| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08627140B2 |
Failure management method and computer
A failure management method for a computer including a processor, and a memory connected to the processor, and in which the processor containing a memory protection function, executes a first software program and a second software program monitoring the operation of the first software program, and the second software program retains error information including address information and access-related information; and the method implemented by the by the second software program includes a step for detecting the occurrence of errors in the memory; and a step for prohibiting access to the address of the memory where the error occurred, and monitoring the access state; and a step for executing the failure processing when accessing by the first software program of the address of the memory where the error occurred was detected. |
| US08627136B2 |
Non-disruptive failover of RDMA connection
A novel RDMA connection failover technique that minimizes disruption to upper subsystem modules (executed on a computer node), which create requests for data transfer. A new failover virtual layer performs failover of an RDMA connection in error so that the upper subsystem that created a request does not have knowledge of an error (which is recoverable in software and hardware), or of a failure on the RDMA connection due to the error. Since the upper subsystem does not have knowledge of a failure on the RDMA connection or of a performed failover of the RDMA connection, the upper subsystem continues providing requests to the failover virtual layer without interruption, thereby minimizing downtime of the data transfer activity. |
| US08627134B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus and local skew detecting circuit therefor
A local skew detecting circuit for a semiconductor apparatus include a reference delay block located on the center of the semiconductor apparatus, the reference delay block being configured to receive a predetermined signal and generate a reference delay signal by delaying the predetermined signal by a delay time and a first timing detecting block located on one edge of the semiconductor apparatus, the first timing detecting block being configured to receive the predetermined signal, generate a first delay signal by delaying the predetermined signal by the delay time, and detect an enable timing order of the reference delay signal and the first delay signal to generate a first detection signal. |
| US08627130B2 |
Power saving archive system
A power saving archive system includes a front storage system accessible by clients and one or more back storage systems connected to the front storage system. A client file received by the front storage system is written to one of the back storage systems, while the front storage system stores a reference to the file and deletes the file from the front storage system after a certain time period. Each back storage system enters an inactive state (e.g. a powered off state) after a period of unuse, and can become active again in response to a wakeup command (e.g. a Wake-on-LAN signal) from the front storage system. Upon receiving a file read request from a client, the front storage system wakes up the appropriate back storage system, restores the file from the back storage system, and provides the file to the client. |
| US08627127B2 |
Power-preserving communications architecture with long-polling persistent cloud channel for wireless network-connected thermostat
Provided according to one or more embodiments herein are methods, systems and related architectures for facilitating network communications between a wireless network-connected thermostat and a cloud-based management server in a manner that promotes reduced power usage and extended service life of a rechargeable battery of the thermostat, while at the same time accomplishing timely data transfer between the thermostat and the cloud-based management server for suitable and time-appropriate control of an HVAC system. The thermostat further comprises powering circuitry configured to: extract electrical power from one or more HVAC control wires in a manner that does not require a “common” wire; supply electrical power for thermostat operation; recharge the rechargeable battery (if needed) using any surplus extracted power; and discharge the rechargeable battery to assist in supplying electrical power for thermostat operation during intervals in which the extracted power alone is insufficient for thermostat operation. |
| US08627126B2 |
Optimized power savings in a storage virtualization system
Various embodiments for optimized power savings in a storage virtualization system are provided. First meta data for physical resources which describes a power status of a storage resource in one of a powered-on/read-write, powered-on/read only, and powered-off power state is created. Second meta data for each of the physical storage resources which determines an actual performance of the physical storage resources and which supports optimization of a powering-on and a powering-off of the physical storage resources is created. A write request from one of a host and application to logical and virtual storage resource is executed. |
| US08627125B2 |
Context sensitive power management for a resource
Power management systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, implementation of a method for context specific power management of a resource, comprises: defining a context within which a resource operates, wherein the context is defined by one or more parameters; tracking a usage history of the resource operating within the context to determine passive user feedback related to a plurality of timeout values; and determining a timeout value for a current operation of the resource within the context based on the usage history. |
| US08627116B2 |
Power conservation in an intrusion detection system
In a tamper detection system, a control system controls power consumption by sensors and power consumption of a state machine that controls operations of the sensors. A first state machine controls which sensor is activated. A second state machine controls the operations performed by the activated sensor and the operations are timed according to a clock signal. Prior to activating a sensor, the second state machine is in a wait state. The clock signal is gated so that the logic state of the clock signal does not change when the second state machine is in a wait state. Power consumption by the state machine is reduced by gating the clock signal so that the clock signal is held to a fixed value. Immediately after the activated sensor performs all operations, the second state machine samples the pass or fail result from the sensor. Power consumption by the activated sensor is reduced by sampling the pass or fail result of the sensor immediately after the sensor performs the last operation and immediately turning off the sensor after sampling the pass or fail result. The second state machine enters another wait state after sampling of the pass or fail result. |
| US08627114B2 |
Authenticating a data access request to a dispersed storage network
A method to authenticate a data access request begins by a data accessing module sending the data access request to a data storage module and continues with the data storage module sending an authentication request to an authenticating module. The method continues with the authenticating module outputting a verification request destined for the data accessing module, where the verification request includes a verification code that is generated based on the authentication request. The method continues with the data accessing module outputting a verification response that includes a modified verification code that is generated based on the verification code and a credential. The method continues with the authenticating module outputting an authentication response to the data storage module, where the authentication response is generated based on the verification response, and continues with the data storage module facilitating the data access request when the authentication response is favorable. |
| US08627106B2 |
System and method for biometrically secured, transparent encryption and decryption
A computer program for enabling biometrically secured, transparent encryption and decryption provides a user interface that allows a user to drag and drop files into and out of a secure repository, wherein the program automatically encrypts files transferred into the repository and automatically decrypts files transferred out of the repository. The user can transfer file folders into the repository, wherein the program encrypts all of the files within the folder and retains the original file/folder structure, such that individual files can be moved within the repository, moved out of the repository, and opened or executed directly from the repository. The program requires the user to submit biometric data and grants access to the secure repository only if the biometric data is authenticated. The program generates an encryption key based at least in part on biometric data received from the user. |
| US08627100B2 |
Separate type mass data encryption/decryption apparatus and implementing method therefor
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a separate type mass data encryption/decryption apparatus and an implementing method therefor. The separate type mass data encryption/decryption apparatus includes a microprocessor and a storage unit for storing an encryption/decryption key. The apparatus further includes an external communication interface module connecting to a peripheral data bus for transmitting data between the encryption/decryption apparatus and an external terminal, and said microprocessor is used for encrypting/decrypting data inputted from the external terminal. Embodiments of the present invention can process mass data with higher security and expedience. |
| US08627097B2 |
System and method enabling parallel processing of hash functions using authentication checkpoint hashes
Systems and methods enabling parallel processing of hash functions are provided. A data string including a plurality of pieces arranged in an order is hashed using a hash function to determine a plurality of authentication checkpoint hashes associated with the pieces. To authenticate the data string, the pieces are grouped into sets, and the authentication checkpoint hash associated with the piece following all other pieces of that set in the order is associated with that set. The system simultaneously performs a separate hash process on each set. That is, the system hashes the pieces of that set using the hash function to determine a result hash, and compares that result hash with the authentication checkpoint hash associated with that set. The initial input to the hash function for the hash process for each set includes one of the pieces and either a default seed or an authentication checkpoint hash. |
| US08627085B2 |
Customizable public key infrastructure and development tool for same
A public key infrastructure comprises a client side to request and utilize certificates in communication across a network and a server side to administer issuance and maintenance of said certificates. The server side has a portal to receive requests for a certificate from a client. A first policy engine to processes such requests in accordance with a set of predefined protocols. A certification authority is also provided to generate certificates upon receipt of a request from the portal. The CA has a second policy engine to implement a set of predefined policies in the generation of a certificate. Each of the policy engines includes at least one policy configured as a software component e.g. a Java bean, to perform the discreet functions associated with the policy and generate notification in response to a change in state upon completion of the policy. |
| US08627078B2 |
Communication apparatus and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a communication apparatus establishes communication with an external apparatus through a higher-level device. The communication apparatus includes a main processor and a key generator. The main processor receives a data authentication request including data to be authenticated, a first key specification, and a message authentication algorithm identifier from the higher-level device. The key generator retains a key hierarchy used by an authentication protocol that is used between the higher-level device and the external apparatus, and to generate a first key by use of the key hierarchy and the first key specification. The main processor generates a message authentication code for the data to be authenticated by use of the message authentication algorithm, which is identified by the message authentication algorithm identifier, and the first key, and transmits a data authentication response including the message authentication code to the higher-level device. |
| US08627076B2 |
System and method for facilitating communications based on trusted relationships
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for facilitating communications based on a trusted relationships. A system configured to practice the method first receives a communication request from a second communication device for a specific resource, wherein the communication request is based, at least in part, on trust information generated by a previously established trusted relationship. The system confirms, via an access to a trust database and using the trust information, (1) an identity of a sender of the communication request and (2) access permissions for a requested resource. Then, if the identity and the access permissions are confirmed, the system establishes communications between the first communications device and the second communications device in response to the communication request according to the specific resource. The trust information can include a trust user ID and a trust key. |
| US08627075B2 |
Communication device that receives external device information from an external device using near field communication
A communication device, which can simplify various setting processes, transmits, to a server via a network, external device information received from an external device by using proximity wireless communication. The communication device includes: an antenna for the proximity wireless communication with the external device; a proximity wireless communication unit communicating with the external device via the antenna to receive the external device information from the external device; an external device storage unit storing the external device information received by the proximity wireless communication unit; a registration information generation unit generating registration information to be registered in a database in the server based on (a) the external device information stored in the external device storage unit and (b) communication device information including communication device identification information for identifying the communication device; and a server communication unit transmitting registration information to the server via the network. |
| US08627074B1 |
Secure block acknowledgement mechanism for use in communication networks
The present disclosure provides secure block acknowledgment techniques for use in communication networks. In one embodiment, a method of processing data at a communication device that maintains a receiving window defining a set of information units that the communication device may accept includes receiving an information unit from a transmitting station during a block acknowledgment session with the transmitting station. The information unit includes information indicative of a request for the communication device to adjust the receiving window. The method further includes determining whether the received information unit is encrypted. The method further includes adjusting the receiving window if the received information unit is encrypted. |
| US08627073B2 |
Adaptive certificate distribution mechanism in vehicular networks using forward error correcting codes
A method for improving the reliability and performance of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) networks where digital certificates are necessary for message authentication and some messages may be lost in transmission. The method uses Forward Error Correcting (FEC) codes to encode a digital certificate into multiple segments, and attaches one or more segment to each message transmitted. Nodes receiving the messages can reconstruct the certificate as long as they successfully receive a minimum number of the transmitted messages, where the minimum number is less than the total number of messages transmitted. This allows message authentication to continue uninterrupted, even in a network environment where some messages are lost in transmission. Two different types of FEC codes are described, and adaptive schemes are included to optimize message throughput based on such network conditions as node density. |
| US08627068B1 |
Selecting access authorities
Group access authorities for a restricted user account group in a directory system are selected to include directory traverse authority. A restricted user account is included in the restricted user account group such that the restricted user account inherits group access authorities. The directory system is configured to allow directory traversing without performing directory traverse checking. An application is confined to run within the restricted user account so that access authorities of the application include group access authorities. |
| US08627065B2 |
Validating a certificate chain in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a processing module receiving a certificate chain and determining whether at least one of one or more signed certificates of the chain has a valid signature. When the at least one of the one or more signed certificates has a valid signature, the method continues with the processing module identifying one or more certificate authorities (CA) to produce identified CAs, accessing registry information that includes one or more realm identifiers (IDs) and a plurality of trusted CA IDs, determining whether one or more of the identified CAs is a trusted CA, and when the one or more of the identified CAs is a trusted CA, indicating that the certificate chain is valid, identifying a realm ID based on a trusted CA ID, and generating certificate chain validation information to include the realm ID, trusted CAs, and the indication of the validity of the certificate chain. |
| US08627060B2 |
Trusted network interface
Systems and methods for combating and thwarting attacks by cybercriminals are provided. Network security appliances interposed between computer systems and public networks, such as the Internet, are configured to perform defensive and/or offensive actions against botnets and/or other cyber threats. According to some embodiments, network security appliances may be configured to perform coordinated defensive and/or offensive actions with other network security appliances. |
| US08627053B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure execution using a secure memory partition
A processor capable of secure execution. The processor contains an execution unit and secure partition logic that secures a partition in memory. The processor also contains cryptographic logic coupled to the execution unit that encrypts and decrypts secure data and code. |
| US08627051B2 |
Dynamically rewriting branch instructions to directly target an instruction cache location
Mechanisms are provided for dynamically rewriting branch instructions in a portion of code. The mechanisms execute a branch instruction in the portion of code. The mechanisms determine if a target instruction of the branch instruction, to which the branch instruction branches, is present in an instruction cache associated with the processor. Moreover, the mechanisms directly branch execution of the portion of code to the target instruction in the instruction cache, without intervention from an instruction cache runtime system, in response to a determination that the target instruction is present in the instruction cache. In addition, the mechanisms redirect execution of the portion of code to the instruction cache runtime system in response to a determination that the target instruction cannot be determined to be present in the instruction cache. |
| US08627049B2 |
Real-time prioritization of stall or event information
Disclosed herein is a system and method for executing a series of instructions on a circuit. The system comprises an encoder that receives event data corresponding to the executed instructions. The encoder groups the event data into one or more groups and outputs the highest priority event for each such group. |
| US08627040B2 |
Processor-bus-connected flash storage paging device using a virtual memory mapping table and page faults
A method for accessing a virtual memory of a processor using a processor-bus-connected flash storage module (PFSM) as a first paging device and a hard disk drive (HDD) as a second paging device, the method including: allocating a first address partition and a second address partition of a virtual memory for a software application of a processor to the first paging device and the second paging device, respectively, identifying a virtual memory page in the first paging device responsive to a page fault of the virtual memory triggered by the software application, sending a page access request to the PFSM for accessing the virtual memory page responsive to the page fault, and receiving the virtual memory page from the PFSM based on a command of the processor bus issued by the PFSM in conjunction with performing a flash memory access in the flash memory using a flash page address. |
| US08627039B2 |
Effective memory clustering to minimize page fault and optimize memory utilization
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for organizing data addresses within a virtual address space to reduce the number of data fetches to a cloud computing environment. More specifically, data access requests to the cloud computing environment are monitored to identifying data addresses having similar properties. Multi-dimensional clusters are created based on the monitoring to group the data addresses having similar properties. A memory page is created from a multi-dimensional cluster, wherein the creating of the memory page includes creating a cross-sectional partition from the multi-dimensional cluster. The multi-dimensional clusters and the memory page are stored in the cloud computing environment. A request for a data object in the cloud computing environment is received from a user interface. The data address corresponding to the data object is identified and mapped to the multi-dimensional cluster and/or the memory page. The memory page is transferred to the user interface. |
| US08627038B2 |
Storage controller and storage control method
A storage controller having a plurality of storage devices and a control circuit providing a plurality of virtual volumes, to each of which a storage area in a plurality of pool volumes provided with the plurality of storage devices can be mapped for writing data in response to a write access sent from an information processing apparatus to a logical area in one of the plurality of virtual volumes, respectively. The control circuit, according to a search of the plurality of pool volumes for a certain storage area in which a certain data pattern is written, releases the certain storage area from mapping to a logical area in the plurality of virtual volumes, so that the control circuit can use the released certain storage area for mapping to a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes as a destination of another write access from the information processing apparatus. |
| US08627035B2 |
Dynamic storage tiering
A method for dynamic storage tiering may include, but is not limited to: receiving an input/output (I/O) request from a host device; determining whether the I/O request results in a cache hit; and relocating data associated with the I/O request between a higher-performance storage device and lower-performance storage device according to the determination whether the data associated with the I/O request is stored in a cache. |
| US08627034B2 |
Storage control apparatus and storage control method
In one of the storage control apparatuses in the remote copy system which performs asynchronous remote copy between the storage control apparatuses, virtual logical volumes complying with Thin Provisioning are adopted as journal volumes to which journals are written. The controller in the one of the storage control apparatuses assigns a smaller actual area based on the storage apparatus than in case of assignment to the entire area of the journal volume, and adds a journal to the assigned actual area. If a new journal cannot be added, the controller performs wraparound, that is, overwrites the oldest journal in the assigned actual area by the new journal. |
| US08627031B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of reading data from and writing data into a plurality of storage units
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a command processing module, a plurality of storage units, a plurality of control modules, an adjustment circuit, and a setting register. The adjustment circuit is configured to exclude the control module connected to the storage unit of a second group from a write operation in accordance with identification data, and to cause the control module connected to the storage unit of the second group to perform a read operation in a period overlapping the write operation performed by the control module connected to the storage unit of a first group. |
| US08627030B2 |
Late lock acquire mechanism for hardware lock elision (HLE)
A method and apparatus for a late lock acquire mechanism is herein described. In response to detecting a late-lock acquire event, such as expiration of a timer, a full cachet set, and an irrevocable event, a late-lock acquire may be initiated. Consecutive critical sections are stalled until a late-lock acquire is completed utilizing fields of access buffer entries associated with consecutive critical section operations. |
| US08627024B2 |
Snapshot based replication
Embodiments of the invention relate to data replication and block allocation in a file system to support write transactions. Regions in a cluster file system are defined to support a block allocation. Blocks in the defined regions are allocated to support the data replication. A pipeline manager is provided to schedule population of the blocks in the allocated region(s) based upon network characteristics. |
| US08627020B2 |
Security erase of a delete file and of sectors not currently assigned to a file
Secure erase of files and unallocated sectors on storage media such that any previous data is non-recoverable. The database contains sets of data patterns used to overwrite the data on different physical media. The software programs manage the overwriting process automatically when a file has been deleted. When de-allocated sectors in the file system are pruned from a file or escaped the file deletion process also finds them. Data will never be found on deleted sectors or on pruned sectors is overwritten. |
| US08627016B2 |
Maintaining data coherence by using data domains
A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for maintaining data coherence, for use in a multi-node processing system where each of the nodes includes one or more components. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing a data domain, assigning a group of the components to the data domain, sending a coherence message from a first component of the processing system to a second component of the processing system, and determining if that second component is assigned to the data domain. In this embodiment, if that second component is assigned to the data domain, the coherence message is transferred to all of the components assigned to the data domain to maintain data coherency among those components. In an embodiment, if that second component is assigned to the data domain, the first component is assigned to the data domain. |
| US08627012B1 |
System and method for improving cache performance
A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving, on a cache system, a plurality of data write requests, wherein each data write request identifies a data portion to be written to a data array associated with the cache system. The data portions associated with the data write requests are written to the cache system. The data portions associated with the data write requests are queued until the occurrence of a commit event. Upon the occurrence of the commit event, a consolidated write operation is performed to write the data portions associated with the data write requests to the data array. |
| US08627010B2 |
Write-through cache optimized for dependence-free parallel regions
An apparatus and computer program product for improving performance of a parallel computing system. A first hardware local cache controller associated with a first local cache memory device of a first processor detects an occurrence of a false sharing of a first cache line by a second processor running the program code and allows the false sharing of the first cache line by the second processor. The false sharing of the first cache line occurs upon updating a first portion of the first cache line in the first local cache memory device by the first hardware local cache controller and subsequent updating a second portion of the first cache line in a second local cache memory device by a second hardware local cache controller. |
| US08627008B2 |
Memory access prediction
An apparatus for memory access prediction which includes a plurality of processors, a plurality of memory caches associated with the processors, a plurality of saturation counters associated with the processors, each of the saturation counters having an indicator bit, and a physical memory shared with the processors, saturation counters and memory caches. Upon a cache miss for a data item, a cache snoop and access to physical memory are initiated in parallel for the data item if the indicator bit is a first predetermined bit (one (1) or zero (0)) whereas a cache snoop is initiated if the most significant bit is a second predetermined bit (zero (0) or one (1)). |
| US08627007B1 |
Use of cache to reduce memory bandwidth pressure with processing pipeline
A data read/write system includes a system clock, a single port memory, a cache memory that is separate from the single port memory, and a controller coupled to an instruction pipeline. The controller receives, via the instruction pipeline, first data to write to an address of the single port memory, and further receives, via the instruction pipeline, a request to read second data from the single port memory. The controller stores the first data in the cache memory, and retrieves the second data from either the cache memory or the single port memory during one or more first clock cycles of the system clock. The controller copies the first data from the cache memory and stores the first data at the address in the single port memory during a second clock cycle of the system clock that is different than the one or more first clock cycles. |
| US08627003B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for memory upgrade path optimization
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for memory upgrade optimization. A requirements module 402 receives one or more of a capacity upgrade goal 1306 for an overall capacity of the array 706 and a performance upgrade goal 1308 for an overall performance of the array 706. An analysis module 404 identifies a first potential capacity change 1310 that can be achieved at a lower overall performance and a second potential capacity change 1314 that can be achieved at a higher overall performance. A reconfiguration module 406 generates one or more of a first reconfiguration recommendation 1312 calculated to yield an overall capacity improvement that takes into consideration the capacity upgrade goal 1306 and the first potential capacity change 1310 and a second reconfiguration recommendation 1316 calculated to yield an overall performance improvement that takes into consideration the performance upgrade goal 1308 and the second potential capacity change 1314. |
| US08626998B1 |
Multi-rank memory module that emulates a memory module having a different number of ranks
A transparent four rank memory module has a front side and a back side. The front side has a third memory rank stacked on a first memory rank. The back side has a fourth memory rank stacked on a second memory rank. An emulator coupled to the memory module activates and controls one individual memory rank from either the first memory rank, the second memory rank, the third memory rank, or the fourth memory rank based on the signals received from a memory controller. |
| US08626995B1 |
Flexible sequence design architecture for solid state memory controller
In some implementations, a method includes receiving commands from a host device, sending the commands to one or more flash memory devices, receiving information associated with at least one of the commands from the one or more flash memory devices, and selectively sending the information to the host device based on whether one or more parameters in the at least one command include a request to receive the information from the one or more flash memory devices. |
| US08626994B2 |
Systems and methods for improved communications in a nonvolatile memory system
Systems and methods are provided for improved communications in a nonvolatile memory (“NVM”) system. The system can toggle between multiple communications channels to provide point-to-point communications between a host device and NVM dies included in the system. The host device can toggle between multiple communications channels that extend to one or more memory controllers of the system, and the memory controllers can toggle between multiple communications channels that extend to the NVM dies. Power islands may be incorporated into the system to electrically isolate system components associated with inactive communications channels. |
| US08626993B2 |
Method for tracking memory usages of a data processing system
Techniques for tracking memory usages of a data processing system are described herein. According to one embodiment, a memory manager is to perform a first lookup operation in a memory allocation table to identify an allocation entry based on a handle representing a memory address of a memory block allocated to a client and to retrieve a trace entry pointer from the allocation entry. The memory manager is then to perform a second lookup operation in a memory trace table to identify a trace entry based on the trace entry pointer and to increment a memory allocation count of the trace entry. The memory allocation count is utilized to indicate a likelihood of the client causing a memory leak. |
| US08626990B2 |
Non-volatile configuration for serial non-volatile memory
Example embodiments for configuring a serial non-volatile memory device may comprise a non-volatile configuration register to store a configuration value received from the processor, the configuration value to specify one or more attributes of a memory access operation. The configuration value may be read at least in part in response to power being applied to the memory device. |
| US08626989B2 |
Control arrangements and methods for accessing block oriented nonvolatile memory
A read/write arrangement is described for use in accessing at least one nonvolatile memory device in read/write operations with the memory device being made up of a plurality of memory cells which memory cells are organized as a set of pages that are physically and sequentially addressable with each page having a page length such that a page boundary is defined between successive ones of the pages in the set. The read/write arrangement includes a control arrangement that is configured to store and access a group of data blocks that is associated with a given write operation in a successive series of pages of the memory such that at least an initial page in the series is filled and each block includes a block length that is different than the page length. |
| US08626988B2 |
System and method for uncoded bit error rate equalization via interleaving
A device, method, and computer readable medium for programming a codeword are presented. The method includes writing a first codeword portion to portions of nonvolatile memory rows, and writing a second codeword portion to portions of nonvolatile memory rows, wherein the first group of memory rows and the second group belong to non-overlapping groups. The device includes multiple nonvolatile memory rows, and a controller receiving a codeword comprising a first codeword portion and a second codeword portion. The controller writing the first codeword portion to portions of nonvolatile memory rows, and writing the second codeword portion to portions of nonvolatile memory rows, wherein the first group of nonvolatile memory rows differs and the second group of nonvolatile memory rows belong to non-overlapping groups, and the first and second groups of memory rows belong to multiple rows. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions performing methods described herein. |
