attribute of a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) element to establish a limit to the number of user redirects. Accordingly, such a limit can be used to enforce restrictions on the number of user redirects through a user's web browser. |
| US08543713B2 |
Computing environment arranged to support predetermined URL patterns
A computing environment for hosting web services and applications is disclosed. The computing resources of the computing environment can be managed, controlled or utilized to facilitate improved hosting of web services, such as hosting of websites. According to one aspect, Universal Resource Locators (URLs) can be programmatically defined and utilized to centralize URL descriptions which can be utilized by the computing resources. According to another aspect, customized load balancing can be provided for the computing environment. |
| US08543708B2 |
System and method for establishing and maintaining a connection between devices
A system and method to establish and maintain a connection between devices, which in one example embodiment of a method, may comprise receiving a request to establish a connection between a first communication device and a second communication device. A determination is made as to whether the second communication device is reachable via a data network. Based on the determination that the second communication device is reachable over the data network, a connection between the first communication device and the second communication device is established via the data network. Based on the determination that the second communication device is not reachable over the data network, a connection between the first communication device and the second communication device is established via a telecommunications network. Additional systems and methods are described. |
| US08543703B1 |
Method of tracking mobile user sessions
In order to improve the mobility of mobile clients, network efficiency and increase the performance of mobile computing and communication environments, provided by the invention is a method of tracking mobile client sessions. The method according to an embodiment of the invention enables mobile computing and communication environments to provide seamless handoffs of both non-secure and secure IP connections between access points and between network domains. |
| US08543699B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed policy evaluation
In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for distributed policy evaluation. One embodiment of a method for evaluating a systems management policy, where the policy includes a condition and an action to be taken when the condition evaluates to TRUE, includes forwarding the policy, by a first autonomic manager, to a second autonomic manager and receiving at the first autonomic manager at least partial evaluation results for the condition from a third autonomic manager. The first autonomic manager, the second autonomic manager, and the third autonomic manager are arranged in a ring configuration such that the evaluating occurs in a cascading manner, and only the first autonomic manager has access to a policy storage from which the policy is retrieved. |
| US08543698B2 |
Enhanced policy capabilities for mobile data services
A system and method for a mobile data access network to make policy control and charging decisions based on domain name queries. A mobile device sends a query about a domain name associated with a service a user of the mobile device wishes to engage. The access network carries the domain name query from a mobile device to a domain name server. The access network detects the domain name query and copies the queried domain name. The access network uses the queried domain name to make an incomplete policy decision. The policy decision is incomplete because one or more service data flow filters in the decision lack addresses for providers of the service. The access network detects a response to the domain name query and copies a service provider address from the response. The access network uses the service provider address to complete the policy decision. |
| US08543692B2 |
Network system
The disclosed DNS server apparatus monitors whether each service providing server apparatus is active or inactive and collects load information. When the monitored apparatus is active but congested or is unable to offer services, a virtual IP address assigned to a Sorry server apparatus is sent back as a response. When service providing server apparatuses in active state are congested or unable to provide services, the DNS server apparatus sends a server activation instruction and an IP addresses for services to the service providing server apparatuses on standby to activate them. Each service providing server apparatus on standby activates server software in response to the server activation instruction and assigns the received IP address to a network interface as a virtual IP address, thus activating the interface. |
| US08543688B1 |
Generating correlation codes for location information
A location data system in a wireless communication system generates and maintains a random number without transferring the random number from the location data system. The location data system monitors a message flow to identify location messages that include a wireless communication device identifier and location information for the wireless communication device. The location data system then processes the random number and the device identifier to generate a correlation code. The location data system transfers location records, including the correlation code and the location information but not the device identifier, from the location data system, wherein individual location records are transferred in response to identifying individual location messages. Finally, the random number is deleted from the location data system. |
| US08543685B1 |
Usage based multiplier modification in rate limiting schemes
A data communications system includes a controller device and multiple client devices communicating with the controller device through a shared data communications link. The controller device is configured to determine data usage for each of the client devices and then compare the determined data usage for the client devices with a first usage threshold and with a second usage threshold. Based on the threshold comparisons, the usage-based multiplier values are either increased or decreased by a set amount. |
| US08543681B2 |
Network topology discovery systems and methods
A system discovers the topology of devices in a network, such as all of the layer-2 and layer-3 devices, including routers and switches. The devices are mapped, as well as the links that join them. The devices are polled using SNMP requests. Route tables are derived from each router to determine addresses of the devices. A spanning tree process is used to discover layer-2 devices. Connections between layers are then discovered. Where information is incomplete, an undiscovered router cloud is recognized. |
| US08543677B2 |
Communication control device, method, and computer readable medium allowing an information processing device to be in a power saving mode for an extended period and allowing an application part to continue functioning
A communication control device capable of performing data communication with an information processing device connected through a network, for performing data communication corresponding to a command from an application part which requests data communication with the information processing device, comprises: a communication control part for outputting response information obtained through the data communication corresponding to the command from the application part; and a virtually response part and for generating virtual response information, containing information as to the information processing device, responding to the command from the application part. The communication control part manages registration information including at least one command for requesting virtual data communication performed hypothetically with the virtually response part registered. The communication control part obtains the virtual response information from the virtually response part and outputs to the application part when the command received from the application part is registered in the registration information. |
| US08543673B2 |
Rapid provisioning of network devices using automated configuration
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a selection of a configuration template and a second network node to serve a first network node, the configuration template including at least one template field; receiving at least one value for the at least one template field of the configuration template; configuring the first network node according to the configuration template and the at least one value; receiving, in the network management system, configured device information from the first network node; using the configured device information to identify at least one configuration operation to perform on the second network node to provide connectivity to the first network node; generating at least one configuration module for performing the at least one configuration operation; and applying the at least one configuration module to the second network node. |
| US08543664B2 |
Community network
The community network may be configured to deliver relevant, informative, and useful content regarding the client to individual users of the community. Further, individual users may be provided an opportunity to communicate with one another and to invite new users into their community. Additionally, users may collaborate with one another and with the sponsoring client. The community network system includes a set of software applications designed to support multiple clients through domains set up by a system administrator. The domains are secure partitions within the system which are accessible to unique communities of users and configured with specific tools and user roles for each client's purposes. Further, each user is assigned a role in the system based on the features and privileges that the client wishes to make available to that user in the system. |
| US08543663B2 |
Generation of data concerning reception of media content at a communication device
A method of providing data associated with reception of media content is presented. In the method, a communication device receives media content from a media content receiver via a communication network. The received media content is output to a user of the communication device. Data is then generated in the communication device which includes information identifying a channel selected by the user over which the media content receiver receives the media content. The data further includes information identifying a time period during which the communication device receives the media content. The data is transferred via the communication network to a communication node. |
| US08543652B2 |
System and method for efficient unified messaging system support for speech-to-text service
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for communicating information about transcription progress from a unified messaging (UM) server to a UM client. In one embodiment, the transcription progress describes speech to text transcription of speech messages such as voicemail. The UM server authenticates and establishes a session with a UM client, then receives a get message list request from a UM client as of a first time, responds to the get message list request with a view of a state of messages and available transcriptions for transcribable messages in a list of messages associated with the get message list call at the first time, and, at a second time subsequent to the first time, transmits to the UM client a notification that provides an indication of progress for at least one transcription not yet complete in the list of messages. The messages can include video. |
| US08543649B2 |
Method and apparatus for constructing and maintaining a user knowledge profile
A method of constructing an entity profile, having private and public portions with different access restrictions, commences with the assignment of a confidence level to content within an electronic document. The electronic document may be associated with the first entity (e.g., may have been authored by or addressed to the first entity). The content may furthermore potentially be descriptive of the first entity. If the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, the content is automatically rejected for inclusion within the entity profile. On the other hand, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, the content is included within the private portion of the entity profile. Thereafter, the content is automatically presented to the first entity for authorization, by the first entity, for inclusion of the content within the public portion of the profile. The public portion of the entity profile may be freely accessible by other entities, whereas the private portion may have access restrictions. |
| US08543647B2 |
Automated customer incident report management in a social networking system
A social networking system is configured to generate node graphs to handle specific types of customer incident reports. The node graphs comprise data structures that include nodes connected in acyclic graphs. Each node includes a node handler and optionally a user interface widget. Activating a node graph causes a subset of the nodes in the node graph to execute their node handlers. The executing node handlers generate a customer incident resolution that may include information gathering, manual review, and communications to users and third-party systems. Generation of the customer incident resolution through the node graphs allows the social networking system to handle customer incidents consistently, efficiently, and in a scalable manner. |
| US08543641B2 |
Method and system of application delivery through application template to client device
In one embodiment, a method of a client device includes accessing an application through an application template. The application template resides on server device. The method also includes accessing application based on a response to request of a user interface. In addition, the method includes processing the application through a processor such that the application accesses the application template such that the client device permits an access of the application through the application template. The method further includes executing the application through the application template such that an execution of the application through the application template emulates the execution of the application installed on an operating system of the client device. The method also includes executing a function of the application template based on a demand of a user through the response to the request of the user such that the file is accessed when required by the application. |
| US08543639B2 |
Methods and apparatus for collecting and transferring information over a network
In one aspect, the invention provides digital data processing methods and systems for collecting and transferring information, comprising one or more server digital data processors (“servers”) that exchange information requests and, optionally, responses between a first set of client digital data processors and a second set of client digital data processors. The first set of those client devices accept input from persons seeking information, e.g., reporters, bloggers, detectives, etc., (collectively, “reporters”) and, from that input, generate and transmit queries to the server(s). The server digital data processor, in turn, transmits those queries to the second set of client digital data processors, which display or otherwise convey the queries to persons that may have relevant information, e.g., industry professionals, public relations representatives, etc. (collectively, “sources”). Those second client devices route responses received from respective sources directly and/or indirectly (e.g., via the server(s)) to the client device of the “reporter” who inputted the request. |
| US08543636B1 |
System migration using hardware virtualization
A system is provided for migration of an application between processing servers in a virtual server. The system includes a first processing server, a second processing server, at least one disk for storage, at least one network interface, a control server and an agent. The control server is operable to combine the first processing server with the network interface and disk into the virtual server to operate an application. The agent is coupled to the control server to promote capture from the first processing server of application state information related to execution of the application by the first processing server. The agent further promotes transfer of at least some of the captured application state information to the second processing server to enable the second processing server to execute the application using the at least some of the captured application state information. |
| US08543634B1 |
Specialized processing block for programmable integrated circuit device
A specialized processing block such as a DSP block may be enhanced by including direct connections that allow the block output to be directly connected to either the multiplier inputs or the adder inputs of another such block. A programmable integrated circuit device may includes a plurality of such specialized processing blocks. The specialized processing block includes a multiplier having two multiplicand inputs and a product output, an adder having as one adder input the product output of the multiplier, and having a second adder input and an adder output, a direct-connect output of the adder output to a first other one of the specialized processing block, and a direct-connect input from a second other one of the specialized processing block. The direct-connect input connects a direct-connect output of that second other one of the specialized processing block to a first one of the multiplicand inputs. |
| US08543632B2 |
Method and system for computing alignment sticky bit in floating-point operations
A method for computing the alignment sticky bit in floating-point operations is provided. The method includes computing a pre-computed sticky bit. A significand is aligned based on an alignment counter. A shifter sticky OR is computed. The alignment sticky bit is computed based on the pre-computed sticky bit by ORing the pre-computed sticky bit and the shifter sticky OR when the alignment counter comprises a value greater than or equal to a predefined value. |
| US08543629B2 |
IFFT processing in wireless communications
Techniques for perforating IFFT pipelining are described. In some aspects, the pipelining is achieved with a processing system having a memory with a first, second and third sections, an encoder configured to process data in each of the first, second and third memory sections in a round robin fashion, an IFFT configured to process the encoded data in each of the first, second, and third sections in a round robin fashion, and a post-processor configured to process the IFFT processed data in each of the first, second and third memory sections in a round robin fashion. |
| US08543627B1 |
Method for sampling probability distributions using a quantum computer
We describe a method for using a classical computer to generate a sequence of elementary operation (SEO) that can be used to operate a quantum computer, thereby inducing the quantum computer to sample an arbitrary probability distribution. The probability distribution being sampled is specified in the form of a Bayesian network. |
| US08543623B2 |
Secure distribution of media data
A technique for playing a media file by a data processing system. A degraded initial version of the media file is received from a sending data processing system. A supplemental version of the media file is received from the sending data processing system. The degraded version of the media file is merged with the supplemental version of the media file to form a combined media file, with the combined media file being played. In one embodiment, the degraded version of the media data has a reduced quality that is obtained by removing portions of the data and filling in the removed portions with dummy data. During a subsequent rebuilding of the media data by the receiving/recipient data processing system, a supplemental version of the media data is received and merged/combined with the degraded version to form a copy that corresponds to the original, high-quality version of the media data. |
| US08543620B2 |
System and method for independent verification and validation
This invention is to solve the high cost of IV&V by simplifying the complex logistics of project management. This is an intelligent project management system comprising a project server computer remotely accessible by a user computing device. The project server computer includes several databases: A database of electronic library which stores documents that are required by the project, a database which stores project data that reflect the state of the project, and a database which stores the user information of privileged users. Several modules are executing in the project server computer to generate the view of the project, to automatically monitor the state of the project, to verify and validate the mapping between multiple documents for requirement traceability, to automatically indicate the state of the project, to automatically provide assistance to the user, to automatically inform the stakeholder on matters related to the project, and to authenticate the privileged user. This intelligent project management system assumes that the server computer contains a standard computer operating system that includes at least a web server, an email server and a search engine facility. |
| US08543619B2 |
Merging XML documents automatically using attributes based comparison
An aspect of the present invention provides a technique to automatically merge information contained in two or more XML documents in to a single merged XML document. The merging technique is based on a comparison logic that involves comparing XML elements of one of the XML document with elements of the other XML document and this element comparison is based on at least one XML attribute associated with the elements of the XML documents and termed as a merge attribute in the embodiments of the invention. An aspect of the present invention involves parsing the XML documents and providing a list of attributes asscociated with the elements of the XML documents and allowing a user to select one or more attributes as merge attributes. In yet another embodiment the XML:ID-type is selected as the default merge attribute. |
| US08543617B2 |
Method and system for forming a keyword database for referencing physical locations
An improved method and system for specifying physical locations when using applications run on navigation systems or other computer platforms that provide navigation- or map-related functions. When requesting a navigation- or map-related function from such an application, a user specifies a physical location using a keyword instead of specifying the physical location conventionally, such as by street address. A keyword database relates keywords to physical locations. The application uses the keyword database, or a copy thereof, to find data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword specified by the user. Preferably, physical locations are defined in the keyword database in terms of data in a corresponding geographic database. The application then performs the requested navigation- or map-related function using the data indicating the physical location associated with the keyword. The keyword database is built using input from users. An on-line system is provided that users can access to associate keywords with physical locations. A user accessing the on-line system is presented with a map from which a physical location can be selected. A keyword, which may be selected by the user, is associated with the selected physical location. The keyword is stored in the keyword database along with data indicating the associated physical location. |
| US08543612B2 |
Mobile terminal
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a content file storage configured to store a plurality of contents and file types corresponding to the contents respectively; a plurality of processing module configured to execute processing according to coding methods respectively; a resource table configured to store first information identifying the multimedia resource and second information about what kind of file type can be executed by the multimedia resources and priority; and a control unit configured to detect the file type of a content file to be executed, and determine the processing module corresponding to the first information by comparing the second information stored in the resource table and the detected file type. |
| US08543611B1 |
Managing dynamic state of a physical system
In an embodiment, a network may represent a physical system. The network may have an element that represents an entity of the physical system. A value of a state associated with the network may be identified (e.g., generated) using various techniques. The state may be a low-level state associated with the network. The techniques may include, but are not limited to, for example, generating the value based on a scaffold defined for the network, generating the value based on a target value for the state, and/or generating the value based on applying an operation to various values of the state. The identified value may be associated with an identifier. The identifier may distinguish the value, for example, from other values of other states in the network and/or other values of states in other networks. |
| US08543610B2 |
Human relationships registering system and device for registering human relationships, program for registering human relationships, and medium storing human relationships registering program and readable by computer
To provide a human relationships registering system, a method and a server for registering human relationships, a program for registering human relationships, and a medium storing human relationships registering program and readable by a computer, all of which are used to establish wide and close relationships with members having a variety of occupations or engaged in various technical fields and to obtain expert knowledge or information. The human relationships registering system comprises first data processing units 2 and 3 including sections for receiving personal data of a new member, and a second data processing unit including a section for storing the received personal data. The second data processing unit stores the personal data of the new member in correlation to an existing member when the existing member confirms the new member. |
| US08543607B2 |
System and method for role based analysis and access control
A system and method for program access control includes, for a typestate, providing typestate properties and assigning a role to the typestate in a program in accordance with the typestate properties. Access to operations is limited for the typestate in the program based on the role assigned to the typestate and an access permission level. |
| US08543603B2 |
Visualization of data relationships between components of a project
A computer-implemented method is disclosed for visualizing data relationships between components of a project for identifying potential duplication of selected components. One of the components is data collection assignments. |
| US08543599B2 |
Variably controlling access to content
A software module is presented that enables a person to determine the relevance of a document while preventing the person from making a copy of the entire document. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by programmatically controlling which portions of a document will be presented to a user and which portions will not be presented to the user. In one embodiment, the software module is used in conjunction with a search engine to present a document search result. |
| US08543597B1 |
Generic application persistence database
A method includes receiving a request from a client to perform an application operation, transmitting a generic application persistency statement defined in an application template corresponding to the application, where the template belongs to a set of predefined application templates. Searching a logical database for a first location having entries corresponding to a technical key and an operation identifier, determining a second technical key based on content stored at the first location, searching the logical database for a second location having entries corresponding to the second technical key and a dataset key, determining a third technical key based on content stored at the second location, and accessing locations of the logical database based on the third technical key, wherein the contents of the logical database locations correspond to content of a physical database. A system to implement the method and a computer readable medium are disclosed. |
| US08543595B2 |
Method for improving local descriptors in peer-to-peer file sharing
A method for improving searches in a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing system that includes a plurality of server computers. A content file, identified by a descriptor including at least one metadata term and a mathematical identifier that uniquely identifies the content file in one of the server computers, is selected for searching. Other server computers are searched to find one or more matching content files; one that has a descriptor with a mathematical identifier matching the mathematical identifier of the first content file. The descriptors of the matching content files are returned to the searching server computer and used to expand the local descriptor. |
| US08543594B2 |
Management of user interface elements
An exemplary system includes an element server in a video hub office configured to provide a media signal to a content processing device located at a customer premises and at least one computing device remote from the video hub office and the customer premises. The computing device comprises a first data store that includes a plurality of presentation elements, a second data store that includes information concerning associations of the presentation elements with a chunk that is a logical grouping of the presentation elements, and an element management subsystem that provides the presentation elements associated with the chunk to the element server in the video hub office, the element server configured to cache the presentation elements for use by the element server in fulfilling a request from the content processing device, wherein the computing device provides a user interface that presents information about the presentation elements associated with the chunk. |
| US08543593B2 |
System and method for automating the assembly, processing and delivery of documents
A system for automating the assembly, processing and delivery of documents includes a plurality of transport clients, a work queue, a scheduler, a plurality of rendering objects, a plurality of transport objects and a routing table. The transport clients are each responsible for acquisition of data necessary to generate the response. Once a work item is received from a transport client, it is added to the work queue. The scheduler manages the work queue including sending work items to an identified rendering object and thereafter to a transport client. Each of the rendering objects includes knowledge of the database as well as processes for extracting information from a database and applying rules on the extracted data. The scheduler assigns work items to be processed by the rendering objects, and once completed, the work items are returned to the scheduler for further processing by a transport object. The transport object uses the work items to create a document including how the document will appear, and also handles the routing of the document as specified in the information request created by the transport client. The transport objects work with the routing table for resource allocation, resource availability, and local or remote processing, and time of processing. |
| US08543591B2 |
Method and system for generating and sharing dataset segmentation schemes
A computer-implemented method for generating and sharing dataset segment schemes of a multidimensional dataset at a client device is disclosed. The client device displays a first filter definition template and an attribute list. Upon detecting a user selection of a first attribute, the client device displays the first attribute and one or more candidate filter conditions in the first filter definition template. Upon detecting a user selection of a first filter condition in the first filter definition template, the client device submits a segment scheme generation request to the server system and receives from the server system a first segment identifier; and displays a first segment link at the client device, the first segment link including the first segment identifier. |
| US08543588B2 |
Virtual columns
Embodiments are provided for associating a virtual column with a target physical table. The data for the virtual column originates from a source physical table where the data physically resides. In this way, users can access the data in a manner consistent with the users' logical perspective of the data. |
| US08543587B2 |
Composite context information management apparatus and method of providing composite context information using the same
A composite context information management apparatus and a method of providing composite context information using the same. The composite context information management apparatus includes a function providing unit configured to provide a composite context information function corresponding to the operation information from an application control unit; a composite context information processing unit configured to identify pieces of unit contexts and an operation rule based on the composite context information function and the name of the composite context information; and a composite context information presence unit configured to store the pieces of unit contexts corresponding to the name of the composite context information and an instance value for identification of the application and, in response to the application being executed in the user terminal, use the pieces of unit contexts and the operation rule to the user terminal. |
| US08543579B2 |
Range query methods and apparatus
Range query techniques are disclosed for use in accordance with data stream processing systems. In one aspect of the invention, a technique is provided for indexing continual range queries for use in data stream processing. For example, a technique for use in processing a data stream comprises obtaining at least one range query to be associated with the data stream, and building a range query index based on the at least one range query using one or more virtual constructs such that the query index is adaptive to one or more changes in a distribution of range query sizes. The step/operation of building the range query index may further comprise building the range query index such that the range query index accommodates one or more changes in query positions outside a monitoring area of the at least one range query. In another aspect of the invention, a technique is provided for incrementally processing continual range queries against moving objects. For example, a technique for evaluating one and more continual range queries over one and more moving objects comprises maintaining a query index with one and more containment-encoded virtual constructs associated with the one and more continual range queries over the one and more moving objects, and incrementally evaluating the one or more continual range queries using the query index. |
| US08543578B2 |
Method and system for automatically identifying related content to an electronic text
The exemplary embodiments provide methods and systems for automatically identifying content related to an electronic text. Aspects of exemplary embodiments include linking topic categories, psychological states, demographic profiles, and additional content using one or more databases; in response to receiving content of an electronic text, analyzing by a software component executing on a computer the content and assigning one or more of topic categories to the content; automatically identifying at least one the psychological states of a user caused by the content and the demographic profiles whose members would be interested in the content that are linked to the one or more topic categories assigned to the content; and presenting a portion of the additional content that is linked to at least one of the identified demographic profiles and the psychological states. |
| US08543575B2 |
System for browsing through a music catalog using correlation metrics of a knowledge base of mediasets
A system and method to navigate through a media item catalog and generate recommendations using behavioral metrics such as correlation metrics (FIGS. 1,2) from a knowledge base (400) of mediasets (FIG. 4, 1-7). One implementation uses a knowledge base comprising a collection of mediasets such as groupings of selected video items. Various metrics (Metric 1-Metric m) among media items (m1 . . . ) are considered by analyzing how the media items are grouped to form the sets in the knowledge base (400). Such metrics preferably are stored in a matrix (100) that allows the system to dynamically build appropriate navigation lists (FIG. 3) from media items that a user selects (FIG. 5). |
| US08543574B2 |
Partial-matching for web searches
An efficient manner of performing an M-out-of-N partial matching search of indexed documents (e.g., web pages) is provided herein. More particularly, indexed words are arranged into a global location space (GLS), providing for respective occurrences of words in indexed documents being searched to have continuous locations on a one-dimensional GLS. Documents within the GLS are separated by end of document word marking boundaries between consecutive documents. The query words are then separated into an active set, comprising the left-most query words, and a non-active set. A partial matching operator transverses the GLS, applying active geometric constraints, in a sequential manner, to words in the active set. This causes shifting of the active set along the GLS to comprise M left-most query words. If a document satisfies constraints associated with M words in an active set, the document comprises at least M-out-of-N words. |
| US08543570B1 |
Adaptive user interface for real-time search relevance feedback
A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether. |
| US08543568B2 |
Data entry management
A data entry management system includes computer executable instructions tangibly embodied on non-transitory media. The data entry management system includes a processing logic which may control a display area. The processing logic may determine a display area content. The display area content may include one of a working context search screen, a search screen, a data entry help screen, and a single-dimensional selector screen. The processing logic may determine which of the working context search screen, the search screen, the data entry help screen, and the single-dimensional selector screen to display in display area based on a profile. |