| US08626987B2 |
Flash memory system and defragmentation method
Provided is a flash memory system supporting flash defragmentation. The flash memory system includes a host and a flash storage device. In response to a flash defragmentation command by the host, the flash storage device performs flash defragmentation by grouping fragments stored in fragmented blocks of a flash memory on a flash memory management unit basis. The flash memory management unit may be a memory block or page. The flash storage device performs the flash defragmentation regardless of the arrangement order of fragmented files stored in the flash memory. |
| US08626986B2 |
Pre-emptive garbage collection of memory blocks
A method and system pre-emptively perform garbage collection operations of a forced amount on update blocks in a memory device. The amount of garbage collection needed by a certain data write is monitored and adjusted to match the forced amount if necessary. Update blocks may be selected on the basis of their recent usage or the amount of garbage collection required. Another method and system may store control information about update blocks in a temporary storage area so that a greater number of update blocks are utilized. The sequential write performance measured by the Speed Class test may be optimized by using this method and system. |
| US08626985B2 |
Hybrid optical disk drive, method of operating the same, and electronic system adopting the hybrid optical disk drive
Provided are a hybrid optical disk drive, a method of driving the hybrid optical disk drive, and an electronic system including the hybrid optical disk drive. The hybrid optical disk drive may include an optical disk drive unit for recording/storing data in an optical disk and a solid-state drive (SSD) unit having a storage capacity that is equal to or greater than a maximum storage capacity of the optical disk, which is compatible with the hybrid optical disk drive. |
| US08626982B2 |
Dynamically configurable wireless data bus switch for coupling a data bus to a wireless link
Provided is a dynamically configurable wireless data bus switch for coupling a data bus to a wireless link. For example, there is a dynamically configurable wireless data bus switch including a configurable protocol adaption layer data plane providing a first interface to a data bus and a processor configured to execute a protocol adaption layer control plane. The configurable protocol adaption layer data plane of the dynamically configurable wireless data bus switch is coupled to the processor and is dynamically configurable by the protocol adaption layer control plane. |
| US08626981B1 |
SAS expander with non-blocking virtual PHY architecture
A SAS expander includes a switch core, a number of SAS expander phys coupled to the switch core, an SMP originator coupled to the switch core and an SMP receptor coupled to the switch core. In an embodiment, the SMP originator is configured to only send connection requests and the SMP receptor is configured to only receive connection requests. Program instructions stored in non-transient digital storage media include code segments detecting a new connection request, code segments determining whether the new connection request is in conflict with an existing connection request and code segments determining if there is a free destination receptor phy. In an embodiment, the free destination receptor phy is never operationally used for an origination of a connection request. |
| US08626975B1 |
Communication interface with reduced signal lines
Communication interfaces having reduced signal lines. In one aspect, a physical layer circuit, set forth by way of example and not limitation, interfaces a link controller and a device communication bus, and includes a wrapper coupled to a first interface bus having only six or less communication lines and coupled to a second interface bus having a larger number of communication lines than the first interface bus. The wrapper can communicate first signals with the link controller over the first interface bus and perform conversion between the first signals and second signals communicated on the second interface bus. A core, coupled to the wrapper by the second interface bus, can communicate device signals with the device communication bus by performing conversion between the second signals and the device signals. |
| US08626974B2 |
Methods and systems for reduced signal path count for interconnect signals within a storage system expander
Methods and systems for reducing the signal path count between circuits within a SAS expander used for establishing SAS connections. The system comprises a SAS expander. The SAS expander comprises a plurality of link layer control circuits, each link layer control circuit adapted to communicatively couple with a SAS device. The SAS expander further comprises a connection manager communicatively coupled with the link layer control circuits for routing communications between the link layer control circuits. Each of the plurality of link layer control circuits is adapted to establish a SAS connection with another link layer control circuit through the connection manager by segmenting a plurality of interconnect signals into multiple data segments for sequential transmission to the connection manager, (e.g., without impacting the performance of the connection manager). The connection manager interprets the data segments to extract the plurality of interconnect signals to establish the SAS connection. |
| US08626970B2 |
Controlling access by a configuration to an adapter function
Access to an input/output adapter by a configuration is controlled. For each requested access to an adapter, checks are made to determine whether the configuration is authorized to access the adapter. If it is not authorized, then access is denied. If it is authorized, but access should be temporarily blocked, then instruction execution is altered to indicate such. If access is permitted, but should be blocked for another reason (other than temporarily), then access is denied. |
| US08626968B2 |
Inter-queue anti-starvation mechanism with dynamic deadlock avoidance in a retry based pipeline
Methods and apparatus relating to an inter-queue anti-starvation mechanism with dynamic deadlock avoidance in a retry based pipeline are described. In one embodiment, logic may arbitrate between two queues based on various rules. The queues may store data including local or remote requests, data responses, non-data responses, external interrupts, etc. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08626964B2 |
Method of transferring data, a method of processing data, an accelerator, a computer system and a computer program
The invention provides a method of transferring data from a data array within a main memory of a computer to an accelerator for processing, the embodiment of the method comprising: at the accelerator, requesting data from the main memory and generating a data stream between the main memory and the accelerator, the generated data stream including data from the data array; and, using an offset to determine the scheduling of array elements within the generated data stream. |
| US08626961B2 |
Optical detection of a component for an electronic device
A system and method for optically identifying a component coupled to an electronic device is provided. The method includes emitting light from within the device toward a surface of a component connector inserted into a receiving socket of the device. A light sensor senses the intensity, amplitude or wavelength of light reflected from a surface of the component connector. A processor of the device identifies the component based on the intensity, amplitude or wavelength of light reflected from a surface of the component connector. The processor modifies at least one setting of the electronic device in response to the identification of the component. |
| US08626960B2 |
Industrial controller interface for plug-in I/O modules
An interface for an industrial controller is provided that enables connection of different types of plug-in I/O modules to the industrial controller. The interface includes several mechanisms, which can be implemented through control logic, circuitry, and/or software, that enable the control/monitoring device to operate in conjunction with different types of plug-in I/O modules. According to certain embodiments, the interface includes setup mechanisms that enable initial communications between the plug-in I/O modules and the control/monitoring device. The interface also may include operational mechanisms that facilitate communication between the plug-in I/O modules and the control/monitoring device during operation. The interface further may include registers that store data for the plug-in I/O modules. |
| US08626958B2 |
Apparatus and method for producing device identifiers for serially interconnected devices of mixed type
A plurality of memory devices of mixed type (e.g., DRAMs, SRAMs, MRAMs and NAND-, NOR- and AND-type Flash memories) are serially interconnected. Each device has device type information on its device type. A specific device type (DT) and a device identifier (ID) contained in a serial input (SI) are fed to one device of the serial interconnection. The device determines whether the fed DT matches the DT of the device. In a case of match, a calculator included in the device performs calculation to generate an ID for another device and the fed ID is latched in a register of the device. The generated ID is transferred to another device of the serial interconnection. In a case of no match, the ID generation is skipped and no ID is generated for another device. Such a device type match determination and ID generation or skip are performed in all devices of the serial interconnection. In cases of different device types being separately provided to the interconnected devices, sequential IDs are generated in each of the different device types and also the total number of each device type are recognized. In a case of a “don't care” code is provided to the interconnected devices, sequential IDs are generated and also, the total number of the interconnected devices is recognized, regardless of the type differences. |
| US08626955B2 |
Directing packets to a processor unit
A computer system may comprise a plurality of cores that may process the tasks determined by the operating system. A network device may direct a first set of packets to a first core using a flow-spreading technique such as receive side scaling (RSS). However, the operating system may re-provision a task from the first core to a second core to balance the load, for example, on the computer system. The operating system may determine an identifier of the second core using a new data field in the socket calls to track the identifier of the second core. The operating system may provide the identifier of the second core to a network device. The network device may then direct a second set of packets to the second core using the identifier of the second core. |
| US08626954B2 |
Application-aware M:N hot redundancy for DPI-based application engines
A packet processing system for providing application-aware hot redundancy and a related card and methods are disclosed. The system may include a plurality of active devices, each including a processor configured to perform deep packet inspection to identify an application associated with an active flow, and a redundancy block configured to determine whether the application requires hot redundancy and, if so, to forward a message from which state information may be derived. The system may also include at least one protecting device in communication with each of the active devices and configured to receive the message regarding the active flow from the active device, derive state information from the message, and resume packet forwarding operations for the active flow upon failure of a respective active device of the plurality of active devices. |
| US08626953B2 |
System and method of communicating data for a hospital
A system used by a local health care facility to communicate with a remote health care facility via a data communication network. A controller at the local health care facility controls communication on the data communication network, including data communicated between the local health care facility and the remote health care facility. One or more devices located at the local health care facility transmit data to the remote health care facility via the data communication network. Additionally, the one or more devices receive control data via the data communication network and perform one or more functions in response to the received control data. |
| US08626951B2 |
Interoperability of network applications in a communications environment
An interoperability system abstracts the protocols used by multiple network applications into an interoperability framework, thereby allowing the network applications to interoperate with each other and/or with modules for providing enhanced functionalities. The interoperability framework includes a number of adapters that modularize the components needed for interoperation and abstracts content from the underlying protocols and procedures used by the network applications. The interoperability framework includes a resource control that enables the network applications to access shared resources, such as data and content used by the network applications, thus allowing the applications to interoperate and for functionality enhancements to be added. |
| US08626945B2 |
Method for transparently exchanging data packets
The invention relates to a method for transparently exchanging data packets with a packet-oriented network, via which a number of network elements and a network node device are connected based on a common access method. The network elements are allocated unique local addresses only within the network. The network node device connects the packet-oriented network to an external device based on a point-to-point protocol and performs an address conversion of the address of a network element, said address being allocated within the packet-oriented network, into an address valid for the external device. A verification of message header entries of the data packets exchanged between the external device and the network element permits the establishment of a temporary transparent connection of the network element to the external device in the event an entry is detected the characterizes an expanded point-to-point protocol, e.g. PPPoE, whereby the address newly allocated by the external device is transmitted to the external device without address conversion. |
| US08626943B2 |
Content ate selection for media servers with proxy-feedback-controlled frame transmission
In a method for dynamically setting a content rate of a multimedia session for a client in a network, a proxy server receives a channel condition feedback message from a network controller and determines whether a receiver report message has been received from the client since a most recent previous channel condition feedback message. The channel condition feedback message includes current channel condition information for the network. The proxy server sends one of an extended feedback report message and a short feedback report message to a media server based on the determining step. The short feedback report message includes at least a maximum transmission rate parameter for the multimedia session. The extended feedback report message includes at least information contained in the receiver report message. The extended feedback report message may, in addition, include the maximum transmission rate parameter for the multimedia session. |
| US08626942B2 |
Real-time priority-based media communication
Representative embodiments are disclosed of a real-time priority-based communication system and method for communicating media streams made up of multiple media message sub-streams, the communication system comprising a chunk configurator for dividing media message sub-streams into chunks, a state machine configured to translate between information regarding the media message sub-streams and the chunks and state associations to the information, the state associations written into a header for each of the chunks, a queue for holding the chunks waiting to be transmitted, and a processor for executing a scheduling algorithm, wherein the scheduling algorithm determines ones of the chunks in the queue to transmit next. |
| US08626938B2 |
Service providing apparatus and method, and information processing apparatus storage medium
The invention provides a service providing apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method as well as a program storage medium by which a plurality of users can communicate with each other simultaneously. A plurality of client computers are connected to a shared server over a network and log in a common chat room of a chat system. If a user of one of those of the client computers which are in a group requests for reproduction of a predetermined tune, then the instruction is transmitted to the shared server over the network. The shared server receives the instruction transmitted thereto and reads out music data of the request stored in a music database therein, and transmits the music data to the client computers of the group. |
| US08626935B1 |
Identifying use of software applications
Techniques are described for identifying the use of software applications, such as to determine an identity of a user interacting with a Web site or other electronic information service based on information regarding an application copy used by the user. When a communication is received from a software application, the communication is analyzed to attempt to identify a particular software application copy that sent the communication. Various types of information about a client software application copy may be used in the analysis, including information about particular configuration settings for the client software application and for the client computing device on which the client software application is executing. After a matching software application copy is identified for a received communication, possible inappropriate activities related to the received communication may be identified in various ways, including based on previous communications received from the same software application copy. |
| US08626934B2 |
System and method for controlling access to legacy push protocols based upon a policy
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for controlling access to telecommunications resources implementing a legacy protocol based upon a policy. These mechanisms and methods for controlling access to legacy protocols based upon a policy can enable embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources implementing legacy telecommunications protocols. The ability of embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources can enable network providers to provide greater access to network resources without compromising security of other users. Embodiments may further provide the ability to interface with legacy push protocols, multimedia message protocols and short message peer-to-peer protocols. |
| US08626932B2 |
Device-dependent selection between modes for asymmetric serial protocols
A portable communication device (PCD) can automatically switch into different operating modes of an asymmetric communication protocol (such as USB) depending on the type of accessory connected. For example, the accessory can signal whether the PCD should operate in a first mode or a second mode using a hardware indicator such as identification resistor across two pins of a multi-pin connector and/or a software indicator such as a command protocol. The PCD can detect the accessory's signal and switch to the operating mode requested by the accessory. |
| US08626929B2 |
Scalable session management using an encrypted session key
Scalable session management is achieved by generating a cookie that includes an encrypted session key and encrypted cookie data. The cookie data is encrypted using the session key. The session key is then signed and encrypted using one or more public/private key pairs. The encrypted session key can be decrypted and verified using the same private/public key pair(s). Once verified, the decrypted session key can then be used to decrypt and verify the encrypted cookie data. A first server having the private/public key pair(s) may generate the cookie using a randomly generated session key. A second server having the same private/public key pair(s) may decrypt and verify the cookie even if the session key is not initially installed on the second server. A session key cache may be used to provide session key lookup to save public/private key operations on the servers. |
| US08626926B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing session info query for user plane location
Techniques for querying for information on location sessions in a user plane location architecture are described. In an aspect, a location server may send a query message to a terminal to query for information on active location sessions, e.g., when at least one location session for periodic triggered service or area event triggered service is deemed to be active. The terminal may return a response message containing a list of session identifiers (IDs) for the active location sessions, parameters for the active location sessions, capabilities of the terminal, etc. The location server may compare the information received from the terminal and information stored at the location server. The location server may terminate each location session deemed to be active at only the terminal or only the location server. The location server may restart or terminate each location session having inconsistent parameters at the terminal and the location server. |
| US08626925B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a selective multicast proxy on a computer network
A plurality of non-multicast nodes that do not process multicast messages register with a selective multicast proxy. In response to receiving a request for a service from a requestor via multicast, the selective multicast proxy identifies among the plurality of non-multicast nodes one or more providers of the requested service. The selective multicast proxy sends the request to the one or more providers without sending the request to other non-multicast nodes on the computer network. The selective multicast proxy, the requestor of the service, the provider(s) of the service, and the non-multicast nodes may all be located within the same local area network. |
| US08626924B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing computing resources
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to receive a request from a client server for computing resources associated with a processor, determine an estimated completion time associated with previous requests associated with the processor, calculate a priority value for the request based on the estimated completion time, establish a processing schedule for the request and other requests associated with the processor based on the priority value, and provide the request to the processor according to the processing schedule. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08626912B1 |
Automated passive discovery of applications
Embodiments are directed to monitoring communication over a network using a network monitoring device (NMD) to discover devices, roles, applications, and application dependencies present on the monitored networks. A NMD may monitor network packets that may be flowing on monitored networks. Using OSI L2-to-L3 data the NMD may determine the devices that may be on the monitored networks. Also, the NMD may determine the network protocols that may be in use on the monitored networks. Further, the NMD may reassemble monitored network packets into transactions based on knowledge regarding the network protocols are in use on the monitored networks. The NMD may perform various tests to determine the applications that may be running on the discovered devices. Some of the tests used by the NMD may examine OSI L4-L7 data that may be included in the transactions. |
| US08626911B2 |
Automatic, personalized online information and product services
A method for providing automatic, personalized information services to a computer user includes the following steps: transparently monitoring user interactions with data during normal use of the computer; updating user-specific data files including a set of user-related documents; estimating parameters of a learning machine that define a User Model specific to the user, using the user-specific data files; analyzing a document to identify its properties; estimating the probability that the user is interested in the document by applying the document properties to the parameters of the User Model; and providing personalized services based on the estimated probability. Personalized services include personalized searches that return only documents of interest to the user, personalized crawling for maintaining an index of documents of interest to the user; personalized navigation that recommends interesting documents that are hyperlinked to documents currently being viewed; and personalized news, in which a third party server customized its interaction with the user. |
| US08626910B1 |
Systems and methods for performing localized server-side monitoring in a content delivery network
Some embodiments provide systems and methods for performing localized and real-time server-side network performance monitoring. These systems and methods leverage the distributed architecture of a content delivery network (CDN) so as to perform distributed monitoring with each Point-of-Presence of the CDN responsible for monitoring performance to a localized set of end users. These systems and methods also leverage existing traffic flows from a server to a particular end user in order to perform real-time server-side network performance monitoring without the injection of specialized monitoring packets and without active involvement of the end user in deriving the performance measurements. The performance measurements are then used to optimize delivery of existing and future traffic flows to the end user. |
| US08626908B2 |
Distributed capture and aggregation of dynamic application usage information
A web-based hosted solution through which application developers create, manage and monitor application usage analytics in an online manner. During the development process, a usage monitoring API is integrated into the application and the application is deployed. As users interact with the application, a log file is generated. If the application is able to write to a local file system, usage information is gathered in a log file local to the deployed application and then dispatched to an upload server for processing in a batch manner. If the application is not able to write to the user machine's local file system, the usage information is sent to a remote logging server, preferably on a just-in-time basis, and then the log file is generated on the logging server. The usage information tracked comprises “features,” “faults” and “failures” of the application, independent of platform, location, and number of deployed application instances. |
| US08626904B1 |
Detecting and reporting livelocks in a computer
Tasks executing on a computer can livelock. To detect a livelocked task, the amount of computing resources consumed by the task is sampled to determine whether the task is consuming an inordinate amount of resources. In addition, the task is examined to determine whether it is making tangible progress. This examination can include inspecting registers of a processor executing the task. If the task is livelocked, state data describing the livelock event is collected. The state data can include a memory dump describing the state of the livelocked task and data describing other tasks executing on the computer. A livelock report including the collected state data is generated and transmitted to a server. |
| US08626902B2 |
Modeling and reducing power consumption in large IT systems
The power consumed by a large IT system may be managed by individual servers calculating a set of predictors of the resources of the large IT system that may be required for a future time period, and weighting factors for those predictors. The predictors and weighting factors may be based on historical data showing actual resources used and past values of the predictors and weighting factors. An estimate of the resources required for the large IT system is then produced based on the predictors and weighting factors and the estimate is then used to determine excess resources of the individual server that may be put into a low power state in the future time period to minimize the power used. If too much resource is excess, the server may enter a soft off state. |
| US08626901B2 |
Measurements based on panel and census data
A first set of usage data for a first set of resources on a network and a second set of usage data for a second set of resources on a network are accessed. The first set of resources were accessed by a first group of client systems and the first set of usage data is determined based on information received from the first group of client systems sent as a result of beacon instructions included with the first set of resources. The second set of usage data is determined based on information received from monitoring applications installed on a second group of client systems that accessed the second set of resources. Users of the second group of client systems are a sample of a larger group of users that use resources on the network. Initial usage measurement data for a third set of resources on the network is determined based on the first set of usage data. The third set includes one or more common resources that are included in the first set of resources and the second set of resources. One or more adjustment factors are determined based on the second set of usage data and applied to the initial usage measurement data to generate adjusted usage measurement data. One or more reports are generated based on the adjusted usage measurement data. |
| US08626899B2 |
Method and system for multicast statistic collection
A system (100) and method (200) related to gathering statistical information regarding a data stream. The method (200) may include sending (205), by a data forwarding device (110), an internet protocol (IP) multicast data stream to a multicast group using an internet protocol (IP); and collecting (210) statistical data from a router (120a-g) down stream of the forwarding device (110) to determine a number of end point recipients (125, 130, 135) associated with the multicast group and receiving the multicast data stream. |
| US08626896B2 |
System and method of managing network connections using a link policy
A system and method of managing network connections using a link policy is disclosed. In one form, a network link management system can include a link control logic module operable to alter a first link data rate of a first link operable to communicate network traffic. The network link management system can also include a link manager coupled to the link control logic module. In one form, the link manager can be configured to initiate altering the first link data rate to a second link data rate value in response to a first link rate policy entry of the first link. The network link management system can also include a link rate policy accessible to the link manager and operable to store the link rate policy entry of the first link. |
| US08626894B2 |
Generating visualization output of event correlation information
A method for graphically representing events at runtime in an event management system is provided. A plurality of events including a first event and a second event are received that define respective states of one or more networked devices. A cause-effect event relation is identified between the first event, the second event, and a projected event responsive to receiving the first and second events. A runtime visualization output is generated that includes a graphical representation of the first event, the second event, the projected event and the event relation. |
| US08626893B2 |
Application layer protocol support for sleeping nodes in constrained networks
Methods and systems providing application layer support for one or more sleeping nodes in constrained networks are contemplated. Embodiments contemplate inserting sleep information in a header option or payload of an application layer message. The application layer message may be conveyed in a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) or a constrained application protocol (CoAP). Embodiments contemplate communicating the application layer message to a server, which may serve as a caching and/or buffering proxy. |
| US08626884B2 |
Method for establishing data connection on mobile network, mobile network, and policy control entity
A method for establishing data connections on a mobile network, a mobile network, and a policy control entity are disclosed. The method includes: establishing a data channel between a user equipment (UE) and a gateway (GW), and allocating an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the UE according to an address allocation request or a data channel setup request sent from the UE; and triggering the policy control entity to establish or update a policy control session according to the IP address. By using the mobile network and the policy control entity under the present invention, after the data channel is established between the UE and the GW, the GW may trigger the policy control entity to establish or update a policy control session. |
| US08626881B2 |
Distributed mesh network
A device, method, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment a computing device resides in a mesh network. The device includes a first storage device that operates when the computing device is awake. The first storage device stores a last known list of peer computing devices in the mesh network. The device also includes a second storage device that operates regardless of whether any central processing unit in the computing device is awake or asleep. The second storage device includes a local block that stores a list of resources provided by the first computing device and a list of computing devices in the mesh network verified by the first computing device. The second storage device also includes a remote block that stores an unverified remote list of computing devices in the mesh network. |
| US08626879B2 |
Systems and methods for establishing network connections using local mediation services
Systems and methods facilitate communication between clients, servers or other nodes located on separate local area networks (LANs) or sub-networks within a home, office, campus or other environment using one or more mediation servers located within the local network environment. The server establishes a persistent connection to each available mediation service. The client requests a connection to the server by providing addresses or other connection information associated with the client to one or more of the mediation servers in communication with the server. The mediation server(s) send network information associated with the client to the server via the persistent connections. The server responds to the mediation server(s) by providing network information that can be relayed to the client. When the client and server have exchanged network information, communications between the client and server can be established using conventional or proprietary network address translation (NAT) or other techniques. |
| US08626878B2 |
Techniques for establishing a connection with a message-oriented middleware provider, using information from a registry
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for a Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM) provider having multiple logical MOM server instances. In an embodiment, the MOM provider having multiple logical MOM server instances is implemented on an application server. Each MOM server instance may include a session container to manage one or more sessions and a destination container to provide one or more destinations. In an embodiment, a globally unique identifier identifies each destination. |
| US08626875B2 |
Stream server selection based on feedback information from a client
A technique for selecting a media streaming engine, such as a stream server, to source a media stream to a client involves receiving feedback information from a client that indicates a quality of service experienced by the client and then selecting a media streaming engine, from a set of media streaming engines, in response to the feedback information. In an embodiment, the feedback information is provided in Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) messages. For example, the RTCP messages are Receiver Report (RR) messages that contain packet loss and/or inter-arrival jitter information. Feedback information such as packet loss and/or inter-arrival jitter information represents the actual quality of service experienced by a client for a media stream. Because a media streaming engine is selected based on the actual quality of service experienced by a client, the selection process can be configured to optimize the quality of service of the media streaming. |
| US08626872B2 |
Synchronization system and method for audiovisual programmes associated devices and methods
The present invention relates in particular to a synchronization system and method. The synchronization system comprises a specification unit for specifying synchronization signals associated with an audiovisual program, the latter comprising an audiovisual content and control information, a recognition unit for recognizing the synchronization signals in a transmitted stream carrying this program, by recognition of at least one extracted portion of the audiovisual content, and an activation unit triggering an action in case of detection of these signals. The specification unit prepares and transmits to the recognition unit recognition elements making it possible to obtain this extracted portion, as well as at least one action timeout lag in case of detection of the synchronization signals. The recognition or activation unit then delays the triggering of this action according to the lag transmitted, in case of detection of the synchronization signals. In variants, the timeout lag is determined and/or the recognition elements are obtained independently of the specification unit. |
| US08626871B2 |
Accessing a global vault in multiple dispersed storage networks
A method begins by a processing module receiving a dispersed storage network (DSN) access request and determining whether the DSN access request is associated with a local DSN vault or a global DSN vault, wherein the local DSN vault is contained within a DSN of a plurality of DSNs and the global DSN vault is contained within at least some of the plurality of DSNs. The method continues with the processing module identifying a primary DSN of the plurality of DSNs and facilitating processing of the DSN access request by the primary DSN when the DSN access request is associated with the global DSN vault. |
| US08626869B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication system, and communication method
When sending data, an ECU sends time lag information indicating a time lag that is a difference between time of generating time point at which the data is generated and time of sending start time point at which the ECU actually starts sending the data. When transferring the data, a relay apparatus adds time lag information indicating a time lag that is a difference between time of receiving start time point at which the relay apparatus starts receiving the data and time of transferring start time point at which the relay apparatus starts transferring the data, onto the time lag added on the received data. When receiving the data, an ECU determines for the received data the time of the generating time point that is earlier the time lag indicated by the time lag information of the received data than the time at which the ECU starts receiving the data. |
| US08626866B1 |
System and method for caching network file systems
A network caching system has a multi-protocol caching filer coupled to an origin server to provide storage virtualization of data served by the filer in response to data access requests issued by multi-protocol clients over a computer network. The multi-protocol caching filer includes a file system configured to manage a sparse volume that “virtualizes” a storage space of the data to thereby provide a cache function that enables access to data by the multi-protocol clients. To that end, the caching filer further includes a multi-protocol engine configured to translate the multi-protocol client data access requests into generic file system primitive operations executable by both the caching filer and the origin server. |
| US08626861B1 |
Method of detecting compromised computers in a network
A method of detecting a compromised machine on a network. The method receives an email message from a machine on the network and classifies it as either spam or non-spam. A probability ratio is then updated, according to whether the message was spam or non-spam, by applying a sequential probability ratio test. If the probability ratio is greater than or equal to a first threshold, then the machine is compromised. If the probability ratio is less than or equal to a second threshold, then the machine is normal. The operations of receiving a message, classifying the message, updating the probability ratio, and indicating the machine is normal or compromised until the probability ratio is greater than or equal to the first threshold are repeated for a plurality of messages. Such repeated operations are performed on each of the messages one at a time, as each of the messages is received. |
| US08626859B2 |
Custom message presentation
For custom message presentation, an identification module identifies an optical code as not communication ready. A message module generates a custom message indexed to the optical code in response to identifying the optical code as not communication ready. The message module further makes the optical code communication ready in response to generating the custom message. In addition, the message module communicates the custom message in response to receiving the optical code and identifying the optical code as communication ready. |
| US08626858B2 |
Information transmission system
In a printer connected to a network, email appended with link information is prepared for enabling an administrator to access information about the printer network terminal. The email is transmitted to the administrator terminal at a predetermined timing. Then, the administrator terminal accesses the information based on the link information appended to the email. As such, when a problem occurs in the printer, operations for resolving the problem can be quickly undertaken by the administrator. |
| US08626856B2 |
Geo-data spam filter
Geo-data spam filters are described. In one or more implementations, origin data and language data of a message are evaluated to establish a score for the message indicating a likelihood that the message is spam. The evaluation includes comparing the origin data and the language data to ranked lists indicating message origins and languages with which a respective message recipient interacts positively and ranked lists indicating message origins and languages with which the respective recipient interacts negatively. Interactions of the respective recipient with previously sent messages may be tracked to form these lists. Based message, the message is filtered for delivery. on the score established by evaluating the origin data and the language data of the |
| US08626855B2 |
Method and apparatus for cordless phone and other telecommunications services
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided that combine a software application framework within a variety of consumer communication devices to provide enhanced functionality. The enhanced functionality devices can then be controlled and integrated into an Internet based application and delivery service, connected by various networking technologies including, e.g., broadband communication systems. Centralized and distributed services allow a user to modify a variety of parameters that will ultimately control how information is delivered. The solution can also be controlled by service providers as a method for integrating their existing application infrastructure and potentially new applications within an overall broadband communication service. |
| US08626853B2 |
Method and system for link-triggered link-translating proxying
A method for obtaining web content at an Internet-connected device from an Internet accessible content source, wherein the device connects to the Internet via an access network, is described. The method involves obtaining, at the device, a link to a content element that is stored at the content source, wherein the link includes a pointer to a link-translating proxy server (LTPS) that is located outside of the access network and additional information that corresponds to a Universal Resource Locator (URL) for the content element. The method also involves initiating, from the device, a request for the content element that is associated with the link, the request being directed to the content source through the LTPS, and receiving, at the device, a response that includes the requested content element, the response passing through the LTPS. |
| US08626852B2 |
Email thread monitoring and automatic forwarding of related email messages
A computer system can implement a mechanism for email thread monitoring and automatic forwarding of related email messages. In one embodiment, a first email message is provided from an email application of a computer system to a plurality of email addresses. An indication is detected, at the email application, that a first email address of the plurality of email addresses is to be provided a copy of subsequent email messages associated with the first email message. Subsequent email messages received at, and transmitted by, the email application are monitored to determine whether one or more of the subsequent email messages are associated with the first email message. In response to determining that a second email message from the subsequent email messages is associated with the first email message, a copy of the second email message is automatically provided to the first email address of the plurality of email addresses. |
| US08626845B2 |
Method and system for dynamically generating electronic communications
The present invention relates to generating time relevant content for electronic communications, such as electronic mail (e-mail). The time relevant content is delivered when the electronic communications are acknowledged by the recipient based upon receipt of an electronic indicator, such as a returned request(s), at a home server. In the case of electronic mail, the time relevant content is dynamic, as it is assembled at the time the e-mail is opened, as opposed to the time when the e-mail is sent, as is the case with conventional or static e-mail and other similar electronic communications. |
| US08626842B2 |
Content transaction management server device, content-providing server device, and terminal device and control program
A content transaction management server device includes: a memory storing decryption keys used in decryption of encrypted content data; a communication unit for information; a payment-request reception unit receiving, through the communication unit, a first storage address indicating a storage area where the decryption keys of encrypted content data in the memory are stored and user identifiers identifying users who are purchasers of the encrypted content data; a payment-procedure processing unit implementing payment-procedure processes related to purchase transactions of encrypted content data by a user identified by user identifiers in the payment request; and a decryption-key transmission unit that, after payment-procedure processing based on the payment-procedure processing unit is completed, reads out, from the memory, decryption keys stored in the storage area indicated by the first storage address included in the payment request and transmits, through the communication unit, the decryption keys to the transmission source of the payment request. |
| US08626840B2 |
Method and system for generating a referencing secondary electronic mail message from a primary electronic mail message
In a method and system for generating a referencing secondary electronic mail message from a primary electronic mail message, a reference to accompanying data in the primary electronic mail message is obtained that allows reconstitution of the accompanying data from the reference. The referencing secondary electronic mail message is composed with the reference embedded therein instead of the accompanying data. Conversely, a non-referencing electronic mail message is reconstituted from a referencing electronic mail message that includes at least one reference indicative of respective accompanying data by accessing a copy of the respective accompanying data pertaining to each reference in the referencing electronic mail message. The referencing electronic mail message is augmented with the respective copy of the accompanying data relating to each reference. |
| US08626835B1 |
Social identity clustering
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for social identity clustering. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a connection graph representing public social data, where the nodes represent social identities and each edge is either a “me” edge between identities claimed to belong to the same person or a “friend” edge between identities claimed to belong to different identities. The method further includes converting the graph to a cluster graph in which each node initially corresponds to a single node of the connection graph. The method further includes updating the cluster graph by iteratively merging cluster nodes based on an analysis of the weight of the “me” edges connecting them, and then replacing the merged cluster nodes within the graph with a new cluster node containing the merged cluster nodes, where the edges of the new cluster node are the aggregated edges of the merged cluster nodes. |
| US08626828B2 |
Apparatus for increasing social interaction over an electronic network
In one embodiment, a system includes a server that hosts webpages facilitating user interaction between multiple endpoints. The system monitors for a user input requesting initiation of a happy hour, and when the input is detected, modifies the webpages to alert users of the happy hour. The users are notified of which user initiated the happy hour, and are also notified that interaction incentives accumulate at an increased rate during the happy hour. The system also tracks user scorings that accumulate based on the user interaction, and enables certain website features based on these user scorings. The system also tracks ratings for user-uploaded objects and identifies top rated objects for displaying on webpages viewable by other users. |
| US08626827B1 |
Programmatically simulating system conditions
Systems and methods are provided for programmatically simulating one or more system conditions for a network resource using one or more services. In one implementation, a server receives a request to initiate a treatment. The request identifies a treatment definition. The server determines, based on the treatment definition, the one or more services and deploys the one or more services to the network resource. The one or more services simulate the one or more system conditions. |
| US08626824B2 |
Persisting graphics structures across resolution change in graphics remoting environment
A local system receives a graphics structure generated from an application hosted within the local system, where the application is accessed by a remote system. The graphics structure represents a display output from the application, where the graphics structure is generated in response to a change of display characteristics of the local system. A hash generator generates a first hash from the graphics structure according to a hash algorithm. It is determining whether there is an existing hash maintained by the local system that matches the first hash. The local system transmits the first hash to the remote system without sending the graphics structure if there is an existing hash matching the first hash. The first hash is used by the remote system to identify a graphics structure maintained by the remote system for rendering a display of the remote system. |
| US08626821B2 |
Limiting access to information corresponding to a context
A device for limiting access to information corresponding to a context. The device has context logic configured to determine context and a trusted computing platform coupled to the context logic. The trusted computing has a computer readable medium and a filter coupled to the computer readable medium. The filter is configured to receive context from the context logic and retrieve context information from the computer readable medium associated with the context. Thus, the trusted platform limits access to the context information in the database unless context associated with the context information is received. |
| US08626811B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing flexible bit-length moduli on a block Montgomery machine
Techniques are disclosed for utilizing a block Montgomery machine designed only to operate at a fixed block length to perform operations using non-block length (flexible)moduli. In one embodiment, a new modulus n′ is obtained having a block length equal to the fixed block length of the Montgomery machine or a multiple thereof. At least one modular additive operation is performed with the new modulus n′, and at least one modular multiplicative operation is performed with the non-block length modulus n. In this way, the result of the at least one additive operation is sufficiently reduced when a carry stems from the additive operation. |
| US08626809B2 |
Method and apparatus for digital up-down conversion using infinite impulse response filter
A method and an apparatus for digital up-down conversion using an Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter are provided. The method for digital up-down conversion for frequency conversion in a mobile communication system using plural frequency converts, includes IIR-filtering, by a magnitude response IIR filter having the same magnitude response as in Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filtering, an input signal and a stable filter coefficient calculated according to a Levinson polynomial; and receiving, by the magnitude response IIR filter, the IIR filtered signal, and performing IIR filtering by a phase compensation IIR filter having a filter coefficient compensating for a non-linear phase to a linear phase. |
| US08626807B2 |
Reuse of rounder for fixed conversion of log instructions
A method for converting a signed fixed point number into a floating point number that includes reading an input number corresponding to a signed fixed point number to be converted, determining whether the input number is less than zero, setting a sign bit based upon whether the input number is less than zero or greater than or equal to zero, computing a first intermediate result by exclusive-ORing the input number with the sign bit, computing leading zeros of the first intermediate result, padding the first intermediate result based upon the sign bit, computing a second intermediate result by shifting the padded first intermediate result to the left by the leading zeros, computing an exponent portion and a fraction portion, conditionally incrementing the fraction portion based on the sign bit, correcting the exponent portion and the fraction portion if the incremented fraction portion overflows, and returning the floating point number. |
| US08626802B2 |
Dynamic media content previews
A sandboxed process is initiated in response to a request for a preview of dynamic media content. A stream of frames is generated in a preview specific format by a plug-in that executes within the sandboxed process. The stream of frames is provided as the preview of the dynamic media content, where the preview is viewable on a display screen. |
| US08626801B2 |
Extraction of attributes and values from natural language documents
One or more classification algorithms are applied to at least one natural language document in order to extract both attributes and values of a given product. Supervised classification algorithms, semi-supervised classification algorithms, unsupervised classification algorithms or combinations of such classification algorithms may be employed for this purpose. The at least one natural language document may be obtained via a public communication network. Two or more attributes (or two or more values) thus identified may be merged to form one or more attribute phrases or value phrases. Once attributes and values have been extracted in this manner, association or linking operations may be performed to establish attribute-value pairs that are descriptive of the product. In a presently preferred embodiment, an (unsupervised) algorithm is used to generate seed attributes and values which can then support a supervised or semi-supervised classification algorithm. |
| US08626797B2 |
Information processing apparatus, text selection method, and program
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: a sensor information acquisition section configured to acquire sensor information outputted from a sensor for detecting a user motion and sensor information outputted from a sensor for obtaining a user current location; an action pattern detection block configured to analyze sensor information indicative of a user motion to detect an action pattern corresponding to the acquired sensor information from a plurality of action patterns obtained by classifying user's actions that are executed in a comparatively short time; a keyword conversion block configured to convert, on the basis of the sensor information indicative of a current location, the information into at least one keyword associated with the current location; and a text extraction block configured to extract a text for user presentation from a plurality of texts on the basis of the detected action pattern and the generated at least one keyword. |
| US08626788B2 |
Method for determining relative ranking data in a broker mediated geospatial information service environment
A method for determining a value indicator in a broker-mediated geospatial information service environment includes receiving feedback data at a first system of the broker-mediated geospatial information service environment. In particular, the feedback data is received from a plurality of respondents, and relates to a broker-mediated geospatial information service provided to each respondent of the plurality of respondents. Furthermore, each respondent of the plurality of respondents is a prior requestor of a process-dataset solution for performing the broker-mediated geospatial information service. Based on the feedback data, a value indicator relating to the process-dataset solution is determined. |
| US08626786B2 |
Dynamic language checking
Dynamic language checking includes identifying questionable language usage; creating a query in dependence upon the questionable language usage; querying a search engine with the query; receiving from the search engine search result statistics describing the search results for the query; and determining, in dependence upon search results statistics returned by the search engine, whether the questionable language usage is proper language usage. |
| US08626782B2 |
Pattern identification apparatus and control method thereof
A pattern identification apparatus identifies a pattern that exists in input data using registration data including data of a reference pattern or a feature amount thereof and identification parameters defining processing details for comparing the input data with the registration data, the apparatus holding the registration data and the identification parameters in association with a label. The apparatus acquires registration data, identification parameters, and a label generated by an external apparatus, and registers the acquired registration data and identification parameters in association with the acquired label. If the registration data and identification parameters associated with the same label as acquired label are already registered, in the additional registration, either the stated acquired identification parameters or the identification parameters that is already registered in association with the same label are selected, and the stated acquired registration data and the selected identification parameters are additionally registered in association with the acquired label. |
| US08626779B2 |
Method and system for managing database
A method and system for managing database is disclosed, which is capable of simultaneously performing a data selection procedure and a data click-count update procedure when specific data is selected, the method comprising receiving and analyzing a query in which both a fetch request for a record included in a specific database table and an update request for at least one of columns included in the record are defined together; generating an execution plan to execute the analyzed query; and executing the execution plan by fetching the record and updating at least one of the columns according to the execution plan. |
| US08626770B2 |
Iceberg query evaluation implementing a compressed bitmap index
Exemplary embodiments include an iceberg query method, including processing the iceberg query using a bitmap index having a plurality of bitmap vectors in a database, eliminating any of the plurality of bitmap vectors in the bitmap index that fails to meet a given condition thereby forming a subset of the plurality of bitmap vectors and aligning the vectors in the subset of the plurality of bitmap vectors in the bitmap index according to respective positions of the bitmap vectors in the subset of the plurality of bitmap vectors. |
| US08626767B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for identifying near duplicate messages
A computer-implemented system and method for identifying near duplicate messages is provided. Messages each including a content body are grouped by conversation thread. One or more of the messages also includes an attachment. The messages for each conversation thread are sorted in order of message length. At least one of the messages is selected from one of the threads and the body of the selected message is compared with the body of one such shorter message in that thread. A determination is made that the body of the shorter message is included in the body of the selected message. Hash codes of the attachments for the selected message and the shorter message are compared. The shorter message is marked as a near duplicate message of the selected message when the hash codes of the attachments match. |
| US08626766B1 |
Systems and methods for ranking and importing business listings
Systems and methods for ranking and importing business listings are provided. In one aspect, a processor receives a plurality of business listing groups, where each business listing group includes business listings. The processor selects a sample set of business listings from each business listing group for verification. The processor determines ranks for the business listing groups based on verification information indicating the accuracy of the business data in the selected sample set of business listings. The processor selects the highest ranked business listing group based on the verification information and imports the business listings in the selected business listing group into a set of business listing records for presentment to a user. |
| US08626764B2 |
Methods, systems and computer program products for organizing and/or manipulating cohort based information
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for storing, organizing and/or manipulating cohort based information associated with a research study. Project information associated with a first project is received at an interface of a computer database environment. The project information associated with the first project includes cohort information associated with one or more cohorts of the first project and patient information associated with members of the one or more cohorts of the first project. A first virtual project drawer is generated associated with the first project to be stored in the computer database environment. The first virtual project drawer includes the project information associated with the first project, at least one cohort file and/or at least two cohort member files. |
| US08626761B2 |
System and method for scoring concepts in a document set
A system and method for scoring concepts in a document set is provided. Concepts including two or more terms extracted from the document set are identified. Each document having one or more of the concepts is designated as a candidate seed document. A score is calculated for each of the concepts identified within each candidate seed document based on a frequency of occurrence, concept weight, structural weight, and corpus weight. A vector is formed for each candidate seed document. The vector is compared with a center of one or more clusters each comprising thematically-related documents. At least one of the candidate seed documents that is sufficiently distinct from the other candidate seed documents is selected as a seed document for a new cluster. Each of the unselected candidate seed documents is placed into one of the clusters having a most similar cluster center. |
| US08626760B2 |
System and method for document management
A system and method for document management in an industry where mass volumes of drawings are exchanged and worked upon is facilitated and streamlined. The system has a server in communication with a plurality of remote workstations. Each of the workstations includes a display and interface. The system standardizes the documents, and is operable to display the same document in each of the workstations. Thus, revisions by an authorized person may be made and seen by the other workstations. The system and method disclosed herein also ensures that drawings are delivered to the appropriate personnel as only authorized users may access the system, and eliminates the potential use of outdated drawings in planning as each drawing is automatically time and date stamped and placed in sequential order. |
| US08626758B2 |
Filtering system for providing personalized information in the absence of negative data
Systems and methods are provided for ranking documents. In accordance with certain implementations, a user selects one or more documents for viewing from a set of documents. Documents selected by the user for viewing within a predetermined time period are maintained in a profile associated with the user. At least one positive word vector is generated using words contained in at least a segment of at least one of the documents stored in the profile. At least one negative word vector is generated using words contained in at least a segment of at least one of the documents that was not selected by the user for viewing. Document word vectors are generated for documents to be ranked. A vector space relationship analysis of the positive word vector, the negative word vector, and the document word vectors is performed. The documents are ranked based on the performed vector space relationship analysis. |
| US08626753B1 |
Personalization search engine
Methods and apparatus provide for a personalization search engine that receives a search query from a first user and identifies multiple portions of indexed content—where each respective portion of indexed content has metadata that matches at least one characteristic of the search query. The personalization search engine determines a relevance of each respective portion of indexed content to the first user who provided the search query. It is understood that, in various embodiments, the relevance of a portion of indexed content has to the first user who provided the search query can be based on user feedback associated with an online version of that portion of indexed content. The personalization search engine ranks the multiple portions of indexed content according to their respective relevance to the first user who provided the search query and creates a search result based on ranking the multiple portions of indexed content. |
| US08626744B2 |
Executing CASE expressions containing subqueries
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for executing a query in a computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored on a data storage device. A query is received that contains a CASE expression having one or more subqueries. A query execution plan is generated. The query execution plan uses a parameterized union all operator to keep the semantics of the CASE expression, and a nested loop join operator to drive data across the section of the query execution plan that executes the CASE expression without performing any join operations. The generated query execution plan is executed in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database. |
| US08626737B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing electronically stored information for electronic discovery
Method and apparatus for processing electronically stored information (ESI) for electronic discovery are described. In some examples, an electronic analysis of documents in the ESI indicated as being responsive to a search query of the ESI is performed. Results of the electronic analysis are stored in a database to provide a repository of case knowledge. Search parameters for at least one additional search query are generated automatically based on the case knowledge. The search parameters are provided as output. |
| US08626736B2 |
System for targeting advertising content to a plurality of mobile communication facilities
A system for targeting advertising content includes the steps of: (a) receiving respective requests for advertising content corresponding to a plurality of mobile communication facilities operated by a group of users, wherein the plurality includes first and second types of mobile communication facilities with different rendering capabilities; (b) receiving a datum corresponding to the group; (c) selecting from a first and second sponsor respective content based on a relevancy to the datum, wherein each content includes a first and second item requiring respective rendering capabilities; (d) receiving bids from the first and second sponsors; (e) attributing a priority to the content of the first sponsor based upon a determination that a yield associated with the first sponsor is greater than a yield associated with the second sponsor; and (f) transmitting the first and second items of the first sponsor to the first and second types of mobile communication facilities respectively. |
| US08626735B2 |
Techniques for personalized and adaptive search services
Techniques are presented that include sending a query to one or more information sources associated with a category comprising one or more terms, wherein said one or more information sources are identified by a ranked list of information sources, and wherein said ranked list is generated by ranking a plurality of information sources based on scores for results returned by said plurality of information sources in response to a ranking query generated from said category, and obtaining results from said one or more information sources. |
| US08626729B2 |
Database index monitoring system
An index monitoring system for selectively removing an index, where the index is used in a computerized database search. An example method implemented by the system includes displaying a list of indexes on the display device; providing an indication of an index usage criterion associated with each of two or more of the indexes, where the index usage criterion is derived at least in part from prior execution of a particular database query statement; displaying on the display device an indication of the particular database query statement; and optionally accepting a signal from a user-input device to remove an index. |
| US08626726B2 |
Method and system for transformation of logical data objects for storage
A method and system for transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device operable with at least one storage protocol, creating, reading, writing, optimization and restoring thereof. Transforming the logical data object comprises creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising a header and one or more allocated accommodation sections with predefined size; sequentially obtaining one or more data chunks corresponding to the transforming logical data object; verifying if obtained data chunks match certain criterion and processing the chunks in accordance with verification results thus giving rise to the processed data chunks, wherein, resulting from said processing, a processed data chunk holds transformed data if the criterion is matched and holds non-transformed data if the criterion is not matches; sequentially accommodating the processed data chunks into said accommodation sections in accordance with an order said chunks received, and facilitating mapping between the data in the logical data object and the data accommodated in the accommodation sections. |
| US08626725B2 |
Efficient large-scale processing of column based data encoded structures