| US08543566B2 |
System and methods of improving a multi-tenant database query using contextual knowledge about non-homogeneously distributed tenant data
A query optimizing system and methods employ contextual knowledge about the types and use of data and/or applications in tables underlying a relational database to provide improved queries and/or make recommendations to a query optimizer of a database based upon knowledge of the data and/or application gathered. A multi-tenant database, in which querying is conducted on multiple tenant data stored in a single table, provides for determining tenant-level statistics, data sharing, user/tenant views, user-level access/capacities, custom entities, custom fields and/or other contextual information about users and tenants, and for providing query optimization and/or query optimizer recommendations corresponding to such information. |
| US08543563B1 |
Domain adaptation for query translation
A translation system and method suited to use in Cross Language Information Retrieval employ a retrieval-based scoring function for reranking candidate translations. The method includes translating an input source language query to generate a set of the candidate translations in a target language. The candidate translations are scored with the scoring function, which allows them to be reranked, and an optimal one or more selected for use in querying a domain-specific collection of documents in the target language. The scoring function applies weights to features extracted from the candidate translations. The weights have been learned on features extracted from translated queries, each generated by translation of an original query into the target language, and a measure of information retrieval performance of each the translated queries. One or more of the features used is a domain-specific feature which relies on a corpus of documents in the domain of interest. |
| US08543561B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing search engine with cost per action revenue model
The inventive technology enables the search engine operator to charge the advertisers who place their links on the search engine only if the user uses the search results to visit the advertiser's web portal(s) and generates revenue for the advertiser. This concept is especially attractive to the advertisers because it eliminates the risk, which the advertisers face in conventional search engines, when they are changed by the search engine per user click irrespectively of whether the user's visit resulted in advertiser's revenue. |
| US08543559B2 |
Network system and communication device
A network system includes a first communication device, a second communication device and a keyword database. The first communication device includes a first input device and a first search device. The first input device allows a user to input a keyword. The first search device is capable of carrying out a first search process that includes sending the keyword input to the first input device to a search engine and receiving a search result. The keyword database stores the keyword used for the first search process. The second communication device is composed separately from the first communication device. The second communication device includes a keyword acquisition device and a second search device. The keyword acquisition device is capable of acquiring the keyword from the keyword database. The second search device is capable of carrying out a second search process that includes sending the keyword acquired by the keyword acquisition device to a search engine and receiving a search result. |
| US08543555B2 |
Dictionary for data deduplication
Mechanisms are provided for efficiently improving a dictionary used for data deduplication. Dictionaries are used to hold hash key and location pairs for deduplicated data. Strong hash keys prevent collisions but weak hash keys are more computation and storage efficient. Mechanisms are provided to use both a weak hash key and a strong hash key. Weak hash keys and corresponding location pairs are stored in an improved dictionary while strong hash keys are maintained with the deduplicated data itself. The need for having uniqueness from a strong hash function is balanced with the deduplication dictionary space savings from a weak hash function. |
| US08543553B2 |
Method, computer program and device for deleting data sets contained in a data list from a table system
A method for deleting data sets contained in a data list from a table system comprises the following steps, said steps being carried out for all data sets of said data list: reading one data set; checking whether said read data set has a specified property; if said data set has said specified property: deleting said data set in said first table; and substituting the contents of said data set in said second table by a blank data set. Furthermore, there is provided a computer program product and a device. |
| US08543549B2 |
Normalizing data on database restore
Techniques for normalizing a database as part of a database restore. Embodiments may receive a database restore request indicating a previous state to restore a database to. Responsive to the request, embodiments may restore the database to the previous state using backup data associated with the previous state, and normalize the restored database using historical database usage data based on one or more previous database operations. |
| US08543548B2 |
Hierarchical management storage system and storage system operating method
The storage system eliminates inconsistency between a stub, and a file data storage location indicated by the stub. In a storage system that executes HSM using stubs, information relating to a higher tier, which is a data migration source, is recorded during data migration. The stub in the higher tier is correctly restored using the higher-tier information thus recorded. The stub is restored, and inconsistency between information in the HSM layers is resolved. |
| US08543547B1 |
Distributed computer system snapshots and instantiation thereof
Distributed computer systems prepare and instantiate snapshots by processing sets of nodes representing computer resources that are portions of a larger system. A user may choose to prepare or instantiate a snapshot containing all or only a portion of the data within the distributed computer system, such as a template of the distributed computer system. A template snapshot may be available in an electronic marketplace for other users to purchase and instantiate into a replica of the distributed computer system. |
| US08543546B2 |
Semantic replication
Replicating data in a distributed database having a plurality of nodes is disclosed. Replicating includes receiving a semantic command at a local version of the database at a node, interpreting the semantic command, and applying the semantic command to the local version of the database. |
| US08543545B2 |
Minimizing replication search on failover
A method, system, and program product are provided for minimizing replication when a new server is replicated with. A replication application for a client computer having a replica of a database thereon is executed by a processor in a computer to receive for a replication service comprising a plurality of servers containing replicas of the database, an indication of each healthy server in the replication service and a determined period of time within which replication is assured to have been completed for each healthy server. The replication application updates a replication history after successful completion of each replication by adding an entry comprising an identification for the server replicated with and a timestamp for the time of replication and by adding an entry for each other healthy server in the replication service containing an identification for the respective server and an imputed timestamp adjusted for the determined period of time. |
| US08543544B2 |
Checkpoint based progressive backup
Methods, program products, and systems for checkpoint based progressive backup are described. When a system receives a request to update a page of a storage device storing database files of a database, the system can update the page and replicate the updated page in a shadow page in a backup queue. The backup queue can store multiple shadow pages, where each updated page can correspond to at most a specified number of shadow pages in the queue. Each shadow page can be associated with a timestamp of a latest update. At pre-specified temporal checkpoints, the system can write the shadow pages in the queue to a backup file in the order of the timestamps. Upon receiving a restoration request, the system can restore the database to a state as of the time of the checkpoint using the backup file. |
| US08543541B2 |
Preventing transfer and duplication of redundantly referenced objects across nodes of an application system
Unique identifiers referred to as “keys” are generated for objects stored on each node. When a container object including at least one embedded object is transferred from a sending node to a receiving node, the sending node sends the key uniquely identifying the embedded object to the receiving node to determine whether the embedded object is already stored on the receiving node. If the receiving node indicates that the embedded object is already stored at the receiving node, then the sending node determines that the embedded object does not need to be sent to the receiving node. In that case, if the embedded object has not been sent, the sending node does not send the embedded object. If the sending node has already started sending the embedded object, then the sending node terminates sending of the embedded object. |
| US08543532B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a co-creation platform
An approach is provided for providing a co-creation platform. A co-creation application extracts tags from a plurality of information sources reflecting the expertise of a user. The co-creation application creates a model of the user's expertise by applying a probabilistic analysis on the extracted tags. The co-creation application collects assignment information including at least one or more specified areas of expertise, and matches the model of the user's expertise against the specified areas of expertise. |
| US08543529B2 |
Content selection based on consumer interactions
In some embodiments, there is provided a technique for detecting a consumer's skipping habits at a given time and determining the consumer's current preferences based at least in part on those skipping habits. Skipping habits are determined by detecting which content is skipped (or not skipped) during presentation of content. Skipping habits, indicating trends in the consumer's consuming or skipping of content, that are detected during presentation of content may be used to determine a consumer's current preferences. Selection of content for presentation may be based on current preferences of the consumer. In this way, a consumer's interactions with the content, including the consumer's skipping habits, can be used to alter a selection of content to be presented to the consumer. |
| US08543528B2 |
Exploitation of transition rule sharing based on short state tags to improve the storage efficiency
A mechanism is provided with an address generator that is operative to receive a current state vector and a current input value, and the address generator is operative to generate a memory address corresponding to a transition rule in response to the current state vector and the current input value. A transition rule memory includes a memory addresses, and the memory address is a location in the transition rule memory. The transition rule is a transition rule vector that includes a short state tag field. The short state tag field includes fewer bits than the current state vector. |
| US08543527B2 |
Method and system for implementing definable actions
A method and system is provided for use in business intelligence and reporting. The method and system are able to implement one or more definable actions when presented with data. The data may be produced by a business intelligence application. The actions may relate to activities performed by a user or an agent. The system comprises an action manager, a repository, a data association manager and an implementation engine. In one embodiment a data mining engine is provided. The system enables the availability of an action in response to the execution of analytic queries to be determined based on a relationship defined by the data association manager. If an action is available, an action definition is used to invoke a target in response to selection of the action by an entity, the invocation of the target including propagating data produced by an analytic engine into the target based on metadata to perform the action. |
| US08543522B2 |
Automatic rule discovery from large-scale datasets to detect payment card fraud using classifiers
A set of payment card transactions including a sparse set of fraudulent transactions is normalized, such that continuously valued literals in each of the set of transactions are transformed to discrete literals. The normalized transactions are used to train a classifier, such as a neural network, such that the classifier is trained to classify transactions as fraudulent or genuine. The fraudulent transactions in the set of payment card transactions are clustered to form a set of prototype transactions. Each of the discrete literals in each of the prototype transactions is expanded using sensitivity analysis using the trained classifier as an oracle, and a rule for identifying fraudulent transactions is generated for each prototype transaction based on the transaction's respective expanded literals. |
| US08543521B2 |
Supervised re-ranking for visual search
Supervised re-ranking for visual search may include re-ordering images that are returned in response to a text-based image search by exploiting visual information included in the images. In one example, supervised re-ranking for visual search may include receiving a textual query, obtaining an initial ranking result including a plurality of images corresponding to the textual query, and representing the textual query by a visual context of the plurality of images. A query-independent re-ranking model may be trained based on visual re-ranking features of the plurality of images of the textual query in accordance with a supervised training algorithm. |
| US08543520B2 |
Navigation system with single pass clustering based template generation mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: extracting navigation-related web documents having a point of interest; generating formatting sequences of the navigation-related web documents; selecting a user-defined percentile representing reciprocal fraction of an expected number of clusters; calculating a threshold value for a first cluster with the threshold value to be equal to the user-defined percentile of a first normalized distribution of sample comparison values between the first cluster and formatting sequence samples from the formatting sequences, the first cluster is from the clusters; computing an associated comparison value between a first formatting sequence from the formatting sequences and the first cluster; grouping the first formatting sequence with the first cluster when the associated comparison value exceeds the threshold value for the first cluster; and generating a travel route for the point of interest related to the first cluster for displaying on a device. |
| US08543518B2 |
Deducing shadow user profiles for ad campaigns
A method and a system are provided for deducing shadow user profile attributes for ad campaigns aimed at target users. In one example, the system extracts tagged data from source data. The tagged data includes label information associated with an actual profile for a user. The tagged data is associated with the user. The system prepares the tagged data by splitting the tagged data into datasets, including at least training data and test data. The system generates one or more individual models based on the tagged data, wherein the one or more individual models provide the ability to deduce attributes of a profile for the user. The system then generates a composite model based on the individual models. The composite model includes a combination of the individual models that are associated with the user. The system may charge a premium for ad campaigns that are aimed at target users who are each assigned one or more shadow profile attribute values. The system may determine the premium based on the confidence level with which the one or more attribute values fits to the one or more users. The system is applicable to both display advertising and sponsored search advertising. |
| US08543510B2 |
Pre-sale data broadcast system and method
In one embodiment, a method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). Upon the presentation of an original product for purchase by a consumer at a POS terminal, various manufacturers may decide to offer a substitute product to the consumer, prior to completing the purchase of the original product. If the customer accepts the offer, the point of sale terminal completes the sale of the substitute product. |
| US08543506B2 |
System and method for delivering financial services
A delivery system and method allow a financial institution to provide financial services to a plurality of remote devices. The system is comprised of a set of re-usable global components which are modular and are organized into services sets. The system and method operate in sessions and, for instance, employ a dialog component for gathering information from a customer, a rule broker component for providing answers to the various legal and regulatory rules in a particular country, a language man component for selecting appropriate language, a transaction executor component for performing transactions, and a presentation manager component for formatting outputs to the customer. The system and method provide state-of-the art interfaces that can be configured and delivered to the customer in a globally consistent format that is based on the customer's account profile, various languages, various currencies, different legal regulatory requirements, as well as, different sets of business products. |
| US08543505B2 |
Method of providing lumens and tracking of lumen consumption
Techniques are disclosed for compensating an LED light fixture/light source provider for generation of photons by one or more LED light fixtures used by a customer. In one example, a method comprises receiving a monetary amount as compensation for photons generated by the LED light fixtures/light sources, maintaining a contractual relationship with the customer in exchange for the monetary amount, the contractual relationship including a requirement that the provider pay an electricity supplier for the electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources, determining, with a meter associated with each respective LED light fixture/light source, the amount of electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources used by the customer over a period of time, and in response to the determination and on behalf of the customer, submitting payment to the customer's electricity supplier for the electricity consumed by the LED light fixtures/light sources used by the customer. |
| US08543501B2 |
Systems and methods for capturing and processing payment coupon information
Embodiments of the invention may provide systems and methods for capturing and processing payment coupon information. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an image representing a payment coupon from a payer and determining an identity of a biller associated with the payment coupon from the image. It may then be determined that no payment coupon metadata for obtaining one or more fields from the payment coupon is stored in association with the biller. The method may then include requesting a respective set of one or more field indicators representing at least an approximate size or an approximate location for one or more fields within the image. Upon receipt, the field indicators for the fields within the image are stored as the payment coupon metadata in association with the biller. |
| US08543499B2 |
Reducing risks related to check verification
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide scores that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. Share of wallet scores can be used as a parameter for determining whether or not to accept and/or guarantee a check. The share of wallet can be used to calculate a risk value of a customer. For example, the scores can weight one or more factors related to the check writer and differentiate between a low-risk customer and a high-risk customer. |
| US08543496B2 |
User experience on mobile phone
A method of operating a mobile phone as a financial transaction instrument is provided. Security features, which can disable the mobile phone so as to prevent account information from being transmitted, incorporate transaction limits and the use of a personal identification number. |
| US08543493B2 |
Systems and methods for recalling a previously sold product
In accordance with some embodiments, a unit of product is sold by a seller to a buyer at a first price and subject to a recall upon acceptance of a buyout provision. It is then determined that a buyout condition for outputting to the buyer a buyout notification has been satisfied, the buyout notification based on the buyout provision and the buyout notification is output to the buyer, informing the buyer that the seller is interested in recalling the unit of the product and requesting the buyer to define an amount of value for which the buyer is willing to surrender the unit of product (a recall payment amount). If the seller accepts the recall payment amount, the seller recalls the unit of product in exchange for providing the buyer with the recall payment amount. |
| US08543492B2 |
System and method for displaying market information and order placement in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for displaying a trading screen and placing an order in an electronic trading environment. The system and method may be used to assist a trader in selecting an item of interest, such as the inside market (best bid and best ask) to be displayed relative to a user configured location on the trading screen, such as the center of the trading screen. In a preferred embodiment, the inside market will stay located relative to center of the trading screen and the price levels associated to the inside market will move as the market conditions fluctuate. Other features and advantages are described herein. |
| US08543489B2 |
System and method for computing and displaying effective bid and ask information
Software at a trading station receives a data feed from an electronic exchange and computes an effective bid price and/or an effective ask price based on a particular quantity to trade. Then, the effective bid price and/or effective ask prices are indicated to the user. An effective bid price is an average price at which a quantity could be sold based on current market conditions. An effective ask price is an average price at which a quantity could be bought based on current market conditions. Depending on the available quantities in the market, the effective prices may represent spreads different from the actual spread of the inside market. Additionally, a derivative of price, such as yield, may be used to compute other types of effective bid and/or ask information. |
| US08543486B2 |
Method and system for the protection of broker and investor relationships, accounts and transactions
A computer based method and system for advanced scenario based alert generation and processing is presented, with the specific ability to broker and investor activities that put either at risk. Advanced scenarios that describe such broker and investor activities are specifically defined. By applying these scenarios to transactional data from a variety of financial institutions, broker and investor activities causing unacceptable amounts of risk can be detected on an automated basis. |
| US08543482B2 |
System and method for preventing cross trading
Information regarding the current state in the market is used to prevent orders from crossing. In an example provided herein, when an order is entered into a market, information regarding current positions in the market is taken into account to determine whether the order will cross with other orders. If the orders would cross, appropriate action is taken to prevent the crossing of orders in a way suitable for the person or persons trading. The teachings described herein may be used for any reason to prevent orders from crossing. Moreover, they may be used in other areas of trading to assist the trader in obeying any other rule or regulation that might involve analyzing current positions in the market before taking action. |
| US08543480B2 |
Logistics-exposure management integration for commodity price risks
A message may be used to update computing system of a commodity transaction. The message may include a commodity identifier, a date term, a quantity term, and a price term. The price term may include a formula arrangement or reference to a formula arrangement for calculating a fractional exposure of the entity to the commodity on each date in which an event affecting commodity transaction occurs. Each of these fractional exposures may be calculated for each commodity transaction and stored as separate entries in a data structure. The entries may then be updated, queried, and/or reorganized to generate an exposure position. |
| US08543474B2 |
Method, communication apparatus and system for handling a recharge service
Methods and systems for handling a recharge service and communication apparatuses thereof are disclosed. The method includes receiving a recharge service request; checking whether an abnormal recharge log includes a recharge card ID and whether a recharging process has been successfully performed via a recharge card associated with the recharge card ID; requesting a voucher center to authenticate the recharge card associated with the recharge card ID so that the voucher center may recharge, after the recharge card passes the authentication, the user account via the recharge card if the recharge card ID carried in the recharge service request is not contained in the abnormal recharge log, or a recharging process has not been successfully performed via the recharge card associated with the recharge card ID carried in the recharge service request. |
| US08543472B2 |
Network data exchange method and network server
An exemplary network data exchange method includes the steps of: receiving a commodity browsing request containing a requester network address from a network; finding out a camera corresponding to the commodity browsing request; obtaining a control right or an access right of the camera; using the camera to capture the commodity according to a received camera operating request and obtaining videos or images of the commodity; and sending the videos or the images to the requester network address by the network. A network server is also provided in the present disclosure. The present disclosure may effectively improve the operation efficiency of an online shopping system as well as the efficiency and the accuracy of online shopping by utilizing the online shopping system by users, and promotes the consumption. |
| US08543471B2 |
System and method for securely accessing a wirelessly advertised service
In one embodiment, a method includes sending by an endpoint a request for information about available services to a network device; receiving by the endpoint a message from the network device, the message including information associated with a first service provider; determining by the endpoint whether the first address is certified by a trusted third party as being associated with the first service provider; if the first address is certified by the trusted third party, communicating by the endpoint with the first service provider using the information; and, in response to communicating with the first service provider using the information, receiving by the endpoint access to a service from the first service provider through the network device. |
| US08543470B2 |
System and method for targeting limited-time offer based on likelihood of acceptance and selecting transmission media based on customer interest
System and method for availability based on limited-time offerings and transactions. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method that, based on a set of known preferences and historic transactions with customers, culls from a customer database those customers most likely to close a transaction in a short time. The selected customers are notified of the offer, and the system processes the customers responses in a timely manner, and thus allow fleeting inventories to be sold off before they expire. |
| US08543469B2 |
Systems and methods for improving the liquidity and distribution network for luxury and other illiquid items
Systems and methods for improving the liquidity and distribution network for luxury and other illiquid items are provided. These systems and methods preferably include the trading of futures and options contracts, which will provide the liquidity and distribution network for luxury items. Possible embodiments of these systems and methods include the trading of futures and options contracts for diamonds and wine. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes generating indexes for diamond prices, wine prices, luxury item prices, housing values, mortgage prepayments, privately-held companies or for anything with from sufficiently liquid points of value. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes a centralized data base for retrieving closing and current auction prices for determining the value of, and best method for the auctioning of various items. The data provided by this data base would improve liquidity by creating greater price transparency. |
| US08543468B2 |
Bidding to receive data after a consumer is in a zone
An announcement distributor distributes, or auctions an opportunity to distribute, an announcement to an announcement recipient such as a consumer, issuer, merchant, or acquirer within a payment processing system. The announcement when there has been a satisfaction of an announcement condition, such as the consumer being determined to be located within a predetermined spatial zone. The content of the announcement may, in turn, facilitate a subsequent cashless transaction for resources of merchants. Implementations describe various permutations of the content of the announcement, the announcement condition, and the announcement recipient. |
| US08543467B2 |
Wireless communication device and method for use therewith
An image of at least one object (14) is captured. An object class selection is received from a menu (70) of a plurality of object classes. At least one task menu specific to the object class selection is provided. A task selection is received from the at least one task menu. A task associated with the at least one object (14) is facilitated based on the image and the task selection. |
| US08543466B1 |
On-demand digital assets hosting service
A system provides on-demand digital assets hosting services to one or more users. The system receives a user selection of a digital representation (e.g., a digital image) of a digital asset, where the digital representation of the digital asset can be divided into multiple pixel blocks and the each pixel block represents a portion of the digital representation for purchase or donation. The system then tracks user's zoom level of the digital representation while the user browses the digital representation. Based on the zoom level, the method dynamically generates a zoomed version of the digital representation. Responsive to user selecting a pixel block of the digital representation and size of the pixel block, the system calculates the number of pixels contained in the selected pixel block, displays the selected pixel block and prepares the user to check out the purchase of the selected pixel block. |
| US08543465B2 |
Method and software product for personalized meeting and relationship establishing
A method, software product and card for personal online/offline meeting. The method includes the steps of an initiator developing a profile/account with a central organization; the central organization providing the initiator with a number of cards on which are printed at least a website designation and a code; the initiator giving a card to at least one recipient; the recipient going to the website designated on the card; the recipient entering the code at the designated website; the recipient being given access to the initiator's profile with the central organization; and the recipient sending the initiator a message through the designated website. |
| US08543464B2 |
Computer readable medium for outputting information, and information processor and image forming device using the same
A computer readable medium has computer readable instructions stored thereon. The instructions, when executed by a processor communicable with an image forming device, cause the processor to perform the steps of transmitting, to a first server connected with the processor via a network, a request for supply of an expendable item for the image forming device, acquiring a first identification for identifying the expendable item to be supplied via the first server, which first identification is transmitted by the first server in response to the request, storing the first identification acquired, onto a database, acquiring a second identification for identifying an expendable item attached to the image forming device, determining whether the second identification acquired is identical to a first identification stored on the database, and outputting first information when it is determined that the second identification is different from any first identification stored on the database. |
| US08543460B2 |
Serving ad requests using user generated photo ads
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a computer server obtains and stores user-created photo advertisements. Each of the user-created photo advertisements is generated based on a corresponding photo ad template having one or more photo wells such that filler images of one or more participants are inserted into the one or more photo wells. For each user-created photo advertisement, the one or more participants include at least a user by which the photo advertisement was created. In addition, the computer server effects use of the stored user-created photo advertisements as sponsored advertisements. |
| US08543456B2 |
Media targeting system and method
A media targeting system and method uses visual pattern recognition techniques in association with consumer transactions as the basis for building a targeting database, which is then later used for automated consumer identification and targeted advertising purposes. The invention solves the problem of generating a large scale, robust media targeting database without relying on active or passive participation by consumers. Also disclosed are other demographics estimation systems and methods which facilitate less expensive media targeting capabilities which can be used in conjunction with the more robust transaction associated method disclosed. |
| US08543454B2 |
Generating audience response metrics and ratings from social interest in time-based media
Social media content items are mapped to relevant time-based media events. These mappings are used as the basis for calculating metrics based upon the mappings, and ratings of the time-based media there from. Audience response metrics (ARMs) are calculated from the mappings, which provide an indication of audience engagement or response. In addition, ARMs provide information about the virality, depth, and breadth of the response by the viewing audience. The calculated metrics are stored and are used to generate ratings for the time-based media. The ratings may be published in whole or in part, e.g., as part of a ratings system. |
| US08543453B1 |
Publication evaluation
A publication evaluation subsystem generates publication scores for publications. Each publication score is indicative of an expected performance for content that is presented with the publication. The publication scores are generated relative to a baseline performance measure. The baseline performance measure has a value that is indicative of an expected performance of any selected content presented with any publication in the content network. More than one publication score can be generated for each publication, with each publication score being indicative of the performance of a sub-group of content items that are presented with the publication. The sub-group of content items can include content items that each share a common characteristic. For example, a publication score can be generated for a sub-group of content items that are associated with common targeting criteria (e.g., keywords). |
| US08543448B2 |
Partitioning product features
Apparatus, systems, and methods operate to partition a product feature set into a set of included features and a set of feature upselling candidates determined by a corresponding set of decision variables. The decision variables can be determined, in turn, by maximizing a profit function comprising a sum of first mathematical products (each product including profit, probability of sale, and a decision variable) over the product feature set, subject to the condition that a sum of second mathematical products (each product including feature utility and a decision variable) over the product feature set is less than or equal to the utility of the product feature set combined with a base product, minus the utility of a competing product. Operations may include designating an initial sales product configuration as a combination of a base product and the set of included features. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08543446B2 |
Methods and apparatus to predict new product performance metrics
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to predict new product performance metrics. An example disclosed method includes selecting a product hierarchy tree based on a distribution measure for a new product, identifying a segment location of the product hierarchy tree for the new product, retrieving a relationship matrix associated with the segment location of the product hierarchy tree, the relationship matrix comprising available product performance coefficients and attribute information, identifying a spatial location for the new product in the relationship matrix based on the attribute information, calculating, using a programmed processor, an impact parameter based on the spatial location within the relationship matrix, and calculating the performance metric for the new product based on the impact parameter and a channel sales value. |