The subject disclosure relates to efficient query processing over large scale data storage. An exemplary process includes retrieving a subset of columns implicated by a query as integer encoded and compressed sequences of values corresponding to different columns of data, defining query processing buckets that span over the subset of columns based on changes of compression type occurring in the integer encoded and compressed sequences of values of the subset of data and processing the query in memory on a bucket by bucket basis and processing the query based on type of current bucket when processing the integer encoded and compressed sequences of values. The column based organization of the data, and the application of a hybrid run length encoding and bit packing technique, enable a highly efficient and speedy query response in real-time. |
| US08626722B2 |
Consolidating session information for a cluster of sessions in a coupled session environment
Provided are a method, system, and program for consolidating session information for a cluster of sessions in a coupled session environment. Information for each of a plurality of sessions comprising a cluster is stored in a memory of a processor session. Each session associates at least one primary system and at least one secondary system, wherein within each session, updates are copied from the at least one primary system to the at least one secondary system. The session information in the memory for the plurality of sessions is processed to generate consolidated session information for the cluster based on the session information for the sessions in the cluster. The consolidated session information for the cluster is written to a master data set maintaining information for sessions. |
| US08626721B2 |
System and method for scaleable multiplexed transactional log recovery
A system and method for providing scaleable recovery for a multiplexed transactional log. Unlike a dedicated log that includes log data of only one client, a multiplexed transactional log may include log data from multiple clients. In a multiplexed transactional log, log data from different clients may be multiplexed into the multiplexed transactional log in any order. The multiplexed log is maintained for multiple clients using a scaleable logging process. After a system failure, the multiplexed log is recovered using a scaleable recovery process. The scaleable recovery process includes an end-of-log locating process for locating the end of the multiplexed log and each of the virtual logs with the multiplexed log. The end-of-log locating process is also scaleable. |
| US08626720B2 |
System and method of reconstructing complex custom objects
A system and method is provided for reconstructing one or more collections of objects across platforms. More particularly, Java Annotations are used to assist a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) wizard in reconstructing a collection of objects. In implementation, the system and method parses the object types such that a wizard can recreate or reconstruct the collection of objects for use by a receiving service. The method comprises reconstructing a collection using one or more annotations that document a base object of the collection. |
| US08626718B2 |
Content caching based on refresh and expiration times
A system for applying time-based refresh and expiration parameters, including user-defined and/or automatically set values, for accessing cached media content and/or retrieving replacement media content for presentation via a communication device. |
| US08626713B2 |
Multiple contexts in a redirect on write file system
A method includes initiating committing to persistent storage of a current consistency snapshot of a plurality of data objects in a redirect-on-write file system. Each of the plurality of data objects has a first copy of at least two copies of the data having a first context of at least two contexts. The method includes receiving, during committing to storage of the current consistency snapshot, an update to a data object of the plurality of data objects. The method also includes responsive to receipt of the update to the data object, creating a second copy of data of the data object from the first copy. The second copy of the data has a second context of the at least two contexts. The method includes responsive to receipt of the update to the data object, updating, based on the update, the second copy of the data of the data object. |
| US08626711B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for correlating objects according to relationships
Systems, methods, and media for correlating objects according to relationships are provided herein. According to some embodiments, methods may include the steps of for each object in a database, determining a static weight, the static weight representing a number of relational connections between each object and one or more connected entities, setting a delta weight for each object, the delta weight being equal to the static weight, determining which object in the database comprises a highest delta weight, propagating the highest delta weight of the object to each of the connected entities, adding the highest delta weight to a static weight and a delta weight for each of the connected entities, setting the delta weight for the object to zero, wherein the method terminates upon determining that a highest delta weight for at least one object is below a threshold value. |
| US08626710B2 |
Defining new rules for validation of network devices
A system and method for actively validating a network device is provided. Nodes in a network game community are prompted to engage in interrogation and response to facilitate the identification of nodes operating with hacked, modified and non-typical game configurations. In one embodiment, a query is presented to a user's machine which triggers a response, and where the response indicates whether certain data at the user is valid and wherein invalid data is suggestive of illegal community behavior. Functions are triggered and data is queried to determine whether the state of game environment is operating according to known metrics or constraints. |
| US08626706B2 |
Handheld electronic device with reduced keyboard and associated method of providing quick text entry in a message
An improved handheld electronic device having a reduced keyboard provides facilitated language entry by making available to a user certain words that a user may reasonably be expected to enter. In some situations, certain words can be stored, for example, in a temporary dictionary for use in particular situations. For instance, the names of the recipients of an electronic message might be stored in a temporary dictionary for rapid retrieval when entering a salutation in the message. As another example, a number of the words in an existing electronic message may be stored in a temporary dictionary and made available to a user when replying to or forwarding the message since the existing message might include words that the user might reasonably be expected to type in the reply message or the forwarded message. |
| US08626703B2 |
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system change data capture
A device receives, from a data warehouse, a request for incremental data, creates one or more temporary tables based on the request, and extracts incremental data from tracking tables of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The device also stores the extracted incremental data in the one or more temporary tables, and joins the one or more temporary tables with one or more regular tables, where the one or more regular tables include data associated with the incremental data stored in the one or more temporary tables. The device further retrieves data from the joined one or more temporary tables and the one or more regular tables, and stores the retrieved data in the data warehouse. |
| US08626697B1 |
Website user profiling using anonymously collected data
First contextual data characterizing behavioral attributes of a user visiting at least one web page is received. The first contextual data is collected by anonymously tracking interaction of the user with the at least one web page via a data collector embedded in the at least one web page. Second contextual data characterizing non-behavioral attributes of the user is also received. The second contextual data is based solely on anonymously collected information and it originates from a data source other than the data collector. Thereafter, it is determined which attributes among a plurality of pre-defined attributes are present for the user based on the first contextual data and the second contextual data. The determined plurality of attributes are associated with a best fit amongst a plurality of clusters or associations generated by grouping users with similar attributes that participated in a plurality of historical transactions. Subsequently, using at least one predictive model trained with historical user conversion data, it is determined which of a plurality of available offers for presentation via at least one web page is most likely to result in a conversion of the user based on the pertinent cluster or association so that the presentation of the identified available offer can be initiated. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US08626695B2 |
Optimum layer-swapping schedules for BDDs with four variables
One embodiment accesses a binary decision diagram (BDD) representing a function having 4 variables, variables 1, 2, 3, and 4, wherein the BDD comprises 4 layers, layers 1, 2, 3, and 4, corresponding to the 4 variables, respectively; determines an optimum variable order of the BDD by performing at most 19 layer swaps during at most 13 iterations, wherein each of 6 iterations of the at most 13 iterations comprises: determines a first size of the layers 1 and 2 and a first size of the layers 3 and 4; swaps the layers 1 and 2 and the layers 3 and 4 concurrently; determines a second size of the layers 1 and 2 and a second size of the layers 3 and 4; and determines 1 variable order among 4 variable orders obtained during the iteration that yields a smallest size among the 4 variable orders obtained during the iteration. |
| US08626692B2 |
Knowledge based method and system for local commerce
A system and method that utilizes knowledge representation system to express relationships among consumers, between consumers and businesses, within a specific business, and across businesses. The system and method supports defining which businesses consumers patronize, which locations they prefer, interactions with other consumers, and what products and services they intend to secure from what businesses. The system supports defining how businesses are structured, what businesses are similar, and how businesses relate both to consumers and to other businesses. By combining this consumer knowledge and business knowledge the system enables a number of mutually compatible applications across a matrix of consumer and business interactions (consumer-to-consumer, consumer-to-business, and business-to-business.). |
| US08626691B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for estimating answers to questions
Methods, systems, and products answer questions using heuristics. A question and an input are received. A set of heuristic rules is retrieved, and the question is answered by evaluating an accuracy of each heuristic rule. Multiple accuracies from the set of heuristic rules are combined to produce a confidence level for the answer to the question. |
| US08626689B1 |
Data pattern analysis using optimized deterministic finite automation
Techniques for data pattern analysis using deterministic finite automaton are described herein. In one embodiment, a number of transitions from a current node to one or more subsequent nodes representing one or more sequences of data patterns is determined, where each of the current node and subsequent nodes is associated with a deterministic finite automaton (DFA) state. A data structure is dynamically allocated for each of the subsequent nodes for storing information associated with each of the subsequent nodes, where data structures for the subsequent nodes are allocated in an array maintained by a data structure corresponding to the current node if the number of transitions is greater than a predetermined threshold. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08626685B2 |
Information processsing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus for configuring algorithms is disclosed. The information processing apparatus includes an algorithm configuring section that configures an algorithm for performing discrimination on an input signal by using a genetic search technique. The algorithm includes feature extraction expressions and an information estimation expression represented by a combination of the feature extraction expressions. The information processing apparatus also includes a tradeoff analyzing section that determines pareto optimal solutions by optimizing the algorithm with respect to evaluation indices by performing tradeoff analysis on the basis of the algorithm. In addition, the information processing apparatus includes a storage for storing the algorithm. |
| US08626683B2 |
Systems and methods for achieving PLMN continuity when moving between networks of different types through network selection
Systems and methods for achieving PLMN continuity when moving between networks of different types through network selection are provided. When a mobile station moves from a first network type, such as cellular, to a second network type, such as GAN, if there is a PLMN discontinuity, this may result in a dropped call. In order to avoid this, networks for the first network type and the second network type are selected such that there is PLMN continuity. This can involve reselection of a different cellular network than one currently providing service to the mobile station. |
| US08626679B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating state of charge in battery using fuzzy algorithm implemented as neural network
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a state of charge (SOC) in a battery, the apparatus including a detector unit; a soft computing unit for calculating and outputting a battery SOC estimation value by processing a current, a voltage and a temperature detected by the detector unit using a computing algorithm, which is a fuzzy algorithm implemented as a neural network, the soft computing unit storing the battery SOC estimation value in a memory, where the fuzzy algorithm has a form expressed as F=Φ(P,X)W, where Φ is one of a fuzzy radial function, a radial basis function, and an activation function in the neural network, P is a learning parameter, X is an input, and W is a weight to be updated during learning. |
| US08626675B1 |
Systems and methods for user-specific tuning of classification heuristics
A computer-implemented method for user-specific tuning of classification heuristics may include: 1) identifying a trusted software component on the computing device that has been excluded from analysis by a classification heuristic, 2) applying the classification heuristic to the trusted software component, 3) determining that the classification heuristic incorrectly classified the trusted software component, and then 4) lowering a confidence score associated with the classification heuristic. |
| US08626668B2 |
Individualized digital media delivery systems
Systems and methods for individualized distribution of digital content to purchasers via portable kiosks are described. The systems contain a storage device for storing the digital content and distribution devices for distributing the digital content to a user. The distribution devices can be configured to be portable so that users who are not mobile can access the distribution device. As well, the users can use a receiving device containing unique identification data to receive and access the digital content. Such a system is extremely useful for users who are not mobile and whose use of the distribution devices needs to be controlled, such as detainees in a corrections facility. Other embodiments are described. |
| US08626666B2 |
Confirming physical custody of objects
The presently claimed invention relates generally to confirming that a user has physical custody of an article (e.g., credit card, identification document, etc.). One claim recites a method reciting: at a user's home, presenting a physical article to an input device; and, after the presenting, receiving device data at a CPU at said user's home; deriving a reduced-bit representation of the device data; by reference to at least some of said reduced-bit representation of the device data, confirming that the user has physical custody of the physical article, the physical article having an identifier associated therewith; and providing said identifier to a remote terminal once physical custody of the physical article is confirmed. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well. |
| US08626664B2 |
Methods and systems for providing enhanced data for co-brand payment card transactions
A computer-based method for processing a payment transaction using an enhanced payment card is provided. The transaction is processed using a computer device coupled to a storage device. The enhanced payment card is issued to a cardholder by an issuer. The method includes receiving an authorization request message associated with a merchant. The authorization request message includes a card identifier and relating to a transaction initiated by the cardholder with the merchant using the enhanced payment card. The method includes transmitting an authorization response message to the merchant. The authorization response message is generated by the issuer and including an instructing message. The merchant is instructed, via the instructing message, to transmit to the computer device an addendum file including enhanced transaction data for the transaction. |
| US08626663B2 |
Merchant fraud risk score
Methods and systems are presented for a fraud risk score to be given to a merchant for a proposed transaction with a consumer. The fraud risk score is generated by a payment account service provider, such as a credit card processor, using information from a pending transaction as well as information from other payment accounts that the consumer holds to which the payment account service provider is privy. Various factors, including indicators of elevated risk in other payment accounts, are custom-weighted by the merchant for the score. |
| US08626660B2 |
Time-of-transaction foreign currency conversion
Providing a time-of-transaction currency conversion from a merchant's local currency to a cardholder's credit card currency uses a conversion rate developed by reference to the particular merchant, acquirer, card association and issuer. After a merchant has generated an authorization request in the merchant's currency for a transaction by a cardholder in a different currency, the transaction amount in the authorization is converted from the merchant's currency to the currency of the cardholder's issuing currency, and optionally modified to include additional fees. The converted authorization request is then transmitted to the appropriate card association and then to the issuing bank for authorization, with a response returned to the merchant. The cardholder sees and approves the transaction in the cardholder's currency, and in an amount identical to the amount for which he will be billed. |
| US08626659B1 |
Facilitating presentation of content relating to a financial transaction
Systems, methods and computer-readable media for facilitating the presentation of content associated with a financial transaction are disclosed. The content may be identified by a requestor or a party to the financial transaction on whose behalf a request associated with the financial transaction is received. A content location identifier that identifies a location where the content is stored may be identified or generated and may be included in or otherwise provided in association with a debit or credit instruction. The content location identifier may be presented by a user interface associated with a financial institution in conjunction with other transaction information and may facilitate access to the content and presentation of the content to a user. |
| US08626656B2 |
System and method for securing payment instruments
A system and method for securing financial information in payment instruments including generating a pseudorandom number sequence, generating an activation code, including a unique pseudorandom number of the sequence with each payment instrument of a plurality of payment instruments and issuing the plurality of payment instruments with the activation code to a customer. The activation code is associated with customer identifying information and each unique pseudorandom number of the sequence included with each payment instrument of the plurality of payment instrument. The plurality of payment instruments is activated with the activation code. A received payment instrument of the plurality of payment instruments is authenticated if the customer and the unique pseudorandom number of the sequence included on the received payment instrument are authenticated and if the plurality of payment instruments are activated. |
| US08626651B2 |
Automatic restitution of transaction fees, punishment of non-paying bidders, and management of appeals
A method and system for resolving disputes between parties involved in a network-based transaction is described. One aspect of the present invention seeks to automatically facilitate the restitution of value to parties of the transaction, for example, facilitated by a network-based commerce platform or involving a network-based payment service, where a dispute has arisen with respect to the transaction. |
| US08626650B2 |
Gradual conversion of financial accounts
Embodiments describe a method and a system to link a secondary account to a primary account with an account management module associated with the primary account and to control access to funds in the secondary account with respect to a secondary account holder through the account management module. The secondary account includes a spending account and a savings account. |
| US08626648B1 |
Method and system for user signup by a network service provider
A system and a method for performing purchase transactions over a network are provided. The system includes a server controlled by a service provider, including a link to a network; a processor circuit, the processor circuit configured to receive purchase requests from a mobile phone, and to transfer funds from a user account to a vendor account; and a memory circuit storing a plurality of mobile phone numbers and a plurality of personal identification numbers (PINs), wherein each mobile phone number and PIN is associated with a user account. A non-transitory machine-readable medium may include a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server controlled by a service provider are adapted to cause the server to perform a method as above. |
| US08626644B2 |
Systems and methods for loan option customization
In a loan option system having a loan server accessible through a network to an external borrower computer and a loan processor for providing loan parameters to the loan server, systems and methods are provided for determining and adjusting a loan balance, via (1) receiving a principal value for a loan through the network from the borrower computer, the principal value corresponding to the loan balance, wherein the loan has an interest rate and a loan term corresponding to a specified number of payments throughout the loan, (2) upon a permissible omitted payment, increasing the interest rate, determining accrued interest, setting predetermined fees due to the missed payment, and applying the predetermined fees and accrued interest to the loan balance to produce a new balance, (3) retrieving the new balance from the loan processor to the loan server, and (4) providing the new balance to the borrower computer. |
| US08626643B2 |
System and method for a utility financial model
A utility financial model involves the setting of a new utility rate after the introduction of a new utility technology that provides immediate capacity relief, reducing the base load capacity and the peak load capacity to electric power providers. The new utility rate is not based solely on performance of the new utility technology but rather based on fixed and variable costs to introduce the new utility technology. |
| US08626642B2 |
System and method for dynamically managing a financial account
The invention is directed towards dynamically managing a financial account based on risk modules, aggregated data, and individual behavior, wherein the risk modules are calculated using current and real-time data used in conjunction with prospective as well as current customer data. The risk of loss associated with operating financial accounts is reduced because the parameters under which the financial accounts operate is adjusted based on the aggregated data and the analysis provided from the risk models. This allows additional customers to be obtained but optimizes the risk of loss for the financial institution. |
| US08626638B2 |
Systems and methods for using declining balance methodologies to enhance clearing of dividend futures and other instruments
Systems and method are disclosed for quoting, adjusting and settling futures contracts by successively removing the just-realized variables from the quoted futures price to focus the quoted contract value to the remaining unrealized economic variables. Further, such systems and method for quoting, adjusting and settling the futures contracts preserve the underlying economic consideration for the trade when compared with the traditional way of quoting futures based on the same cumulative sum. |
| US08626637B1 |
Apparatus, method and system for providing an electronic marketplace to join a trade for credit default swaps and other financial interests, and to deal-by-volume for the interests
A computer-implemented method of trading an interest, which includes executing a trade for the interest between counterparties, locking the interest for further executions, providing an opportunity to the counterparties to work-up the trade, providing an opportunity to a trader not a counterparty to the trade to join in the trade, receiving a request from the trader to join the trade; and joining the trader in the trade. |
| US08626636B2 |
Method for implementing an investment company that issues a class of conventional shares and a class of exchange-traded shares in the same fund
A method is provided for administering a single investment company that issues one or more classes of shares that are bought from and redeemed with the single investment company at a net asset value and issues one or more classes of shares that are listed for trading on a securities exchange and that are bought and sold at negotiated market prices. One or more computers maintain account data of the outstanding shares. An owner of any share of any share class has an undivided interest in the single investment company. |
| US08626635B1 |
Certificate of deposit consolidation
A method of monitoring a certificate of deposit includes providing a computer having a processor and receiving information related to a certificate of deposit of a user. The method also includes monitoring, using the processor, the certificate of deposit as it matures, and advising the user regarding maturity of the certificate of deposit. |
| US08626633B1 |
Website and computer program for transfer of return on investment on a real time basis for OiBiTDA
Methods and systems for calculating performance of equity investments, such as public stocks, portfolios, mutual funds, hedge funds of publicly traded companies. Performance is calculated with a computer by calculating OiBiTDA (operating income before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of each equity investment which takes into account variables that include sales data per week, number of salary people and number of hours of hourly people. The calculated performance data can be disseminated through a subscribed based website and other digital online media, and the like. The return on investment (ROI) for the entire public company as well as for each operating facility of the public company can be determined. |
| US08626631B2 |
Adaptive closed loop investment decision engine
An adaptive closed loop decision engine outputs actionable alerts regarding asset holdings and allocations to reduce investment volatility and improve returns over market and sector cycles without unnecessary trading activity. The decision engine performs a statistical analysis on pricing trends that generates threshold decision points for investing in or avoiding assets and for determining asset allocation weightings within a portfolio. The engine operates in a way that yields higher returns, dramatically reduces maximum drawdown and lower volatility over market cycles. It identifies conditional probabilities, when they exist, to establish decision parameters that are applied to individual investment vehicles or to portfolios of investments. If asset pricing were a purely random event, then no conditional probability advantage would exist to yield a statistical benefit. However, historical data and empirical evidence indicate that for broad market indices and many investable assets (e.g., funds and ETFs) pricing variability deviates from a purely random (Gaussian) nature. Specifically, some trends have a higher probability of continuing for some period of time. Furthermore, these conditional relationships can be detected and used to establish decision parameters that can improve asset returns and lower volatility over single and multiple market corrections. Any conditional relationship that has existed in the past may not continue into the future and this invention is able to detect if those relationships are changing and adapt to those changes. The recent market turbulence has highlighted the need to have a well-developed statistical model of the market and an adaptive tool to deal objectively with such volatile situations. |
| US08626629B2 |
Systems for provision of remote services
A system for providing a remote service including selecting a reference item, selecting a specification of the reference item, evaluating the specification against alternatives to the reference item, determining interchangeability between the reference item and alternatives based on the evaluating of the specification in relation to the alternatives, where the determining of interchangeability is based on or includes determining at least one of quasi-fungibility and quasi-anti-fungibility. The method further including forming at least one set based on the determined interchangeability and providing a remote service based on or including at least one of the set and at least one member of the set. |
| US08626624B2 |
High speed processing of financial information using FPGA devices
A high speed apparatus and method for processing a plurality of financial market data messages are disclosed. With respect to an exemplary embodiment, a reconfigurable logic device is employed to (1) receive the financial market data messages, and (2) parse each received financial market data message into its constituent data fields. |
| US08626619B2 |
Information processing system and method for managing and determining tax information
A multi-user information processing system and method for managing a multi-jurisdictional entity's data for determining tax returns information and tax provision information, and for tax planning purposes. The system includes a database for storing data, a calculation engine for determining tax returns information and tax provision information based on data stored in the database, a user interface unit for creating dataset(s) and manipulating the dataset(s) for tax planning purposes, and a report engine for producing reports using information from the database. |
| US08626611B2 |
Method and apparatus for augmented reality shopping assistant
An augmented reality shopping system in one embodiment includes a store communication network, a memory including program instructions for receiving a product location request, associating the received request with product information stored in a product database, determining the location of the product within the store, receiving shopper location information, determining a route between the determined location of the product and the shopper location based upon the shopper location information, generating route rendering data based upon the determined route, and transmitting the route rendering data through the store communication network. The system further includes a processor operably connected to the store communication network and to the memory for executing the program instructions and a mobile display device operably connected to the processor through the store communication network for rendering an overlay image using the transmitted route rendering data. |
| US08626607B1 |
Generating media recommendations based upon beats per minute
Disclosed are various embodiments relating to generating media item recommendations based upon determining a beats per minute value. A media recommendation application determines a beats per minute value based upon the activity of a user. The media recommendation application then identifies one or more media item candidates having a number of beats per minute within a predefined delta of the beats per minute value. The media recommendation application then filters out the media items possessed and information associated with the user to identify a subset of the media item candidates to surface as recommendations. |
| US08626606B2 |
Systems and methods to transmit consumer notifications associated with printed publication retail locations
According to some embodiments, a central platform may receive one or more publication preferences associated with a consumer. Based on the publication preferences, the central platform may access a publication database to identify a publication potentially of interest to the consumer. At least one retail location where the identified publication may be currently available can be determined based at least in part on a current location associated with the consumer. A notification message may then be transmitted to a consumer device to indicate the at least one retail location. |
| US08626603B2 |
System and method for distributing media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, transmitting registration information over a network to a registration server for registration of first media content housed in a physical medium where the first registration information is associated with a purchase of the first media content from a point of sale device of a retailer and responsive to the registration, obtaining authorization for electronic access to second media content provided by a media source, where the second media content is associated with the first media content. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08626599B2 |
Payment processing system debt conversion notification
When a buyer's debt to a seller cannot be paid using an account issued to the buyer by an issuer within a payment processing system, then either or both the seller and the buyer are solicited to conduct future transactions payable on the account. If the debt can be paid using the account, then a sub-account is created unique to the seller and buyer. Transactions between the buyer and seller can be processed using the sub-account including the option of aggregating the debts prior to the processing. The credit limit of the sub-account can be set to match the amount of the aggregated debts. |
| US08626598B2 |
Method and system for obtaining services
A method for obtaining a service by a first terminal related to a network entity, the method comprising receiving information indicative of capabilities related to the network entity; and selecting one or more of the capabilities. |
| US08626593B2 |
Apparatus and method for collecting and manipulating transaction data
Described herein are apparatus and methods for collecting and manipulating transaction data. For example, presented herein is an apparatus including: a first I/O port; a second I/O port of a same type as the first I/O port, wherein the second I/O port is connected to the first I/O port such that data passed into the first I/O port is allowed to pass through the apparatus to the second I/O port unimpeded in at least a first operating mode; a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to: collect information passed from a first computing device connected to the first I/O port to a second computing device connected to the second I/O port, identify, from the information, transaction data; and provide, to a third computing device, the transaction data. |
| US08626591B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for storing usual order preference data for recurrent orders
Methods, systems, and computer program products for storing usual order preferences associated with a point of sale transaction involving an identification article. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an initial order involving the use of an identification article for purchasing at least one good or service. As part of receiving the initial order, a query asking if the initial order is to be designated as a usual order is issued. The method also includes registering the initial order as the usual order if a received response to the query indicates a usual order designation and storing an indication of the usual order in a storage medium. |
| US08626590B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatic group ordering of food from restaurants
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for automatic online group ordering of food from a restaurant. According to one method, input for creating a group online food order from a restaurant is received. The input defines a group of individuals to invite to participate in an online group food order from a restaurant is received. In response to the input, invitations are automatically and electronically sent to the individuals inviting the individuals to participate in the group order. Individual orders are received from at least some of the individuals. The individual orders are combined into a group order. The group order is automatically communicated to the restaurant. |
| US08626589B2 |
Auction-based application launching
Methods and systems for providing applications are provided. A method for providing applications may include determining a ranking for each of a plurality of applications based on an auction value of each corresponding application. In some cases, auction values may be determined by application provider bids. The method may also include determining a ranked placement of the applications based on the application rankings. The method may further include displaying the ranked placement according to a first user selection associated with the applications. The method may then include launching a selected application of the ranked placement in response to a second user selection. A system for providing applications may include an application ranker, an application placer and an application launcher. |
| US08626586B1 |
Coordinated advertising for multiple wearable advertising display systems
Wearable advertising display systems that integrate wireless communications technologies with wearable, dynamic displays for advertising purposes. Advertising content may be dynamically selected and communicated to the wearable advertising display systems from a remote device. In some embodiments, multiple wearable advertising display system may work together to provide a coordinated advertising message. A determination may be made that multiple wearable advertising display systems are within proximity of each other. Coordinated advertising content may be selected. At least a portion of the coordinated advertising content is communicated to each of the wearable advertising display systems, which present the coordinated advertising content in conjunction. |
| US08626584B2 |
Population of an advertisement reference list
A list of advertisements, products, or services for which an impression is generated during the course of a digital environment session (e.g., a video game) may be imported to a list that may be viewed at the conclusion of the digital session. The user may then visit advertiser web sites and/or view/purchase products at their leisure instead of while immersed in the digital experience. Similarly, a list of all advertisements through which an interaction occurred during the course of a video game experience (e.g., physical encounter, purchase of an in-game product, utilizing a sponsored product) may be imported to a list that may be viewed at the conclusion of a game session. The user may then visit the advertiser web sites and/or view/purchase products at their leisure instead of while immersed in the digital environment. |
| US08626581B2 |
Virtual couponing method and apparatus for use with consumer kiosk
A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons™, rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons™ may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. During the phone call, telemarketing personnel may request consumer demographic and or identification information which may be entered into a centralized database. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list selected Virtual Coupons™ displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons™ authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon™ may be considered “redeemed”. Once redeemed, consumer ID information and Virtual Coupon™ information may be retrieved electronically and used to update a central database. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which Virtual Coupons™. Such data may be used for marketing purposes or to generated further diskettes for distribution targeting specific consumers or groups of consumers with specific classes of Virtual Coupon™ offerings. The use of Virtual Coupons™ eliminates or reduces fraud, and allows a frequency card discount to be applied only a limited number of times. |
| US08626580B2 |
Coupon-point system for managing supportive services to business in a semiconductor foundry environment
A semiconductor coupon-service system, includes a coupon-service module for managing a semiconductor service; a coupon generator, in connection with the semiconductor service, for generating a coupon associated with the semiconductor service; and a coupon maintainer, in connection with the semiconductor service, for processing coupon operations associated with the coupon. |
| US08626575B1 |
Targeted advertising using temporal analysis of user specific data
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products are described for providing temporally relevant targeted content items. A set of user data is used to determine current user interests as indicated by one or more recent events. Content items relevant to those events are identified and ranked based on a time that the corresponding event occurred. One or more of the top ranked content items can be delivered to a user. |
| US08626574B2 |
Revenue adjustment processes
In a system that provides an open exchange environment to connect business entities through a network, methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for performing a revenue adjustment process to distribute one of a revenue surplus or a revenue deficit amongst business entities involved in one or more transactions from which the one of the revenue surplus or the revenue deficit originates over a predefined time interval, the performing including identifying a set of business entities involved in the one or more transactions to which the one of the revenue surplus or the revenue deficit is to be distributed; and determining a proportion of the one of the revenue surplus or the revenue deficit to which each business entity of the set is distributed. |
| US08626573B2 |
System and method of integrating enterprise applications
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to enterprise application integration. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a computer system including a service oriented architecture (SOA), where the system includes a composite application configured to present sales targeted information by combining services from multiple application resources on a network, wherein the multiple application resources include: a sales force automation (SFA) tool configured to automate sales and sales force management functions; a real-time predictive analytics tool configured to evaluate customer purchasing data and recommend products or services based on the customer purchasing data; a knowledge management tool configured to search and retrieve data across multiple integrated applications; and a calendar tool configured to manage appointment scheduling. The multiple application resources can further include a collaboration tool; and a business intelligence tool, including at least one live news feed. |
| US08626571B2 |
Management system, and associated methods and apparatus, for dispatching tickets, receiving field information, and performing a quality assessment for underground facility locate and/or marking operations
An electronically generated locate request ticket identifying a dig area includes first image data associated with the dig area. The first image data includes one or both of: i) a marked-up image of a geographic area including the dig area, wherein the marked-up image includes at least one dig area indicator to provide an indication of the dig area; and ii) geographic information relating to the at least one dig area indicator. The locate request ticket is electronically transmitted to at least one entity associated with the locate operation. A completed locate request ticket is electronically received including second image data and/or non-image data relating to the locate operation as performed. The completed locate request ticket is electronically processed so as to provide a quality assessment of the locate operation. Information relating to the completed ticket and/or the quality assessment is electronically stored and/or transmitted so as to provide a searchable electronic record of the locate operation. |
| US08626570B2 |
Method and system for data quality management
A method for data quality management may include collecting data related to a project. The method may also include generating a predetermined representation of the data and implementing or performing an improvement related to the project in response to the representation of the data indicating a trend toward not meeting a predefined project goal. The method may further include defining a control plan in response to the data indicating a trend toward meeting the predefined project goal. |
| US08626569B2 |
Performance prediction service using entity-process information
Performance prediction techniques are provided that utilize business-process information such as transaction history and log information. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a computer-based technique for providing a performance prediction service comprises the following steps/operations. First, business-process information associated with a business is obtained. Then, a performance estimation function is generated based at least in part on the business-process information, the performance estimation function being usable in responding to a query obtained from a potential customer of the business. |
| US08626568B2 |
Fleet vehicle management systems and methods
Some embodiments of a system for communicating vehicle information can provide equipment for use inside a fleet vehicle to facilitate prompt and efficient transfer of vehicle and driver information. In particular embodiments, the system may include an electronic onboard recorder mountable in a vehicle and a mobile communication device that is configured to wireless communication with the electronic onboard recorder. |
| US08626567B2 |
Automated system and method for managing goals
A goal management system stores at least first and second goals. The goal management system also stores a relationship between the first goal and the second goal. In one aspect, the goal management system detects modification of the first goal and, in response, causes the second goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification. The second goal is a parent goal to the first goal, and the relationship is stored as a parent link associating the first goal with the parent goal. The goal management system also stores an owner for the first goal. In response to detecting modification of the parent goal, the goal management system causes the first goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification in a display associated with the owner of the first goal, based on the parent link. Additional aspects relate to additional technological solutions which facilitate goal management through, for example, goal alignment. |
| US08626563B2 |
Enhancing sales leads with business specific customized statistical propensity models
A client transmits one or more lead records to a lead enhancement module that is configured to enhance the received lead records and return enhanced lead records to the client. The lead enhancement module may return a contactability score for each lead record, indicating a likelihood that the individual identified in the lead may be contacted using the contact information provided in the lead record and/or additional contract information located by the lead enhancement module. The lead enhancement module may also receive additional data items associated with leads from one or more data sources. Additionally, statistical models that may be customized for each client may be applied to information associated with lead records in order to determine one or more propensity scores for each of the lead records, where a propensity score indicates a likelihood that an individual will take a particular action, such as purchasing particular goods or services. |
| US08626560B1 |
System and method for evaluating vehicle purchase loyalty
One embodiment of the system and method described herein provides a vehicle loyalty system that gathers data on an individual's or a household's vehicles and analyzes purchase and disposal records within a particular time frame relative to the purchase date of each unique vehicle to determine brand and related loyalties. The system and method offer unique window definitions surrounding each purchase record such that data straddling a study time frame will still be caught and analyzed. |
| US08626558B2 |
Supply chain risk management method and device
The invention comprises a device for and method of managing supply chain risk at a computer system device comprising a processor, a memory subsystem in communication with the processor, and computer executable instructions storable in the memory subsystem and executable by the processor to perform the method, the method comprising determining a degree of supply chain risk to an enterprise as a function of an effect of a disruption of delivery of the production input to the enterprise on a financial performance metric of the enterprise. |
| US08626554B2 |
Smart reminders
Systems and methods for scheduling appointment reminders are based on multiple conditions including estimated travel time. An estimate of the time needed to travel between the user's location and the location of the appointment can be determined by retrieving location information from a global address list (GAL), a local address book of a calendaring application, from a map service, or other location determining technology. Users can subscribe to alert service to receive information regarding recent events such as traffic problems, flight delays, weather conditions, etc., which is then used in setting or modifying reminder times. Notifications can be generated for timing conflicts based on the estimated travel time. If the estimated travel time would require the user to leave a previous appointment early, or be late for a subsequent appointment, a notification can be generated to the user. |
| US08626552B2 |
Quorum management of appointment scheduling
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for managing scheduling of appointments with respect to a quorum requirement. The solution includes scheduling an appointment with each of a plurality of invitees, receiving one or more appointment management requests associated with the appointment from the invitees, the one or more appointment management requests including a change in the appointment, determining that a subset of the appointment management requests constitute a common request, determining that invitees that sent the common request satisfy the quorum constraint for the appointment, and implementing the common request in response to invitees that sent the common request satisfying the quorum constraint. The common request may include an acceptance, a cancellation notice, a cancellation request, and a re-scheduling request. |
| US08626551B2 |
Motivating equitable behavior in calendar events
An event scheduling request is received, and a disruption factor is associated with each of a plurality of invitees. The disruption factor is based upon, at least in part, an event parameter and at least one invitee attribute. An event is scheduled based upon, at least in part, the disruption factors associated with each of the plurality of invitees. |
| US08626542B1 |
Full-kit management in projects: computing the full-kit delay
Methods and apparatuses are described for creating and using full-kit tasks, monitoring the progress of full-kit tasks, determining full-kit dates, checking compliance of release conditions associated with full-kit tasks, and/or computing and reporting full-kit task delays. A full-kit task can be used in the project plan to represent the preparations that are required or recommended to be performed before executing a set of tasks. The full-kit task can be a zero-duration task that has a full-kit date and that includes a list of items which need to be completed by the full-kit date. The full-kit task is capable of being in one of the following states: not started, in progress, released, and completed. In some embodiments, the set of tasks associated with the full-kit task can only be started if the full-kit task is either in the released state or the completed state. |
| US08626540B2 |
Method and apparatus for transportation planning based on mission-specific vehicle capacity constraints
A computer, for planning moves of freight using vehicles, determines one or more attributes of a mission, based on a group of shipments being consolidated into the mission, computes a total amount of freight to be moved, and decides on feasibility of performing the mission, using a vehicle of a given type based at least on each of (A) the amount of freight, (B) one or more attributes of the mission, and (C) multiple effective capacities of freight moveable by the type of vehicle being selected, which depend on the mission attribute(s). Multiple effective capacities for each vehicle type, and corresponding values of mission attribute(s) at which they are to be applied are stored in the computer ahead of time, based on industry experience. Examples of mission attribute(s) include (1) number of stops, (2) type of stops (whether pooling or not), and (3) a combination thereof. |
| US08626539B2 |
Life insurance cooperative
A method in a server computer connected over a network to a group of participants, where each participant operates a client computer. The method receives a payment for each participant in the group, associates the payments received for the group with a time period, calculates a designated portion of each payment, and creates a fund for the time period by combining the designated portions of the payments. The method receives a notification for each participant in a subgroup of the group of participants, where the notification indicates that during the time period an event occurred. The method calculates a portion of the fund to disburse to each participant in the subgroup, and disburses the fund to the participants in the subgroup, where the portion of the fund to disburse to each participant in the subgroup is a share of the fund. |
| US08626538B1 |
Insurance coverage management system
A coverage management system is described herein that enables an insurance agent and an insured party to engage in a streamlined insurance procurement process. The coverage management system facilitates generation of interactive insurance-related documents, provides mechanisms to interact with the documents, and optimizes agent-insured interaction via the insurance-related documents. |
| US08626535B2 |
System and method for providing shipping insurance as a service
A shipping insurance service application has an electronic marketplace platform interface, a shipping insurance module, and an insurance provider module. The electronic marketplace platform interface communicates with at least one electronic marketplace application. The shipping insurance module provides a shipping insurance policy to a seller of the corresponding electronic marketplace application and processes a claim from the seller of the corresponding electronic marketplace application based on the shipping insurance policy. The carrier module obtains the shipping insurance policy from an insurance provider among a plurality of insurance providers. |
| US08626534B2 |
System for communication of health care data
An apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver is provided. The apparatus has a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system has health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from, the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format. The rules engine defines a plurality of health care data fields in the predefined format, as well as a plurality of relationships between fields of normalized data. |
| US08626533B2 |
Patient data mining with population-based analysis
A system and method for analyzing population-based patient information is provided. The method includes the steps of data mining a plurality of patient records using a domain knowledge base relating to a disease of interest; compiling the mined data into a plurality of structured patient records; inputting at least one patient criteria relating to the disease of interest; and extracting at least one structured patient record matching the at least one patient criteria. The system includes a data miner for mining information from the plurality of patient records using a domain knowledge base relating to a disease of interest and for compiling the mined data into a plurality of structured patient records; an interface for inputting at least one patient criteria relating to the disease of interest; and a processor adapted for extracting at least one of the structured patient records matching the at least one patient criteria. |
| US08626532B2 |
Method for providing a user with a web-based service for accessing and collecting health records
A method for providing a user with a web-based service to access and collect records associated with the user in a secure and private manner, the method including assigning through a web site a phone number, assigning through the web site a user account to the user, associating access information with the user, creating through the web site a document for the user to provide to the service provider requesting the service provider to send the records to the phone number and granting the service provider permission to send the records to the phone number, receiving by the service provider the document from the user to provide the service provider permission to send the records to the phone number, and sending by the service provider a private fax communication to the phone number. |
| US08626530B1 |
System and method for express refill
A system and method may provide a refill interface and service which allow a customer to order refills of one or more prescription medications in a quick and hassle-free manner from a mobile device. The customer provides prescription data from a barcode image that includes a number associated with an order. The prescription number is received by a server and a pickup store and a pickup time are determined. The user is provided an opportunity to select a new pickup store and/or a new pickup time. The refill system and method provide the service through a series of web pages and/or via an application running on a mobile device. |
| US08626525B2 |
Systems and methods for real-time monitoring and analysis of prescription claim rejections
Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for real-time monitoring and analysis of prescription claim rejections. In one embodiment, a transaction performance monitoring system for facilitating real-time monitoring of the rejection of claims can be provided. The transaction performance monitoring system can include a transaction performance monitoring application operable to receive a plurality of claims associated with at least one dispenser, wherein each of the claims relates to at least one prescription and at least one payor. In addition, a transaction performance monitoring application operable to, in real-time, identify rejected claims and associated causes of the rejected claims. Furthermore, a transaction performance monitoring system can include a network operable to communicate the plurality of claims between the at least one dispenser and the at least one payor. |
| US08626523B1 |
Patient voice check-in system
A system for obtaining patient medical information from a currently treating physician to a hospital admitting physician. A physician wishing to admit a patient dials a phone number, enters relevant patient medical data, and then leaves a recording describing the patient's condition. This recording is then stored in a database where it can be played back through an electronic medical record. The recording is also sent directly to the admitting physician's cell phone who can then tend to the patient as needed. |
| US08626522B2 |
Condition analysis
The present invention provides a method of determining a treatment program for a subject. The method includes obtaining subject data representing the subject's condition. The subject data is used together with a model of the condition, to determine system values representing the condition. These system values are then used to determining one or more trajectories representing the progression of the condition in accordance with the model. From this, it is possible to determine a treatment program in accordance with the determined trajectories. |
| US08626519B1 |
Entertainment layer overlaid on online transactions
A method and apparatus for allowing a customer to conduct or initiate a transaction for purchasing, renting, leasing, etc. a product or a service during which the customer will provide one or more transaction inputs. One or more transaction outcomes or outputs will be determined, based at least in part on or using one or more transaction inputs. The transaction outcomes are provided to the customer via an entertainment interface into which one or more of the transaction outputs are integrated. |
| US08626516B2 |
Method and system for dynamic range control in an audio processing system
Methods and systems for dynamic range control in an audio processing system are disclosed and may include controlling a dynamic range of an audio signal by expanding the dynamic range utilizing a dynamic expander, and dividing the audio signal into a plurality of frequency bands. Each of the bands may be individually compressed utilizing a multi-band compressor. A sum of the individually compressed frequency bands may be compressed utilizing a full-band compressor. The audio signal may be filtered utilizing a pre-emphasis filter, such as an infinite impulse response filter and may be divided into frequency bands utilizing one or more finite impulse response filters and/or delay modules. The dynamic expander may include adaptive thresholds and an envelope detector. Each of the frequency bands may be compressed utilizing syllabic compression in the multi-band compressor. The compressed sum of compressed plurality of bands may be processed utilizing an audio CODEC. |
| US08626513B2 |
Centralized biometric authentication
A communications system includes a receiver and at least one transmitter. The receiver receives, from different intermediate systems, biometric samples from parties attempting to obtain services from the intermediate systems and information characterizing the expected identifies of the parties. The at least one transmitter transmits, to the intermediate systems, verification that the biometric samples match pre-registered biometric information obtained from a storage device such that the expected identities of the parties is verified as the identities of the parties. |
| US08626511B2 |
Multi-dimensional disambiguation of voice commands
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for processing voice commands. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an audio signal at a server, performing, by the server, speech recognition on the audio signal to identify one or more candidate terms that match one or more portions of the audio signal, identifying one or more possible intended actions for each candidate term, providing information for display on a client device, the information specifying the candidate terms and the actions for each candidate term, receiving from the client device an indication of an action selected by a user, where the action was selected from among the actions included in the provided information, and invoking the action selected by the user. |
| US08626507B2 |
Systems and methods for extracting meaning from multimodal inputs using finite-state devices
Multimodal utterances contain a number of different modes. These modes can include speech, gestures, and pen, haptic, and gaze inputs, and the like. This invention use recognition results from one or more of these modes to provide compensation to the recognition process of one or more other ones of these modes. In various exemplary embodiments, a multimodal recognition system inputs one or more recognition lattices from one or more of these modes, and generates one or more models to be used by one or more mode recognizers to recognize the one or more other modes. In one exemplary embodiment, a gesture recognizer inputs a gesture input and outputs a gesture recognition lattice to a multimodal parser. The multimodal parser generates a language model and outputs it to an automatic speech recognition system, which uses the received language model to recognize the speech input that corresponds to the recognized gesture input. |
| US08626506B2 |
Method and system for dynamic nametag scoring
A method for dynamic nametag scoring includes receiving at least one confusion table including at least one circumstantial condition wherein the confusion table is based on a plurality of phonetically balanced utterances, determining a plurality of templates for the nametag based on the received confusion tables, and determining a global nametag score for the nametag based on the determined templates. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for dynamic nametag scoring. |
| US08626502B2 |
Improving speech intelligibility utilizing an articulation index
Background noise is modeled from an input signal comprising a desired signal and a plurality of undesired signals. At least one of the signals that comprise the input is processed to generate a signal-to-noise ratio. An articulation index is generated for the at least one of the signals that is processed. A spectrum of a speech segment is generated to improve intelligibility and quality of the speech segment based on the articulation index. A shaping logic may adjust the spectrum of the speech segment based on a comparison of the articulation index to a plurality of predetermined thresholds. Modeling of the background noise comprises modeling a tilt of the background noise. |
| US08626500B2 |
Apparatus and method for noise reduction and sound recording
A sound recording apparatus having a driving unit generates a sound signal from an input sound, detects the level of the sound signal, adjusts the level of the generated sound signal at an amplification factor corresponding to the detected level, and processes the adjusted sound signal to prevent an amplified sound signal from containing a sound signal generated upon driving the driving unit. The sound recording apparatus controls to replace a sound signal in a predetermined period after instructing driving of the driving unit with a signal calculated from a sound signal in the first period after the predetermined period, and to substantially equalize an amplification factor when driving of the driving unit is instructed and that in the first period. |
| US08626497B2 |
Automatic marking method for karaoke vocal accompaniment
An automatic marking method for Karaoke vocal accompaniment is provided. In the method, pitch, beat position and volume of a singer are compared with the original pitch, beat position and volume of the theme of a song to generate a score of pitch, a score of beat and a score of emotion respectively, so as to obtain a weighted total score in a weighted marking method. By using the method, the pitch, beat position and volume error of each section of the song sung by the singer can be exactly worked out, and a pitch curve and a volume curve can be displayed, so that the singer can learn which part is sung incorrectly and which part needs to be enhanced. The present invention also has the advantages of dual effects of teaching and entertainment, high practicability and technical advancement. |
| US08626491B2 |
Selecting terms in a document
Determining a mapping between a textual representation in a document and a concept is disclosed. A document is received. A set of candidate textual representations in the document is identified. For at least one candidate textual representation included in the set, an associated concept included in a taxonomy of concepts is determined. The candidate textual representation and the associated concept are provided as output. |
| US08626489B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing data
A data processing method and apparatus that may set emotion based on development of a story are provided. The method and apparatus may set emotion without inputting emotion for each sentence of text data. Emotion setting information is generated based on development of the story and the like, and may be applied to the text data. |
| US08626485B2 |
Emulation apparatus, emulator generating method and emulator executing method
In an emulation apparatus, a processing operation recording unit records processing operations performed by an emulator executing unit and corresponding execution time. A counting unit reads policies defined in a policy storing unit and counts an execution frequency of each processing operation in each policy. According to the counting result of the counting unit, a source combining unit rearranges source components in an optimal order for each policy and combines the rearranged source components to generate a source. A compiling unit compiles the source generated for each policy and generates an emulator for each policy. An emulator selecting unit finds a policy that includes the current time from among the policies defined in the policy storing unit, reads the emulator generated for the found policy from an emulator storing unit, and instructs the emulator executing unit to execute that emulator. |
| US08626483B2 |
Efficient clock models and their use in simulation
Methods simulating a system of devices are described. A model that simulates the system is executed. The system model includes a plurality of modules. A clock object for a module can be disabled when it is not needed or not being used. |
| US08626482B2 |
Equivalent circuit simulation system and method
A simulation system for producing equivalent circuits reads data corresponding to a tabular W element format in a storage device, and adds data of the tabular W element format file using interpolation algorithm. A frequency-dependent transmission matrix is transformed into an N-port network matrix describing electrical properties of a multi-input and multi-output network. An N-port network matrix is transformed into a S-parameter matrix. A range of frequency of a s-parameter is determined and numbers of pole-residue, times for recursion and durable maximum system errors in the equivalent circuit is also determined. A vector fitting algorithm is performed and a rational function matrix composed with s-parameters is produced, to produce a general SPICE equivalent circuit based on the generated rational function matrix. |
| US08626470B2 |
Reversible permeability measuring device
The present invention relates to a reversible permeability measuring device for measuring magnetic characteristics and magnetic flux change in a specimen, as one of a plurality of non-destructive methods for evaluating mechanical properties. The reversible permeability measuring device of the present invention directly measures a magnetic field change induced at the surface of the specimen through the use of a magnetic potentiometer and a flux meter, thereby accurately evaluating the deterioration of materials. |
| US08626468B2 |
MEMS device comprising oscillations measurements means
A MEMS apparatus is provided for scanning an optical beam which comprises: a. at least one mirror operative to perform am oscillation motion to a pre-defined rotation angle around a mirror rotation axis; b. a sound sensing means; and c. a conversion means operative to convert sound vibrations detected by the sound sensing means into one or more electrical signals, and wherein the sound sensing means is located at the vicinity of the at least one mirror whereby the movement of the at least one mirror is sensed by the sound sensing means and converted by the conversion means into the one or more electrical signals characterizing the oscillating motion of the at least one mirror. |
| US08626460B2 |
Secure test-for-yield chip diagnostics management system and method