| US08543438B1 |
Labor resource utilization method and apparatus
A method and apparatus that assesses the importance of projects in a portfolio of projects and allocates labor resources to multiple concurrent projects is provided. The method includes specifying clear project schedules that are readily testable for various projects and using labor categories for project schedule tasks requiring labor resources. The present design determines each project team member's productivity for each supported labor category and allocates project team members to the project tasks on a periodic basis such that the most important project tasks receive the most productive available project team members for each project's specified labor categories. |
| US08543436B2 |
Dynamic workflow architectures for loan processing
Systems and methods are provided for processing loan applications in dynamic workflows. In a preferred embodiment, a system calls an activity engine with a top-level activity for processing a work-item, e.g., a loan application. The activity engine decomposes the top-level activity into child activities and lower-level child activities, and recursively calls itself to process the child activities until all constituent child activities have been preformed, thus performing the original top-level activity. In the preferred embodiment, each activity, work-item, user, event and role has associated rules, wherein an event represents a change in state of an activity and a role represents a class of users of the system having shared attributes. The evaluation of the associated rules dynamically creates the flow of activities, thereby creating a dynamic workflow. |
| US08543435B2 |
Method for controlling at least one applications process and corresponding computer program product
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling at least one application process comprising a plurality of application services, which are executed in an application environment in order to provide a service. One such method includes steps enabling a globally asynchronous implementation of the aforementioned application services without generating a timeout in relation to a client that requested the implementation of said application process. |
| US08543431B2 |
Automation of auditing claims
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for automation of auditing claims. Data indicative of a vehicle make and model is received, the data comprising one or more make fields and one or more model fields. The one or more model fields are prepared for translation. The one or more make fields are prepared for translation by applying one or more rules from the plurality of rules. Each field of the one or more make fields is associated with one or more make model entries from a plurality of predetermined make model entries. Each field of the one or more model fields is associated with one or more make model entries from the plurality of predetermined make model entries. The data is automatically translated into one or more vehicle identifiers based on the associated make model entries. |
| US08543429B1 |
Method of providing malpractice insurance
A method of providing insurance (including professional malpractice liability insurance) to consumers against unfavorable outcomes resulting from services, methods of rating risks associated with services, and a method of reducing the risk of unfavorable outcomes. In the first preferred embodiment, a policy limit is chosen by a patient (or other consumer), a premium based on the policy limit is paid by the patient, and if malpractice is committed by a health care provider (or other professional), the consumer is compensated up to the amount of the policy limit. The consumer signs an agreement that the liability of the service provider for malpractice will not exceed the policy limit. Risk factors are evaluated for the consumer, the doctor, hospital or other service provider, and the procedures that are to be performed, and are used to determine the amount of the premium, taking into account the policy limit chosen by the consumer. |
| US08543424B2 |
Vehicle insurance status display system
A Vehicle Insurance Status Display System (VISDS) method and system of providing readily perceivable access to selected key information regarding the insurance status of a vehicle. The VISDS provides an at least partially symbolized representation of the germane informational content of a vehicle owner's manner of insuring that vehicle in accordance with the relevant laws of the relevant jurisdiction that the vehicle is registered in. The at least partially symbolized representation is prepared in the form of a display for exhibiting on the vehicle. The manners of symbolizing utilize perception facilitating modes to enhance the readiness of perception of the selected key information, and in particular the germane informational content of the insurance status date for that vehicle, which is the date through which the vehicle is properly insured. |
| US08543419B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing an information storage management system
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a policy-based information storage management system for digital assets are provided. The storage management system includes multiple physical storage subsystems, each with deterministic storage characteristics. A method includes receiving a data item related to a subject and looking up a record for the subject. The record identifies corresponding digital assets that are stored in the storage subsystems. The method also includes applying a policy to the corresponding digital assets based upon the data item. The method further includes determining a subset of the digital assets in the record that are relevant to the data item. The relevance determination is made in response to application of the policy. The method also includes migrating the relevant digital assets to at least one designated storage subsystem, based upon corresponding storage characteristics, for expediting access to the relevant digital assets. |
| US08543418B1 |
Distribution of infusion pumps
Some embodiments described herein provide for a number of portable infusion pumps to be distributed to a pump user via a pharmacy system or like. |
| US08543415B2 |
Mobile medical device image and series navigation
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for mobile access to clinical information. Certain embodiments provide a mobile medical computing device system. The system includes a mobile medical computing device providing for display of, interaction with, and manipulation of medical images and patient data, the mobile medical computing device in communication with a clinical information system to exchange clinical content related to the medical images and patient data. |
| US08543414B2 |
Medical question contents automatic selection system
A medical question contents automatic selection system for automatically selecting medical questions allocated to a patient from the medical questionnaire made by a medical professional. The medical question contents automatic selection system compares the correct answer rate threshold of the medical questions preset by the medical professional with the correct answer rate of the questions to the patient so as to estimate the educational level of the patient about health, compares the vital sign measurement value threshold preset by the medical professional with the vital sign measurement value of the patient so as to estimate the condition level of the patient, and automatically selects medical questions allocated to the patient depending on the educational level and the condition level of the patient. The medical question contents automatic selection system can allocate medical questions to the patient depending on the educational level of the patient about health and disorder condition level of the patient without troubling the medical professional. |
| US08543411B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs at the point of retail sale
A system including capabilities for identifying, authenticating and/or tracking pharmaceutical drugs contained in a package from the point of manufacture to the point of retail sale or dispensing. One embodiment utilizes radio frequency (RFID) tags imbedded into the packaging, the RFID tags containing information identifying at least the package to the manufacturer of the package. A computer system uses an encryption algorithm to produce a machine readable indicia affixed to the packaging after the contents are sealed. Thereafter, various systems can read the RFID tag and the encrypted data at various points in the supply chain and may initiate a query to a manufacturer's database to determine whether the packaging and encrypted data match values stored in the database. This can be used in part to verify the authenticity of the package as well as indicate other functions affecting the sale of the package or dispensing the contents. |
| US08543402B1 |
Speaker segmentation in noisy conversational speech
System and methods for robust multiple speaker segmentation in noisy conversational speech are presented. Robust voice activity detection is applied to detect temporal speech events. In order to get robust speech features and detect speech events in a noisy environment, a noise reduction algorithm is applied, using noise tracking. After noise reduction and voice activity detection, the incoming audio/speech is initially labeled as speech segments or silence segments. With no prior knowledge of the number of speakers, the system identifies one reliable speech segment near the beginning of the conversational speech and extracts speech features with a short latency, then learns a statistical model from the selected speech segment. This initial statistical model is used to identify the succeeding speech segments in a conversation. The statistical model is also continuously adapted and expanded with newly identified speech segments that match well to the model. The speech segments with low likelihoods are labeled with a second speaker ID, and a statistical model is learned from them. At the same time, these two trained speaker models are also updated/adapted once a reliable speech segment is identified. If a speech segment does not match well to the two speaker models, the speech segment is temporarily labeled as an outlier or as originating from a third speaker. This procedure is then applied recursively as needed when there are more than two speakers in a conversation. |
| US08543397B1 |
Mobile device voice activation
A mobile computerized device receives an indication of a first user input comprising a button actuation to initiate a push-to-talk voice search. The device receives from the user a spoken search phrase comprising one or more search terms, and receives an indication of a second user input comprising releasing the actuated button which indicates that the user has finished speaking the search phrase. The mobile device generates a search query using the one or more search terms in the spoken search phrase, responsive to receiving the second user input.In a further example, the computerized mobile device displays one or more likely text search phrases derived from the spoken search phrase via voice-to-text conversion, receives a user input indicating which of the likely text search phrases is an intended search phrase, and uses the intended search phrase as the one or more search terms used in generating the search query. |
| US08543390B2 |
Multi-channel periodic signal enhancement system
A multi-channel signal enhancement system reinforces signal content and improves the signal-to-noise ratio of a multi-channel signal. The system detects, tracks, and reinforces non-stationary periodic signal components of a multi-channel signal. The periodic signal components of the signal may represent vowel sounds or other voiced sounds. The system may detect, track, or attenuate quasi-stationary signal components in the multi-channel signal. |
| US08543389B2 |
Coding/decoding of digital audio signals
The invention relates to the coding/decoding of a signal into several sub-bands, in which at least a first and a second sub-bands which are adjacent are transform coded (601, 602). In particular, in order to apply a perceptual weighting, in the transformed domain, to at least the second sub-band, the method comprises:—determining at least one frequency masking threshold (606) to be applied on the second sub-band; and normalizing said masking threshold in order to provide a spectral continuity between the above-mentioned first and second sub-bands. An advantageous application of the invention involves a perceptual weighting of the high-frequency band in the TDAC transform coding of a hierarchical encoder according to standard G.729.1. |
| US08543388B2 |
Efficient speech stream conversion
Speech frames of a first speech coding scheme are utilized as speech frames of a second speech coding scheme, where the speech coding schemes use similar core compression schemes for the speech frames, preferably bit stream compatible. An occurrence of a state mismatch in an energy parameter between the first speech coding scheme and the second speech coding scheme is identified, preferably either by determining an occurrence of a predetermined speech evolution, such as a speech type transition, e.g. an onset of speech following a period of speech inactivity, or by tentative decoding of the energy parameter in the two encoding schemes followed by a comparison. Subsequently, the energy parameter in at least one frame of the second speech coding scheme following the occurrence of the state mismatch is adjusted. The present invention also presents transcoders and communications systems providing such transcoding functionality. |
| US08543387B2 |
Estimating pitch by modeling audio as a weighted mixture of tone models for harmonic structures
Disclosed herein is a pitch estimation apparatus and associated methods for estimating a fundamental frequency of an audio signal from a fundamental frequency probability density function by modeling the audio signal as a weighted mixture of a plurality of tone models corresponding respectively to harmonic structures of individual fundamental frequencies, so that the fundamental frequency probability density function of the audio signal is given as a distribution of respective weights of the plurality of the tone models. |
| US08543383B2 |
Systems and methods for generating weighted finite-state automata representing grammars
A context-free grammar can be represented by a weighted finite-state transducer. This representation can be used to efficiently compile that grammar into a weighted finite-state automaton that accepts the strings allowed by the grammar with the corresponding weights. The rules of a context-free grammar are input. A finite-state automaton is generated from the input rules. Strongly connected components of the finite-state automaton are identified. An automaton is generated for each strongly connected component. A topology that defines a number of states, and that uses active ones of the non-terminal symbols of the context-free grammar as the labels between those states, is defined. The topology is expanded by replacing a transition, and its beginning and end states, with the automaton that includes, as a state, the symbol used as the label on that transition. The topology can be fully expanded or dynamically expanded as required to recognize a particular input string. |
| US08543382B2 |
Method and system for diacritizing arabic language text
The present invention provides a method and system for diacritizing a text. The method includes analyzing the text to determine whether the text require one or more diacritical marks of a set of diacritical marks. The text includes a plurality of characters associated with an Arabic language. Thereafter, the text is processed for identifying diacritical marks for each character of the plurality of characters. Subsequently, the diacritical marks of the set of diacritical marks are applied on each character of the plurality of characters based on a context associated with the text to obtain a diacritized Arabic text. |
| US08543379B1 |
System and method for parsing a text buffer using a graphical user interface
Systems, methods, apparatus and software can provide a graphical user interface for parsing text to create expressions. The expressions can be used to validate other text and/or to filter text. The user interface can display the subject text, and if appropriate, render a graphical view of the text based on the text, e.g., render a web page. |
| US08543377B2 |
Using linguistically-aware variables in computer-generated text
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for placing linguistically-aware variables in computer-generated text. During operation, the system receives a sentence at a computer system, wherein the sentence comprises two or more words. Next, the system analyzes the sentence to identify a first variable, wherein the first variable is a place-holder for a first word. The system then receives the first word. After that, the system automatically determines a gender of the first word. Next, the system analyzes the sentence to identify a first dependent word that is dependent on the first word, wherein a spelling of the first dependent word is dependent on the gender of the first word. The system then determines the spelling of the first dependent word that corresponds to the gender of the first word. Next, the system replaces the first variable in the sentence with the first word. If necessary, the system modifies the spelling of the first dependent word in the sentence to match the gender of the first word. Finally, the system outputs the sentence. |
| US08543376B2 |
Apparatus and method for decoding using joint tokenization and translation
Disclosed are a joint decoding apparatus and a joint decoding method that joins a tokenization process and a translation process. More particularly, the present disclosure can generate all available candidate tokens, reduce translation errors, and obtain an optimal translation result by jointly conducting a decoding by simultaneously conducting the tokenization process and the translation process for an input character sequence while decoding. |
| US08543373B2 |
System for compiling word usage frequencies
A system for assisting a user who is learning a language to prioritize words to be learned in order of usage frequency is disclosed. A frequency determination program running on a computer determines the frequency of usage of each word at a list of locations provided by the user. Different algorithms to identify what constitutes a word are employed depending upon the language of the source data. The total number of words at each location and their usage frequency found during the user session, along with a total number of words and their usage frequency for all user sessions performed regardless of location, are calculated and made available to the user. The user can view usage frequencies for words from a single location, a group of locations, or all user sessions performed. |
| US08543370B2 |
Multiple PLC simulation system
A multiple programmable logic controller (PLC) simulation system is provided. The multiple PLC simulation system includes a plurality of personal computers (PCs), each being configured to comprise a different software PLC which is one of a plurality of PLCs implemented as software in an effort to verify a plurality of PLC codes that generate a PLC input signal and a PLC output signal for controlling lines and equipment of an automated manufacturing system; and a simulation device configured to be connected to a plurality of the PCs over a network, and to perform simulation for verification of a plurality of the PLC codes using an input/output model and a graphic model where the input/output model defines as discrete events operation states of the lines and the equipment which are controlled according to the PLC output signals received from a plurality of the software PLCs and PLC input signals in accordance with the operation states, and the graphic model represents graphically motion change of the lines and the equipment in accordance with a change of operation states using pieces of motion graphic data of the lines and the equipment which correspond to the operation states and the graphic model generates PLC input signals including information on the motion change of the lines and the equipment. |
| US08543367B1 |
Simulation with dynamic run-time accuracy adjustment
Systems and methods for simulation with dynamic run-time accuracy adjustment. In one embodiment, a first portion of a sequence of software instruction is simulated by a first simulation model, during a simulation. During the same simulation, a second portion of the sequence is simulated by a second simulation model. State information may be transferred from the first simulation model to the second simulation model. A change from simulating the first portion of a sequence of software instructions by the first simulation model to simulating the second portion of the sequence by the second simulation model may be made responsive to a computer-based determination of an advantage obtained by the change. |
| US08543366B2 |
Simulating real-time software components based on logical execution time
A system for simulating a real-time system using a block-oriented simulation with a static block-update order comprises: a clock providing a time base; a first task function block with a task release block, a task execution block, a task termination block, and a delay block; a first trigger block that triggers the task release block at a first time; and a second trigger block that triggers the task termination block at a third time. The task execution block calculates an output value dependent on an input value. The task release block receives input data from a data source and sets the input value. The task termination block provides the output value to a data sink. The first or second trigger function block triggers the task execution block at a second time provided by the clock. The delay block is arranged between the task release and task termination blocks. |
| US08543364B2 |
Method for optimizing well production in reservoirs having flow barriers
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for optimizing hydrocarbon recovery from subsurface formations, including subsurface formations having bottom water or edgewater. A system and method can be configured to receive data indicative of by-pass oil areas in the subsurface formation from reservoir simulation, identify flow barriers in the subsurface formation based on the by-pass oil areas identified by the reservoir simulation, and predict the lateral extension of the identified flow barriers in the subsurface formation. Infill horizontal wells can be placed at areas of the subsurface formation relative to the flow barriers such that production from a horizontal well in the subsurface formation optimizes hydrocarbon recovery. |
| US08543359B2 |
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to characterize applications
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to characterize applications are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes collecting resource utilization trace data from the two or more applications simultaneously running on one or more computational devices, determining an intrinsic dimensionality of the collected trace data, the intrinsic dimensionality representing a number of predominate features that substantially characterize the trace data, and characterizing each application's workload based on the determined intrinsic dimensionality. |
| US08543356B2 |
Low cost multi-channel data acquisition system
Embodiments of the present invention provide an inexpensive and fast pulse characterization platform capable of real time operation, suitable for acquisition of single-photon data. Embodiments of the present invention include both a digital multi-channel data acquisition instrument and an analog pulse acquisition instrument suitable for a wide range of applications in physics laboratories. An FPGA performs multi-channel acquisition in real time, time stamps single events, and determines if the events fit a predetermined signature, which causes the events to be categorized as a coincidence. The indications of coincidences are then communicated to a host computer for further processing as desired. |
| US08543355B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus checking method and storage medium
A substrate processing apparatus checking method that can simply and reliably check the transient response characteristics of a substrate processing apparatus. An analyzing apparatus reads and analyzes process data comprised of time-series data on a plurality of parameters relating to a process comprised of a plurality of steps carried out on a substrate by the substrate processing apparatus. The analyzing apparatus extracts data that satisfies predetermined extracting conditions from the process data, and analyzes the extracted data based on predetermined analyzing conditions. |
| US08543350B2 |
Synthetic vibration isolation system for freefall gravimeter
A gravimeter is disclosed that comprises a base, a reference device coupled to the base and configured to move along a first axis, a falling device configured to free fall from a first position to a second position on a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, a measurement module coupled to the reference device and configured to provide a first signal of the displacement of the reference device relative to the base and provide a second signal of the displacement of the falling device relative to the reference device. A processing unit accepts the first and second signals and computes a displacement of the falling device in inertial space by processing the first and second signals and subtracting the processed first signal from the processed second signal. |
| US08543347B2 |
Self-correcting electronic sensor
A temperature sensing circuit is described providing a low power temperature sensing system. The temperature sensing circuit provides a digital method for determining the temperature by analyzing the change in electrical response characteristics of a circuit device. |
| US08543345B1 |
Electrochemical potentiostat employing smart electrodes
The present invention is directed to an electrochemical tool consisting of a potentiostat and user replaceable sensors and/or electrodes accompanied by an electronic memory that contains information that directs the potentiostat operation. The potentiostat is designed to operate with sensors employing a user customizable sensor and/or electrode memory. The customizable memory allows storing of information from a user and/or manufacturer related to a unique sensor identifier, calibration information, and/or an operational sequence to be employed by the potentiostat to properly operate the sensor and/or electrodes. A further aspect is to provide an electrode with pre-programmed electrode attributes. |
| US08543343B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining energy savings by using a baseline energy use model that incorporates an artificial intelligence algorithm
A computer-based system, computer-implemented method, and computer program product facilitate determining energy cost savings in an energy-consuming facility, such as a commercial building, using an artificial intelligence model, for example a neural network model, that projects or estimates the amount of energy that would have been consumed by the facility but for the implementation of energy efficiency or conservation measures. Energy savings are represented by the difference between the estimate of energy that would have been consumed but for the measures and the actual amount of energy consumed by the facility under actual conditions during a time interval after the measures have been implemented. |
| US08543340B2 |
Self-adjusting electrochemical sensor
A gas detector with a compensated electrochemical sensor exhibits altered sensitivity in response to decreasing stochastic noise in an output thereof. A gain parameter can be adjusted to alter sensitivity. A life-time estimate can be made based on sensitivity. |
| US08543338B2 |
System and method for performing computerized simulations for image-guided procedures using a patient specific model
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of performing computerized simulations of image-guided procedures. The method may include producing a digital image-based model of an anatomical structure based on medical image data, producing, based on the image-based model and extrapolated data, an extended model that represents the anatomical structure and adjacent anatomical regions not included in the medical image data, displaying a graphical representation of the extended model and performing a computerized simulation of an image-guided procedure using the extended model. |
| US08543336B2 |
Distributed measurement of mud temperature
A method for estimating a temperature within sub-surface materials traversed by a wellbore includes: obtaining temperature data from a plurality of measurements of temperature taken within the wellbore; calculating an overall heat transfer coefficient from the measurement data; calculating a geothermal gradient from the overall heat transfer coefficient; and using the geothermal gradient to estimate the temperature within the sub-surface materials. A system and a computer program product are provided. |
| US08543333B2 |
Method, system, apparatus and computer-readable medium for browsing spot information
A method, a system, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for browsing spot information, adapted to an electronic device, are provided. In the present method, a plurality of spot information are retrieved, in which each of the spot information at least comprises a picture and a location of a spot. Next, an electronic map is displayed and a spot marker is marked at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map. Meanwhile, a spot browsing bar is displayed on a side of the electronic map and the spot pictures of the spot information are sequentially displayed in the spot browsing bar. When a select operation of a certain spot marker on the electronic map is received, the spot browsing bar is scrolled to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. |
| US08543330B2 |
Driver assist system for vehicle
A driver assist system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior field of view relative to the vehicle, and a video display operable to display image data captured by the camera and viewable by the driver of the vehicle. The driver assist system is operable to detect objects present in the exterior field of view of the camera. The driver assist system is operable to provide a display intensity of displayed image data of at least about 200 candelas/sq. meter for viewing by the driver. The driver assist system is operable to provide a visual alert and an audible alert responsive to detection of an object exterior of the vehicle. The visual alert includes electronically generated indicia that overlay displayed image data and that at least one of (i) indicate distance to a detected object and (ii) highlight a detected object. |
| US08543329B2 |
Positioning apparatus and positioning method
An apparatus includes a display displaying a first map representing a position of the apparatus obtained as a result of a first positioning, and further displaying a second map representing the position of the apparatus and being obtained as a result of a second positioning which is started before displaying the first map, the second map being displayed without responding to a request for displaying the position of the apparatus obtained as a result of the second positioning. |
| US08543328B2 |
Method and system for calculating an energy efficient route
A method and system for calculating an energy efficient route is disclosed. A route calculation application calculates one or more routes from an origin to a destination. For each of the routes, the route calculation application uses segment cost data associated with each segment in the route. The segment cost is calculated by adjusting an energy consumption value by subtracting a bias term for each segment with known slope data. The bias term causes segment costs associated with segments having a slope that can be traveled with typical efficiency, a zero slope, and an unknown slope to be substantially the same. The bias term also causes the segment cost associated with a segment with a slope that can be traveled efficiently to be less than the segment cost associated with a segment with unknown slope, and the segment cost associated with a segment with a slope that causes inefficient travel to be greater than the segment cost associated with a segment with unknown slope. |
| US08543327B2 |
Intelligent navigation device and method
The invention discloses an intelligent navigation method comprising the following steps of: (a) defining a system circle based on a current position and a target position; (b) searching a plurality of paths between the current position and the target position from the system circle; (c) for each path, calculating a total of directional paths and a total of path-influenced factors; (d) summing up the total of directional paths and the total of path-influenced factors for each path to obtain a plurality of summations; and (e) selecting a path corresponding to the minimum of all summations to be the optimal path. |
| US08543322B1 |
Methods for determination of optimum sequence for automated activation of onboard aircraft weight and balance system
A system and method for the determination for automated initiation of onboard aircraft weight and balance measurement systems. The system is used in monitoring, measuring, computing and displaying the weight and balance of aircraft utilizing telescopic landing gear struts. Pressure sensors, axle deflection sensors, and/or linkage rotation sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear struts to monitor, measure and record strut and aircraft movement and rates of said movement experienced by landing gear struts, as the aircraft proceeds through typical ground and flight operations. Also, acceleration sensors and GPS can be used to monitor aircraft movements and positions during ground and flight operations. The system and method identify the position of the aircraft as related to airport ground operations to determine the optimum time to initiate an aircraft weight and balance measurement. |
| US08543321B2 |
Method for forecasting the evolution of the magnitude of a data for a vehicle journey
The magnitude (Y) of a data associated to a journey of an automotive vehicle is expressed by a function (f) of at least one input parameter (x). This method includes at least the steps of: a) defining a first model (ft=0) of the function; b) running the vehicle on a reference trip, the input parameter (x, m, p) and the magnitude (Y) being measured (YM, xM) during or at the end of the reference trip; c) computing a value (YC) of the magnitude by using the first model (ft=0) of the function (f) and the value of the parameter (xM) measured at step b); d) comparing the values (YM, YC) of the magnitude at said time; and e) adjusting the function (ft=1) in a way corresponding to the reduction of the difference between the measured value (YM) and the computed value (YC). |
| US08543317B2 |
Method for managing the relative humidity in the air path of an internal combustion engine equipped with a low pressure EGR system
A method is provided for estimating the relative humidity in an intake line of an internal combustion engine provided with an intake manifold connected to the intake line, an exhaust line, and a Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit which fluidly connects the exhaust line to a connecting point of said intake line. The method includes, but is not limited to calculating specific humidity in the exhaust line, as a function of the O2 concentration in said exhaust line; determining ambient specific humidity; calculating specific humidity in a portion of the intake line comprised between said connecting point and said intake manifold, as a function of a flow of external air entering into said intake line, a flow of exhaust gases coming from said Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit, the specific humidity in said exhaust line and the ambient specific humidity; calculating the relative humidity in said portion of the intake line, as a function of the specific humidity thereof. |
| US08543310B2 |
Method and device for assisting a lane change of a vehicle
A method for operating an automatic speed control system of an automotive vehicle. Initially, in a normal follow mode, a setpoint distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle is set to a first value d1, and a setpoint vehicle acceleration is into a first value a1. Upon detection of an intention of the vehicle driver to overtake the preceding vehicle (such as switching on a turn indicator), the setpoint distance is reset to a second value d2 that is smaller than d1. The setpoint acceleration may be reset to a second value a2 greater than a1 simultaneously, or the second value a2 may be set upon detection of initiation of a lane change into an overtaking lane (such as turning a steering wheel). The method assists the driver during the execution of an overtaking process, and a safer, more comfortable and free-flowing sequence of the overtaking process is ensured. |
| US08543309B2 |
ACC and AM braking range variable based on lateral and longitudinal position of forward vehicle and curvature of road
When employing an adaptive cruise-with-braking (ACB) system to control host vehicle braking reaction distance, a following distance limit shape (FDLS) is defined using a lateral offset function, and a lateral offset of a forward vehicle is detected and analyzed. If the vehicle has a lateral offset greater than a lateral offset defined by the lateral offset function, deceleration requests from an engine controller are limited to requesting deceleration by an engine retarder and/or a dethrottling module. If the lateral offset of the forward vehicle is less than a lateral offset defined by the lateral offset function, foundation brakes may be requested. In other embodiments, road curvature is determined, and a braking reaction distance is reduced when the radius of curvature is smaller than a threshold curvature, in order to reduce false positive braking reactions triggered by, e.g., a forward vehicle on an exit ramp while the host vehicle remains on the highway. |
| US08543308B2 |
Systems and methods for communicating optimal driving information
Systems and methods for communicating optimal driving information through a vehicle display of a vehicle are configured to control position of an actual speed indicator along a scalar element of a display as a function of an actual speed of the vehicle; determine, in response to an actual acceleration of the vehicle, an optimal acceleration for changing vehicle speed; and control position of an optimal speed indicator along the scalar element as a function of the determined optimal acceleration. |
| US08543305B2 |
Method and device for assessing the compatability of braking systems of a vehicle combination
A method and a device for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination comprising a tractor and a trailer determine applied braking power (Wa) for a braking process of the trailer, and a required braking power for the braking process (Wb) of the trailer. |
| US08543303B2 |
Anti-rollback control system for hybrid and conventional powertrain vehicles
The present invention provides an anti-rollback control system for use in a motor vehicle, having a powertrain which includes an ICE and/or an electric motor, and an automatic or automated transmission system, for preventing undesired rolling of said vehicle on an incline. Said anti-rollback control system comprises: a tilt sensor; a sensor that detects the selected transmission's operating mode; operator-independent accelerator pedal position-adjusting device; and an accelerator pedal control module. The control module receives signals from the sensors, process said signals, and send instructions accordingly to said operator-independent accelerator pedal position-adjusting device to move the accelerator pedal to a predetermined position according to which the vehicle's powertrain generates a preset amount of mechanical power sufficient to create a force, in the intended direction of movement of the vehicle, equivalent to, or bigger than, the gravitational force tending to roll the vehicle in an unwanted direction. |
| US08543302B2 |
Gear shift control apparatus for automatic transmission and gear shift control method for automatic transmission
A gear shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes: a gear-shift-state-determining unit for determining the presence or absence of a gear-shift-determination of the automatic transmission; a gear-shift-time-estimating unit, when there is the gear-shift-determination, for estimating gear-shift-completion-time since the present gear is shifted to another gear and, after that, further shifted to the present gear; a fuel-consumption-estimating unit for estimating a first fuel consumption in the case where the vehicle drives for the gear-shift-completion-time in the present gear and a second fuel consumption in the case where the present gear is shifted to another gear and, after that, further shifted to the present gear; and a fuel-consumption-determining unit for determining validity of the gear shift on the basis of fuel consumptions. A gear-shift-control unit changes the determination of shifting to another gear at the time of the gear-shift-determination in accordance with a determination result of the fuel-consumption-determining unit. |
| US08543297B2 |
Method of limiting a closing force of a motorized opening
A method of limiting a closing force of a motorized opening on a sealing line of a motor vehicle includes the step of calculating the closing force at each instant in a displacement of the opening while closing. The closing force is calculated by a difference between a force applied to the opening when an edge of the opening is situated in an area of or squashes the sealing line and a force applied to the opening just before the edge of the opening penetrates into the area of or squashes the sealing line. The method further includes the step of stopping an electric motor driving the opening when the closing force reaches a constant predetermined value. The closing force can be limited regardless of the climatic conditions or the operating conditions of the motor vehicle. |
| US08543293B2 |
Route guidance apparatus, route guidance method, and computer program
Route guidance apparatuses, methods, and programs determine a guidance intersection in front of a movable body in a direction of travel along a navigation route. The apparatuses, methods, and programs acquire a shape of the guidance intersection, determine an exit road on which the movable body leaves the guidance intersection, and determine whether the determined exit road is one of a plurality of roads connected to the guidance intersection that exist in an area extending in the same direction as the determined exit road. When the determined road is one of the plurality of roads that exist in the area extending in the same direction as the exit road, the apparatuses, methods, and programs associate each of the plurality of roads with an identification information item usable to identify a connecting relationship with the guidance intersection, and provide guidance using the identification information item associated with the exit road. |
| US08543287B2 |
System, method and computer program for simulating vehicle energy use
A system, method and computer program for simulating vehicle energy use is provided. The system comprises a server, an energy modeling tool is linked to a server and generates energy consumption data that provides an energy consumption function of a vehicle under consideration. The data logging tool is linked to test vehicles and collects drive cycle data from real-world driving conditions. The data logging tool then communicates the drive cycle data to the server over a network. The fleet management tool is also linked to the server and combines the energy consumption data with the drive cycle data to estimate the energy use of a vehicle under consideration. |
| US08543286B2 |
Vehicle hardware integrity analysis systems and methods
A method includes: receiving classification data for a hazard associated with a system of a vehicle, the classification data indicating a classification of the hazard under standard 26262 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO); receiving fault tree data for a fault tree of the hazard; analyzing the fault tree data using a fault tree analysis (FTA) application; identifying a minimal cut-set for the hazard; retrieving standards data for the hazard based on the classification of the hazard, the standards data indicating a minimum value for minimal cut-sets under the 26262 standard; comparing a number of elements in the minimal cut-set with the minimum value; and indicating whether the minimal cut-set complies with the 26262 standard based on the comparison. |
| US08543285B2 |
Multilane vehicle information capture system
A system and method for accurate express tolling of highway vehicles. A multilane tolling system comprises a tolling (MVIC) unit that collects information from tolling subsystems arranged to take various vehicle measurements. Preferably, an intelligent vehicle identification subsystem sends vehicle information to the MVIC unit many times per second. Preferably, a vision tracking system (VTS) communicates with the MVIC unit and sends the latter information about the vehicle position using vision tracking sensors. Preferably, an RF subsystem conducts multiple reads of a transponder on a passing vehicle and forwards the read information to the MVIC unit. Preferably, a vehicle image capture unit (VICU) captures images of the passing vehicle when a camera in the VICU receives a trigger from the MVIC unit. Preferably, a driver alert module is used alert a driver passing through a tolling point as to account balance associated with a silent toll tag or pay by plate system. |
| US08543280B2 |
Collaborative multi-agent vehicle fault diagnostic system and associated methodology
A control unit executes a first agent of a first subsystem of a vehicle, the first agent including a fault detection agent and a communication agent. The fault detection agent monitors performance data of the first subsystem to identify a problem in the first subsystem, stores first candidate fault diagnosis processes corresponding to the first subsystem in a first memory, and searches for a fault diagnosis process which identifies a fault causing the problem in the first subsystem from among the first candidate fault diagnosis processes. The communication agent collaborates with a second agent when a search by the fault detection agent fails to find the fault diagnosis process which identifies the fault. The collaboration includes searching a second memory which stores second candidate fault diagnosis processes, sending the monitored performance data to the second agent, and exchanging search result data between the first and second agents. |
| US08543278B2 |
Operating device and method for trailer vehicles
An operating device for trailer vehicles includes an operating element for performing a control function of the trailer vehicle and a display for displaying control information corresponding to the control function. |
| US08543271B2 |
Power supply system for electrically powered vehicle, and method for controlling the same
A power supply system includes a main power storage device and a plurality of sub power storage devices. A converter is connected to selected one of the sub power storage devices to convert voltage between the selected sub power storage device and an electric power feeding line bidirectionally. When a request for switching the selected sub power storage device in use is generated, upper limits on electric power input/output to/from the selected sub power storage device are continuously varied. Thus, discontinuous variation of electric power input/output to/from the power supply system during the process for switching the selected sub power storage device can be avoided. Consequently, sudden change in a behavior of an electrically powered vehicle can be avoided. |
| US08543268B2 |
Cumulative lateral slide indication
A method for determining the cumulative lateral slip of a towboat or combination barge tow/towboat. The method comprises providing two positional sensor instruments mounted at either end of a combination barge tow, each positional sensor capable of determining its geographical location from radio transmissions from, e.g., GPS satellites. The velocities of each positional sensor, both parallel and lateral (perpendicular) to the bearing of the barge tow, are determined. The cumulative sum of the absolute differences of the lateral velocities of the two positional sensors over time is calculated, stored and displayed by a microcomputer. |
| US08543267B2 |
System and method for merging meteorological data predicted and measured on an aircraft
The invention consists in merging together the predicted and measured meteorological data to supply them to the flight prediction calculation system so as to smooth the discontinuities brought about in the prior art by the simple update which is carried out. This merging is advantageously done by linear weighting of the data, the weighting coefficient depending upon the positioning in vertical and horizontal distances between the predicted point and the aeroplane in relation to chosen thresholds. |
| US08543266B2 |
Modified Kalman filter for generation of attitude error corrections
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are described herein for using a modified Kalman filter to generate attitude error corrections. Attitude measurements are received from primary and secondary attitude sensors of a satellite or other spacecraft. Attitude error correction values for the attitude measurements from the primary attitude sensors are calculated based on the attitude measurements from the secondary attitude sensors using expanded equations derived for a subset of a plurality of block sub-matrices partitioned from the matrices of a Kalman filter, with the remaining of the plurality of block sub-matrices being pre-calculated and programmed into a flight computer of the spacecraft. The propagation of covariance is accomplished via a single step execution of the method irrespective of the secondary attitude sensor measurement period. |
| US08543265B2 |
Systems and methods for unmanned aerial vehicle navigation
Systems and methods for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation are presented. In a preferred embodiment, a UAV is configured with at least one flight corridor and flight path, and a first UAV flight plan is calculated. During operation of the first UAV flight plan, the UAV visually detects an obstacle, and calculates a second UAV flight plan to avoid the obstacle. Furthermore, during operation of either the first or the second UAV flight plan, the UAV acoustically detects an unknown aircraft, and calculates a third UAV flight plan to avoid the unknown aircraft. Additionally, the UAV may calculate a new flight plan based on other input, such as information received from a ground control station. |
| US08543263B2 |
Distributed avionics
A distributed avionics system arranged in an aerial vehicle for controlling at least one avionics function. A plurality of avionics processing subsystems are interconnected in a network. Each avionics processing subsystem includes a processor arranged to process at least one task so as to provide a set of data messages including at least one unit of data related to controlling the at least one avionics function on basis of provided input data, related to conditions of the at least one avionics function. A memory module is in operative connection with the processor and is arranged to store instructions for the processor to process the at least one task. At least one of the avionics processing subsystems is arranged to transmit at least one synchronization cycle start signal onto the network. |
| US08543258B2 |
Valuation and simulation of required navigation performance
A method for illustrating potential benefits resulting from revised navigation procedures to a customer is described. The method includes preparing a model for a revised navigation procedure, determining a landing probability for both an existing minimum separation procedure and a minimum separation determined utilizing the revised navigation procedure, calculating a benefit associated with a difference in the landing probabilities, and validating the revised navigation procedures through demonstration and use of the revised navigation procedure model on a computer-based flight simulation program. |
| US08543255B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling an unmanned vehicle
In one or more embodiments, an apparatus and method for operating an unmanned and autonomous vehicle includes a sensor management module configured to direct sensors as to what function they are to provide; a mission management module configured to provide execute function capabilities; an effects management module configured to provide launching and directing weapons to their target capabilities; a vehicle management module; a situation awareness management module configured to provide correlate sensor data of objects, threats, targets, geographic points of interest that the pilot requires in the immediate environment; a communications management module; an information management module configured to provide a database of intelligence-related data; a middleware module configured to interface with the sensor management module, the mission management module, the effects management module, the vehicle management module, the situation awareness management module, the communications management module, and the information management module. |
| US08543254B1 |
Vehicular imaging system and method for determining roadway width
A vehicular imaging system for determining roadway width includes an image sensor for capturing images and an image processor for receiving the captured images. The image processor determines roadway width by identifying roadway marker signs and oncoming traffic in processed images captured by the image sensor and determining the number of lanes, vehicle location on the roadway based on the roadway size and/or width and location of oncoming traffic. |
| US08543253B2 |
Transitioning a control system between changing state equations
A method of controlling a vehicle changing operating ranges from a first range to a second range includes defining a current set of state equations and a target set of state equations. The current set of state equations and the target set of state equations may each include a set of control state equations for controlling the vehicle and a set of estimator state equations for estimating the performance of the vehicle. The values of the current set of state equations are incrementally adjusted over time until substantially equal to values of the target set of state equations to smooth the requested change between the first range and the second range. |
| US08543250B2 |
Electric appliance and a control method thereof
An electric appliance and a control method thereof are disclosed. The electric appliance includes a communication device connected with a smart grid net to recognize electric power information including power-rate information for each time period, a sensing device configured to sense a predetermined operation mode and an operation state according to the operation mode, and a control device configured to implement power-saving operation based on the received electric power information and the state information sensed by the sensing device. |
| US08543249B2 |
Power management unit with modular sensor bus
In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system is provided for designing improved intelligent, LED-based lighting systems. The LED based lighting systems may include fixtures with one or more of rotatable LED light bars, integrated sensors, onboard intelligence to receive signals from the LED light bars and control the LED light bars, and a mesh network connectivity to other fixtures. |
| US08543248B2 |
System for managing energy at loads
According to one embodiment, an energy management system is provided, which has the DSM function of controlling energy loads. The system has a database and a load adjustment range prediction unit. The unit predicts a load adjustment range by using the history data stored in the database and outputs the load adjustment range thus predicted. |
| US08543246B2 |
Controlling distribution of electrical power
The present disclosure is concerned with controlling distributing of electrical power in a power distribution region. To effectively control the distribution of power in the distribution region, the substation of the region is provided with a distribution controller or Intelligent Substation Control System (ISCS). The distribution controller is connected to various process devices, which in turn are connected to primary devices of the region. The process devices send data corresponding to the primary devices to the distribution controller, and the distribution controller includes a processor which proposes a set of actions based on the received data. Further, the distribution controller includes a coordinating device which selects the final action from the set of proposed actions. The final action is implemented on the primary devices of the distribution region. |
| US08543244B2 |
Heating and cooling control methods and systems
A single controller interface (Smart-Stat) integrates the control of heating or cooling in buildings by simultaneously controlling Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in concert with separate fresh air ventilation (FAV) systems. The Smart-Stat reduces costs and the carbon footprint of typical HVAC systems by optimizing the use of FAV. User-programmable set-points are incorporated with time-of-day and day-of-week as well as data from multiple sensors, thermostats and weather information. Mathematical algorithms are used to determine control signals to the HVAC or FAV systems. The Smart-Stat integrates the two separate systems into a single system that is able to direct the call for cooling or heating to the HVAC or FAV systems, depending on appropriate outside weather conditions. Any building can replace its existing HVAC system controller with the Smart-Stat controller and incorporate a FAV system to create a single integrated HVAC and FAV system. |
| US08543240B2 |
Master finger tracking device and method of use in a minimally invasive surgical system
In a minimally invasive surgical system, a hand tracking system tracks a location of a sensor element mounted on part of a human hand. A system control parameter is generated based on the location of the part of the human hand. Operation of the minimally invasive surgical system is controlled using the system control parameter. Thus, the minimally invasive surgical system includes a hand tracking system. The hand tracking system tracks a location of part of a human hand. A controller coupled to the hand tracking system converts the location to a system control parameter, and injects into the minimally invasive surgical system a command based on the system control parameter. |
| US08543239B2 |
Robot control apparatus
A robot control apparatus includes: a joint angular velocity estimation unit (115) calculating a plurality of first joint angular accelerations in already executed control cycles by calculating a joint angular acceleration from a joint angle for each control cycle, and estimating a joint angular velocity in a still unexecuted control cycle from the first joint angular accelerations; a velocity determination unit (113) determining whether the estimated joint angular velocity exceeds a maximum velocity; and a suppression velocity calculation unit (114) calculating a suppression joint angular velocity in the still unexecuted control cycle from the estimated joint angular velocity. |
| US08543238B2 |
Method and apparatus for changing seed varieties at the row unit of a planter
A planting system for planting multiple seed varieties. The planting system includes a planter having a plurality of tanks and a plurality of row units. A plurality of seed meters are included in of the plurality of the row units. A seed transport belt is disposed below the plurality of seed meters to transport seed from each of the plurality of seed meters into a seed tube. Each of the plurality of seed meters is engaged and disengaged by a clutch, and the seed transport belt is disposed below the plurality of seed meters in an angled orientation. |
| US08543234B2 |
Method and software system for treatment planning and surgical guide CAD/CAM
A method and interactive computer system for dental implant treatment planning, surgical guide design and manufacturing. In the heart of the method is a fully associative workflow integrating image processing, treatment planning, surgical kit configuration and surgical guide CAD/CAM in one single computer system. In this workflow, any changes of image processing parameters and implant information in the earlier stage are automatically propagated to the downstream. This characteristic is referred as associativity. The software aspect of the system is built upon this concept and its corresponding data model. This invention also includes an image processing and geometric modeling approach that is characterized as design for manufacturability and applicability. The integration of treatment planning and surgical guide CAD is further on integrated with manufacturing equipment to constitute a complete CAD/CAM solution, which is also fully associative. |
| US08543233B2 |
Integrated packaging system architecture
A packaging system includes a packaging line comprising a filling machine for producing sealed packages containing food product and downstream distribution equipment connected by conveyors and each including a control system, a line controller for managing configuration, communication and control of the packaging line, a common overhead message display which displays visual information on the operation of the equipment, and a communication network for connecting the line controller to the equipment. The line controller includes a line configurator which reduces and secures effective line installation, start up and tuning at the manufacturing floor via “plug and play”, a line commander which optimizes line performance and product flows during production, a recipe manager which accommodates production flexibility by improving “easy to use” line resources and material, and a conveyor optimizer which optimizes product transportation along the conveyors. |
| US08543232B2 |
Spectral translation/folding in the subband domain
The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for improvement of High Frequency Reconstruction (HFR) techniques using frequency translation or folding or a combination thereof. The proposed invention is applicable to audio source coding systems. This is accomplished by means of frequency translation in the frequency domain with spectral envelope adjustment in the same domain. The proposed invention offers a low-complexity HFR method useful in speech and natural audio coding applications. |
| US08543226B2 |
Energy management system
Feedback is received from a plurality of devices. External data is also received. Statistical patterns of the plurality of devices are determined based on the feedback. A policy is determined based on the statistical patterns, the feedback, and the external data. The policy may include a set of rules dictating the operation of each of the plurality of devices and reducing energy consumption at the plurality of devices. Control data based on the policy is transmitted to the plurality of devices. The control data may be operative to transform the operation of the plurality of devices according to the set of rules. |
| US08543223B2 |
Implantable lead with braided conductors
A therapy delivery element adapted to be implanted into a living body. The therapy delivery element includes an electrode portion with a plurality of electrodes. At least one elongated lead body is attached to the electrode portion. The elongated lead body includes a stylet coil having a stylet coil lumen. The stylet coil extends within the elongated lead body and along at least a portion of the electrode portion. A conductor assembly with a plurality of insulated electrical conductors is braided to extending around the stylet coil and to electrically couple to one or more of the electrodes. The conductor assembly includes an inner lumen with a diameter greater than an outside diameter of the stylet coil. Axial elongation of the elongated lead body reduces the inner diameter of the conductor assembly. A low durometer insulator extends around the conductor assembly. A stylet sized to slide freely within the stylet coil lumen is provided for use during implantation of the therapy delivery element into the living body. |
| US08543218B2 |
Implantable pulse generator comprising MRI current limiting windings in header structure
In one embodiment, a pulse generator for generating electrical stimulation for delivery to a patient, comprises: a hermetically sealed housing containing pulse generating circuitry; a header coupled to the housing for receiving one or more stimulation leads, wherein feedthrough wires are provided to conduct electrical pulses from the pulse generating circuitry to the header; the header comprising a plurality of connectors for electrically connecting to each terminal of the one or more stimulation leads, wherein an inductive winding is disposed around or adjacent to each of the connector structures and is electrically connected between the respective connector structure and a corresponding feedthrough wire to limit MRI induced heating of a respective electrode of the one or more stimulation leads. |
| US08543216B2 |
Charging and communication system for a battery-powered microstimulator
A system and method are provided for both recharging and communicating with a stimulator having a rechargeable battery, which stimulator is implanted deeply in the body, in particular where the stimulator is a microstimulator, the system includes a base station and an external device, for instance a chair pad. The chair pad may contain an antenna/charging coil and a booster coil. The antenna/charging coil can be used for charging the rechargeable battery and also for communicating with the stimulator using frequency shift keying and on-off keying. The booster coil can be used to recharge a battery depleted to zero volts. The base station connected to the chair pad may be used to power the antenna/charging coil and the booster coil. |
| US08543211B2 |
Methods and apparatus for deep brain stimulation
The present invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for treating nerve disorders in the brain. An electrode is introduced into a patient's sinus cavity and an electrical impulse is applied to the electrode to modulate one or more target nerves in the brain to treat the disorder. In preferred embodiments, the electrode is positioned within a sinus cavity adjacent to or near the frontal cortex of the brain and the electrical signal is sufficient to modulate, stimulate and/or inhibit nerves within the frontal cortex. The electrode may be movable between a collapsed or compact configuration for introduction into the sinus cavity and an expanded configuration for contacting tissue within the sinus cavity to deliver the electrical impulse through the tissue to the target nerves in the brain. |
| US08543209B2 |
Secondary header for an implantable medical device incorporating an ISO DF4 connector and connector cavity and/or an IS4 connector and connector cavity
A secondary header for an active implantable medical device (AIMD) incorporates a secondary header plug configured for mating insertion into an AIMD ISO DF4 or IS4 connector cavity, a secondary header ISO DF4 or IS4 connector cavity, and at least one replacement lead connector cavity. The secondary header plug has four electrical contacts which correspond to four electrical contacts of the AIMD connector cavity. The secondary header connector cavity has less than four electrical contacts conductively coupled to the secondary header plug electrical contacts. The replacement lead connector cavity has at least one electrical contact conductively coupled to at least one electrical contact of the secondary header plug. An intermediate conformal section between the secondary header plug and a housing for the secondary header connector cavity places the secondary header connector cavity housing adjacent to an exterior surface of the AIMD. |
| US08543208B2 |
Systems and methods for interacting with an implantable medical device
An interactive implantable medical device system includes an implantable medical device and a network-enabled external device capable of bi-directional communication and interaction with the implantable medical device. The external device is programmed to interact with other similarly-enabled devices. The system facilitates improved patient care by eliminating unnecessary geographic limitations on implantable medical device interrogation and programming, and by allowing patients, physicians, and other users to access medical records, history, and information and to receive status and care-related alerts and messages anywhere there is access to a communications network. |
| US08543204B2 |
Timing pacing pulses in single chamber implantable cardiac pacemaker systems
Methods for timing pacing pulses in an implantable single chamber pacemaker create a simulated, or virtual chamber in order to apply dual chamber-type algorithms and modes. For example, a virtual atrium may be constructed based on information provided by the ventricle, that is, the timing of actual intrinsic ventricular events, and the timing of paced ventricular events, both of which may be sensed as ventricular depolarization by electrodes of the implanted system. |
| US08543202B2 |
Medical electrical stimulation with external simulated case electrode
This disclosure describes delivery of omnipolar electrical stimulation with an external electrical stimulator. Omnipolar electrical stimulation may involve stimulation with an electrode carried on the housing of an implantable medical device (IMD) while substantially simultaneously delivering stimulation via one or more implanted electrodes having the same polarity as the electrode on the housing. An external medical device (EMD) may simulate the IMD housing electrode with an electrode separate from the electrodes carried on leads implanted near target tissue. This electrode may be an external electrode carried on the external housing of the EMD or an external patch electrode. Alternatively, the electrode may be an implantable electrode coupled to the EMD. The conductivity of the external or implantable electrode may also be optimized to approximate the conductivity of the IMD housing electrode. This electrode coupled to the EMD may be utilized during trial stimulation or chronic, external, stimulation. |
| US08543201B2 |
Flat capacitor having staked foils and edge-connected connection members
A method of joining a connection member to a capacitor foil using a staking tool having a tip of less than 0.030″ (0.762 mm) in diameter. Another embodiment couples multiple connection members of a capacitor together by edge-connecting each connection member to its substantially flush neighboring connection members. In one aspect, a capacitor includes a multi-anode stack connected at a first weld by a weld joint less than 0.060″ (1.524 mm) in diameter and a tab attached to one of the anodes of the multi-anode stack at a second weld. In one aspect, an exemplary method joining one or more foils using a staking tool having a tip of less than approximately 0.060″ (1.524 mm) in diameter. In another aspect, a capacitor including a capacitor case having an electrolyte therein and a high formation voltage anode foil having a porous structure and located within the capacitor case. |
| US08543200B2 |
Methods to avoid frequency locking in a multi-channel neurostimulation system using pulse placement
A method and neurostimulation system for treating a patient are provided. A plurality of pulsed electrical waveforms are respectively delivered within a plurality of timing channels of the neurostimulation system, thereby treating the patient. Sets of stimulation pulses within the electrical waveforms that will potentially overlap temporally are predicted. Each of the potentially overlapping pulse sets is substituted with a replacement stimulation pulse, such that each replacement stimulation pulse is delivered within at least one of the respective timing channels, thereby preventing temporal overlap between the stimulation pulses of the respective electrical waveforms while preventing frequency locking between the timing channels. |
| US08543197B2 |
Portable device and method for measuring heart rate
A portable electronic device monitors the pulse or electrocardiogram of a person by integrated, attachable or wireless sensors. The portable device evaluates this data in real-time to assess heart rate variability coherence, and provide feedback through a variety of sounds and an array of LEDs. The feedback may be in the form of a breathing indicator or pacer usable as a respiratory cycle training system to indicate to the subject when the next breath should be taken. Such feedback may be correlated to the level of coherency the subject achieves. A coherence indicator may be used to provide the subject with real-time information relating to the level of coherence achieved. |
| US08543191B2 |
Method to acquire measurement data of a breathing examination subject by magnetic resonance technology, and associated computer program
A method for the acquisition of measurement data of a breathing examination subject by magnetic resonance includes the following steps: (a) detect the physiological breathing signal of the examination subject with a breathing signal detection unit, (b) evaluate the detected breathing signal in an evaluation unit, (c) based on the evaluated breathing signal, calculate in a computer at least one parameter affecting the type of acquisition of measurement data by means of magnetic resonance, (d) detect a current physiological breathing signal with the breathing signal detection unit, (e) compare the last detected breathing signals with at least one trigger condition, (f) initiate the acquisition of measurement data using the calculated parameter from step (c) upon satisfaction of the trigger conditions from step (e), (g) repeat the steps (d) through (f) until all desired measurement data have been acquired, and (h) store and/or process the acquired measurement data in a memory and/or processing unit. After the evaluation of the detected breathing signal, at least one parameter of a following acquisition of measurement data is thus determined automatically without an input by an operator of the MR apparatus in use being required. |
| US08543190B2 |
Inductive coil device on flexible substrate
A device includes a flexible substrate, N coiled conductors, and a plurality of folding regions. The N coiled conductors are deposited on the flexible substrate and connected in series by conductive interconnects. N is greater than 1. Each of the folding regions is defined by a separation distance between adjacent ones of the N coiled conductors. The conductive interconnects traverse the folding regions between the N coiled conductors to connect the N coiled conductors in series. The flexible substrate is folded such that the N coiled conductors form a stack of N coiled conductors. |
| US08543189B2 |
Method and apparatus for electromagnetic navigation of a magnetic stimulation probe
A system and method is disclosed that can be used to track and navigate an instrument relative to a patient. The system can include an electromagnetic tracking system to track an electromagnetic stimulation probe, such as a transcranial magnetic stimulation probe. The system can, according to various embodiments, provide a tracking device on the probe, track the coil of the probe, provide a field relative to the probe, and determine the position of the patient based upon the field produced by the probe. |
| US08543187B2 |
Non-contrast MRI signal acquisition
A first plurality of MR signals from a patient's tissue at respectively corresponding successive first time increments extending over a first time interval including a substantial majority of a subject's cardiac cycle is acquired and analyzed to define a second time interval, shorter than the first time interval, during the cardiac cycle whereat there is a relatively steep rise in signal magnitudes as a function of time (e.g., corresponding with systole and diastole events of the cardiac cycle). A second plurality of MR signals is then acquired from tissue of the patient at respectively corresponding successive second time increments during the second time interval, the second time increments being substantially shorter than said first time increments. Image data representing at least one contrast-free image of flowing fluid vessels is generated based on the second plurality of MR signals. |
| US08543177B2 |
Superconducting magnet systems
We describe a superconducting magnet system for generating a uniform magnetic field. The system has at least three magnets in two sets, a first of the sets comprising an oppositely disposed pair of superconducting magnets, a second of the sets comprising at least one further magnet. The further magnet is disposed such that there exists a 3D region in which a magnet field produced by the further magnet is substantially parallel to a magnetic field produced by the pair of superconducting magnets. One of the sets of magnets is configured to produce first, bulk component of the magnetic field in the 3D region and a second of the sets of magnets is configured to produce a correction to the bulk component of the magnetic field in the 3D region to reduce a non-uniformity of the bulk component of the magnetic field in the 3D region. |
| US08543173B2 |