A chip diagnostics management system includes secure design information that define production features of integrated circuit devices and are accessible according to selected levels of access privilege. A database of device defect information includes information of defects of devices produced according to the production features of the design information and associated wafers, production lots, and dies in or with which the devices were produced. A diagnostic manager correlates device defect information from plural wafers with the design information to identify a device location with a probability of being associated with the device defect information. A diagnostic manager viewer indicates the device location together with an amount of design information correlated the level of access privilege assigned to a selected user. |
| US08626459B2 |
Defect detection in objects using statistical approaches
Disclosed are systems, methods and articles, including an inspection system that includes at least one generator to apply energy to an object at an application point to cause waves to travel, at least partly, through the object. The system further includes at least one detector configured to detect at least a portion of the waves traveling through the object, and a statistical analyzer to perform a statistical analysis based on an output produced by the at least one detector in response to the detected portion of the waves, the statistical analysis being used to determine whether at least one defect is present in the object. |
| US08626458B2 |
Method and system for measuring the dynamic response of a structure during a machining process
A machine implement includes sensors that measure a force imparted by the machine implement to a structure during a machining process. A sensor array coupled to the structure measures the vibrational response of the structure to the imparted force. Analysis software compares the imparted force to the vibrational response to generate a transfer function for the structure. Based on the transfer function, a tool-path of the machine implement may be adjusted such that the resulting structure has precise vibrational characteristics that substantially comply with a set of design goals for the structure. |
| US08626452B2 |
Compositions and methods for optimizing drug hydrophobicity and drug delivery to cells
Methods to determine drug hydrophobicity and to quantify changes in drug hydrophobicity that optimize drug function by means of differential scanning calorimetry of an endothermic phase transition of a base protein-based polymer, specifically of an elastic-contractile model protein, to which is attached the drug to be evaluated for its hydrophobicity in terms of the change in Gibbs free energy for hydrophobic association, ΔGHA have been developed. Also described herein is the preparation of nanoparticles comprised of protein-based polymers, specifically of elastic-contractile model proteins, designed for the binding and desired release rate of a specific drug or class of drugs. Further described herein is a means of targeting the drug-laden nanoparticle to a cell by means of decorating the nanoparticle surface with a molecular entity that selectively binds to the diseased cell or disease causing organism, e.g., by decorating the drug-laden nanoparticle surface with synthetic antigen-binding fragment to an up-regulated receptor characteristic of the diseased cell. |
| US08626448B2 |
Method for estimating a blood sugar condition
A blood sugar condition is estimated by measuring a urine sugar value, discriminating whether it is less than a discriminating method classification boundary value, when it is less, obtaining an averaged value of measured urine sugar values during a past predetermined period of time, measured at the same time of day as the latest measurement, calculating the difference between the averaged and measured urine sugar values, when the difference is not less than a positive discriminating reference difference, discriminating as being a blood sugar value decrease, when the measured value is not less than the discriminating method classification boundary value, obtaining an averaged value of all measured values during the past predetermined period of time, calculating a ratio between the measured and averaged values, and, when the ratio is not greater than a first discriminating reference ratio, discriminating as being the blood sugar value decrease. |
| US08626445B2 |
Navigation device
End lines are ingeniously displayed so as to enhance the function of reaching a target without impairing safety. Visibility is improved and the driver is assisted to select a route, so that reaching a target is ensured. At the same time, the driver's burden is reduced and thereby safety is enhanced. |
| US08626444B2 |
Safety based road map navigation
The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate safety-oriented navigation through a local environment that presents emergency dynamics. The architecture can facilitate monitoring of deployed sensors constituting a sensor network, even for cases in which sensor locations are not known in advance such as for rapid or random deployment. |
| US08626442B2 |
Navigation apparatus
A map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage unit (15) for storing map information, a map update information storage unit (8) for storing one or more pieces of map update information (30 to 32) used for updating yet-to-be-updated map information, a map update information selection unit (19) for selecting one or more pieces of map update information required to update the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in the map update information storage unit, and a map information updating unit (20) for updating the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) by applying the one or more pieces of map update information selected by the map update information selection unit to the map information one by one in order of updating. |
| US08626440B2 |
Data-driven 3D traffic views with the view based on user-selected start and end geographical locations
Traffic flow data representing traffic conditions on a road system is obtained. A user selects a start geographical location and an end geographical location. An animated flythrough 3D graphical map is then created and displayed beginning at the start geographical location and navigating toward the end geographical location. The traffic flow data is continuously displayed during the flythrough. |
| US08626439B2 |
Navigation system with traffic estimation mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: calculating a travel segment of a navigation route, the travel segment having a travel feature; estimating a base time for the travel segment; estimating an incremental time for the travel feature; and calculating a travel time with the base time and the incremental time for displaying on a device. |
| US08626436B2 |
Navigation system with constrained resource route planning optimizer and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: setting a predetermined arrival level for arriving at a replenishment location; calculating an estimated arrival level for arriving at the replenishment location; generating target location based on the estimated arrival level meeting or exceeding the predetermined arrival level; and generating a travel route to a destination based on selecting the replenishment location from the target location for displaying on a device. |
| US08626435B2 |
GPS filter algorithm
A method for determining location such as vehicle location receives data at a predetermined frequency, validates the received data, stores the received data based on the validation and computes a location based on the stored data. The validation includes verifying a presence of particular data substrings within the received data, verifying a presence of a plurality of data fields within each data substring, computing a parameter based on information contained in two of the plurality of data fields and comparing the computer parameter with a pre-defined threshold. |
| US08626431B2 |
Travel supporting control system
In a travel supporting control system 10 including an LDW/LKA system 17 which performs traveling-lane keeping assist control so that a vehicle V travels without deviating from the lane along which it travels, the LDW/LKA system 17 calculates a virtual lane width W, which is the width of the lane narrowed by an obstacle O detected by an obstacle detecting sensor 11, and stops the traveling-lane keeping assist control when the calculated virtual lane width W is so narrow as to be equal to or smaller than a threshold value and an avoidance operation of the driver is required. Accordingly, since the operation of LDW or LKA can be stopped at a proper timing, it becomes possible to prevent interference between the operation of the driver and the operation of the system for keeping the lane. |
| US08626427B2 |
User interface method for terminal for vehicle and apparatus thereof
A user interface method for a terminal for a vehicle is provided. The terminal obtains position information to detect a point of a road. A road image of a driving direction is obtained, a lanes of the road represented on the obtained road image is recognized, and a point of a road and lane in which the vehicle having the terminal arranged therein is detected. A virtual road image regarding the recognized lanes is generated, and the generated virtual lanes are added to the road image of the driving direction of the vehicle, and displayed. Traffic information for each lane and surrounding information (i.e. lane closure, construction, accident, etc.) at the detected point of the relevant road are obtained, and the obtained information is displayed for each virtual lane. |
| US08626425B2 |
Method for fueling an engine at start
A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one example, fuel injection timing is selectively adjusted based on engine stop position and amount of time the engine is stopped. The method may improve engine starting and lower engine noise. |
| US08626422B2 |
Electronic oil pump
An electronic oil pump has at least one lubricant inlet, at least one lubricant outlet, at least one piston being movable between a full stroke position and a fully retracted position, an electrical actuator operatively connected to the at least one piston, a first electrical lead connected to a first element of the pump for electrically connecting the first element to an electronic control unit (ECU), and a second electrical lead connected to a second element of the pump for electrically connecting the second element to the ECU. When the at least one piston is in the full stroke position, an electrical path between the first and second electrical leads is closed. When the at least one piston is in a position other than the full stroke position, the electrical path is opened. A method of controlling an engine having the oil pump is also disclosed. |
| US08626420B2 |
Gas turbine sequencing method and system
A method to develop a software based sequencer for a turbine including: selecting a general purpose sequencer software module having standardized software for sequencing turbines through defined states of operation; selecting options from predefined settings presented by the sequencer software module, wherein the selected options define operational events of the turbine which trigger the sequencer to transition the turbine from one of the defined states to the next defined state, and using the general purpose sequencer software configured with the selected options for the settings. |
| US08626416B2 |
Traction controlling apparatus
A traction controlling apparatus is configured such that if a slip of a driving wheel is detected, then a throttle valve opening is reduced to a first predetermined value. If failure is detected while the throttle valve opening is reduced to the first predetermined value, then the throttle valve opening is further reduced to a second predetermined value. If the acceleration grip is manipulated to a fully closed position while the throttle valve opening is reduced to the second predetermined value, then the control is ended and throttle control by a direct manipulation of the acceleration grip is enabled. |
| US08626408B1 |
Row-producing system for agricultural crops
An integrated system for row-producing in agriculture fields comprises several implements each having an elevated central frame, an undercarriage assembly with a rear active steering system and the undercarriage assembly is rear located and being behind the structures of toolbar and row units. The rear active steering system controlled by a GPS system comprises a steer angle sensor and a closed loop continuous feedback system, with the purpose of keeping a precise lateral location. This integrated system also comprises an active toolbar height controlling system. When needed, the undercarriage assembly can be disconnected from the implement. This integrated system functions to reduce compactions in the field and ensure lateral accuracy of the implement movement. The integrated system works as a strip tiller, and as a planter. |
| US08626402B2 |
Drive arrangement and method for a work machine with two internal combustion engines
A drive arrangement for a work machine is provided, having a first internal combustion engine and a second internal combustion engine. A controller is allocated to the internal combustion engines, and a drive train is selectively connected to both internal combustion engines for driving elements of the work machine. In the case of a double-engine mode, the controller specifies a maximum single power (P1) of the internal combustion engines that is less than the maximum power (P2) that can be specified by the controller for an internal combustion engine operating in the single-engine mode. |
| US08626401B2 |
Cultivation system and a subsoil tool
A method and system of tillage and tillage management that includes the steps of establishing a plurality of soil profiles over an area of soil to be cultivated, creating soil map database by combining these soil profiles to establish a treatment and cultivation regime, cultivating the ground in accordance regime and recording the cultivation in the soil map database. A subsoil tool for carrying out the method and system, with a shank (18) connected to a vehicle and to a ripper foot (20) terminating in a ripper tooth (22); a hydraulic ram (26) attached at a lower end to a first pivot connection (28) and at an upper end to an actuator the first pivot connection is attached to a rear end of a laterally extending wing member (30), a front end of the wing member being pivotally attached to the shank through a second pivot point (32) and the wing member is selected in accordance with soil profile at any position on a soil map database and is oscillated in response to actuation of the ram. |
| US08626400B2 |
Grain cleaning system
A method for powering a system in a vehicle, the method including the steps of mechanically coupling, driving and controlling. The mechanically coupling step includes coupling a power unit with at least one primary load, the at least one primary load including a propulsion load. The driving step includes driving a cleaning fan and a cleaning shoe with at least one power source, the at least one power source being mechanically independent from the power unit. The controlling step includes controlling a speed of the at least one power source independent of a speed of the power unit. |
| US08626397B2 |
Method and control device for triggering a passenger protection arrangement for a vehicle
A method and a control device for triggering a passenger protection arrangement for a vehicle are provided, at least one sensor signal from an accident sensor system being provided. A characteristic is derived from this at least one sensor signal, and a flatness is determined from this first characteristic in relation to at least one second characteristic. The crash type is then determined as a function of this flatness. The triggering the passenger protection arrangement (PS) takes place as a function of this crash type. |
| US08626395B2 |
Method for processing data in an influencing device
A method is provided for processing data in an influencing device, whereby the influencing device is connectable to a vehicle control unit and to a data processing unit. If the influencing device receives a first trigger or a second trigger, the first trigger is checked for a valid assignment to a function implemented in the hardware or software. If there is a valid assignment, the assigned function is started. A first address and/or a second address and/or the value are checked for a valid assignment to a first sub-function or a second sub-function. Depending on the called sub-function, the value is checked and/or manipulated and depending on the result of the check, the checked value and/or the manipulated value are sent by the influencing device to the vehicle control unit and/or to the data processing unit and/or stored in the memory of the influencing device. |
| US08626391B2 |
Method and system for lane-keeping control
A Lane-keeping control method and system of a vehicle include an estimated control entry boundary arrival time setting controller for setting an estimated control entry boundary arrival time to arrive at a control entry boundary and a look-ahead distance calculator for calculating a look-ahead distance on the basis of the estimated control entry boundary arrival time and vehicle velocity. A lane-keeping control entry determiner determines whether to enter the lane-keeping control on the basis of the control entry boundary, a lane-keeping control torque producer produces a lane-keeping control torque in a direction opposite to a lane-departure direction whether to enter lane-keeping control, and a torque releasing controller releases the lane-keeping control torque when the vehicle has returned to the inside of a control release boundary after the lane-keeping control torque was produced. |
| US08626387B1 |
Displaying information of interest based on occupant movement
A method of displaying information of interest to an occupant of a vehicle is provided. The method includes detecting movement of a hand of the occupant toward a physical control using a sensor and the sensor sending a signal from the sensor to a processor in the vehicle when the hand is detected. The method determines information of interest based on the signal using the processor and then displays the information of interest on a display device. |
| US08626385B2 |
Systems and methods for analyzing machine performance
A system for analyzing machine performance is disclosed. The system may have one or more processors and a memory. The memory may store instructions that, when executed, enable the one or more processors to identify an event for a machine that includes a desired output parameter value and send a command to a component of the machine. A command value associated with the command may be determined based on the desired output parameter value, one or more machine state parameter values, and a feedback control loop. The instructions may further enable the one or more processors to determine whether the machine requires maintenance by comparing the command value to one or more historical command values each determined based on a historical desired output parameter value and one or more historical machine state parameter values. |
| US08626373B2 |
Fuel cell system and control method of same
Provided are a fuel cell system and a control method thereof capable of inhibiting the occurrence of problems caused by surplus electrical power even in cases where the torque able to be generated by the motor is limited due to a low motor drive voltage. A fuel cell system provided with a fuel cell and a motor is further provided with required output torque calculation means for calculating a required output torque based on an output requirement, torque upper limit value calculation means for calculating a torque upper limit value of torque able to be generated by the motor based on a drive voltage of the motor, required motor torque calculation means for calculating a required motor torque based on the required output torque and the torque upper limit value, required motor power calculation means for calculating a required motor power based on the required motor torque, and required generated power calculation means for calculating a required generated power of the fuel cell based on the required motor power. |
| US08626370B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method
A control apparatus is applied to a vehicle that has shift modes including the continuously variable shift mode, in which a ratio of the rotational speed of a power source to the rotational speed of a drive shaft is continuously adjusted, and the stepped shift mode, in which the ratio is fixed. The control apparatus includes a control unit that controls the torque that is output from the power source to make the time that is required to bring the drive torque of the drive shaft from a predetermined value to a target value in the stepped shift mode equal to the time that is required to bring the drive torque of the drive shaft from the predetermined value to the target value in the continuously variable shift mode. In this way, the difference in drivability between the continuously variable shift mode and the stepped shift mode is minimized. |
| US08626367B2 |
Method for operating a hybrid vehicle
An exemplary method for operating a hybrid vehicle in the event that there is a problem with an auxiliary power source, such as an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. According to one embodiment, the method provides a power management scheme for a variety of situations where an auxiliary power source experiences a problem; this may include situations where an internal combustion engine runs out of fuel, where there is a mechanical or electrical malfunction, or any other instance where the auxiliary power source is unable to generate and/or provide electrical energy for the hybrid vehicle. The power management scheme conserves the vehicle's primary power source, which is typically a battery, in order to provide the hybrid vehicle with an extended driving range. |
| US08626366B2 |
System and method for controlling a marine vessel through a waterway
A system for controlling a marine vessel includes a processor, a propulsion system, and a directional system. The processor is disposed onboard the marine vessel and obtains a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of the marine vessel for a trip along a waterway. The propulsion system is communicatively coupled with the processor and generates propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan. The directional system is communicatively coupled with the processor and steers the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan. Operating the propulsion system and the directional system according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan. |
| US08626364B2 |
Method and system for controlling the automatic landing/take-off of a drone on or from a circular landing grid of a platform, in particular a naval platform
The invention relates to method characterized in that said method comprises steps of acquiring movements, calculating the mean position, calculating position predictions, and calculating minimum grid (5) movement speeds, and a step of acquiring the position of the drone (4) so that, if the drone cannot follow the movements of the grid and the movements of the grid are small, i.e. smaller than the radius of the latter, it is possible to apply a landing strategy by monitoring the mean position of the grid, and if the movements of the grid are large, i.e. larger than the radius of the grid, it is possible to apply a landing strategy by positioning at the minimum speeds of the grid, and if the drone (4) can follow the movements of the grid (5) and the movements of the grid are small, i.e. smaller than the radius of the grid, it is possible to apply a landing strategy according to the mean position of the grid, and if the movements of the grid are large, i.e. larger than the radius of the grid, it is possible to apply a landing strategy by following the position of the grid predicted at the instant of landing. |
| US08626363B2 |
Aircraft feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator
A feathering, flapping and rotor loads indicator for use in a rotorcraft includes a calculation unit configured to calculate (a) a current temperature of a bearing of the rotor assembly using a first calculation model, (b) a projected temperature of the bearing using the first calculation model and (c) a load exerted on a selected component of the rotor assembly using a second calculation model, the first and second calculation models adapted to calculate, respectively, the projected and the current temperatures of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component based on flight control parameters; and a display unit configured to display on a common scale a movable indicator, the movable indicator being driven by the highest value between the projected temperature of the bearing and the load exerted on the selected component. The display unit displays another movable indicator driven by the current temperature of the bearing. |
| US08626362B2 |
Method and device for monitoring the speed of an aircraft
A method for controlling speed of an aircraft in the air. The method compares a variation of the aircraft speed in the air with a variation of the aircraft speed on the ground for an identical period, and detects any significant difference between the variations. |
| US08626361B2 |
System and methods for unmanned aerial vehicle navigation
A system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to be equipped with data representing a first UAV flight plan, and a ground station configured to control the UAV. The ground station is operable to receive, at a first time, a first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, calculate a second UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the second UAV flight plan being based on the data representing the first UAV flight plan and the first data set representing at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, and transmit data representing the second UAV flight plan to the UAV. |
| US08626359B2 |
Implementation of Kalman filter linear state estimator for actuator equalization
A rotorcraft control system is provided and includes a rotor blade having a moving surface operatively connected for movement among various positions, an actuator receptive of a modified control signal and operatively connected to move the surface among the various positions, a sensor operably coupled to the actuator to generate a sensor response signal reflective of a response of the actuator to the modified control signal and a controller to output the modified control signal to the actuator, the controller including a control loop to generate the modified control signal from an initial control signal that is modified by relating the initial control signal and the sensor response signal and by accounting for actuator inaccuracies, sensor sensitivities and noise. |
| US08626355B2 |
Cooling provisioning management in a three dimensional package
In a method for managing cooling provisioning in a three-dimensional package containing a plurality of stacked die with a cooling system having at least one active cooling mechanism, at least one of workload on and an environmental condition at or around one of the plurality of stacked die is identified. In addition, at least one of the active cooling mechanism and the one of the plurality of stacked die is controlled based upon at least one of the identified workload and environmental condition. |
| US08626354B2 |
Approach for normalizing automated demand response events in energy management control systems
An approach for normalizing automated demand response events in energy management and control systems. The normalizing may be of events having disparate communication protocols and data formats. There may be a processing engine for each unique protocol or data format. When event data are received, they may be normalized into a standard format which can be utilized by an energy management and control system to initiate a pre-programmed demand response strategy. In other words, using an auto demand response service with its normalized event information, standard response strategies may be developed. The auto demand response service and standard strategies may then be deployed across an entire multi-site enterprise regardless of the auto demand response service provider servicing a particular site. There appears no need to modify the demand response strategy because the auto demand response service may handle a transformation of the auto demand response system's event data. |
| US08626350B2 |
Sliding mode AGC controller and method
The sliding mode AGC controller and method includes Genetic Algorithms (GA) to find the optimal feedback gains and switching vector values of the controller. In order to provide enhancement of the system dynamical performance and a reduction in the SMC chattering, two objective functions are provided in the optimization process. The tested two-area interconnected AGC model incorporates nonlinearities in terms of Generation Rate Constraint (GRC) and a limiter on the integral control value. Comparison with previous AGC methods reported in the literature validates the significance of the sliding mode AGC controller. |
| US08626347B2 |
Demand side management module
A household appliance system comprising an appliance control system having a common appliance interface provided on an appliance and a demand side management module connected to the common appliance interface. The module corresponds to one select utility of a plurality of utilities and is configured to communicate with the one select utility of the plurality of utilities. The appliance control system operates the appliance based on communications with the one select utility through the module. |
| US08626344B2 |
Energy management system and method
According to an aspect of the disclosure, an energy management apparatus for a home energy management system and method includes a processor operable to manage energy use at a site. The processor is configured to convert an incoming message received from a wireless energy network into XML enabled output data and format an outgoing message to be output to the wireless energy network using XML enabled input data. A communication interface is configured to enable access to a communication device having access to the wireless energy network, wherein the communication interface is further configured to detect the outgoing message formatted by the processor to be output using the wireless energy network; configure the outgoing message to a message bus format, detect the incoming message received from the wireless energy network, and convert the incoming message from the message bus format to access the incoming network device data. |
| US08626342B2 |
Data collection device, system, method, and computer program product for collecting data related to the dispensing of contrast media
The present invention comprises devices, systems, methods, and computer program products for managing data related to the dispensing of contrast media as part of a medical procedure. The device and system provide a controller that is capable of communicating with a dispensing device so as to extract, arrange, process, and present a data set (e.g., a usage data set) from the dispensing device to a user such that the user may selectively monitor statistics related to the administration of contrast media, saline, or other consumables used during one or more dispensing operations. The method and computer program product for managing data related to the dispensing of contrast media may further allow for extraction, arrangement, processing, and presentation of the data set via the controller, via a user interface that is operably engaged with the dispensing device and/or via a computer network that may be in communication with the dispensing device. |
| US08626339B2 |
Digital media transaction kiosk and method
A digital media transaction kiosk and method which provide security for digital media. An example kiosk includes a digital media identifier for reading an identifier of a digital media item on a representative of the digital media item provided by the customer, and a digital media dispenser for dispensing the digital media item to the customer using the identifier. |
| US08626338B1 |
Public use pet tag marking kiosk
Implementations of a public use tag marking kiosk. Aspects associated with particular implementations of a tag marking kiosk comprise, among others, automatically marking two sides of a tag within the kiosk, receiving the tag to be marked from the customer, providing a closeable door between the marking implement and the customer while the tag is being marked, ejecting the tag from a tag holder after the tag is marked, and aligning the tag so that a desired tag side is required to be initially facing up on the tag holder. Housing for the kiosk may surround all of the system parts or may be split into a housing shell and a marking unit that fits inside the shell. Marking implements may be laser, mechanical stylus, paint, or others. Tags may be suspended in a cantilevered manner during marking. |
| US08626337B2 |
Method and computer program product for distinguishing and sorting seeds containing a genetic element of interest
A method and computer program product for distinguishing and sort seeds containing a genetic element of interest from a bulk sample. In various embodiments, the present invention comprises associating a marker with at least some of the seeds containing a genetic element of interest of the bulk sample, exciting the seeds using an electromagnetic energy emitting device, evaluating at least some of the seeds of the bulk sample for the presence or absence of the marker using an evaluating device configured to excite a majority of the surface area of the seeds, and sorting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest based on the presence or absence of the marker. In various other embodiments, the method and computer program product may comprise associating a red fluorescent protein marker with at least some of the seeds containing a genetic element of interest of the bulk sample, evaluating at least some of the seeds of the bulk sample for the presence of the red fluorescent protein marker using an evaluating device, and sorting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest based on the presence of the red fluorescent protein marker. In some embodiments, the red fluorescent protein marker is discernable when excited by a certain energy and the evaluating step comprises exciting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest with the certain energy detecting an emission resulting at least in part from the exciting step. |
| US08626336B2 |
Automated destacking device and method
An automated destacking device is used to remove a single flat item or sheet from the top of a stack, and to then transport the item from the stack so that it may be used in an assembly line, manufacturing process, or the like. The stacked items are placed into a hopper, and an elevator drives the hopper upwardly until the top item in the stack contacts the underside of a horizontally movable carriage. The underside of the carriage includes an adhesive element, which engages the top item, and then the carriage moves in a horizontal direction away from the stack, carrying the top item from the stack to a position separately from the stack. |
| US08626332B2 |
Methods and apparatus for managing location information for movable objects
Systems and techniques for locating stored goods. A plurality of fixed contactless identification devices are deployed in an area. Each fixed device exhibits a fixed device identifier that can be read from a distance. Locations within the area are identified through mapping to combinations of fixed device identifiers detected at the location. In addition, a plurality of movable contactless identification devices are associated with goods to be stored and retrieved. Each movable device exhibits a movable device identifier, and movable contactless identification devices are located by identifying a combination of fixed device identifiers received when a movable device identifier is received. The location information may be used independently, or as a supplement to expected location information obtained through other means. |
| US08626328B2 |
Discrete sampling based nonlinear control system
System, method and computer program product including instructions executed by a processor system for configuring and controlling a facility to perform a manufacturing process and updating a tool controlling the process according to a model employed for mapping calculated coefficients that characterize non-linear variations observed of a product to actual control parameters governing the processes/tools used by the facility during the manufacturing process. In a semiconductor manufacturing process, the method enables real-time control of variation in an exposure step of a patterning process using an exposure tool to minimize a nonlinear variation in one or more pattern attributes by adjusting the exposure tool or the patterning process corresponding to the calculated coefficients. In the method, measurements of product attributes, obtained by finite sampling over a well defined domain (e.g., a region such as a field/wafer in lithographic patterning), are projected onto a predefined reference mesh spanning the domain, using a physically based model comprised of functions constructed to be orthogonal and normalized over a discrete set of reference mesh locations. |