Portable electronic device and wireless communication device
A control unit monitors a current value measured by a power control unit and a type of application program being executed, and executes a reset process or a power-off process when the current value measured by the power control unit exceeds a current threshold value corresponding to the type of application program currently being executed. |
| US08543169B1 |
Location based caller identification
Systems and methods are described herein for selectively displaying mobile caller identification (MCID) information for an incoming mobile telephone call on one or more display devices based on a location of the destination mobile device. A location of the destination mobile device can be compared to a display condition for one or more display devices. If the display condition is met for the given device, MCID information for the incoming call is provided to and displayed on the display device. The display condition can be based on the proximity of the mobile destination device and the display device. |
| US08543166B2 |
Mobile terminal equipped with flexible display and controlling method thereof
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal equipped with flexible display. The controller changes a screen displayed on the flexible display or controls the operation according to a bent part of the flexible display. |
| US08543163B2 |
Signal enhancer chip for radio frequency identification system and a signal enhancer
A signal enhancer chip for a radio frequency identification system and a signal enhancer are disclosed. The signal enhancer chip includes: a receiving circuit, a sending circuit and a power supply module. The receiving circuit comprises a demodulation amplification module and a digital quantizing module. The sending circuit comprises a logic control module and a modulation module. The demodulation amplification module is for amplifying and demodulating the received communication signal sent by a dual interface SIM card. The digital quantizing module converts an analog communication signal output from the demodulation amplification module to the digital communication signal. The logic control module processes the digital communication signal output from the digital quantizing module and generates a subsidiary carrier wave signal necessary for returning to a reader. The modulation module generates a communication signal to be sent according to the subsidiary carrier wave signal. The signal enhancer and chip, as the trunk device between the dual interface SIM card and the reader, can enhance the acknowledge signal of the dual interface SIM card and ensure the normal communication between the dual interface SIM card and the reader. |
| US08543160B2 |
System for antenna extension and method thereof
A system for antenna extension and a method adapted for antenna extension operation under a specific communication protocol are provided. The antenna extension system combines a handheld communication device with a base device, and determines if the total antenna number of the handheld communication device and the base device matches the standard antenna number of the specific communication protocol. If the total antenna number of the handheld communication device and the base device matches the standard antenna number of the specific communication protocol, the antenna extension system enables the antenna extension operation. |
| US08543159B2 |
Mobile phone
Disclosed herein is a mobile phone. In short, a mobile terminal of the present invention includes an actuator placed inside the camera module to shift a lens of the camera module toward an upper side of an optical axis direction when a forward current is applied and shift the lens toward a lower side of an optical axis direction when a reverse current is applied, a vibration control part placed outside of the camera module to output a first control signal and a second control signal when a signal from outside is input telling of operating in a vibration mode, a vibration motor part connected to the vibration control part to vibrate the mobile phone by driving a motor when the first control signal is input, and an actuator drive part connected to the vibration control part to apply the reverse current to the actuator when the second control signal is input. |
| US08543156B2 |
Interface authorization scheme
An authorization scheme controls whether an interface is established between communication nodes. Such a scheme may be used, for example, to determine whether to establish a direct interface (e.g., an X2 interface) between a pair of access points. A decision to establish a direct interface between nodes may be based on a node type of one or both of the nodes. A decision to establish a direct interface between nodes may be based on whether the nodes belong to the same group. |
| US08543154B2 |
Methods of reverse link power control
Methods of reverse link power control are provided. A first example method includes first adjusting OFDMA transmission power based on first feedback signals during an OFDMA transmission and second adjusting OFDMA transmission power based on second feedback signals during periods between OFDMA transmissions. A second example method includes sending first power adjustment indicators based on measured OFDMA SINRs when receiving OFDMA transmissions from a mobile station and sending second power adjustment indicators based on estimated OFDMA SINRs when not receiving OFDMA transmissions from the mobile station. A third example method includes receiving a plurality of interference indicating signals from different base stations and determining whether to adjust a maximum transmit power threshold based on the plurality of interference indicating signals, the maximum transmit power threshold indicating the maximum permitted transmission power level below which transmissions are constrained. |
| US08543150B2 |
Clustering method and communication device for coordinated multipoint transmission
A communication system performing a coordinated multipoint transmission is provided. A mobile station may measure expected channel quality information when an interference of a serving base station does not exist. The serving base station may determine whether a neighbor base station and the serving base station are eligible to perform the coordinated multipoint transmission. The serving base station may determine whether the neighbor base station and the serving base station are eligible to perform the coordinated multipoint transmission using a criterion associated with an evaluation of an increase in a transmission rate of the mobile station. |
| US08543149B2 |
Message-based approach for improved interference power estimation
A method of operating a base station comprising determining one or more time-frequency resources to be used for interference power estimation, generating a message indicating the one or more time-frequency resources to be used for interference power estimation, and transmitting the message to a subscriber station. |
| US08543148B2 |
Wireless assessment administration system and process
A wireless assessment system includes a plurality of response devices, including at least one plug-in device in signal communication with a subject computer station. The at least one plug-in device is configured to receive subject response data from the subject computer station. The at least one plug-in device has a computer-readable medium, a radio frequency transceiver, a plug-in device operating system, and logic. The plug-in device operating system is configured to block a subject from accessing an operating system of the subject computer station. The logic is configured to store the subject response data in the computer-readable medium. The logic is further configured to instruct radio frequency transceiver to wirelessly transmit the subject response data. The system further includes at least one base unit having a base unit radio frequency transceiver configured to receive the subject response data from the at least one plug-in device. |
| US08543147B2 |
Radio communication system, transmission system, radio terminal and radio communication method
A radio communication system (10A) has a transmission system (20A) and a radio terminal (300). The transmission system (20A) superimposes and transmits a delay stream (S1delay) and a communication stream (S1), and superimposes and transmits a delay stream (S2delay) having a different delay than the delay stream (S1delay) and a communication stream (S2). A transmission system (20A) notifies delay information (S1info) about the delay stream (S1delay) and delay information (S2info) about the delay stream (S2delay). The radio terminal (300) combines the communication stream (S1) and the delay stream (S1delay) in accordance with the notified delay information (S1info), and combines the communication stream (S2) and the delay stream (S2delay) in accordance with the notified delay information (S2info). |
| US08543146B2 |
Method and system for efficiently routing messages
Efficient routing of a message over a data network. A first communication device sends a message to a telemetry gateway or short message arbitrator. The telemetry gateway or short message arbitrator determines the communication protocol of the first communication device and the communication protocol of a second communication device. The telemetry gateway or short message arbitrator converts the message to a data format compatible with the second communication device, wherein the message is converted to one of at least three different communication protocols. The telemetry gateway or short message arbitrator then forwards the message for receipt by the second communication device. The telemetry gateway or short message arbitrator can convert and forward the message without completing a store and forward process. |
| US08543143B2 |
Method and apparatus for grouping points-of-interest according to area names
An approach is provided for crowd sourcing and grouping points-of-interest based on cell broadcast message information. Reception of a message from a mobile terminal is caused, at least in part. The message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network. The message is parsed to determine the point-of-interest information and the associated area name. A connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells is selectively updated with the point-of-interest information. |
| US08543142B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting message in a mobile communication system
An apparatus and a method for addressing inefficiency of radio resources in processing response messages of a multi-message transmitted are provided. The apparatus includes a controller for transmitting consecutive message data to a message server and controlling the sending of a message to the message server indicating reception of response messages after receiving the response messages in reply to the transmitted message data. |
| US08543139B2 |
Distributed network
Systems and methods for a distributed network are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes automatically transmitting a page message for a mobile station to access points in a paging group associated with a first access point, the page message having been received at the first access point, the first access point being associated with the most recent location update of the mobile station, and establishing a security agreement between the first access point and the other access points prior to receiving the page message. |
| US08543138B2 |
Multi-sector broadcast paging channel
Systems and methods are described that facilitate improving paging signal strength at or near sector perimeters in a wireless network region by transmitted identical paging waveforms simultaneously from all sectors in the region and permitting over-the-air signal aggregation to combine signal energy near sector perimeters. Waveforms can be modulated using an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing technique and can be simultaneously transmitted according to predefined transmission resources over a multi-sector broadcast paging channel reserved for such identical waveforms. Cyclic prefix can be added to the identical waveforms to mitigate problems associated with delay spread and/or time-of-arrival differences at or near sector perimeters. |
| US08543137B2 |
Method for providing location based services
The present invention relates to a method for providing location based services for a client in an infrastructure network. The network comprises at least one Home Subscriber Server, HSS, at least one Mobility Management Entity, MME, and at least one Gateway Mobile Location Centre, GMLC, for the client. The GMLC sending an UE location service response to the client based on a UE location service request received from the client. The network performs the steps of: (A) the GMLC continuously receives and stores event reports streamed from the MME(s), the reports comprising information about the MME identity and identities for UE(s) served by said MME; (B) the GMLC determines the identity of a serving MME for the UE in the UE location service request on the basis of the information in the event reports. |
| US08543136B2 |
Device and method of estimating location of terminal using sequences transmitted from base stations
A terminal receives a unique sequence from each of at least two base stations, and transmits a mixture of quantized unique sequences to a serving base station. The serving base station extracts components respectively corresponding to base stations from the mixture of the quantized unique sequences, and estimates a location of a terminal based on the extracted components. The serving base station may calculate a received signal strength or a delay for each of the unique sequences received by the terminal, based on the extracted components, and estimate the location of the terminal based on the received signal strength or the delay. In addition, the terminal may estimate its own location by performing an algorithm used by the serving base station. |
| US08543135B2 |
Contextually aware mobile device
A method for determining if a mobile device is in a vehicle includes monitoring an acceleration of the mobile device for a time interval during a period of time. The method also includes calculating one or more characteristics of the acceleration of the mobile device during the time interval and comparing the one or more characteristics of the acceleration to a set of threshold values. The method further includes determining the state of the mobile device based on the comparison of the one or more characteristics of the acceleration to the set of threshold values, wherein the state of the mobile device includes an in-vehicle state, a non-vehicle state. |
| US08543133B2 |
Method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile device in an assisted satellite positioning system
Method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile device in an assisted satellite positioning system is described. In one example, satellite measurement data is obtained from a plurality of satellites at a mobile device. Position of the mobile device is computed using the satellite measurement data. The position is sent to a cellular device via a wireless ad hoc network. In one example, the wireless ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH communication link. In one example, the mobile device is configured to receive assistance data from a position server through the wireless ad hoc network. For example, the mobile device may comprise a housing configured to plug into a cigarette lighter connector of an automobile and the cellular device may comprise a cellular telephone without location-determination capabilities (i.e., the cellular telephone does not include an integrated GPS receiver). |
| US08543131B2 |
Method, system and device for location update in networks
A method, system and devices are provided for location update in an e.g. WiMAX based network. An authenticator function is informed on the location of a data path function after a handover has taken place. |
| US08543130B2 |
Intelligent global positioning system (GPS) information detection
Intelligently caching global positioning system (GPS) location information from GPS satellites based on cellular radio signal strength received at a portable device. The GPS satellites broadcasts signals to the portable device and the cellular radio signal strength is at a first level indicative of a low GPS reception strength. A second level, at the portable device, of the cellular radio signal strength is detected, and the second level is indicative of an increase in GPS reception strength. GPS location information is speculatively read from the GPS satellites associated with the portable device in response to the detected second level and the increase of the GPS reception strength. The GPS location information is cached on the portable device such that the GPS location information is available to the portable device when the first level of the cellular radio signal strength is less than the second level. |
| US08543129B2 |
Method and arrangements in a mobile communication network
A method of managing communication in a cellular telecommunication network capable of using multiple carrier frequencies includes determining a downlink quality measurement of a primary carrier frequency and determining a downlink quality measurement of at least one secondary carrier frequency. The method also includes generating a combined quality measure based on the downlink quality measurement of the primary carrier frequency and the downlink quality measurement of the at least one secondary carrier frequency. Additionally, the method includes determining whether the combined quality measure fulfills a predetermined condition and, in response to determining that the combined quality measure fulfills the predetermined condition, triggering an event. |
| US08543128B2 |
Method of handling positioning measurement and related communication device
A method of handling positioning measurement for a relay in a wireless communications system is disclosed. The method comprises communicating with a mobile device and a base station to serve the mobile device for conveying signaling between the mobile device and the base station, and transmitting a first reference signal associated with a positioning measurement to the mobile device. |
| US08543127B2 |
Mobile station registration with timing re-allocation and de-allocation
A wireless communication system includes a plurality of mobile stations and a base station which periodically receives a predetermined kind of information from one or more registered mobile stations registered in the base station among the plurality of mobile stations via a radio channel shared among the registered mobile stations. The base station determines a transmission interval of the information for the registered mobile stations in accordance with the number of the registered mobile stations, allocates transmission timings of the information for the registered mobile stations to be different among the registered mobile stations in the transmission interval, and notifies the registered mobile station of the transmission interval and the transmission timing. Each one of the registered mobile stations periodically sends out the information to the radio channel in accordance with the transmission interval and the transmission timing. |
| US08543124B2 |
Resource indexing for acknowledgement signals in response to receptions of multiple assignments
User Equipment (UE) transmits an acknowledgement signal in response to the reception of multiple Scheduling Assignments (SAs) transmitted by a base station. The SAs consist of Information Elements (IEs) including a Transmission Power Control (TPC) IE providing adjustments for the transmission power of the acknowledgement signal. The TPC IE in a first SA of the multiple SAs is used to provide the previous adjustments and the TPC IEs in the remaining of the multiple SAs are used to provide an indication of the resource used for the transmission of the acknowledgment signal. |
| US08543120B2 |
Communication control device, terminal device, radio communication system, radio communication method, and program
There is provided a communication control device including a radio communication unit communicating with a terminal device, a network communication unit accessing any one of a plurality of gateway apparatuses through a network and relaying communication between the terminal device and the gateway apparatus, and a control unit switching the gateway apparatus to be accessed by the network communication unit. |
| US08543117B2 |
Prioritizing radio access technologies
A prioritized measurement list is stored in a memory, and each entry in the prioritized measurement list defines a unique combination of frequency layer and radio access technology for a serving cell and for neighbor cells. Based on at least signal strength of the serving cell, there is selected, from a neighbor list according to the prioritized measurement list, a set of entries for measuring according to a selection rule. The selection rule provides: for the case in which the signal strength of the serving cell is relatively high, the selected set is a first set and represents higher priority ones of the prioritized measurement list; and for the case in which the signal strength of the serving cell is relatively low, the selected set is a second set and represents lower priority ones of the prioritized measurement list. |
| US08543115B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting handover in heterogeneous network
A method for operating a terminal for supporting a handover in a heterogeneous network is provided. The method includes measuring received signal strength from a target small base station, so that a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is estimated, when the SNR of the target small base station that considers a biased value for range expansion is greater than an SNR of a serving macro base station, determining whether an SNR of the target small base station that does not consider the biased value for the range expansion is equal to or less than a threshold, and when the SNR of the target small base station that does not consider the biased value for the range expansion is equal to or less than the threshold, transmitting indication information, informing that a low SNR is expected when the terminal performs a handover to the target small base station, to the serving macro base station. |
| US08543114B2 |
Voice over LTE via generic access handover (HO) apparatus and method
A method and system wherein a Voice over LTE via Generic Access (VoLGA) Access Network Controller (VANC)1 upon receiving a REGISTER and REGISTER UPDATE message from the UE1 notifies a Hand Over Selection Function node (HOSF) that a user equipment (UE) is registered in the VANC. This will only be done if the HOSF has not theretofore been notified. |
| US08543113B2 |
Method and system for controlling cell reselections on a computing device
A method and a system for controlling cell reselection on a computing device are disclosed. The method comprises detecting the mobile device operating under a potential over-shuttling reselection condition, and making a determination as to whether the mobile computing device operation is operating under the over-shuttling reselection condition based on pre-determined criteria. |
| US08543112B2 |
Implementation of telecommunications network access restrictions
A system and method for restricting public access to a mobile telecommunications network in order to prevent congestion. The system and method are particularly useful in situations where the number of end users exceeds, or is likely to exceed, network capacity, for example in emergency situations or for large public gatherings, such as sporting events or New Years Eve celebrations. The system and method disclosed uses filtering by network elements, such as the base stations and MSCs. In particular the system and method can filter low data messages, such as SMS, from more demanding services, such as voice calls, so that all low data messages are transmitted, while the more demanding services are terminated, unless special conditions are met. |
| US08543111B2 |
Control of cell search procedure
A method, an apparatus and a computer program product for controlling cell search procedure, including a user equipment determining a change of position in relation to a serving cell; determining the quality of signal received from the serving cell; and stopping the cell search procedure if the change of position is smaller than a first value and the loss of signal quality is lower than a second value. |
| US08543100B2 |
Method of managing mobility management layer of a mobile device
After a mobility layer of a mobile device enters a waiting state, a timer is activated. The mobile device is configured to await further instructions from a network system before the timer expires and control the mobility layer to leave the waiting state if the timer expires, thereby improving system efficiency. |
| US08543099B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. The wireless communication system may include transmitter units and a receiver. In one embodiment, each transmitter has an address and logic programmed to perform the steps of receiving a user selection and, responsive to the receiving, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received. The wireless selection signal may include the address and the user selection. The receiver may include means to receive a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal. |
| US08543098B2 |
Apparatus and method for securely providing communications between devices and networks
An apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium for securely providing communications between devices and networks are provided. According to one aspect of the invention, an interface device for providing communications between a first communications network and a device associated with a second communications network comprises an input, an output, logic, and a security program to restrict access to the input or the output of the interface device, connected devices or associated communication networks. The one or more inputs of the interface device receive data in a first format from the first communications network. The logic translates the data to a second format compatible with the second communications device. The translated data is then transmitted to the device associated with the second communications network via the one or more outputs. The security program determines whether a device or user is authorized to receive data prior to granting access to the data. |
| US08543097B2 |
Service escrowed transportable wireless event reporting system
A portable service escrowed event reporting system that may be sold through mass-market sales channels. Communications between a consumer and the provider of the event reporting system are not required in advance of the system being purchased by the consumer. After purchase of the system by the consumer, the system may be initialized. The service may have a finite amount of service associated with it when it is purchased. The consumer may choose to have the system report the occurrence of reportable events directly to them over a wireless network. |
| US08543093B2 |
Age-based control of content provided via a mobile communication terminal
A method of updating age restriction settings for content on a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising requesting authentication data, in response to determining that a first age restriction value associated with a first content on the mobile communication terminal is greater than a first threshold value; and providing the first content via the mobile communication terminal and setting the first threshold value equal to the first age restriction value, in response to determining that the authentication data is valid. |
| US08543092B2 |
Access method of network terminals, access system and gateway
An access method of network terminals, an access system and gateway are provided. In the access method of the present invention, providing an access proxy to the service network system for a network terminal initiating an access request but not configured with the subscriber certification information to the service network system by the use of subscriber certification information to a service network system configured on a network terminal. The access system of the present invention includes a digital gateway configured with a gateway multimedia service processing module. By sharing the subscriber certification information to the service network system configured on the network terminal connected to the digital gateway, the network terminal not configured with the subscriber certification information to the service network system can realize the access certification to the service network system. |
| US08543091B2 |
Secure short message service (SMS) communications
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for secure Short Message Service (SMS) communications. According to an embodiment, a method of providing secure Short Message Service (SMS) communications comprises requesting that SMS data to be sent from a client device to a remote location be encrypted. The method also comprises encrypting the SMS data by processing the SMS data with a Message Authentication Code (MAC) and a timestamp and/or counter along with second factor authentication information. The method further comprises sending the encrypted SMS data to the remote location by a secure SMS application via a regular SMS channel of the client device. |
| US08543090B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal includes a processor shifting a state between a first restricted state for restricting a key operation except for at least a code inputting operation, a second restricted state for restricting a key operation including at least said code inputting operation, and a unrestricted state for making a key operation unrestricted. The processor selects the unrestricted state when a code input by the code inputting operation in the first restricted state is a preset code. Furthermore, whether or not the number of executions of the code inputting operation in the first restricted state is above a threshold value is repetitively determined, and if the determination result is negative, the first restricted state is selected while if the determination result is affirmative, the second restricted state is selected. Then, a possibility of a key operator being a qualified person is repetitively determined, and as the possibility is high, the threshold value is made large. |
| US08543083B2 |
Locator system
A locator system is disclosed. An E911-enabled wireless network including a switching center is configured receive a request to generate location information regarding a remote mobile station, and send said location information to a subscriber only after obtaining consent from the remote mobile station. |
| US08543079B2 |
Receiver and integrated AM-FM/IQ demodulators for gigabit-rate data detection
Provision of gigabit-rate data transmission over wireless radio links, using carrier frequencies in the millimeter-wave range (>30 GHz). More specifically, a circuit for detection of amplitude-shift keyed (ASK) or other amplitude modulations (AM) which can be easily incorporated into an integrated circuit receiver system is described, making the receiver capable of supporting both complex IQ modulation schemes and simpler, non-coherent on-off or multiple-level keying signals. Several novel radio architectures are also described which, with the addition of a frequency discriminator network, have the capability of handling frequency shift keyed (FSK) or other frequency modulations (FM), as well as AM and complex IQ modulation schemes. These radio architectures support this wide variety of modulations by efficiently sharing detector hardware components. Disclosed herein are architecture for supporting both quadrature down-conversion and ASK/AM, ASK/AM detector circuit details, AM-FM detector architecture, and an AM-FM/IQ demodulator system and FSK/FM detector circuit details. |
| US08543078B2 |
Harmonic mixer circuit
A circuit includes: a first line to which input and output signal terminals are connected; a first transistor having a first terminal connected to the first line, a second terminal connected to a ground potential, and a control terminal supplied with a first oscillation signal, the first transistor outputting the first signal and its harmonic component; a second transistor having a first terminal connected to the first line, a second terminal connected to the ground potential, and a control terminal supplied with a second oscillation signal, the second transistor outputting the second signal and its harmonic component; a first harmonic generator connected to the control terminal of the first transistor and generates a harmonic component including the harmonic component by the first transistor; and a second harmonic generator connected to the control terminal of the second transistor and generates a harmonic component including the harmonic component by the second transistor. |
| US08543077B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a harmonic rejection mixer
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and mixing the RF signal with a master clock to obtain a mixed signal, cyclically rotating the mixed signal to each of N gain stages for at least one cycle of the master clock, and summing the outputs of the N gain stages to provide an output signal. |
| US08543072B1 |
High accuracy programmable gain amplifier
A high accuracy programmable gain amplifier has reduced temperature dependency, reduced supply voltage dependency, and supports accurate amplifier gain and accurate amplifier gain steps. The high accuracy programmable gain amplifier allows requirements compliant electronic devices to be fabricated that are capable of providing improved operational performance with less power consumption, hence extended battery life and improved operational availability. Electronic devices that incorporate the high accuracy programmable gain amplifier described below, may experience reduced variations in operational performance resulting in a reduced need for post production calibration, reduced calibration data storage requirements, and reduced device control processor cycles for use in performing calibration operations, thereby allowing such devices to be produced at a lower cost and/or to provide users with increased operational performance and/or increased battery life and, hence, increased operational availability. |
| US08543071B2 |
Radiofrequency emission or reception chain with automatic impedance adaptation, and corresponding method
As relates to automatic matching of antenna impedance for a radiofrequency transmit or receive circuit, an impedance matching network is inserted between an amplifier and antenna. The current i and output (resp. input) voltage V of the amplifier and their phase shift are measured, the complex impedance defined by V/i is deduced; the impedance of the antenna is calculated as a function of this complex impedance and the known existing values of the adjustable impedances of the matching network. New adjustable values of impedances of the matching network to obtain a desired overall load impedance for the amplifier are calculated on the basis of the calculated antenna impedance value, and the matching network is controlled to adjust the adjustable impedances to these new values. The measurement is made at a measurement frequency different from the working frequency to allow automatic matching without interrupting normal operation of the chain. |
| US08543069B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for auxiliary ethernet port for wireless portable X-ray detector
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which a portable imaging device is operable to communicate to other devices through both a wired communication path and a wireless communication path. |
| US08543065B2 |
Methods for using effective radiated transmit power of a base station at a wireless communication device to determine uplink transmission range and/or to adjust transmit power
Methods, systems and apparatus are disclosed for using effective radiated transmit power of a base station at a wireless communication device to determine whether the wireless communication device is within uplink transmission range of the base station. The wireless communication device can also use the effective radiated transmit power to adjust transmit power at the wireless communication device and save battery resources. In one implementation, the disclosed embodiments can be applied in a two-way wireless communication system. |
| US08543062B2 |
Radio communication device, receiver controller of a radio communication device, methods for searching for a radio cell
Embodiments relate generally to a radio communication device, to a receiver controller of a radio communication device, and to a method for searching for a radio cell. In an embodiment, a method for searching for a radio cell is provided. The method may include scanning at least one frequency band of a first radio access technology, scanning at least one frequency band of a second radio access technology, wherein the at least one frequency band of the second radio access technology at least partially overlaps with the at least one frequency band of the first radio access technology, wherein at least one frequency sub-band of the first radio access technology is not scanned in the at least one frequency band of the second radio access technology. |
| US08543061B2 |
Cellphone managed hearing eyeglasses
The invention describes a Hearing Aid device composed of a cellphone and eyeglasses where some of the programs are carried out by components embedded onto the temples of eyeglasses and some programs by components which are inherently part of cellphones. The combined device improves the intelligibility of voice messages arriving both through the cellphone speaker, the connected earphones and directly through the free air. The user can call diverse programs suitable for different situations, by using inertial sensors embedded either in the eyeglasses or are inherently part of the cellphone. |
| US08543057B2 |
System and method for controlling a mobile terminal
A system and method for controlling a mobile terminal are provided. According to an aspect, there is provided a mobile terminal control system including a mobile terminal and an external terminal, the mobile terminal including a memory, a Near-Field Communication (NFC) controller, and a base-band chip for controlling individual components of the mobile terminal, the external terminal communicating with the NFC controller of the mobile terminal, wherein the base-band chip registers an Application Identifier (AID) of at least one application that operates in the mobile terminal, in the NFC controller, executes, if the NFC controller receives an instruction for selecting the registered AID from the external terminal and notifies the base-band chip of the fact that the AID has been selected, the application selected by the external terminal to thereby control a predetermined function of the mobile terminal according to conditions setting information received from the external terminal. |
| US08543056B2 |
Communication device, communication method, and program
A communication device includes determining means for determining a communication system of a transmission signal transmitted by another communication device that performs noncontact communication based on a periodical change of a binarized signal obtained by demodulation of the transmission signal transmitted from the other communication device. |
| US08543053B1 |
Wireless communication jamming using signal delay technology
A device and method for jamming wireless communication devices where the jamming signal is derived from the downlink signal of the base station and processed with a time delay sufficient length as to prevent the base station receiver from correctly processing the responding uplink signal from the targeted wireless communications device. Such wireless communication jamming device can be used by law enforcement and authorized government entities to block the operation of wireless communication devices such as cell phones within a target area. |
| US08543052B2 |
Controlled velocity decoupling device for improved media registration at transfer
A controlled velocity decoupling device for improved media registration at transfer in a reprographic device includes a one-way clutch in a drive roll of a registration subsystem to decouple velocities between the registration subsystem and a charge retentive surface. The one-way clutched drive roll prevents the formation of a buckle in a sheet prior to the sheet engaging the charge retentive surface, and thus allowing for more controlled registration of the sheet to the charge retentive surface. The drive roll is set to a lower speed than the charge retentive surface in order to allow for variability in the velocity differences and ensure that no buckle is formed prior to transfer. |
| US08543049B2 |
Cleaning apparatus and image forming apparatus
A cleaning apparatus is provided with a cleaning roller that is positioned so as to be in contact with a photosensitive drum, and with a toner layer thickness regulating member that regulates the thickness of a toner layer adhering to the surface of this cleaning roller. The toner layer thickness regulating member is formed by a toner layer thickness regulating roller that rotates in contact with the cleaning roller. |
| US08543047B2 |
Image forming system
An image forming system includes a color image forming apparatus including: a color image forming portion for forming a color toner image on a surface of a recording material; a first fixing device including a first fixing portion; a second fixing device including a second fixing portion; image forming and a third fixing device for fixing a transparent toner image at a third fixing portion; and a controller for controlling a switching mechanism so that the conveyance direction of the recording material is switched to the bypass direction of the second fixing portion, or to the direction toward the second fixing portion based on whether or not the color image forming portion is subjectd to formation of the transparent toner image by the transparent image forming apparatus. |
| US08543046B2 |
Fixing device, image forming apparatus incorporating same, and fixing method
A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body to rotate in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressing rotary body pressed against the fixing rotary body to rotate in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body and form a nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A heat generator is disposed opposite the fixing rotary body at a section other than the nip to heat the fixing rotary body. A moving assembly is disposed opposite the heat generator to generate a magnetic force to move the heat generator with respect to the fixing rotary body so as to change one of a pressure and a distance between the heat generator and the fixing rotary body. |
| US08543042B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus including a transfer belt on which an image is transferred, a belt suspension roller that suspends the transfer belt, a transfer roller that is arranged to face the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt in between and includes a shaft portion and a concave portion formed in a shaft direction, and a support member that is arranged on the shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion in the rotation direction. |
| US08543040B2 |
Powder storage container, developing device using powder storage container, image forming unit, and image forming apparatus
A powder storage container includes a powder storage unit, a conveying member, and an elastic member. The powder storage unit stores powder. The conveying member is rotatably disposed in the powder storage unit and conveys the powder stored in the powder storage unit to an outlet. The elastic member includes: an upper end portion fixed to the inside of the powder storage unit; and a lower end portion which is a swingable free end and is disposed above the conveying member. A part of the lower end portion along the conveying direction of the conveying member is configured to contact with the conveying member to be elastically deformed. |
| US08543038B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first image supporting member for forming a first image; a second image supporting member arranged adjacent to the first image supporting member for forming a second image; a first drive unit for driving the first image supporting member through a first driving force having a first phase; a second drive unit for driving the second image supporting member through a second driving force having a second phase shifted from the first phase; and a transfer unit for transferring the first image and the second image to a printing medium. |
| US08543035B2 |
Cleaning device, cartridge and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device for removing a developer remaining on an image bearing member from the image bearing member includes a cleaning device, including an elastic blade and a supporting member for supporting the elastic blade, for removing the developer remaining on the image bearing member from the image bearing member; an image bearing member bearing member including a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the image bearing member; and a removed developer accommodating container formed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of a material for the supporting member. The image bearing member bearing member is fixed to the supporting member. The removed developer accommodating container is fixed to the supporting member. The image bearing member bearing member and the removed developer accommodating container are provided with a gap therebetween with respect to a longitudinal direction of the supporting member. |
| US08543034B2 |
Electrophotographic color image forming apparatus and cartridge
A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming a color image on a recording material, the apparatus includes a main assembly; a drum cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and detachably mountable to the main assembly of the apparatus of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus; a plurality of developing cartridges each comprising a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on electrophotographic photosensitive drum of the drum cartridge mounted to the main assembly; a main assembly side drum cartridge guide for guiding the drum cartridge; a main assembly side drum cartridge positioning portion for positioning the drum cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus; wherein the drum cartridge is provided with a positioning portion for positioning the developing cartridge relative to the drum cartridge with respect to an entering direction of the developing cartridge, and the developing cartridge is provided with insertion guide means for guiding insertion of a developing cartridge right thereabove. |
| US08543029B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and process cartridge for adjusting applications of lubricants
An image forming apparatus includes multiple image bearing members provided in tandem, multiple developing devices configured to develop the respective electrostatic latent images, an intermediate transfer member onto which the multiple toner images are transferred to form a composite toner image, multiple first lubricant applicators configured to apply a lubricant to the respective image bearing members, and a second lubricant applicator configured to apply a lubricant to the intermediate transfer member. The second lubricant applicator is provided upstream from the extreme upstream image bearing member. The amount of the first lubricant applied from the extreme upstream first lubricant applicator to the extreme upstream image bearing member is based on at least one of an amount of the second lubricant applied from the second lubricant applicator to the intermediate transfer member and an amount of first lubricant applied from each of the other lubricant applicators to the respective image bearing members. |
| US08543028B2 |
Maintenance system, cleaning system, and image forming apparatus
A maintenance system includes a maintenance device and a control device that controls the operation of the maintenance device. The control device is configured to activate the maintenance device automatically when a numerical value associated with the operation of a maintenance target device reaches a predetermined threshold value and to activate the maintenance device when it receives an instruction from a user. When the control device is instructed to activate the maintenance device by an instruction from the user, the control device changes the preset threshold value such that the operation interval of the maintenance device becomes smaller. |
| US08543024B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus using the same
A fixing device includes a first irradiation unit that irradiates a laser beam in a first irradiation region toward a recording medium in which unfixed image is formed; a second irradiation unit that irradiates a laser beam toward a second irradiation region; an image information acquiring unit that acquires image information of the first irradiation region; a coating information acquiring unit that divides the first irradiation region into one or a plurality of divided regions, and that acquires coating information that relates to the coating level on the basis of the image information; a transmission information acquiring unit that acquires transmission information that relates to the laser beam which is irradiated to the first irradiation region and passes through the recording material on the basis of the coating information; an irradiation control unit that controls the irradiation energy of the second irradiation unit based on the transmission information. |
| US08543021B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus calculates a surface voltage of an image bearing member based on a first charge start voltage, which is obtained when a first voltage application section applies a first DC voltage to a charge section, and a second charge start voltage, which is obtained when a second voltage application section applies a second DC voltage to the charge section. This allows a high-quality image to be formed irrespective of a change in circumstance or drum layer thickness. |
| US08543015B2 |
Replacement toner cartridge management apparatus, replacement toner cartridge management system, image forming apparatus, replacement toner cartridge management method, and recording medium
A replacement toner cartridge management apparatus is provided with: a receiver which receives toner cartridge replacement information indicating a toner cartridge loaded on an image forming apparatus which the replacement toner cartridge management apparatus can access via a communication circuit, has been replaced with a new one; an information obtainer which obtains remaining toner information of the toner cartridge removed from the image forming apparatus, when the toner cartridge replacement information is received by the receiver; a time determiner which, if the remaining toner information obtained by the information obtainer indicates a value smaller than a predetermined value, determines that an instruction to deliver a replacement toner cartridge should be outputted when the toner cartridge replacement information is received, or if the remaining toner information indicates a value larger than or equal to a predetermined value, determines that an instruction to deliver a replacement toner cartridge should be outputted at a different time; and a transmitter which outputs a delivery instruction according to the determination made by the time determiner. |
| US08543012B2 |
Compensating for end-to-end group delay ripples
A device may include a group delay monitor and a signal receiver. The group delay monitor may be configured to obtain group delay data corresponding to group delay of an optical signal and provide the group delay data to a signal receiver. The signal receiver configured to obtain a time-domain digital signal corresponding to the optical signal, convert the time-domain digital signal into a frequency-domain signal, apply a digital filter constructed based on the group delay data to the frequency-domain signal to obtain an output signal, and transmit the output signal. |
| US08543010B2 |
Bias control in an optical modulator and transmitter
An apparatus and method for controlling bias in an optical modulator is disclosed. The method is particularly applicable to controlling multi-wavelength modulators and wavelength-tunable transmitters. At a calibration stage, a desired optical performance of the modulator is achieved, and an amplitude of a peak-to-peak variation of the output optical signal at a pre-determined amount of dither is stored in a memory as a reference. At operating stage, a controller of the optical modulator adjusts a bias voltage of the modulator until the measured peak-to-peak optical signal variation matches the reference value stored at the calibration stage. For multi-wavelength modulators and tunable transmitters, the calibration is repeated at each wavelength, and corresponding peak-to-peak optical signal variations are stored in the memory. |
| US08543008B2 |
System and method for a subscriber powered network element
A system for powering a network element of a fiber optic wide area network is disclosed. When communication data is transferred between a central office (CO) and a subscriber terminal using a network element to convert optical to electrical (O-E) and electrical to optical (E-O) signals between a fiber from the central office and twisted wire pair, coaxial cable or Ethernet cable transmission lines from the subscriber terminal, techniques related to local powering of a network element or drop site by the subscriber terminal or subscriber premise remote powering device are provided. Certain advantages and/or benefits are achieved using the present invention, such as freedom from any requirement for additional meter installations or meter connection charges and does not require a separate power network. |
| US08543007B2 |
Method and apparatus for broadband mitigation of polarization mode dispersion
Described is a method and system for reducing system penalty from polarization mode dispersion. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals at a receiving end of a transmission line, each signal being received on one of a plurality of channels of the transmission line and measuring a signal degradation of at least one of the channels of the transmission line. An amount of adjustment of a polarization controller is determined based on the signal degradation, the amount of adjustment being selected to reduce the polarization mode dispersion. The amount of adjustment is then transmitted to the polarization controller. |
| US08543006B2 |
System and method for reducing polarization dependent loss
A method is provided for reducing polarization dependent loss experienced by an optical signal comprises monitoring a power level of a polarization multiplexed optical signal. The method further comprises detecting a power spike based on the monitored power. The power spike is induced by misalignment of a polarization component axis of the optical signal with a polarization dependent loss (PDL) axis of one or more network elements. The method further comprises rotating the polarization orientation of the optical signal such that the power spike is reduced. |
| US08543003B2 |
Ingress-mitigated cable communication systems and methods having increased upstream capacity for supporting voice and/or data services
Cable communication systems and methods to provide voice and/or data services to subscriber premises in one or more neighborhood nodes via an ingress-mitigated cable plant that conveys upstream information over an upstream path bandwidth. One or more upstream radio frequency (RF) signals have a carrier frequency of between approximately 5 MHz and 19.6 MHz and are modulated using quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) with voice and/or data information constituting at least some of the upstream information. An example RF signal defines a channel having an average channel power, and a highest value for an average noise power between 5 MHz and 19.6 MHz in the upstream path bandwidth of a given neighborhood node, as measured over at least a 24 hour period, is at least 25 decibels (dB) below the average channel power and/or less than 20 decibels (dB) above a noise floor associated with the neighborhood node. |
| US08543002B1 |
Controlling transmission power in an IrDA/RC transmitter circuit
An infrared LED of an IrDA transceiver module is usable to transmit IrDA signals as well as RC control signals. When making an IrDA transmission, the IrDA LED is driven with a lower amount of current. When making an RC transmission, the IrDA LED is driven with an increased amount of current such that infrared emissions received by an RC receiver are of adequate power to be received as RC control signals. A current-limiting circuit allows more LED current to flow the longer current is allowed to flow through the IrDA LED. By controlling the durations of infrared bursts in the RC transmission, the average LED current during infrared bursts of RC transmissions is controlled. Using this technique allows the IrDA module to be used to transmit RC signals at different transmission power settings. To reduce power consumption, the minimum transmission power necessary to engage in RC communications is used. |
| US08542996B2 |
Optical packet switching apparatus
An optical packet switching apparatus includes an optical coupler, an optical switch unit, and an optical switch control unit. The optical switch control unit includes an optical-to-electrical converter, a serial/parallel converter, an arrangement detector, a rearrangement unit, a frame synchronization unit, a route detector, a control signal generator, and an adjustment unit for adjusting the timing with which to output an optical switch control signal to the optical switch unit, based on arrangement information on a frame synchronization pattern fed from the arrangement detector. |
| US08542995B2 |
Optical network terminal, method for time syncronization thereof, optical line terminal, and method for managing network thereof
A method for synchronizing time by an optical network terminal (ONT) in a passive optical network system is provided. The method includes: receiving a ranging request message including a first current time of an optical line terminal (OLT); calculating a first compensation time when a transmission delay is compensated at a time that the ranging request message is received; transmitting a serial number response message to the OLT; calculating a second compensation time when the transmission delay is compensated at a time when the serial number response message is transmitted; receiving a ranging time message including a second current time when the serial number response message from the OLT is received; calculating an offset time from the first current time, the second current time, the first compensation time, and the second compensation time; and synchronizing a clock of the ONT and a clock of the OLT based on the offset time. |
| US08542989B2 |
Camera system, camera body and interchangeable lens
A camera system (1) includes an interchangeable lens (200) and a camera body (100). The camera body (100) includes a body controller (140) configured to generate a command, and a sending unit (150) configured to send the generated command to the interchangeable lens. The interchangeable lens (200) includes a movable member (230, 260), a driving unit (233, 261) configured to drive the movable member, a receiving unit (250) configured to receive a command from the camera body, and a lens controller (240) configured to control the driving unit according to the received command. Further, a prediction unit (140, 240) is provided in either one of the camera body and the interchangeable lens, which predicts whether an operation of the driving unit of the interchangeable lens according to the received command will be completed within a predetermined time. |
| US08542985B2 |
Moving image playback apparatus
A moving image playback apparatus capable of starting within a short time to play back reverse direction moving images is provided. The apparatus includes two decoders and one output buffer. In standby, using I-picture in a specified GOP as a reference, a controller causes a storage device to sequentially read first coded image data of the pictures in a first GOP preceding a specified GOP and the pictures up to I-picture in the specified GOP, and causes a first decoder to decode the first coded image data. Moreover, during the decoding of the first decoder, the controller causes the storage device to sequentially read second coded image data of the pictures in the specified GOP and the pictures up to I-picture in a second GOP following the specified GOP, and causes a second decoder to decode the second coded image data. Thereafter, the controller causes the outputs from the first and second decoders to be written to the output buffer. Thereby, the decoded image data are outputted from the output buffer immediately upon start of reverse playback, and moving images are played back. |
| US08542977B2 |
Method of reproducing from storage medium storing interactive graphics stream activated in response to user's command
A reproducing method of reproducing from a storage medium video data and graphics data for displaying a menu screen is provided. The reproducing method includes decoding graphics data, outputting the decoded graphics data when an activation command is generated by a user and the decoded graphics data is first graphics data, and outputting the decoded graphics data at a designated time when the decoded graphics data is second graphics data. The outputting of the first graphics data ends when an output finish time is reached and the first graphics data is deleted from a buffer of a decoder that performed the decoding of the graphics data. When the outputting of the first graphics data ends, an activation command generated by the user is ignored. |
| US08542973B2 |
Fiber optic distribution device
A fiber optic distribution device for handling fiber optic distribution points is disclosed. The device comprises a housing mountable below floor level; a drawer carrying fiber optic modules to which fiber optic cables can be connected thereby providing fiber optic distribution points. Guide rails are attached to the drawer and act together with guide rails attached to the housing allowing a linear movement of the drawer relative to the housing between a first position in which the drawer is positioned inside the housing below floor level and a second position in which the drawer is positioned at least partly outside the housing above floor level. A locking mechanism is pivotably attached to the drawer. The center of gravity of the locking mechanism is positioned offset from a pivoting axis of the locking mechanism so that the locking mechanism automatically locks the drawer in the second position when said drawer is moved from said first position into said second position. |
| US08542969B2 |
Low bend loss optical fiber
An optical fiber having both low macrobend loss and low microbend loss. The fiber has a first inner cladding region having an outer radius r2>8 microns and refractive index Δ2 and a second outer cladding region surrounding the inner cladding region having refractive index Δ3, wherein Δ1>Δ3>Δ2. The difference between Δ3 and Δ2 is greater than 0.01. The fiber exhibits a 22 m cable cutoff less than or equal to 1260 nm, and r1/r2 is greater or equal to 0.25. |
| US08542968B2 |
Rare earth doped and large effective area optical fibers for fiber lasers and amplifiers
Various embodiments described herein include rare earth doped glass compositions that may be used in optical fiber and rods having large core sizes. Such optical fibers and rods may be employed in fiber lasers and amplifiers. The index of refraction of the glass may be substantially uniform and may be close to that of silica in some embodiments. Possible advantages to such features include reduction of formation of additional waveguides within the core, which becomes increasingly a problem with larger core sizes. |
| US08542966B2 |
Optical fiber assemblies having a powder or powder blend at least partially mechanically attached
Disclosed are fiber optic assemblies having at least one optical fiber disposed within a tube and/or cavity along with a powder or powder blend that is at least partially mechanically attached thereto. In one embodiment, the powder or powder blend includes a water-swellable component that is mechanically attached to about 30 percent or less of the surface area of the tube wall while still effectively blocking the migration of water along the tube. Other embodiments may have the powder or power blend mechanically attached to the tube, cavity, or the like at relatively high percentage levels of the total powder or powder blend within the assembly, thereby inhibiting unintentional migration along the tube, cavity, or the like. Other embodiments may use powder or powder blends that may or may not include a water-swellable powder to provide other desired characteristics. |
| US08542964B2 |
Waveguide sheet containing in-coupling, propagation, and out-coupling regions
In one aspect, an illumination structure includes a substantially non-fiber waveguide, which itself includes a discrete in-coupling region for receiving light, a discrete propagation region for propagating light, and a discrete out-coupling region for emitting light. |
| US08542962B2 |
Preconditioned illuminator system and method
Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element. One embodiment of a method can comprise inserting an optical fiber through a proximal portion of a cannula and optical element assembly until the distal end of the optical fiber contacts the optical element, heating a distal portion of the optical fiber to between a softening temperature and a melting temperature for a period of time to cause the distal portion to axially shrink and moving the optical element so that the optical element is in contact with the distal end of the optical fiber when the distal portion of the optical fiber has axially shrunk. Moving the optical element so that the optical element is in contact with the distal end of the optical fiber when the distal portion of the optical fiber has axially shrunk can comprise applying a force to the cannula and optical element assembly to maintain the optical element in continuous contact with the distal end of the optical fiber while the optical fiber axially shrinks. |
| US08542959B2 |
Optical device including an alignment substrate
An optical device that emits white light by mixing three or four light each having a specific color is disclosed. The optical device includes the alignment substrate having a first type of grooves each setting an optical fiber therein and a second type of a groove setting all fibers collectively. Between two type of grooves, all fibers are free from grooves to facilitate the assemble of the fibers. |
| US08542951B2 |
Image retrieval device and computer program for image retrieval applicable to the image retrieval device
An image retrieval device that retrieves an image in response to an input image by comparing feature amounts based on an attribute of search target images and a feature amount based on an attribute of an input image. Each of the feature amounts comprises a first feature amount expressing a global relative positional relation of each pixel constituting an image with respect to pixels of the entire image, and a second feature amount expressing a local relative positional relation of each pixel constituting each of the images with respect to its adjacent pixels. Component images and at least one combination image formed therefrom are linked to a search target image and feature amounts about these respective images are compared with a feature amount about an input image and a search target image linked to a component/combination image that is similar to the input image is displayed. |
| US08542950B2 |
Finding iconic images
Iconic images for a given object or object category may be identified in a set of candidate images by using a learned probabilistic composition model to divide each candidate image into a most probable rectangular object region and a background region, ranking the candidate images according to the maximal composition score of each image, removing non-discriminative images from the candidate images, clustering highest-ranked candidate images to form clusters, wherein each cluster includes images having similar object regions according to a feature match score, selecting a representative image from each cluster as an iconic image of the object category, and causing display of the iconic image. The composition model may be a Naïve Bayes model that computes composition scores based on appearance cues such as hue, saturation, focus, and texture. Iconic images depict an object or category as a relatively large object centered on a clean or uncluttered contrasting background. |
| US08542949B1 |
TIFF validation
An apparatus and method for validation of images and their associated Tag Image File Format (TIFF) tags in an image cash letter. One or more image cash letters (ICLs) are received. Each image cash letter is validated that it satisfies defined image and TIFF validation rules. Image cash letters are identified that have non-conforming images that do not pass the image and TIFF validation rules. Errors associated with the non-conforming images are automatically sent to an originator of the identified image cash letter that has the non-conforming images. Various reports may be generated identifying errors in the non-conforming images and associated originators of the errors. |
| US08542947B2 |
Method for RPC refinement using ground control information
A computer implemented method of adjusting original rational polynomial coefficients of an RPC model for an image acquired by an image sensor comprising providing rational polynomial coefficients associated with the image calculating a pseudo position and attitude angles for the sensor using the original coefficients providing at least one ground control point associated with the image adjusting the pseudo position and attitude angles using the at least one ground control point; and adjusting the original coefficients for the image using the adjusted pseudo position and attitude angles. |
| US08542946B2 |
Imaging apparatus, method and program
An imaging apparatus displays and records any area in a synthesized image according to user's taste. The synthesized image is displayed based on the set display area and the record area is set to display the synthesized image, so that the display area is compared with the record area to enable easily confirming whether the actually acquired synthesized image satisfies the area desired by the user and assisting recording in an area where a better composition is provided even if the user is unfamiliar with the composition. |
| US08542943B2 |
Digitally-generated lighting for video conferencing applications
A method of improving the lighting conditions of a real scene or video sequence. Digitally generated light is added to a scene for video conferencing over telecommunication networks. A virtual illumination equation takes into account light attenuation, lambertian and specular reflection. An image of an object is captured, a virtual light source illuminates the object within the image. In addition, the object can be the head of the user. The position of the head of the user is dynamically tracked so that an three-dimensional model is generated which is representative of the head of the user. Synthetic light is applied to a position on the model to form an illuminated model. |
| US08542936B2 |
Image encoding and decoding device
A picture encoding device may include a unit for selecting a division method of a target region, and a unit for dividing the target region into small regions using the division method, generating a prediction signal in the small region, generating a residual signal between the prediction signal and the original signal of the small region, generating quantized transform coefficients by performing frequency transform and quantization of the residual signal, selecting a map for mapping the quantized transform coefficients of the small region onto leaves of a tree structure that is common to a plurality of division methods in accordance with attribute information of the small region, mapping the quantized transform coefficients of the small region onto the leaves of the tree structure based on the map, and updating the states of the nodes and leaves of the tree structure according to the coefficient values of the respective leaves. |
| US08542933B2 |
Systems and methods for decoding light field image files
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are configured to render images using light field image files containing an image synthesized from light field image data and metadata describing the image that includes a depth map. One embodiment of the invention includes a processor and memory containing a rendering application and a light field image file including an encoded image and metadata describing the encoded image, where the metadata comprises a depth map that specifies depths from the reference viewpoint for pixels in the encoded image. In addition, the rendering application configures the processor to: locate the encoded image within the light field image file; decode the encoded image; locate the metadata within the light field image file; and post process the decoded image by modifying the pixels based on the depths indicated within the depth map to create a rendered image. |
| US08542928B2 |
Information processing apparatus and control method therefor
An information processing apparatus includes an image input unit which inputs image data containing a face, a face position detection unit which detects, from the image data, the position of a specific part of the face, and a facial expression recognition unit which detects a feature point of the face from the image data on the basis of the detected position of the specific part and determines facial expression of the face on the basis of the detected feature point. The feature point is detected at a detection accuracy higher than detection of the position of the specific part. Detection of the position of the specific part is robust to a variation in the detection target. |
| US08542926B2 |
Script-agnostic text reflow for document images
Script-agnostic text reflow technique embodiments are presented that generally reflow text found in an image of a document in a manner that functions across multiple scripts, multiple fonts of a script and multiple languages using the same script. This generally involves segmenting regions of text in a document image into individual words and doing this without relying on any script-specific characteristics or requiring any form of character recognition. While segmenting text, the possible presence of accents, diacritics and punctuation marks is considered. |
| US08542924B2 |
Boundary extraction method
A computer-implemented method for creating an ordered set of boundary data by transforming data from remotely sensed imagery of shorelines is provided. A feature data set and an edge data set are transformed into a set of 3-point boundary segments having a specific head and tail point and the segments are ordered from tail to head in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner relative to the water. Once the 3-point segments are created they are easily linked together into larger segments. These large multi-point segments in turn are linked together to create a closed loop in a predetermined direction, for example, but not limited to, the shorelines for rivers or coastal areas. |
| US08542922B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a segmenting unit, a representative-point setting unit, a vector calculating unit, and a screen-ruling-and-angle extracting unit. The segmenting unit segments an image into regions each having connected pixels. The representative-point setting unit sets a representative point representing each of the regions segmented by the segmenting unit. The vector calculating unit calculates vectors, each constituted of two representative points, on the basis of the representative points set by the representative-point setting unit. The screen-ruling-and-angle extracting unit extracts screen ruling and a screen angle used in the image on the basis of distribution of the vectors calculated by the vector calculating unit. |
| US08542920B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
In an image processing apparatus, an edge extraction unit extracts edges from image data. A correction amount acquisition unit acquires a misregistration amount of one color plane relative to another color plane of the image data, and calculates a first correction amount corresponding to an image height based on image heights of respective edges and misregistration amounts of respective edges. The correction amount acquisition unit calculates a second correction amount specific to a lens based on lens design data. A correction amount calculation unit calculates a difference between the first correction amount and the second correction amount, adjusts the difference so that the difference falls within a predetermined range, and calculates a third correction amount based on the adjusted difference and the second correction amount. A correction unit corrects the image data based on the third correction amount. |
| US08542911B1 |
Photogrammetry engine for model construction