| US08626325B2 |
Audio device and method for appending identification data into audio signals
An audio device includes a processor, a storage unit, an audio processing module, a silence detection circuit, a condition determining circuit, a direct current (DC) level bias circuit and an appending circuit. The audio device generates identification data, control signals, and original audio signals. The silence detection circuit detects silence segments of the original audio signals, and generates driving signals if the silence segments are detected. Then the condition determining circuit determines if the identification data needs to be appended into the silence segments according to the driving signals and the control signals, and outputs the identification data in DC signal form if the identification data needs to be appended into the silence segments. After DC voltage level of the identification data in DC signal form is biased, the appending circuit appends the biased identification data into the silence segments of the original audio signals. |
| US08626324B2 |
Altering sound output on a virtual music keyboard
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for altering pitch of a note played on a musical instrument keyboard of a touch-sensitive electronic display. An exemplary method includes playing a note of a key of the keyboard on the touch-sensitive display touched by a user. The method includes continuously altering the pitch of the played note as the user slides a point of contact on the touch-sensitive display horizontally from the key being played across adjacent keys to a second key, in accordance with the keys being contacted during the sliding of the point of contact. In a further aspect, the method includes detecting motion of user contact in a direction other than horizontally across keys of the keyboard, such as vertical, and activating a sound effect in addition to pitch alteration in response to the detection. Example sound effects include tremolo, vibrato, echo, and sound filter effects. |
| US08626320B2 |
Process control method
A process in an electro-mechanical system having a plurality of controllable components, is controlled by: (a) storing component objects each corresponding to a component and having activation and/or feedback data for that component; (b) storing operation objects each referencing an operation to be carried out on a component and a pointer to the relevant component object; (c) storing process steps each referring to operation objects; and (d) sequentially processing process steps, by: following each reference to an operation object to determine the operation type and the component object, and performing a data operation to be component object to cause the operation to be carried out on the relevant component. In this way, a system controller can be used to activate components in dependence on the activation state of corresponding component objects and to update the feedback states of component objects in dependence on signals received from the components. |
| US08626314B2 |
Implantable medical lead including a plurality of tine elements
An implantable medical electrical lead comprises a lead body extending between a distal end and a proximal end, and the distal end having at least one electrode of an electrode array extending longitudinally from the distal end toward the proximal end. The lead body at its proximal end may be coupled to a pulse generator, additional intermediate wiring, or other stimulation device. A fixation mechanism is formed on or integrally with the lead body proximal to the electrode array that is adapted to be implanted in and engage subcutaneous tissue, particularly muscle tissue, to inhibit axial movement of the lead body and dislodgement of the stimulation electrodes. The fixation mechanism comprises a plurality of tine elements arrayed in a tine element array along a segment of the lead. |
| US08626308B2 |
Adjustable transcutaneous energy transfer system
A transcutaneous energy transfer system for an implantable medical device. The system comprises an internal coil assembly implantable in a recipient; and an external data coil assembly positioned in a housing worn by the recipient. The data coil assembly is configured to be inductively coupled to the internal coil assembly in order to transcutaneously transfer data to the internal coil assembly. One or more elements of the data coil assembly are physically adjustable with respect to the housing to alter the inductive coupling. |
| US08626305B2 |
System for stimulation of nerves
In a system for stimulation of nerves comprising implanted electrodes, an external to the system trigger device is equipped with a sensor and a transmitter for wirelessly broadcasting a signal to be received by a pulse generator for generating a pulse pattern to be forwarded to the at least one electrode implanted in the corpus of the living being. Further the trigger device is equipped with means for detecting if the patient is walking or just standing pulling the weight from one leg to another and can thus determine if a stimulation sequence has to be performed. |
| US08626304B2 |
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment devices, systems and methods
In one embodiment, a method of treating an upper airway may include delivering a first electrical stimulation to a first portion of a nerve innervating a first upper airway muscle via a plurality of electrodes adjacent the nerve. The method may further include delivering a second electrical stimulation to a second portion of the nerve innervating a second upper airway muscle via the plurality of electrodes, wherein the second muscle is different from the first muscle. |
| US08626302B2 |
Systems and methods to place one or more leads in muscle for providing electrical stimulation to treat pain
Systems and methods are adapted to provide the relief of pain. The systems and methods make possible the percutaneous placement of one or more intramuscular leads, without the need for fluoroscopy, for providing electrical stimulation to activate a motor point innervating the muscle, to provide the therapeutic relief of pain. The one or more intramuscular leads may be placed in muscle(s) to resist migration. The target nerves and their motor points innervate the muscles in which the one or more leads are placed. The systems and methods can include a two-stage solution. The first stage may include temporary systems and methods, including the use of an external pulse generator. The second stage may include more permanent systems and methods, including the use of an implanted pulse generator. |
| US08626301B2 |
Automatic baroreflex modulation based on cardiac activity
An aspect relates to a system for providing baroreflex stimulation. An embodiment of the system comprises a cardiac activity monitor to sense cardiac activity and provide a signal indicative of the cardiac activity, and a baroreflex stimulator. The stimulator includes a pulse generator and a modulator. The pulse generator provides a baroreflex stimulation signal adapted to provide a baroreflex therapy. The modulator receives the signal indicative of the cardiac activity and modulates the baroreflex stimulation signal based on the signal indicative of the cardiac activity to change the baroreflex therapy from a first baroreflex therapy to a second baroreflex therapy. |
| US08626293B2 |
Method and system for identifying a potential lead failure in an implantable medical device
A method for detecting potential failures by a lead of an implantable medical device is provided. The method includes sensing a first signal over a first channel between a first combination of electrodes on the lead and sensing a second signal from a second channel between a second combination of electrodes on the lead. The method determines whether at least one of the first and second signals is representative of a potential failure in the lead and identifies a failure and the electrode associated with the failure based on which of the first and second sensed signals is representative of the potential failure. Optionally, when the first and second sensed signals are both representative of the potential failure, the method further includes determining whether the first and second sensed signals are correlated with one another. When the first and second sensed signals are correlated, the method declares an electrode common to both of the first and second combinations to be associated with the failure. |
| US08626291B2 |
Method for discriminating anodal and cathodal capture
An implantable device and associated method detect anodal capture during electrical stimulation. A first pacing pulse is delivered using a first cathode and a first anode. A second pacing pulse is delivered using the first cathode and a second anode. A first response to the first pacing pulse and a second response to the second pacing pulse are measured. Anodal capture of the first pacing pulse at the first anode is detected in response to a first difference between the first response and the second response. |
| US08626290B2 |
Acute myocardial infarction treatment by electrical stimulation of the thoracic aorta
Apparatus and methods are described including identifying a subject as suffering from a condition selected from the group consisting of congestive heart failure, diastolic heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and hypertension. In response to the identifying, an electrode is placed on the subject's aorta at an aortic site that is between a bifurcation of the aorta with the subject's left subclavian artery and a bifurcation of the aorta with the subject's fifth intercostal artery. The subject is treated by electrically stimulating the aortic site by driving a current into the aortic site, via the electrode. Other applications are also described. |
| US08626285B2 |
Method and devices for performing cardiac waveform appraisal
Implementations of various technologies described herein are directed toward a sensing architecture for use in cardiac rhythm management devices. The sensing architecture may provide a method and means for certifying detected events by the cardiac rhythm management device. Moreover, by exploiting the enhanced capability to accurately identifying only those sensed events that are desirable, and preventing the use of events marked as suspect, the sensing architecture can better discriminate between rhythms appropriate for device therapy and those that are not. |
| US08626284B2 |
Intracardiac defibrillation catheter system
An intracardiac defibrillation catheter system equipped with a defibrillation catheter, a power source device and an electrocardiograph. The defibrillation catheter is equipped with a first DC electrode group and a second DC electrode group. The power source device is equipped with a DC power source unit, a catheter-connected connector, an electrocardiograph-connected connector, an arithmetic processing unit, which controls the DC power source unit and has an output circuit for outputting a direct current voltage from the DC power source unit, and a changeover unit, in which the catheter-connected connector is connected to a common contact. The electrocardiograph-connected connector is connected to a first contact, and the arithmetic processing unit is connected to a second contact. In the intracardiac defibrillation catheter system, electric energy necessary and sufficient for defibrillation can be surely supplied. The defibrillation catheter can be used as an electrode catheter for cardiac potential measurement when a defibrillation treatment is not performed. |
| US08626280B2 |
Methods and devices for accurately classifying cardiac activity
Methods, systems, and devices for signal analysis in an implanted cardiac monitoring and treatment device such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. In illustrative examples, captured data including detected events is analyzed to identify likely overdetection of cardiac events. In some illustrative examples, when overdetection is identified, data may be modified to correct for overdetection, to reduce the impact of overdetection, or to ignore overdetected data. New methods for organizing the use of morphology and rate analysis in an overall architecture for rhythm classification and cardiac signal analysis are also discussed. |
| US08626278B2 |
Method and system for discriminating and monitoring atrial arrhythmia based on cardiogenic impedance
A medical device is provided that comprises a lead assembly. The lead assembly includes at least one intra-cardiac (IC) electrode, an extra-cardiac (EC) electrode and a subcutaneous remote-cardiac (RC) electrode. The IC electrode is configured to be located within the heart. The EC electrode is configured to be positioned proximate to at least one of a superior vena cava (SVC) and a left ventricle (LV) of a heart. The RC electrode is configured to be located remote from the heart. An extra-cardiac impedance (ECI) module is configured to measure extra-cardiac impedance along an ECI vector between the EC and RC electrodes to obtain ECI measurements. An arrhythmia monitoring module is configured to declare a potential atrial arrhythmia to be an atrial arrhythmia based on the hemodynamic performance determined from the ECI measurements. The hemodynamic performance assessment module is further enabled to compare a current ECI pattern with a prior baseline ECI waveform. |
| US08626268B2 |
Method and system for detecting colorimetric abnormalities in vivo
A system and method for detection of colorimetric abnormalities within a body lumen includes an image receiver for receiving images from within the body lumen. Also included are a transmitter for transmitting the images to a receiver, and a processor for generating a probability indication of presence of colorimetric abnormalities on comparison of color content of the images and at least one reference value. |
| US08626266B1 |
ECG triggered heart and arterial magnetic resonance imaging
High resistance non-metallic ECG leads are used to capture biologically generated electrical signals, and include at least one magnetic resonance noise lead to capture a noise reference signal indicative of electromagnetic noise ambient to the leads generated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The noise reference signal is canceled from the captured electrical signal using an adaptive canceling noise filter to obtain a processed electrical signal indicative of the biologically generated electrical signal that causes movement in a patient's moving body part, such as the heart. A characteristic of the processing electrical signal indicative of the biologically generated electrical signal that causes the movement is detected to obtain a trigger signal, which is then transmitted to cause the MRI system to capture at least one imagine including the moving body part. |
| US08626261B2 |
Electrode for a living body and device for detecting a bio-signal
Provided are an electrode for a living body and a device for detecting bio-signals using the electrode. The electrode includes an insulation sheet that has at least one via hole, an electrode unit formed in the at least one via hole, and a guiding unit for guiding the attachment of a signal processing unit. |
| US08626259B2 |
Biomedical sensors usable on un-prepared contact surfaces
A biomedical sensor is disclosed that provides at least first and second electrical nodes for connection to medical equipment. The biomedical sensor includes a plurality of protruding electrodes that extend from a common base. At least one of the protruding electrodes is coupled to the first electrical node, and at least two of the protruding electrodes are coupled to the second electrical node. At least one of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adjustable in length such that each of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adapted to contact a non-planar surface of a subject. |
| US08626258B2 |
Self-adhering electrodes and methods of making the same
A self-adhering sensor for non-invasively attaching to a portion of a skin is provided. The sensor comprises a biocompatible substrate, and an array of solid nanoelectrodes coupled to the biocompatible substrate and configured to self-adhere to the skin. Also provided is a sensor for attaching to a portion of a skin, where the sensor comprises an array of solid electrodes configured to self-adhere to the skin, where each of the solid structures comprises a stem and one or more projections extending out from the stem, where both the stem and the projections are solid. The stem comprises a mechanical stopper to control the extent of penetration of the solid electrodes into the skin. The sensor further comprises an electrolyte coating disposed on one or more of the solid structures. |
| US08626255B2 |
Noninvasive multi-parameter patient monitor
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a handheld multi-parameter patient monitor capable of determining multiple physiological parameters from the output of a light sensitive detector capable of detecting light attenuated by body tissue. For example, in an embodiment, the monitor is capable of advantageously and accurately displaying one or more of pulse rate, plethysmograph data, perfusion quality, signal confidence, and values of blood constituents in body tissue, including for example, arterial carbon monoxide saturation (“HbCO”), methemoglobin saturation (“HbMet”), total hemoglobin (“Hbt”), arterial oxygen saturation (“SpO2”), fractional arterial oxygen saturation (“SpaO2”), or the like. In an embodiment, the monitor advantageously includes a plurality of display modes enabling more parameter data to be displayed than the available physical display real estate. |
| US08626253B2 |
Electrically conductive shield for superconducting electromagnet system
In a superconducting electromagnet system or method, cryogenically cooled magnet coils are arranged to provide a static magnetic field in an imaging region. A gradient coil assembly is arranged to provide oscillating magnetic fields within the imaging region. An electrically conductive shield is positioned between the cryogenically cooled magnet coils and the gradient coil assembly. The cryogenically cooled magnet coils are located within an outer vacuum chamber, and the electrically conductive shield is positioned outside the outer vacuum chamber between a surface of the outer vacuum chamber and the gradient coil assembly and inside a bore tube of the outer vacuum chamber. The conductive shield is supported on resilient damping mounts between the conductive shield and the gradient coil assembly and between the conductive shield and the bore tube of the outer vacuum chamber. |
| US08626250B2 |
Mobile terminal having arranged luminous elements
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal; a terminal body including a battery; a solar cell disposed on one surface of the terminal body, and configured to convert light energy into electric energy to supply power to the battery; a plurality of luminous elements arranged on one surface of the solar cell; and a controller configured to control the luminous elements to display visual information and to execute a predetermined operation based on a selection of predetermined displaying luminous elements among the plurality of luminous elements. |
| US08626247B2 |
Mobile terminal having dual display unit and method of changing display screen using the same
A mobile terminal having a dual display unit and a method of changing a display screen using the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a main body, a front display unit for providing a multimedia mode, a rear display unit for providing a normal mode, and a screen control module for controlling to turn off the rear display unit and turn on the front display unit, and to display a multimedia execution screen in the front display unit. The method of changing a display screen of the mobile terminal having additional multimedia functions provides an optimum multimedia environment and improves user convenience and effectiveness of the mobile terminal by flexibly supporting a multimedia function to be executed according to a screen state of the rear display unit. |
| US08626245B2 |
Systems and methods for distributed antenna system reverse path summation using signal-to-noise ratio optimization
Systems and methods for distributed antenna system reverse path summation using signal-to-noise ratio optimization are provided. In one embodiment, a method for reverse path summation for a distributed antenna system comprises: normalizing an uplink noise floor for a plurality of remote antenna units of a distributed antenna system, wherein the uplink noise floor is normalized based on a first remote antenna unit having a lowest noise floor of the plurality of remote antenna units; and scaling an uplink output gain of each of the plurality of remote antenna units by a scaling factor, wherein the scaling factor attenuates the uplink output gain based on a composite maximum host peak power for a host unit coupled to the plurality of remote antenna units. |
| US08626240B2 |
Location of basestation
Techniques and mechanisms relating to a basestation for a cellular communication system, and in particular to a method and a system for determining the location of the basestation, are disclosed. Methods are provided for use in a basestation of a mobile communications network, or in the network itself, for determining information about the position of the basestation itself, and/or for determining the position of mobile devices having a connection to the basestation. According to other aspects of the invention, there are provided basestations and network nodes for performing these methods. |
| US08626238B2 |
Method and apparatus for switching in a TDD system
A method of switching a communication device between an uplink communication path and a downlink communication path is provided. The method measures a power level of signals on at least one radio frequency for one of the uplink communication path and the downlink communication path. The measured power level is compared with a threshold power level. Switching between an uplink circuit and a downlink circuit is based on the comparison between the measured power level and the threshold power level. |
| US08626235B2 |
3G/GSM and WLAN integration of telephony
Embodiments of the present invention include a method and system for operating a dual mode terminal that includes a wireless local area network interface and a cellular radio interface. According to an embodiment, the dual mode terminal camps on the cellular radio interface when idle. When a Page Request message is received over the cellular radio interface, the terminal determines whether wireless local area network coverage is possible from an access point providing wireless local area network cellular communication. If so, the terminal processes the incoming communication request over the wireless local area network towards another party, wherein then the communication is ended, the terminal goes back to camp on the cellular channel. |
| US08626225B2 |
Power headroom reporting for carrier aggregation
A method for reporting power headroom-related information for a plurality of aggregated carriers. The method includes reporting the power headroom-related information for a number of the aggregated carriers that is less than or equal to the total number of aggregated carriers. |
| US08626224B1 |
Advanced transmit power correction
Exemplary methods and systems for determining initial transmit power are disclosed herein. An exemplary method involves a mobile station (1) determining an interference level for the forward link; (2) if the determined interference level is greater than a threshold interference level, then determining an interference correction factor to be equal to the minimum of (a) the threshold interference level minus the determined interference level and (b) a predetermined constant; (3) if the determined interference level is less than the threshold interference level, then determining the interference correction factor to be equal to the minimum of: (a) the maximum of: (i) the threshold interference level minus the determined interference level, and (ii) zero, and (b) a predetermined constant; (4) using the determined interference correction factor as a basis for determining an initial transmit power level; and (5) transmitting an initial access probe to the base station at the determined initial transmit power level. |
| US08626221B2 |
Method, base station, base station controller and system for setting up radio link
A method, a base station, and a base station controller for setting up a radio link is provided. The method includes: sending a message to a base station controller, where the message includes channel element consumption rules of a new board and an old board in a base station (101); and instructing the base station controller to set up a radio link according to the channel element consumption rule of the old board when determining that the actual number of assignable channel elements of the old board does not satisfy a radio link setup request sent according to the channel element consumption rule of the new board by the base station controller (102). The present invention can effectively ensure the uniformity of the channel elements maintained by the base station and the base station controller when both of new and old baseband boards exist in the base station. |
| US08626219B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data over carrier component in a multi-carrier mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in a multi-carrier mobile communication system are provided, in which a Mobile Station (MS) reports to a Base Station (BS) a number of Carrier Components (CCs) over which the MS can simultaneously receive data, receives from the BS monitoring CC set information indicating as many monitoring CCs as the reported number of CCs or fewer monitoring CCs than the reported number of CCs, and receives data based on the monitoring CCs indicated by the monitoring CC set information from the BS. |
| US08626217B2 |
Wireless communication system, base station apparatus and mobile station apparatus
To optimize transmission periods corresponding to kinds of feedback information, and minimize a reduction in system throughput caused by disagreement of the transmission period with the optimal period, by setting transmission frequencies individually with flexibility corresponding to the kinds of feedback information for a mobile station apparatus to transmit to a base station apparatus, in a wireless communication system in which a mobile station apparatus B measures reception quality of a signal received from a base station apparatus A, and transmits feedback information generated based on the reception quality to the base station apparatus A, the base station apparatus A allocates resources of transmission timing corresponding to the kinds of feedback information, and the mobile station apparatus B transmits a plurality of kinds of feedback information to the base station apparatus using the allocated resources. |
| US08626214B2 |
Method of cancelling interference in sounding reference signals
The present invention provides a method of interference cancellation. Embodiments of the method may include removing one or more first reference signals from a signal received by a first base station to form a modified signal. The signal includes a superposition first reference signal(s) transmitted by first user equipment served by the first base station and one or more second reference signals transmitted by second user equipment served by a second base station. The method may also include extracting the second reference signal(s) from the modified signal and determining a timing delay between the second user equipment and the first base station using the extracted second reference signal(s). |
| US08626209B1 |
Systems and methods for forwarding messaging service messages
Systems, methods, and an article of manufacture for forwarding messaging service messages within a mobile communications network are shown and described. In some instances, upon receipt of a messaging service message a network element responds with a different destination for the received message and a command to resolve the location of the different destination. The resolution may occur by a network element that is different from the receiving network element. |
| US08626205B2 |
Wireless communication systems and methods
Embodiments of the invention provide methods, devices and computer programs arranged to control access to a cell in a communication network. One embodiment comprises an apparatus comprising a processing system arranged to cause the apparatus to: receive a plurality of Closed Subscriber Group identifiers (CSG IDs) assigned to the cell; select and transmit a first CSG ID from the plurality of CSG IDs on the basis of a first load condition on the cell; and select and transmit a second, different, CSG ID from the plurality of CSG IDs on the basis of a second, different, load condition on the cell. |
| US08626190B2 |
Method for location determination of wireless device
A method for location determination of a wireless device is disclosed, the method is performed by the wireless device mounted with a gyroscope sensor and receiving position information from artificial satellites, and a positioning period is adaptively adjusted based on degree of mobility of the wireless device using the position information received from GPS and a gyroscope sensor embedded in the wireless device. |
| US08626187B2 |
Monitoring geofence exit
Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring geofence exits using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can detect one or more entry gateways that are wireless access points selected for monitoring a geofence. The mobile device can determine that the mobile device is located in the geofence based on the detection. The mobile device can monitor the entry gateways and one or more exit gateways, which can be wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the geofence. When the mobile device determines, after a number of scans using a wireless processor, that the entry gateways and exit gateways are unobservable, the mobile device can use an application processor to determine whether the mobile device has exited from the geofence. |
| US08626181B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating a dedicated access zone to relay station (RS) in broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system
An apparatus and a method for allocating a dedicated access zone to a Relay Station (RS) in a multihop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system are provided. A communicating method of the RS includes relaying communications between a Base Station (BS) and a Mobile Station (MS), determining whether a dedicated resource is necessary for the communications with the MS, when the dedicated resource is necessary, generating a dedicated access zone request message which comprises necessary bandwidth information and transmitting the dedicated access zone request message to the BS. |
| US08626176B2 |
Method and apparatus for deriving femto cell timing information
A method for deriving timing information for a femto cell of a wireless communication system comprises a wireless communication unit of the system receiving observed timing data for a femto cell within a macro cell, and observed timing data for the macro cell. Timing difference values between timing offsets for the femto cell and timing offsets for the macro cell are used to determine a central reference timing difference value for the femto cell. The central reference timing difference value is set as reference timing information for the femto cell. A network element and computer program product for implementing the method of the invention are also provided. |
| US08626173B2 |
Base station, radio communication system, and handover method
When a handover request for performing a handover of a terminal (70) from a macro cell C1 to a CSG cell C2 is received from an SeNB 10 (S8), a base station (TeNB) (40) of the CSG cell C2 transmits a handover response in accordance with a handover enabled/disabled state (S12). The handover response includes an identifier of the terminal (70) in the CSG cell C2. Upon receiving the response, the SeNB (10) notifies the identifier to the terminal (70) (S14). The TeNB (40) repeatedly transmits a dedicated signal containing a handover command via a dedicated channel set using the identifier at an interval shorter than a gap period (S18). Accordingly, whether or not access is permitted can be judged promptly and a smooth handover can be realized. |
| US08626165B1 |
Dynamic carrier switching
A rule server detects a condition pertaining to a switch of a user device to a preferred wireless carrier, and sends a message to the user device indicating a switch to the preferred wireless carrier. |
| US08626164B2 |
Global platform for managing subscriber identity modules
A method of operating a mobile wireless network comprising: receiving, by a provisioning server, a signal from a mobile wireless network specifying a location of a first mobile device having a first International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and operating in the mobile wireless network under a first condition, the mobile wireless network including a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) and a plurality of mobile devices operating in the mobile wireless network; provisioning the first IMSI in the first HLR based on a state transition rule from a first provisioning state to a second provisioning state; provisioning a second IMSI in the first HLR based on the state transition rule from a third provisioning state to the first provisioning state; and transmitting data identifying the second IMSI to the first mobile device to allow the first mobile device to operate in the mobile wireless network under a second condition. |
| US08626162B2 |
Registration and access control in femto cell deployments
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate distributing and/or utilizing a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) Identifier (ID) that identifies a CSG corresponding to a base station and a CSG indication that distinguishes between the base station permitting access to members of the CSG and permitting access to members and non-members of the CSG. For instance, the CSG ID can uniquely identify the CSG corresponding to the base station. A mobile device can receive the CSG ID and the CSG indication from the base station. Further, the received CSG ID can be compared to CSG IDs included in an allowed CSG list to recognize whether the mobile device is a member or a non-member of the CSG. Moreover, a preference for selecting the base station as compared to a disparate base station can be generated as a function of the received CSG ID and CSG indication. |
| US08626161B2 |
Idle mode mobility management in a multi-access system using PMIP
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate enabling multiple address access between two or more networks. A home agent can update a binding cache with a particular proxy binding update (PBU) to include two or more network gateway IP addresses associated with a user equipment (UE) within two or more networks or systems. When the UE in idle mode moves between networks or systems to which registration has occurred, an attachment procedure is not performed since the home agent includes the network gateway IP addresses related to such UE. Thus, inter-system idle mode mobility is enabled without having to perform a full attachment, re-registration, or de-registration based on the network location of the UE. |
| US08626157B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamic subscriber profile adaptation
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamic subscriber profile adaptation. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a method for subscriber profile adaptation is provided. The method includes receiving, from a database that stores subscriber profile information, a message generated by the database node in response to a message received by the database node. The message generated by the database node may include subscriber profile information. The method further includes determining whether to modify the subscriber profile information based on predetermined criteria. The method further includes, in response to determining to modify the subscriber profile information, modifying the subscriber profile information and forwarding the modified information to an originator of the message generated by the database node. |
| US08626154B1 |
Active set management based on the likelihood of a mobile station roaming