A system and methods for accessing 2D digital images and 3D geometric models over a network (preferably the Internet) and transforming and composing that media along with 2D digital image and 3D geometric model media, acquired by other means, into enhanced 2D image and 3D model representations for virtual reality visualization and simulation is disclosed. Digital images and models from a network and other sources are incorporated and manipulated through an interactive graphical user interface. A photogrammetric media processing engine automatically extracts virtual sensor (camera) and geometric models from imagery. Extracted information is used by a reconstruction processor to automatically and realistically compose images and models. A rendering system provides real-time visualization and simulation of the constructed media. A client-server processing model for deployment of the media processing engine system over a network is disclosed. |
| US08542904B1 |
Apparatus and system for imaging currency bills and financial documents and method for using the same
A method of using a document processing system includes receiving a target serial number via an input device communicatively connected to a document processing system and determining if the target serial number exactly matches one of a plurality of stored serial numbers residing in a memory. Each stored serial number is associated with a record. Each record includes customer account identification information that can be used to identify a customer account previously credited for a deposit of a currency bill having the stored serial number. In response to the target serial number not exactly matching any of the stored serial numbers, the method further includes displaying a wildcard search element on a display of the document processing system. |
| US08542902B2 |
X-ray imaging apparatus
In an X-ray imaging apparatus according to an embodiment, a three-dimensional blood-vessel image collecting unit collects a three-dimensional blood vessel image. An X-ray image collecting unit collects an X-ray image. A composite-image creating unit then creates a three-dimensional projection image projected based on a state of the X-ray imaging apparatus from the collected three-dimensional blood vessel image, and creates a composite image of the created three-dimensional projection image and the X-ray image. A displacement determining unit then determines a displacement between an aneurysm on the three-dimensional projection image and the aneurysm on the X-ray image. Subsequently, a registration unit registers the composite image by using the determined displacement, and displays the registered composite image onto a display unit. |
| US08542899B2 |
Automatic image analysis and quantification for fluorescence in situ hybridization
An analysis system automatically analyzes and counts fluorescence signals present in biopsy tissue marked using Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH). The user of the system specifies classes of a class network and process steps of a process hierarchy. Then pixel values in image slices of biopsy tissue are acquired in three dimensions. A computer-implemented network structure is generated by linking pixel values to objects of a data network according to the class network and process hierarchy. Objects associated with pixel values at different depths of the biopsy tissue are used to determine the number, volume and distance between cell components. In one application, fluorescence signals that mark Her2/neural genes and centromeres of chromosome seventeen are counted to diagnose breast cancer. Her2/neural genes that overlap one another or that are covered by centromeres can be accurately counted. Signal artifacts that do not mark genes can be identified by their excessive volume. |
| US08542892B2 |
Method and apparatus for compensating for motion in an imaged object
A method and apparatus for compensating for motion in an imaged object are provided. The method includes obtaining nuclear medicine (NM) image data for an object acquired from an NM imaging system, wherein the NM image data includes single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) image data. The method further includes performing resolution recovery on the NM image data. The method also includes reconstructing the resolution recovered NM image data into a plurality of subsets and morphing the reconstructed NM image data in at least one of the plurality of subsets. The method additionally includes normalizing the NM image data based on a magnitude of the morphing and summing the NM image data to generate an NM image compensated for motion of the object. |
| US08542889B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for capturing a signature for use in a document
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for capturing a signature, and placing a representation of the captured signature in an appropriate field of a document. A camera or other appropriate sensor can capture an image of a signature provided by a user on a piece of paper. The signature can be digitized to create a representation that a device may use in a displayed document. To determine where to place the representation, a horizontal line of a document can be identified by selectively rendering portions of the document adjacent to an input position, and identifying one or more boundaries for a detected horizontal line. The representation can be scaled to fit in a detected field of the document. |
| US08542887B2 |
Object identification apparatus and object identification method
An object identification apparatus which identifies an object included in an input image includes a unit which calculates correlation values of feature amounts in standard partial feature regions respectively extracted from the input images and processing targets, and correlation values of feature amounts in adaptive partial feature regions respectively extracted from the input image and processing targets, a unit which calculates similarities based on the calculated correlation values, and a unit which integrates the plurality of calculated similarities, and outputs them as an integrated similarity between the input image and registered image as the processing targets. According to the object identification apparatus, an identification performance between two specific categories, which are similarity to each other, is improved while maintain an overall identification performance. |
| US08542886B2 |
System for secure face identification (SCIFI) and methods useful in conjunction therewith
A method for privacy-retaining face identification comprising dividing at least one input face into a first set of patches, providing an assortment of patch profiles for each patch in the first set of patches, each patch profile in the assortment being associated with a unique index thereby to define an assortment of unique indices, for each individual patch in the input face, finding at least one patch profile within the assortment of patch profiles which most resembles the individual patch, thereby to define a first set of indices from among the assortment of unique indices whose corresponding patch profiles most resemble the input face's patches respectively, and using a privacy preserving computation to generate a physical output indicative of a comparison of the input face and at least one target face by comparing first and second functions of the first set of indices and of a second set of indices respectively, the second set of indices corresponding to patch profiles which most resemble a second set of patches into which the target face has been divided. |
| US08542885B2 |
Imaging device, imaging method and computer program
With a digital still camera, a user freely detects a smiling face on a touchpanel displaying a through image and selects a subject having that smiling face. The digital still camera displays the smiling face as a smiling face detection target and a non-target detected face on the through image in a distinctly different manner to discriminate the smiling face detection target from the non-target detected face. For example, when persons in an event such as a party are photographed in a relatively large viewing angle, an auto photographing operation may be performed in response to smiling face detections on condition that at least two members in the party are smiling. |
| US08542884B1 |
Systems and methods for flood area change detection
In various embodiments, old flood maps may be compared to new flood maps to determine which areas of the flood map have changed. These changed areas may be correlated against geographic area descriptions that are within changed areas of the flood map. The changed areas may also be analyzed to determine whether each area has had a change in status (e.g., from a high risk flood zone to a non-high risk flood zone or vice versa) or a change in zone within a status (e.g., from one flood zone to another flood zone). The information on type of change (or no change) may be used to populate a database that includes geographic area description identifiers. In some embodiments, detection of certain types of changes may initiate a manual comparison of the old and new flood maps to verify the change. |
| US08542881B2 |
Computer vision aided automated tire inspection system for in-motion inspection of vehicle tires
A system and method related thereto, for automatically inspecting at least one tire of a moving vehicle. The system includes an image acquisition device including at least one camera. The camera acquires multiple real-time images of at least one tire of a moving vehicle. As the tire of the vehicle enters a field of view of the camera, the camera component is configured to photograph and transmit the multiple photographs of the at least one tire. A light source illuminates the at least one tire of the vehicle in the field of view of the camera, and the light application may be synchronous with the imaging performed by the camera. A computer image processing component receives the multiple images transmitted from the camera and analyzes the multiple images using a detection program. The computer imaging processing component analyzing the photographs and provides an inspection analysis of each at least one tire. |
| US08542875B2 |
Image processing based on visual attention and reduced search based generated regions of interest
A system for complexity reduction in images involving concepts of visual attention based most probable region detection for object presence and perspective-view based reduced scale-search approaches. Visual attention concept in context uses gradient and contrast of an image. A pixel meeting certain criteria for gradient or contrast values may be further processed for object presence. Limiting image processing to such regions may reduce the complexity of digitized images. Post processing the outcome using morphological operations like dilation and erosion appropriately may help retain some of the missed object pixels in the resultant image. Typically image blocks at different scales are searched for object presence. Reduced-scale search involves removing certain scales during search. As object size in image varies with its location scales within a given scale-range if searched, may lead to higher chances of object presence. This is implemented using relative heights and widths estimation using the perspective view concept. |
| US08542871B2 |
Brand protection and product authentication using portable devices
A method and apparatus for protection of products and packaging against counterfeiting using dedicated authentication protocol coupled with portable devices. It is based on the product identification information, i.e., PIN, generated by the product manufacturer, stored in the product database and added to product or packaging in an open and/or a hidden form. The open part is directly available to the consumer before buying, opening or consuming the product or package or damaging its integrity while the hidden part is only revealed after these operations. The hidden information can also be disappearing after a predefined interval of time or number of trials or usages. Both parts are communicated to the authentication server in a predefined order to verify the product or package authenticity. The presence, absence, or multiple requests for the same product PIN, confirm or reject product authenticity or detect attempt at attacking the system or using counterfeited products. |
| US08542870B2 |
Methods, apparatus and programs for generating and utilizing content signatures
The presently claimed invention generally relates to deriving and/or utilizing content signatures (e.g., so-called “fingerprints”). One claim recites a method of generating a fingerprint associated with a content item including: pseudo-randomly selecting a segment of the content item; and utilizing a processor or electronic processing circuitry, fingerprinting the selected segment of content item as at least an identifier of the content item. Of course, other claims and combination are provided as well. |
| US08542867B2 |
Image processing for reproducing code image from original information
An image processing apparatus and method determine whether an error detecting rate of original information extracted from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which the code image is formed, is not smaller than a predetermined value. When it is not smaller than a predetermined value, a code image is reproduced from the extracted original information and the code image in the read image is replaced therewith. One example of the code image is a barcode. |
| US08542864B2 |
Speaker device
A speaker device includes a voice coil unit and a diaphragm linked to the voice coil unit. A first supporting unit and a second supporting unit elastically support the end portions of the voice coil unit so that the voice coil portion of the voice coil unit can vibrate within the magnetic gap in the direction of the face thereof. Each of the first supporting unit and the second supporting unit has a configuration that is in a shape bent so as to extend up and bend down from an end that is fixed to a fixing position. Thus, a speaker device in which the voice coil unit can vibrate with a greater amplitude is provided. |
| US08542860B2 |
Oscillator for a flat loudspeaker, flat loudspeaker and vehicle
The present invention relates to an oscillator, particularly for or in a flat loudspeaker, particularly for use in the aerospace field, comprising an oscillating part carrier, a coupling ring for coupling the oscillator to a sound converter of a loudspeaker, wherein the oscillating part carrier and the coupling ring are connected to each other via a detachable quick-release closure, comprising first closing elements for a locked, secure connection in relation to vibrations and second closing elements that are separate from the first closing elements, for a secure connection between the oscillating part carrier and the coupling ring. The invention further relates to a flat loudspeaker comprising such an oscillator and to a vehicle comprising such a flat loudspeaker. |
| US08542851B2 |
Acoustic sensor and microphone
An acoustic sensor includes a semiconductor substrate with a back chamber, a conductive diaphragm arranged on an upper side of the semiconductor substrate, an insulating fixed film fixed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate covering the conductive diaphragm with a gap, a conductive fixed electrode film arranged on the insulating fixed film facing the diaphragm, an extraction wiring extracted from the conductive fixed electrode film, and an electrode pad to which the extraction wiring is connected. The acoustic sensor converts an acoustic vibration to change electrostatic capacitance between the conductive diaphragm and the conductive fixed electrode film. A plurality of acoustic perforations are opened in a back plate including the insulating fixed film and the conductive fixed electrode film. An opening rate of the plurality of acoustic perforations is smaller in the extraction wiring and a region in the vicinity thereof than in other regions. |
| US08542850B2 |
Miniature microphone assembly with hydrophobic surface coating
A miniature microphone assembly comprises a capacitive-microphone transducer, a microphone carrier, and an integrated circuit die. The capacitive-microphone transducer includes a microphone-electrical contact or terminal. The microphone carrier comprises a carrier electrical contact or terminal formed on a first surface of the microphone carrier. An integrated circuit die includes a die electrical terminal operatively coupled to signal amplification or signal conditioning circuitry of the integrated circuit die. The first surface of the microphone carrier comprises a hydrophobic layer or coating. The side surfaces of the integrated circuit die and/or the capacitive-microphone transducer may also include the hydrophobic layer or coating. |
| US08542849B2 |
Apparatus, method, and manufacture for connectable gain-sharing automixers
A device for audio mixing includes a cascade input port and a first cascade input component that includes a first cascade input level detector component that detects an audio level of an upstream sum audio signal. The first cascade input port also includes an attenuator component that attenuates the first upstream mix audio signal by a gain corresponding to difference between the upstream sum audio signal value and a detected audio level of an input sum audio signal. The device also includes a summer component where the signals summed include at least the first upstream sum audio signal. The device also includes an input sum level detector component that detects the audio level of the input sum audio signal. The device also includes a mixer component that is configured to provide a mix output signal by summing, where the signals summed include at least the first attenuated upstream mix signal. |
| US08542844B2 |
Sound modification system and method
A sound modification system and a method of managing sound in a vehicle. The system includes an active noise reduction (ANR) controller, an engine sound enhancement (ESE) controller and a sound modification controller. When the vehicle is in a steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ANR controller and deactivates the ESE controller. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a non-steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ESE controller and deactivates the ANR controller. Preferably, when the vehicle switches between the steady state and non-steady state driving conditions, the sound modification controller activates and deactivates the ANR and ESE controllers at a rate that is not noticeable to a human. In summary, the system utilizes the ANR and ESE controllers to achieve an optimal passenger cabin experience for the driver during any driving condition. |
| US08542843B2 |
Headset with integrated stereo array microphone
The invention relates to a noise canceling audio transmitting/receiving device; a stereo headset with an integrated array of microphones utilizing an adaptive beam forming algorithm. The invention also relates to a method of using an adaptive beam forming algorithm that may be incorporated into a stereo headset. The sensor array used herein has adaptive filtering capabilities. |
| US08542837B2 |
Key selection vector, mobile device and method for processing the key selection vector, digital content output device, and revocation list
A key selection vector for a revocation list in an HDCP system as well as a mobile device and a method for processing a key selection vector, a digital content output device using a key selection vector and a revocation list for use in an HDCP system comprising a key selection vector are described. It is desired to improve handling of key selection vectors of revocation lists. A structured key selection vector for a revocation list is provided. The key selection vector is structured to contain at least one bit field with a predetermined number of bits and at a predetermined location in the key selection vector. The bit field contains information relating to a group property of a device, which group property allows to process as a group a plurality of key selection vectors storing the same or similar group property information in said at least one bit field. |
| US08542833B2 |
Systems and methods to secure laptops or portable computing devices
A security system includes an appliance to be secured, including a processor and a first wireless transceiver for accessing a data network with a first power requirement; and a second wireless transceiver receiving power to operate even if the appliance is off, hibernates or sleeps, the second wireless transceiver operating at a second power requirement lower than the first power requirement, the second wireless transceiver communicating a signal indicating a security status of the appliance. |
| US08542830B2 |
Method for partially encrypting program data
A cable television system provides conditional access to services. The cable television system includes a headend from which service “instances,” or programs, are broadcast and a plurality of set top units for receiving the instances and selectively decrypting the instances for display to system subscribers. The service instances are partially-encrypted using public and/or private keys provided by service providers or central authorization agents. Keys used by the set tops for selective decryption may also be public or private in nature, and such keys may be reassigned at different times to provide a cable television system in which piracy concerns are minimized. |
| US08542829B2 |
Method of and apparatus for transmitting data
A method of transmitting data by which cipher-transmission of digital information data for which forbidden codes including timing identification codes are predetermined can be carried out with enciphered digital information data without containing undesirable forbidden code, in which digital information data contained in word sequence data which contain also time reference code data composed of the timing identification codes are subjected to enciphering process without producing the forbidden code to produce the enciphered digital information data which do not contain any forbidden code and then enciphered word sequence data are constituted with the enciphered digital information data and the time reference code data to be transmitted. |
| US08542828B2 |
Cryptographic secret key distribution
The present invention relates to cryptographic secret key distribution, wherein a value for a number of iterations can be individually set, so that the number of messages to be exchanged during generating a cryptographic secret key can be varied based on the set value of the iteration number. |
| US08542820B2 |
Apparatus for calculating a result of a scalar multiplication
An apparatus for calculating a result of a scalar multiplication of a reference number with a reference point on an elliptic curve comprises a point selector and a processor. The point selector is configured to select randomly or pseudo-randomly an auxiliary point on the elliptic curve. The processor is configured to calculate the result of the scalar multiplication with a double-and-always-add process using the auxiliary point. |
| US08542817B1 |
Speaker volume control for voice communication device
A system and method for adjusting the volume level of a communications device in response to ambient noise. In one embodiment, ambient noise is sampled once and the volume of a speaker associated with the communications device is increased to, and maintained at, a level sufficient to overcome the ambient noise such that a user can easily carry on a conversation or hear what is being transmitted. In another embodiment, ambient noise is periodically sampled and the volume of the speaker is adjusted in response to the sampled ambient noise. The system and method provides enhanced user convenience and power saving advantages. |
| US08542816B2 |
Independent customer service agents
Aspects of systems and methods for maintaining and operating agent nodes are provided. In some embodiments, calls, contacts, and other work units may be routed to individual customer service agents via a centralized queue based on a variety of factors. Some embodiments may provide market-based call pricing and customer service agent compensation. |
| US08542812B2 |
Conference-call participant-information processing
In one embodiment, a telecommunication device for Internet-based conference calling with one or more similar telecommunication devices. The telecommunication device is used by a plurality of co-located participants, each participant having an individually identifiable microphone. The telecommunication device accesses a database correlating each individually identifiable microphone to participant ID and information. During the conference-call setup, the similar telecommunication devices exchange participant IDs and corresponding information. The conference-call audio content is then exchanged using RTP packets, where the telecommunication devices generate RTP packets containing the participant IDs of participants contributing to the content of each RTP packet. Receiving telecommunication devices then display corresponding participant information when playing the audio content of received RTP packets to identify current speakers. Individual, identifiable microphones improve the audio quality received by remote participants and permit the automatic exchange and display of the current participants and the current speakers. |
| US08542810B2 |
Automatic rejoining of conferences
Users are enabled to re-join a conference after an intentional or unintentional disconnect based on detecting the user's identifier. An identifier associated with a user such as a caller id number is determined or a cookie installed in the user's computing device facilitating communications when the user first joins a conference. If the user's connection to the conference is severed intentionally or unintentionally, and the user attempts to connect again, the system may prompt the user whether they want to join the same conference or another conference. If the user confirms their desire to join the same conference, the system may connect them without the user having to enter conference identifier, password, or similar information. |
| US08542807B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a data link based on a pots connection
In a communications system, after parties form a dial up voice telephone connection, the parties respective communications devices automatically create or leverage machine readable features or content of the telephone connection to identify the parties to each other or to a rendezvous server, and thereafter the communications devices and/or the rendezvous server automatically establishes a data link between the parties. |
| US08542806B2 |
Telecommunications system and method
A telecommunications system including, a plurality of repeater nodes, each repeater node having a transceiver unit operable to transmit and receive data to or from one or more other of the repeater nodes or a control node or a mobile device within a predetermined range. The control node operable to transmit data to and receive data from the mobile device via the repeater nodes using a time frame divided into a plurality of time slots. The time slots of the time frame are allocated to the repeater nodes to the effect that each repeater node transmits to another repeater node in one of the upstream or the downstream directions in a time slot which is a minimal time from the time slot in which the other repeater node transmits in the upstream or downstream direction. |
| US08542804B2 |
Voice and text mail application for communication devices
A voice and text mail application method and apparatus capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous voice communication. The application is configured to (i) simultaneously and progressively store media of an incoming message as the media is received at a communication device over the network and (ii) provides a “catch up” rendering option which enables the rendering of previously received media of the message starting at any previous point of the message and to catch up the rendering to the current point or head of the message as the media of the message is being received. By rendering the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded, eventually the rendering will catch up and seamlessly transition the rendering from an asynchronous time-shifted mode out of storage to a synchronous mode as the media of the message is received over the network. In various alternative embodiments, the application also enables the (a) screening of the media of the incoming message as the media is received over the network; (b) the ability to join a live conversation with the sender of the incoming message as the media of the incoming message is received over the network, and/or (c) the option to ignore the media of the incoming message. |
| US08542795B2 |
Method for obtaining high-contrast X-ray images and X-ray beam detector
An X-ray radiation detector (100) consists of an arrangement with photodetector elements (12) and a scintillator layer (14) on the same. It is assumed in an exemplary fashion that the scintillator layer (14) subjects an input signal, which describes an object to be imaged, to a convolution with a modulation transfer function. The effect of this can be cancelled, particularly by obtaining a test X-ray image in advance, with the aid of which this modulation transfer function, or a similar variable providing information on the modulation transfer function, is established. If use is made of photodetectors that are based on CMOS technology, use can be made of a particularly thick scintillator layer made of gadolinium oxysulfide, which absorbs a particularly large amount of X-ray radiation. High-contrast X-ray images are obtained in this fashion. |
| US08542792B1 |
Reactor vessel coolant deflector shield
A power module includes a reactor vessel containing a coolant and a reactor core located near a bottom end of the reactor vessel. A riser section is located above the reactor core, wherein the coolant circulates past the reactor core and up through the riser section. In one embodiment, a coolant deflector shield includes flow-optimized surfaces, wherein the flow-optimized surfaces direct the coolant towards the bottom end of the reactor vessel. In another embodiment, the reactor housing includes an inward facing portion that varies a flow pressure of the coolant and promotes a circulation of the coolant past a baffle assembly and towards the bottom end of the reactor vessel. |
| US08542791B2 |
Refueling apparatus for sodium-cooled fast reactor and method for the same
A refueling apparatus for charging nuclear fuel in a reactor vessel, the refueling apparatus including: a refueling unit loading new nuclear fuel to a core or extracting spent nuclear fuel from the core; and a waveguide sensor unit including an ultrasonic wedge to form a Lamb wave, a waveguide with an end connected to the ultrasonic wedge and with another end transmitting the Lamb wave into the reactor vessel, and an ultrasonic sensor connected to the ultrasonic wedge and sensing a reflection signal reflected from an inside of the reactor vessel, the waveguide being formed in a plate shape and mounted in an end of the refueling unit. The waveguide integrally moves with the refueling unit, and the waveguide sensor unit detects a condition of the inside of the reactor vessel, while the refueling unit refuels the fuel assembly in the reactor vessel. |
| US08542790B2 |
Jet pump inspection apparatus
Example embodiments are directed to jet pump inspection apparatuses including an encoded probe driver coupled to a guide funnel. In an example embodiment, the encoded probe driver and the guide funnel are located on the body of the apparatus in order to decrease the time required for inspection, thereby limiting exposure to personnel of radioactive contamination. |
| US08542787B2 |
Phase adjustment apparatus and method for a memory device signaling system
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for adjusting phase of data signals to compensate for phase-offset variations between devices during normal operation. The phase of data signals are adjusted individually in each transmit data unit and receive data unit across multiple data slices with a common set of phase vector clock signals and a corresponding clock cycle count signal. The transmission of signal information between a first device (such as a memory controller) and a second device (such as a memory component) occurs without errors even when the accumulated delays between the first device and second device change by a half symbol time interval or more during operation of the system. The apparatus reduces the circuitry required, such as phase-lock-loops, for individually adjusting the phase of each transmit data unit and receive data unit across multiple data slices, which in turn results in reduction in complexity and cost of the system. |
| US08542786B2 |
Multi-channel sample rate converter
A method of sample rate conversion and clock synchronization for multiple asynchronous input signals using a single processing core. A sample processing clock with a frequency equal to or higher than the input signal clock frequencies is provided. The clock period is divided into a number of time slots corresponding to the input signals. For each valid sample of an input signal, the core performs a first stage processing operation on the sample. Subsequently, for each required sample of an output signal, the core performs a second stage processing operation to generate the output sample. |
| US08542785B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication system
A communication apparatus that can suppress an increase in circuit size and reduce influence of interference, includes reception array antenna elements, a reception digital beam forming (DBF) network that generates a reception beam signal for forming M reception beams using a reception signal, and reception filter banks (FBs) that generate frequency split reception beam signals obtained by frequency-splitting the reception beam signal. The communication apparatus includes an interference-source detecting unit that stores, for each reception beam, an interference candidate beam area estimated based on an initial reception beam characteristic, calculates, based on the frequency split reception beam signals, a reception spectrum, and calculates, based on the reception spectrum and a reception spectrum of a reception beam to the interference candidate beam area, an interference source area. The reception DFB network generates a reception beam signal to perform null formation in the direction of the interference source area. |
| US08542781B2 |
Incrementally inclusive frequency domain symbol joint detection
In one of its aspects the technology disclosed herein concerns a method of operating a receiver. The method comprises performing symbol detection by (1) receiving a frequency-domain signal that comprises contribution from time-domain symbols transmitted from one or more transmit antennas; (2) generating a transformation matrix and a triangular matrix based on a frequency domain channel response; (3) using the transformation matrix to transform the received frequency-domain signal to obtain a transformed frequency-domain signal; and (4) performing symbol detection by performing plural stages of detection, each stage of detection using elements of the transformed frequency-domain received signal associated with the detection stage. |
| US08542776B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a multi-antenna system, and system using the same
A closed-loop multi-antenna system and method thereof are provided. A transmitter includes a feedback information processor and a first transmit unit. A receiver includes a channel estimator, a feedback information generator and a second transmit unit. The feedback information processor receives feedback information from the receiver, calculates each of a sum rate in a multi-user mode and a sum rate in a single-user mode using the feedback information, and selects one of the single-user mode and the multi-user mode as a transmission mode depending on a comparison result between the sum rate in the multi-user mode and the sum rate in the single-user mode. The channel estimator acquires channel quality information (CQI) for each data stream transmitted individually via each antenna group. The feedback information generator determines the CQI associated information from the CQI acquired individually for each antenna group corresponding to the transmission mode. |
| US08542775B2 |
Serial data interface for software-defined radio system
A radio system comprises a front-end receiver for receiving a RF signal and converting the RF signal into a digital payload signal. The system further comprises a base-band processor for processing the digital payload signal, and a serial data interface over which the front-end communicates the digital payload signal and meta data to the base-band processor. The meta data may comprise information indicating whether a corresponding digital payload signal communicated over the serial data interface is valid and additional information of the front-end status, e.g. gain or state of tuning. |
| US08542773B2 |
Digital RF converter, digital RF modulator and transmitter including the same
A digital RF converter, a digital RF modulator, and a transmitter are provided. The digital RF converter includes a delta-sigma modulated bits (DSMB) sub-block that generates a current magnitude corresponding to least-significant n bits among input signals at a first sampling speed, a least-significant bit (LSB) sub-block that generates a current magnitude corresponding to intermediate k bits among the input signals at a second sampling speed lower than the first sampling speed, and a most-significant bit (MSB) sub block that generates a current magnitude corresponding to most-significant m bits among the inputs signals at the second sampling speed. |
| US08542772B2 |
Multi-user detection using equalization and successive interference cancellation
A method and apparatus for multi-user detection is disclosed. A signal is received in a shared spectrum, and samples of the received signals are produced as a received vector. The received vector is segmented into vector segments. Each segment has a portion that overlaps with another segment and the overlapping portion includes at least one chip less than twice a channel impulse response length. For each vector segment, symbols are successively determined for communications by determining symbols for a communication in the communications, ordering the communications by received power and removing a contribution of the communication from the vector segment. The determining of symbols includes equalizing an input vector corresponding to a segment of the received vector using fast Fourier transform. The determined symbols are assembled into a data vector for each communication in the communications. |
| US08542768B2 |
High efficiency, remotely reconfigurable remote radio head unit system and method for wireless communications
A remote radio head unit (RRU) system for achieving high efficiency and high linearity in wideband communication systems is disclosed. The present invention is based on the method of adaptive digital predistortion to linearize a power amplifier inside the RRU. The power amplifier characteristics such as variation of linearity and asymmetric distortion of the amplifier output signal are monitored by a wideband feedback path and controlled by the adaptation algorithm in a digital module. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can compensate for the nonlinearities as well as memory effects of the power amplifier systems and also improve performance, in terms of power added efficiency, adjacent channel leakage ratio and peak-to-average power ratio. The present disclosure enables a power amplifier system to be field reconfigurable and support multi-modulation schemes (modulation agnostic), multi-carriers, multi-frequency bands and multi-channels. As a result, the remote radio head system is particularly suitable for wireless transmission systems, such as base-stations, repeaters, and indoor signal coverage systems. |
| US08542761B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and data processing method
A digital broadcasting system and method of processing data therein are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a digital broadcasting system includes an RS (Reed-Solomon) encoder configured to encode mobile service data for FEC (Forward Error Correction) to build RS frames including the mobile service data and a signaling information table, a signaling encoder configured to encode signaling information including fast information channel (FIC) data, and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data, a group formatter configured to form data groups, wherein at least one of the data groups includes encoded mobile service data, known data sequences, the FIC data and the TPC data, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the broadcast signal including a parade of the data groups. |
| US08542760B2 |
Full-rate distributed space-time codes for cooperative communications
A full-rate distributed space-time (ST) code design is provided for amplify-and-forward cooperative wireless channels. A signal space diversity technique is employed at the source node and a unique signature vector at each relay node. The distributed space-time (ST) codes can achieve full cooperative diversity and full rate. The achievable diversity gain is M+1, where M is the number of relay nodes. Optimal power allocation can be used to maximize the coding gain under a total power constraint. |
| US08542759B2 |
Method for transmitting a signal from a transmitter to a receiver in a power line communication network, transmitter, receiver, power line communication modem and power line communication system
A method for transmitting a signal from a transmitter over a channel to a receiver on a Power Line Network, wherein said signal is OFDM-modulated on a set of sub-carriers, is proposed, wherein an OFDM tonemap and an eigenbeamforming encoding matrix are determined based on a channel estimation for each sub-carrier, a tonemap feedback signal and an eigenbeamforming feedback signal are generated, which are descriptive of said OFDM tonemap and said eigenbeamforming encoding matrix, respectively, and transmitted to the transmitter. A corresponding receiver, a transmitter, a power line communication and a power line communication system are described as well. |
| US08542756B2 |
Communication method, communication system, transmission device, and receiving device
A communication method of transmitting plural packets from a first communication device to a second communication device includes associating identification information items with combinations of reception results of the plural packets in the second communication device, specifying one of the identification information items based on the reception results of the plural packets in initial reception, and transmitting the one item to the first communication device; determining an encoding method and encoding the plural packets based on the determined encoding method, and retransmitting the encoded packets to the second communication device; and decoding the encoded packets based on successfully received packets and reproducing incorrectly received packets in the initial reception. |
| US08542755B2 |
Time accurate control of RF over a digrf interface
A communication system includes a RF subsystem that communicates with a BB subsystem through a digital RF-BB interface multiplexing I/Q data and control signals in both TX and RX directions. The RF subsystem includes a FIFO buffer in each respective TX and RX chain and a timer that assigns a timestamp to the continuous stream in both TX and RX chains whenever it is equal to a time event from the BB subsystem. The BB subsystem includes a sample counter that counts the number (k) of data samples at the FIFO buffer and a controller that defines the time event. Precise alignment at the air interface between a data burst from the RF subsystem and a data burst from the BB subsystem can be achieved using the timer, based on the relation between the timer value (n) and the sample count (k). |
| US08542754B2 |
Method of transmitting a packet of digital data over a poly-phase power line affected by impulsive noise
The method transmits a long packet of digital data over a poly-phase power line affected by impulsive noise synchronous with phase voltages. Instead of using very complicated coding schemes, starting from the knowledge of the typical power line scenario, useful information is transmitted where noise synchronous with the main signal is absent. Time-intervals of a known or estimated duration during which the poly-phase power line is affected by impulsive noise are determined, and dummy data during the time-intervals, and useful data during other time-intervals free from impulsive noise, are transmitted. |
| US08542752B2 |
Hierarchical coding for multicast messages
Techniques for sending signaling information using hierarchical coding are described. With hierarchical coding, individual messages for users are encoded using multiple interconnected encoders such that (1) the message for each user is sent at a data rate suitable for that user and (2) a single multicast message is generated for the messages for all users. A base station determines data rates supported by the users and the code rates to achieve these data rates. Each data rate is determined by one or more code rates. Signaling information for the users is mapped to data blocks to be sent at different data rates. Each data block is then encoded in accordance with the code rate(s) associated with the data rate for that data block. A final coded block is generated for all users and transmitted. Each user performs the complementary decoding to recover the message sent to that user. |
| US08542751B2 |
Techniques for identifying and reducing block artifacts
Techniques are described that can be used to identify blocking artifacts in both vertical and horizontal directions. For blocking artifacts in a vertical direction, a horizontal gradient is determined for a pixel. Gradient smoothing is performed for pixels in the row of the pixel. A ratio of the horizontal gradient over the gradient smoothing is determined. Any pixel with a ratio above a threshold and in a segment with a length that exceeds a threshold length as potentially having block artifacts. Each column with pixels that potentially have block artifacts is inspected to determine whether a number of block artifacts in the column are a local maximum and whether there is a sufficient number of blocking artifacts in the column. Columns that satisfy both conditions are considered to include blocking artifacts. |
| US08542750B2 |
Deblocking control method considering intra BL mode and multilayer video encoder/decoder using the same
A deblocking filter used in a video encoder/decoder based on a multilayer is disclosed. The deblocking filtering method includes choosing a present block and its neighboring block on which a deblocking filtering will be performed, judging whether the present block and the neighboring block have been coded by the intra BL mode, choosing a deblocking filter strength according to the result of the judgment, and performing the deblocking filtering with respect to a boundary between the present block and the neighboring block and according to the deblocking filter strength. |
| US08542748B2 |
Methods and systems for parallel video encoding and decoding
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for parallel video encoding and decoding. |
| US08542743B2 |
Method and arrangement for personalized video encoding
When generating an encoded composed video stream based on a common video stream and at least one input stream of personalized information, at least one intermediate stream is generated by mixing the at least one input stream into the common video stream in predetermined positions of the common video stream, taking into account a macroblock grouping in slices, and the at least one intermediate stream is encoded, thereby generating at least one encoded intermediate stream by using the macroblock grouping. The common video stream is encoded using the macroblock grouping, thereby generating an encoded common video stream. The encoded common video stream and the at least one encoded intermediate stream are combined and filtered such that per frame and per slice sequence number only one slice of one stream is selected for forming the encoded composed video stream. |
| US08542739B2 |
Method of estimating disparity vector using camera parameters, apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view picture using the disparity vector estimation method, and computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing the method
A disparity vector estimation method and an apparatus are provided for encoding and decoding a multi-view picture using the disparity vector estimation method. The method of estimating a disparity vector of a multi-view picture includes determining a disparity vector between two frames having a different viewpoint from a current viewpoint, and calculating a disparity vector of a current viewpoint frame using the determined disparity vector and a certain translation parameter. |
| US08542738B2 |
Region sizing for macroblocks
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation. |
| US08542733B2 |
Multipass video rate control to match sliding window channel constraints
An encoder and corresponding method are disclosed for performing video rate control to meet network traffic model restrictions, including pre-encoding the sequence of pictures for each of a plurality of quantization parameter values, selecting for each picture of the sequence one of the plurality of quantization parameter values responsive to the quantization parameter values and bitrate operating points of the neighboring pictures in the sliding time window, and encoding each picture of the sequence using the quantization parameter value selected for that picture. |
| US08542732B1 |
Video encoder using GPU
An apparatus comprising a graphics processing unit, a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions use (i) the graphics processing unit to perform prediction, decimation, transformation and quantization, and inverse-quantization and inverse-transformation and (ii) the processor to perform entropy encoding and rate control. |
| US08542731B2 |
Method and apparatus for video codec quantization
An encoder, a decoder, and corresponding methods are provided for encoding and decoding video signal data for an image block. The encoder includes a quantizer for receiving transform coefficients for the image block, and for adaptively performing dead-zone quantization based on coefficient positions and coefficient distributions of the transform coefficients. |
| US08542726B2 |
Directional and motion-compensated discrete cosine transformation
Systems and methods provide directional discrete cosine transformation (DCT) and motion compensated DCT. In one implementation, an exemplary system finds a directional property of an image, such as a visual trend, factorizes a DCT operation into primal operations, and applies the primal operations along a corresponding direction to perform the DCT. Motion compensated DCT applies the primal operations along a motion trajectory of a video sequence. When the directional DCT is applied blockwise, the directional coding modes for adjacent blocks can be optimized in view of each other using a weighted graph to represent the related coding mode decisions. |
| US08542725B1 |
Decision feedback equalization for signals having unequally distributed patterns
Tools capable of improving the accuracy of decision feedback equalization (DFE) are described. The tools may adapt a DFE using a more-equal distribution of signals than those actually received. The tools may do so by disregarding, averaging, or weighting certain signals when adapting the DFE when those signals represent an unequal distribution of bit patterns. In one example, the tools detect and disregard some of the signals representing idle bit patterns that are received more often than other bit patterns. The tools may also or instead compensate for a bit pattern that is never or rarely received. |
| US08542724B1 |
Iterative joint minimum mean square error decision feedback equalizer and turbo decoder
An iterative joint Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) decision feedback equalizer and turbo decoder includes a turbo decoder portion and a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) portion. The DFE receives input signals and processes these input signals to generate an estimated symbol sequence that is communicated to the turbo decoder portion. The estimated symbol sequence is also communicated to the feedback portion of the DFE. The feedback portion of the DFE includes a symbol-by-symbol detector and a feedback filter. The soft decoder output values generated by the turbo decoder portion are communicated to the feedback portion of the DFE and are combined with the coded output as log likelihood ratio values in a multipass, iterative fashion whereby the equalizer and decoder are linked via iterative feedback to provide communication performance enhancement. |
| US08542723B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information generation method
An information processing apparatus includes: a reception unit configured to receive a packet string in which packet groups including data on a plurality of video frames and having an identifier indicating a beginning of the video frame assigned to respective packets including each initial part of the plurality of video frames are arranged in a video reproduction order; a counting unit configured to count a number of received packets corresponding to each of the plurality of video frames based on respective initial packets in the packet string; and a generation unit configured to generate video quality estimation information for each of the plurality of video frames to estimate a quality of the video in which the plurality of video frames are decoded on a reception terminal based on the number of received packets corresponding to each of the plurality of video frames. |
| US08542720B2 |
Detection of outbound message signals in a power line two-way communications system
Improvements in the detection of TWACS outbound message signals. A first improvement involves matching some (or all) of the intermediate points in an outbound preamble occurring between bits of the preamble currently being detected. This reduces the possibility of a false synchronization and therefore decreases the probability of missing outbound message signals. A second improvement is to require some or all of the known preamble bits to exceed a predetermined threshold where both the thresh-old and which bits are adjustable. An additional approach is using 4-8 additional buffers in a transponder to detect preamble patterns in the outbound message. Each half cycle of the outbound message waveform requires entering a bit only into the buffers active for the particular frame of reference in which the message is being transmitted, since only buffers for that frame of reference are employed. The process continues until all bits specified to be sent, based on the length of the outbound message, are extracted. A CRC is then performed for the message. Using this method eliminates the problem of inbound messages being detected as outbound messages, and the resulting “blindness” of the transponder. It further makes the transponders less sensitive to noise which currently causes the transponder to detect a preamble when there is none, resulting in a valid outbound message being missed. |
| US08542718B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquisition, tracking, and sub-microsecond time transfer using weak GPS/GNSS signals
A method and apparatus provide high-sensitivity GPS/GNSS signal acquisition in a stationary GPS/GNSS receiver. The uncertainty in frequency due to apparent Doppler shift is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous frequency bins, and the uncertainty in location of navigation data bit boundaries is partitioned into equally spaced trial bit boundary locations. For each combination of the trial bit boundary location and the frequency bin, a signal block of captured complex baseband signal is Doppler-compensated using a phase rotator, and then synchronously summed with a periodicity of one period of C/A code so as to produce a compressed sample block having N samples. Each compressed sample block is cross-correlated with one period of reference C/A code to produce an N-value correlation function. A predetermined number of magnitudes of the N-value correlation functions are stack-accumulated into an array with precession compensation so as to find a correlation peak having the largest value. |
| US08542717B2 |
Interrogator and interrogation system employing the same
An interrogator, methods of discerning the presence of an object, and interrogation systems employing the same. In one embodiment, the interrogation systems include multiple interrogators that communicate with a base command unit to track a location of an object. In another embodiment wherein the object is an RFID object (e.g., an object with an RFID tag), the interrogators employ signal processing techniques such as precharging the RFID object, and correlating a reference code with a reply code from the RFID object using selected techniques to increase a sensitivity of the interrogator, especially for adverse environments. In other embodiments, the interrogation systems include variations of metal instruments and sponges employed therewith. In yet another embodiment, the interrogation system includes metal interrogators capable of discerning the presence of a metal object, especially in a presence of another metal object. |
| US08542716B2 |
Continuous time chaos dithering
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for further reducing cyclostationarity and correspondingly energy density in a chaotic spread spectrum data communication channel, by digitally generating a first chaotic sequence of values to form a spreading code. The spreading code is then used to form a digital IF spread spectrum signal having a uniform sampling interval. The digital IF spread spectrum signal is converted to a sampled analog IF spread spectrum signal at a conversion rate substantially equal to the uniform sampling interval. The duration of the sampling interval is then selectively varied in accordance with a first pseudo-random sequence, thereby introducing a known dither in the analog IF spread spectrum signal. After introducing the known dither, the analog IF spread spectrum signal is upconverted to an analog RF spread spectrum signal. The first pseudo-random sequences may be designed to be a chaotic sequence. |
| US08542714B2 |
Method and system for reconstructing time of transmit from assisted or weak signal GPS observations
This invention provides methods for a GPS device to resolve timing errors as applicable to a AGPS navigation solution, and, in particular, to solutions involving GNSS positioning and timing with limited assistance such as indoors or in a heavily obscured location, where the time of transmit of satellite signals is not directly extractable from the navigation message data. In particular the invention concerns the reconstruction of time-of-transmit from the course acquisition code of weak signals or where assisted-GNSS are employed. |
| US08542712B2 |
Photonic devices based on conical refraction
An optical system (31) with an input optical source (33) for projecting an input beam along an optical axis and an optical element (37, 43) which creates a cone refracted beam (41) from the input beam (35) then reconstructs the input beam (49). The optical element may comprise a first cone refractive element (37) which creates a cone refracted beam and reconstructs the beam using a reconstructing optical element (43) to apply a phase shift to the cone refracted beam. The optical system may be used to form a laser or a gain medium for a laser. |
| US08542710B2 |
Optical fiber amplifier and fiber laser apparatus using the same
An optical fiber amplifier (2) includes: a first pumping source (10); a second pumping source (20); an amplification optical fiber (3) in which an active element is doped; a first optical filter (15) coupled to the first pumping source (10) and one end of the amplification optical fiber (30), the first optical filter (15) transmitting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of a first pumping light and reflecting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of a second pumping light; and a second optical filter (25) coupled to the second pumping source (20) and the other end of the amplification optical fiber (3), the second optical filter (25) transmitting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of the second pumping light and reflecting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of the first pumping light. |
| US08542707B2 |
Multi-carrier system selection
In general, a method performed on a personal base station includes transmitting a first pilot signal to a portable access terminal operating in an idle mode in a macrocell that uses a first carrier frequency. The first pilot signal is transmitted in the first carrier frequency to allow the portable access terminal to temporarily connect to the first pilot signal. A second pilot signal is transmitted in a second frequency that is different than the first frequency. The portable access terminal is dispelled from the first pilot signal, and the portable access terminal is allowed to connect to the second pilot signal. |
| US08542706B2 |
Method and apparatus related to packet fragmentation and reconstruction
Methods and apparatus related to packet fragmentation and reconstruction are described. A sequence of bits is generated including at least one header and at least partial packet payload prior to a determination of the actual data rate to be used in a communications segment. In some embodiments, the generated sequence of bits corresponds to a prepared information bit stream for a best case scenario in which the highest data rate is selected for segment. Various embodiments allow for the selection of the data rate to be used for the communications segment to be delayed until just prior to the transmission. Thus the selection of the data rate for the communications segment, and thus the segment capacity, can be based on more current channel condition information than would otherwise be possible if the communications device needed to know the data rate for the segment before performing header and packet fragmentation operations. |
| US08542703B1 |
Extension mode for wireless LANs complying with short interframe space requirement
A first wireless device comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit, in accordance with a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, a packet to a second wireless device, wherein the packet includes a header portion and a data portion. A maximum time interval for the second station to respond to the packet is as follows: (i) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the second device is to respond to the packet within a predetermined time period, and (ii) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second device in accordance with the second mode of operation, the second device is to respond to the packet in a time greater than the predetermined time period. |
| US08542698B1 |
Methods and apparatus for switching transmission channels
Methods and apparatus for switching transmission channels that include monitoring a number of packets within a transmitter buffer of a transmitter, determining that the number of packets within the transmitter buffer exceeds a pre-determined threshold, and changing a transmission channel used by the transmitter for transmission based at least upon the number of packets within the transmitter buffer exceeding a pre-determined threshold. |
| US08542692B2 |
Centralized telecom server for different technology networks
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing service management across different technology networks. A centralized telecom serving system (TSS) includes a plurality of interface gateways, a central adapter, and a common interface. When in operation, a first interface gateway receives a first service request from a first network, and converts the first service request from a signaling interface used in the first network to the common interface. The central adapter receives the first service request over the common interface, and processes service management logic to identify multiple services that trigger on the first service request and determine a sequence for providing the multiple services. For each service, the central adapter generates a second service request in the common interface, and transmits the second service request to a second interface gateway that is coupled to a second network. |
| US08542689B2 |
LAN emulation over infiniband fabric apparatus, systems, and methods
A method and device for local area network (LAN) emulation over an Infiniband (IB) fabric. An IB LAN driver at a first node on an IB fabric receives the port and associated local identifier (LID) of one or more remote peer nodes on the IB fabric. An IEEE 802.3 Ethernet MAC address with one LID imbedded is generated. The imbedded LID is for one or more remote peer nodes. The IB LAN driver sends the Ethernet MAC address to an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). A logical address of a remote peer node is generated by a network protocol. The logical address is mapped to an Ethernet MAC address. The IB LAN driver sends the Ethernet MAC address onto the IB fabric to the one or more remote peer nodes. The remote peer nodes appear to reside on an Ethernet network to the network protocol. |
| US08542686B2 |
Ethernet forwarding database method
A technique is described for retrieving data from a hash table in an Ethernet bridge. The table has a plurality of columns, each of which has a hash function, thereby creating respective different hash key values. |
| US08542685B2 |
System and method for priority delivery of load management messages on IP-based networks
Methods for prioritizing load management messages on IP-based networks utilizing an Active Load Directory and IP capable two-way gateway. The messages being received from, or sent to, the ISP through the gateway contain a blend of regulated and unregulated data. The regulated data is high-priority utility load management data such as, equipment status and load control instructions. The unregulated data consists of Internet messages such as email and web site data. These methods process all regulatory data before unregulated data within strict time limits, providing the greatest possible load management control and energy savings. The methods emulate dedicated network processor memory in a manner that permits the rules for prioritizing, scheduling, and routing to remain the same across both hardware and software implementations. |
| US08542683B2 |
Dynamic bitloading
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to dynamically adjusting bitloading for multiple destinations on a network. |
| US08542678B2 |
System and method for managing call continuity in IMS network environment
In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for managing call continuity in a network environment including a circuit-switched (CS) network and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network wherein unique identity (ID) information supplied by a user equipment (UE) device is utilized. A pool of dynamically allocable IP multimedia routing numbers (IMRNs) maintained at an IMS network node are used for associating an IMRN with call information received from the UE device, which can include at least one of a GRUU, Instance ID, and the called party number relating to a call. When the dynamically allocated IMRN is returned by the UE device, the network node utilizes the IMRN mapping to effectuate call continuity with respect to the called party. |
| US08542674B2 |
System and method to initiate a presence driven peer to peer communications session on non-IMS and IMS networks
An architecture and method is provided for call routing using both IMS and non-IMS frameworks. The method includes receiving presence information of a third party from a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network device. The method further includes routing the third party to at least one callee designated device based on configurable preferences provided by the callee and correlated to presence information using an IMS compliant component. The method additionally includes providing a charging record for the routing on an IMS complaint charging platform. |
| US08542673B2 |
Multimedia interactive telephony services
In a multimedia interactive telephony system, a voice service server generates dynamic content intended for consumption by a communication device. The dynamic content is sent to a gateway where it is transformed from to an intermediate content format appropriate for rendering at the communication device. The user may interact with the transformed dynamic content rendered on the communication device, causing the arguments to be sent to the voice server, thus allowing user interactivity with the voice service. The voice services server may also generate dynamic content for simultaneous consumption by multiple communication devices, each of which may independently render an intermediate content format appropriate to it. The voice services server may also generate the dynamic content for the communication device while the communication device is not currently engaged in an active call. |
| US08542672B2 |
Call handling for IMS registered user
The present invention proposes a solution for providing IMS services to users having circuit-switched controlled terminals. In particular, it is proposed, in order to allow IMS to take the full call and service control, to combine circuit-switched and packet-based multimedia functionality in a new node type called Mobile Access Gateway Control Function (MAGCF). In particular the present invention provides a method for ensuring that the MAGCF node acts as a roaming anchor point in order to enforce the handling of originating and terminating calls in the IMS. |
| US08542671B2 |
Service provider functionality with policy enforcement functional layer bound to SIP
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for providing enhanced features to a Internet streaming system. In one embodiment, a method of providing customized enhanced features to a streaming communication system such as provided via, for example, a SIP system can comprise identifying one or more parties to an exchange. A type of communication represented by the exchange over the streaming system can be identified. One or more policies applicable to the exchange can be determined and the policies can be enforced to provide the one or more enhanced features. The one or more enhanced features can include for example, services for authenticating, authorizing, and/or anonymizing one or more of the parties to the exchange, services for logging information related to the exchange, services for billing one or more parties to the exchange, and/or any number of other services. |
| US08542669B2 |
Waveform quality feedback for the selection of gateways
Techniques are disclosed for selecting transmission resources in a telecommunications system that comprises different networks, where the techniques are based on the quality of the waveform of transmitted media such as audio or video signals, in contrast to the quality of service of the network that transports the media. The problem with only using quality of service to determine which resources to allocate to a call is that quality of service does not guarantee that the quality experienced by the call's participants is satisfactory just because a component network's quality of service is satisfactory. For example, the end-to-end delay experienced in a VoIP network might be satisfactory for most data transfers, but might still be inadequate to control the echo experienced by telecommunications users. The disclosed techniques evaluate the waveform quality (i.e., in terms of loudness, noise, echo, and so forth) of media that is transmitted along a path and allocate alternative resources accordingly. |
| US08542668B2 |
Wireless VoIP/VIP roaming to access point of different network type
A mobile communication device (for example, a cellular telephone) has one air interface for wireless communication with wireless LAN and another air interface for cellular telephone communication with a cellular telephone network. Initially, the communication device is used to transmit VoIP packets of a media stream to a target communication device in a first session across one of the air interfaces. It is then desired to use the other air interface. A spawn SIP message is communicated to the target, which returns a spawn identifier. The communication device sets up a second session by sending a SIP INVITE containing the spawn identifier to the target across the other air interface. Both sessions are active VoIP sessions. The target uses the spawn identifier to associate the first and second sessions. The flow of VoIP packets for the media stream is then switched from the first session to the second session. |
| US08542665B2 |
System and method for network setup of wireless device through a single interface
A method to add a new wireless device to a home network through one common interface administrator such as a TV hosting an application. A user simply inputs one identification code of the new wireless device to the TV using a remote commander. Since all wireless devices are registered through the same application regardless of their type, the setup experience is consistent to a user who is required to have no special knowledge. Through the process, the administrator TV obtains information of wireless devices sought to be registered in the home network, enabling the administrator TV to capture the network structure or topology, which may be used for further applications, without implementing dedicated protocols such as UPnP to collect the information. |
| US08542663B2 |
Standby mode for use in a device having a multiple channel physical layer
The present invention provides a way of placing a physical layer device into a standby mode. After a link is established between multiple devices, a determination is made whether the device has data to transmit or whether a standby request was received from a link partner. If a standby request was received or the device has no data to transmit, standby mode is entered. In standby mode, unneeded circuitry is powered down. A transmitter in a channel and a receive path in a separate channel remain powered. While operating in standby mode, the PHY layer continuously transmits a standby code on the one or more channels that are not powered down. Standby mode is discontinued when a transceiver has data to transmit or when energy is detected on the powered down channels. Standby mode is also discontinued when no standby code is received, indicating a disconnect between devices. |
| US08542660B2 |
Intelligent delivery agent for short message distribution center
A message distribution center (MDC) and Intelligent Delivery Agent are implemented in a wireless Internet gateway interposed between content providers and a wireless carrier to subjectively examine and direct messages via simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) based on desired rules (non-peak hours, paying subscribers only, etc.) using standard SMTP Gateway and other well-known protocols. The MDC includes an individual queue for each subscriber, and the provider is informed through conventional SMTP protocol messages that the short message has been accepted. If the carrier has specifically disallowed service for a particular mobile identification number (MIN) (in the case of churning), then the content provider is informed through an SMTP interchange that the recipient is invalid. |
| US08542659B2 |
Cyclic shift delays in multi-user packets with resolvable very high throughput long training fields (VHTLTFs)
A system including a training field generator module, a stream generator module, and a cyclic shift delay module. The training field generator module generates training fields to be transmitted in a packet to client stations. The stream generator module generates streams to be transmitted in the packet. First streams (i) are designated for a first client station and (ii) include the training fields. Second streams (i) are designated for a second client station and (ii) include the training fields. The cyclic shift delay module applies cyclic shift delay values to the streams. First cyclic shift delay values are respectively applied to the first streams. Second cyclic shift delay values are respectively applied to the second streams. At least one of the second cyclic shift delay values is equal to one of the first cyclic shift delay values. Alternatively, the second values are different than the first values. |
| US08542655B2 |
Radio communication method and system capable of reducing inter-cell interference, and its mobile station and base station
There is provided a radio communication method capable of reducing inter-cell interference.In a radio communication system in which each of a plurality of base stations performs radio communication with a mobile station by using one of frequency blocks, the base stations transmit pilot signals using frequency blocks and the mobile station measures the reception quality of the pilot signals of the first base station, measures the reception quality of the pilot signals transmitted by the second base station, generates channel quality information for the frequency block according to the reception quality of the pilot signal of the first base station and the reception quality of the pilot signal of the second base station, and transmits the channel quality information to the first base station. |
| US08542654B1 |
Primary and secondary cell group configuration
A base station transmits control message(s) to a wireless device configuring secondary cell(s). Each of the secondary cells is assigned to a cell group in a plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and at least one secondary cell group. The control message(s) comprise dedicated parameters. If dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for the secondary cell, the wireless device assigns the secondary cell to one of the at least one secondary cell group identified by the cell group index. Otherwise, the wireless device assigns the secondary cell to the primary cell group. |