In one aspect, an exemplary method involves a WCD: (i) determining a likelihood of roaming, wherein the likelihood of roaming indicates a likelihood that the WCD will be handed off from a preferred coverage area to a non-preferred coverage area; and (ii) using the likelihood of roaming as a basis for managing an active set of the WCD. In particular, the WCD may manage its active set by setting at least one active-set parameter affecting the number of active sectors in an active set of the WCD, and then maintaining its active set according to the setting of the at least one active-set parameter. According to an exemplary embodiment, a WCD will make an effort to increase the number of sectors in its active set when the likelihood of roaming is greater, and vice versa. |
| US08626150B2 |
Method and arrangement for detecting a radio coverage
A method and arrangement for detecting a radio coverage in a synchronous multicellular mobile radio system having a multitude of synchronous base stations that are connected to an evaluating unit are provided. All base stations are operated in succession in a measuring operating mod. A respective field intensity of base stations that are locally adjacent and in a normal operating mode is measured, and the respectively measured field intensity data are evaluated by the evaluating unit. This enables a sufficient radio coverage to be determined in a highly cost-effective manner and, optionally, to be corrected. |
| US08626149B2 |
Monitoring and troubleshooting a module associated with a portable communication device
Methods, apparatuses, and software to monitor, troubleshoot, or diagnose one or more specialty modules associated with a portable communication device are provided. The methods, apparatuses, and software identify the specialty module, obtain and execute procedures to monitor, test, or diagnose the specialty module. If unsatisfactory, error, defective or the like performance is identified, a solution is applied to correct the performance. |
| US08626147B2 |
Virtual instance architecture for mobile device management systems
System and method for remotely managing mobile devices. A virtual instance mobile device is maintained for each physical mobile device to be managed. Each virtual instance mobile device is executable in a computer runtime environment and includes a hardware emulation component configured to emulate the hardware components of the corresponding physical mobile device and a software emulation component corresponding to the software components of the physical mobile device, which is executable within the context of the hardware emulation component. Synchronization between the virtual instance mobile devices and their corresponding physical mobile devices is maintained, and data obtained from the physical mobile devices is stored. The physical mobile devices are remotely managed by utilizing their corresponding virtual instance mobile devices respectively. |
| US08626145B2 |
Device based telecommunications initiated data fulfillment system
A system and method for service fulfillment is based on service invocation with a preprogrammed communication device. The communication device recognizes special multi-function code digit sequences to cause service invocation. The preprogrammed communication device, upon recognition of a multi-function code, selects a communication channel or messaging protocol and forwards information related to the service invocation to a service fulfillment platform. The communication channel or messaging protocol may be selected based on availability, optimization, preprogrammed logic associated with the multi-function code, or other parameters related to the service invocation, such as user, subscription, registration, location or device ID. The preprogrammed communication device permits service invocation without reconfiguration of a communication network to which the communication device is coupled. The communication device can be reconfigured or reprogrammed to recognize and respond to different multi-function codes. |
| US08626137B1 |
Providing caller identification to mobile devices
A caller information server provides caller identification (ID) information to a mobile device. The server receives caller ID information from local address books stored on multiple mobile devices. The caller information server aggregates the received caller ID information to generate a pooled address book. The caller information server may determine whether names within the caller ID information are legitimate and store or filter the information accordingly. When a mobile device receives a call from a telephone number for which it lacks caller ID information in its local address book, the mobile device sends a request for the caller ID information for the telephone number, to the caller information server. The server identifies caller ID information associated with the telephone number in the pooled address book, and sends this information to the mobile device. |
| US08626133B2 |
Matching a location of a contact with a task location
An alert system is provided. The alert system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory is computer-readable storage media configured to store instructions that are operable to be executed by the processor. The memory stores instructions that may be executed to determine a physical location of a contact in a contact list or a user managing the contact list; determine a physical location associated with a task in a task list; compare the physical location of the contact with the physical location associated with the task; determine when the physical location of the contact matches the physical location associated with the task; and transmit an alert message indicating the contact and the task. |
| US08626129B2 |
Automatic hold with outgoing message for a mobile device
A wireless communication network that is in communication with a mobile device, perhaps a cell phone, includes a call message system and a configurable component. The configurable component is configured to include a first mode that puts a call to the mobile device in a hold state for a first time period when the first mode is activated a first time. The configurable component is configured to also include a second mode that puts the call in communication with the call message system when the second mode is activated. The configurable component may activate the second mode when signaled to do so from the call. |
| US08626128B2 |
Enforcing device settings for mobile devices
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for enforcing device settings for mobile devices. Generally, a computer system enforces appropriate mobile device settings (e.g., policy and/or configuration settings) prior to permitting a mobile device to access maintained data. The computer system receives a request from a mobile device. The computer system determines that current mobile device settings are not appropriate for accessing the maintained data. The computer system sends device settings, representing a new mobile device configuration that is appropriate accessing the maintained data, to the mobile device. The computer system receives an indication that the mobile device is configured in accordance with the device settings. The computer system permits the mobile device to access the maintained data in response to receiving the indication that the mobile device is configured in accordance with the device settings. |
| US08626127B2 |
Dynamic voice response messages
A computing device implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product to generate dynamic voice response messages in a mobile computing device. In response to receiving an incoming call from a caller, the process displays a list of response messages in a set of response messages. In response to receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages, the process sends the selected response message to the caller. |
| US08626120B2 |
Methods to improve automated check-in
Techniques are provided to automate at least some of the information gathering required for check-in using a mobile device. A user may enter at least some required information using a mobile application on a mobile device. The mobile application may convert the entered data into a Quick Response (“QR”) code or other type of readable form that may be read or received by a device at the location of check-in. The information entered may be stored in the mobile device's memory and may be modified for future check-ins. A user would enter the location of check-in and present the mobile phone containing the information previously entered by the user to a reader at the location. The reader reads the information which may be transmitted to the location's database. Using the information submitted, the user may be checked in automatically. |
| US08626119B2 |
System and method for managing a mobile device
A system and method for managing a mobile device(s) to provide for a notification(s) when specified thresholds are reached and/or execute defined rules for the mobile device(s). The rules can relate to any function of the mobile device(s), including but not limited to, notification when a percentage of voice/data/SMS is reached during a billing cycle, notification when a mobile device(s) leaves a geo-fence, and restrict a mobile device(s) when a threshold is reached. The system provides a versatile management system allowing a user to effectively control use of a mobile device(s) and manage costs. |
| US08626117B2 |
System and method for providing prepaid billing for instant messaging users
A system and method for providing prepaid billing for users of an instant messaging system. A method includes determining whether a prepaid account balance associated with an IM client request satisfies a pre-determined criteria, establishing a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establishing a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria. The system includes a prepaid account screener operable to determine whether a prepaid account balance satisfies the criteria, establish a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establish a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria. |
| US08626115B2 |
Wireless network service interfaces
A system communicatively coupled to a device over a wireless access network, the system comprising one or more processors configured to establish, in cooperation with one or more agents on the device, a secure control link enabling secure communications between the system and the one or more agents over the wireless access network, and a service interface enabling the one or more processors to communicate over the secure control link with the one or more agents to assist the one or more agents to change at least an aspect of a service plan associated with the device, and provide, to the one or more agents, information about a past or current service usage by the device to enable the one or more agents to present, through a user interface of the device, a notification associated with the past or current service usage by the device. |
| US08626113B2 |
Providing communication service sessions
A communication system and method thereof are configured to provide a service including a communication network including a charging entity and a service provision node. A user terminal is configured to transmit a session control message to the charging entity identifying a service provision threshold determined by a user of the user terminal for a session of the service requested by the user of the user terminal. Monitoring means is configured to monitor provision of the session and, if the provision of the session exceeds the service provision threshold, to notify the service provision node to performs a predetermined action upon receipt of the notification. |
| US08626111B2 |
Mobile device situational awareness protocol
A technique where mobile devices can receive configuration settings tailored to a situation to avoid embarrassing disruptions of meetings and other events through a Mobile Device Situational Awareness Protocol (MDSAP). The MDSAP could also provide location-specific information to the mobile devices that would include presentations and multimedia files or maps and other physical location detail that could be useful in emergencies. |
| US08626108B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling sleep cycle synchronization for emergency alert service in wireless communication system
A method operates a Mobile Station (MS) in a sleep mode state in a wireless communication system. The method includes transmitting a request message to a Base Station (BS) to inquire a location of a next scheduled listening window responsive to failing to receive a traffic indication message and unicast data during a listening window, receiving a response message unicast in response to the request message, performing sleep cycle synchronization by using synchronization information included in the response message, and determining whether an emergency alert service-related message is transmitted by using emergency alert service-related information included in the response message. |
| US08626106B2 |
Method and apparatus of an input resistance of a passive mixer to broaden the input matching bandwidth of a common source/gate LNA
A cascode common source and common gate LNAs operating at 60 GHz are introduced and described. The cascode common source LNA is simulated to arrive at an optimum ratio of upper device width to the lower device width. The voltage output of the cascode common source LNA is translated into a current to feed and apply energy to the mixer stage. These input current signals apply the energy associated with the current directly into the switched capacitors in the mixer to minimize the overall power dissipation of the system. The LNA is capacitively coupled to the mixer switches in the I and Q mixers and are enabled and disabled by the clocks generated by the quadrature oscillator. These signals are then amplified by a differential amplifier to generate the sum and difference frequency spectra. |
| US08626105B2 |
Mixer-amplifier for an RF receive chain
A mixer-amplifier of an RF signal including at least an amplifier circuit and a mixing circuit controlled at a local oscillator frequency, for amplifying a signal applied on at least one input terminal and converting a first frequency of this signal into a second, lower, frequency, and including a reverse feedback loop switched at the local oscillator frequency. |
| US08626104B2 |
Generalized codebook design method for limited feedback systems
In a closed-loop wireless communication system, a codebook-based feedback mechanism is provided where each codeword indicates a particular profile to be used to provide a target performance measure (e.g., bit error rate or spectral efficiency) for the transmission channel. This may be accomplished by using a multi-stage quantization process to construct the codewords as a plurality of transmission parameters specifying a MIMO transmission scheme, precoding vector or matrix, power allocation in space/time/frequency, modulation and channel code. |
| US08626103B1 |
Method and apparatus for filtering
Aspects of the disclosure can provide a second order low pass filter. The second order low pass filter can work in current domain, and have high linearity for in-band signals and out-of-band signals. The second order low pass filter can include a MOS transistor having a gate terminal, a current input terminal and a current output terminal, a first capacitor coupled between the current input terminal and a ground connection and a second capacitor coupled between the gate terminal and the current input terminal. |
| US08626100B2 |
Multiple frequency band multiple standard transceiver
A transceiver includes a receiver section and a transmitter section. The receiver section converts an inbound Multiple Frequency Bands Multiple Standards (MFBMS) signal into a down converted signal, wherein the inbound MFBMS signal includes a desired signal component and an undesired signal component. In addition, the receiver section determines spectral positioning of the undesired signal component with respect to the desired signal component and adjusts at least one of the MFBMS signal and the down converted signal based on the spectral positioning to substantially reduce adverse affects of the undesired signal component on the desired signal component to produce an adjusted signal. The transmitter section converts an outbound symbol stream into an outbound MFBMS signal. |
| US08626097B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying signal degradation in a receiver
Described herein are systems, methods and apparatus for identifying signal degradation in a receiver. A process for identifying signal degradation includes determining a first signal strength of a signal received by the receiving device at a first time and determining a second signal strength of the received signal at a second time. The process further includes calculating a signal strength difference between the first signal strength and the second signal strength and determining whether the signal strength difference is greater than a first decision value. The process further includes outputting for presentation a message responsive to determining that the signal strength difference is greater than the first decision value, the message indicating to a user the degradation of the signal. |
| US08626096B2 |
Methods and apparatus for combining signals from multiple diversity sources
A method for combining signals coming from multiple diversity sources may include performing maximal-ratio combining (MRC) based equalization and combining for receiver antenna diversity. The method may also include performing MRC-based equalization and combining for repetition diversity. The method may also include performing MRC-based equalization and combining for duplication diversity. The MRC-based equalization and combining for receiver antenna diversity, the MRC-based equalization and combining for repetition diversity, and the MRC-based equalization and combining for duplication diversity may each be performed separately. |
| US08626078B2 |
Mobile phone as a one-way recorded transmitter over a cellular network
Agencies oftentimes desire to monitor personnel in the field during the course of their duties. To provide flexible monitoring capabilities to agencies, a common mobile device such as a mobile phone is converted for use as a radio-based listening system to collect and transmit audio data. Phone features and accessories are leveraged to collect additional data for transmission. Collected data is streamed or otherwise transmitted to monitoring devices at the agency or in the field for operational oversight and recordation. |
| US08626077B2 |
Receiving apparatus and radio communication method
A radio communication device capable of lightening the influence of a frequency selective fading in the wide-band transmission of a single carrier thereby to prevent deterioration of error rate characteristics. In this device, an FFT unit subjects a modulated signal inputted from a modulation unit to a Fourier transformation. A pilot insertion unit inserts a pilot symbol into a plurality of individual frequency components of the modulated signal. Weight multiplication units multiply the individual frequency components and the pilot symbols inserted into the individual frequency components, by weight coefficients set at a weight coefficient setting unit. IFFT units subject the frequency components to an inverse Fourier transformation, thereby to convert the frequency components into time domains. |
| US08626074B2 |
Method for controlling a control station for determining a bandwidth for data communication
A method for controlling a control station (H1) includes the steps of performing wireless connection processing (204) with a terminal station (D1) and when a wireless connection is established, sending, to the wirelessly-connected terminal station (D1), a capture request signal (205) for causing the terminal station to capture a control signal (202) sent by another station (H2) and to return (207) information regarding the captured control signal. |
| US08626073B2 |
Use of measurement pilot for radio measurement in a wireless network
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to use of a measurement pilot for radio measurement in a wireless network, such as, for example, for use in the measurement and generation of beacon reports. In an example embodiment, a radio measurement request may be received from a requesting wireless node and a measurement pilot frame may be received from one or more wireless nodes. A radio measurement report may be generated based, at least in part, on the measurement pilot frame from one or more wireless nodes. The radio measurement report may be transmitted to the requesting wireless node. |
| US08626060B2 |
Beacon signals for repeaters within a wireless communications system
In an embodiment, a first repeater configures a beacon signal that identifies the first repeater to one or more other repeaters. The first repeater transmits the configured beacon signal at a given transmission power level to the one or more other repeaters. The transmitted beacon signal is received at least by a second repeater. The second repeater reduces interference associated with other transmissions from the first repeater, such as retransmissions of donor signals, based on the received beacon signal. |
| US08626059B2 |
Mobile terminal, base station, communication system, and communication method
A terminal includes a data receiver that receives data transmitted by a base station to another mobile terminal, a response receiver that receives from the other mobile terminal a negative acknowledgement response indicating that the other mobile terminal has failed to receive the data normally, and a data transmitter that transmits to the other terminal the data, received by the data receiver, in response to the negative acknowledgement response received by the response receiver. |
| US08626057B2 |
Electromagnetic E-shaped patch antenna repeater with high isolation
A repeater system is disclosed including a first planar antenna array comprising a first plurality of patch antennas, wherein the first plurality of patch antennas include a first pair of first patch antennas and a second pair of patch antennas, the first patch antennas in each pair disposed symmetrically about a perpendicular plane bisecting a distance between the patch antennas in each pair. Two microstrip antenna probes may be connected to respective ones of the first patch antennas in each pair. The two feed signals connected to the two probes may be phased shifted approximately 180 degrees out of phase with respect to each other. The repeater also includes a second planar antenna array comprising a second plurality of patch antennas and a housing connecting the first planar antenna array and the second planar antenna array. In some embodiments, each of the first planar antenna array and the second planar antenna array include some even number of E-shaped patch antennas. |
| US08626056B2 |
Adjustable transmitter for privacy protection of content broadcast from a transmitting device to a receiving device
Transmitting devices facilitate privacy protection of content broadcasted from the transmitting device to a receiving device without the need to modify the receiving device. A transmitting device may be adapted to acquire content, such as audio and/or video data, to be broadcasted by the transmitter for reception and use by a receiving device. A transmission range is selected to define a distance for broadcasting the content from the transmission device for reception and use by a receiving device. A frequency is also selected to be used for broadcasting the content. With the transmission range and frequency selected, the transmitting device may broadcast the content according to the selected transmission range and frequency. |
| US08626055B2 |
Method for delivering service guide source for generation of service guide in a mobile broadcast system, and method and system for delivering notification event/notification message
A mobile broadcast system for delivering a notification event for generation of a notification message for information provisioning to a subscriber receiving a broadcast service is provided. The mobile broadcast system includes a first apparatus for managing subscriber information of the broadcast service, handling generation of at least one notification message according to at least one notification event, and generating a response message indicating generation end of the notification message; and a second apparatus for sending a notification event message for requesting generation of the notification message to the first apparatus according to the at least one notification event, receiving the response message in response thereto, and then handling delivery of the notification message over a broadcast channel or an interaction channel. |
| US08626044B2 |
Image formation apparatus
An image formation apparatus has an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a transfer element for electrostatically transferring the toner image on the image carrier to a sheet, and a guide element for guiding the sheet. The image carrier and the transfer element form a nip portion for nipping the sheet, the guide element includes a main guide configured to guide the sheet toward the nip portion and a sub-guide protruding from the main guide toward the nip portion, and the sub-guide is conductive. |
| US08626041B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of effectively suppressing an AC color registration error, and a control method thereof. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus according to this invention controls driving of a transfer belt so that the speed of surface of the transfer belt at the transfer position comes close to a constant speed. The image forming apparatus also controls driving of a photosensitive drum so that the error between the speed of surface of the photosensitive drum and that of the transfer belt at the transfer position becomes almost 0. Further, the image forming apparatus controls the exposure timing in accordance with fluctuations of the speed of surface at the exposure position so that the exposure interval in the sub-scanning direction on the photosensitive drum comes close to a constant interval. |
| US08626040B2 |
Image forming apparatus
After at least one toner image is transferred to a medium to which an image is transferred from at least one of a plurality of image forming stations used, at least one toner image is transferred from at least one of the rest of the image forming stations, and this transfer operation is repeated a plurality of times to transfer toner images to the medium to which an image is transferred. In this manner, the toner images on the medium to which an image is transferred are formed using a desired number of color toner including a transparent toner. In addition, the order in which the transparent toner is transferred from the image forming station that is used for the transparent toner and toner other than the transparent toner is transferred from image forming stations in which the transparent toner is not used can be freely or automatically selected. |
| US08626039B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method capable of obtaining high quality image suppressing edge effect
A developing device includes a non-magnetic rotatable sleeve of a developer bearer to bear developer and a development electric field generator to generate a development electric field between the image bearer and the developer bearer by applying a development bias to the developer bearer. The developing bias is an AC bias generating an AC electric field therebetween. The magnetic carrier includes a plurality of fine particles each covered by a covering layer made of prescribed material having a volume resistivity equal to or more than 1012 [Ω·cm] having a prescribed particle diameter equal to or less than 100 [nm]. Each of the a plurality of fine particles has a total volume resistivity equal to or less than 105 [Ω·cm]. The magnetic carrier has a total volume resistivity equal to or more than 1012 [Ω·cm]. |
| US08626037B2 |
Powder container having an opening on an end of the container body, the opening facing the longitudinal direction of the container
A powder container that includes a container body, a drive transmitting unit which engages with an image forming apparatus, and an opening at an end of the container body. There is a conveying unit that conveys powder in the container body to the opening, and an information storage unit on the outer peripheral surface of the container body. The outer peripheral surface of the container body near the opening on which the information storage unit is to be mounted includes resin and is formed by injection molding. |
| US08626036B2 |
Powder container and image forming apparatus having an opening/closing member
A powder container includes a containing portion having an opening; an opening/closing member that is movable between an open position and a closed position and supported with play; an opening restraining portion provided on the containing portion; an opening restrained portion provided on the opening/closing member; an urging member that urges the opening/closing member; and an opening/closing contact portion provided on the opening/closing member and contactable with an opening/closing contacted portion of an apparatus into which the containing portion is installed, wherein the opening restrained portion is disposed such that a direction of force generated when the containing portion is installed into the apparatus is inclined with respect to the direction in which the opening/closing member moves, and the opening restrained portion is disposed downstream of an imaginary line extending from a contact position at which the opening/closing contact portion contacts the opening/closing contacted portion. |
| US08626032B2 |
Image forming apparatus that sets a bias supplied to a developer carrying member
An image forming apparatus includes a first rotating unit, an image carrier, an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a third rotating unit, an intermediate transfer body, first and second transfer units, and the following elements. A developing device includes a rotating body, a second rotating unit, plural developing units. A supply unit supplies a bias to a developer carrying member of each developing unit. A setting unit sets the bias to a first condition to develop the latent image of a first color at least while the latent image is being located at the developing position, and sets the bias to a second condition to suppress transferring of the toner in the subsequent developing unit to the image carrier after the second rotating unit starts rotating the rotating body from a waiting position and before stopping rotating the rotating body and locates the subsequent developing unit at the developing position. |
| US08626027B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes: an excitation coil; an image heating member for generating heat using a magnetic flux from the excitation coil to heat an image on a recording material; a magnetic core; image heating member; a core supporting member; magnetic core; a back-up member; a pressing member forming a nip between the back-up member and itself with the image heating member therebetween; a stay member; an apparatus side plate; a first positioning portion for determining a position of the stay member relative to one of the apparatus side plates; and a second positioning portion, provided at a central portion of the stay member, for determining a position of the core supporting member relative to the stay member. |
| US08626025B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet includes a transfer member for transferring a developed image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum onto the sheet; a cartridge mounting portion for demountably mounting a cartridge accommodating the developer; an image forming unit movable, relative to a main assembly of the apparatus in a state that the cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion, between an image forming position for effecting image formation and a mounting and demounting position, away from the image formation position, for mounting and demounting the cartridge to the mounting portion; a cleaning member for removing a developer remaining on a surface of the drum; a residual developer container, demountably mounted to the image forming unit, for accommodating the developer removed by the cleaning member; wherein the residual developer container and the cartridge are detachably mountable individually relative to the image forming unit when the image forming unit is placed in the mounting and demounting position. |
| US08626024B2 |
Method for controlling the distance between the photosensitive member and the developing member in a toner cartridge, and the device thereof
A method for controlling a distance between a photosensitive member and a developing member in an integral or separated toner cartridge. The toner cartridge is provided with an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the developing member or to the photosensitive member, so as to force the developing member to move towards the photosensitive member, or to force the photosensitive member to move towards the developing member. A production accuracy requirement of the toner cartridge is reduced by the elasticity of the elastic member. Also a device for controlling a distance between a photosensitive member and a developing member in a toner cartridge. By using the method and the device thereof, the requirement of the manufacturing accuracy of a toner cartridge can be reduced, and the negative impact of the accuracy bias caused by abrasion can be reduced, so, the product cost is saved, and the service life of the product is increased. |
| US08626020B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a cleaning member for cleaning a grid electrode of a corona charger and includes a sheet-like member for opening and closing an opening of the corona charger. The cleaning member is located above the sheet-like member with respect to a direction of gravitation, and wherein the sheet-like member is present right below the cleaning member when the cleaning member is present in an image formation range with respect to a longitudinal direction of the grid electrode. |
| US08626014B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus that separates a thin recording material by pushing up a transfer belt, if a position where a thick recording material separates from the transfer belt is far from a leading end of a recording-material guide, conveyability of the separated thick recording material after separation becomes stable. A stretching member is provided downstream of a push-up means and upstream of the recording-material guide in a recording-material conveying direction, and the stretching member separates a thick recording material from the transfer belt. |
| US08626013B2 |
Recording material detection apparatus and image forming apparatus
A recording material detection apparatus having a detecting device configured to detect a surface state of a recording material on the basis of reflected light from a surface of the recording material includes a reference surface to be irradiated with light from a light source, the detecting device includes a light-shielding portion configured to control conditions for detecting information relating to the surface state of the recording material on the basis of the reflected surface from the reference surface, and cover a portion of the reference panel other than the reference surface so as to prevent the light from the light source from being reflected from the portion of the reference panel other than the reference surface and being received by the light-receiving unit. |
| US08626010B2 |
Electric power relaying unit and image forming apparatus having the same
An electric power relaying unit of an image forming apparatus which includes an electric power blocking unit which selectively blocks the alternating current electric power output from the electric power input unit to be input to the electric power output unit, the electric power blocking unit including: a switching unit which switches an input of the alternating current electric power with respect to the electric power output unit; an electric power detecting unit which detects an electric power property; a memory unit in which a predetermined electric power property information is stored; and a control unit which controls a switching operation of the switching unit if determining that the detected electric power property corresponds to a predetermined electric power property in a failure of the image forming apparatus main body from a comparison result. |
| US08626009B2 |
Electric power control on a plurality of information processing apparatuses
An electric power control apparatus sets a first period for performing electric power control and an overall target amount of power consumption to be consumed by all of a plurality of information processing apparatuses during the first period, calculates an individual target amount of power consumption to be consumed by each information processing apparatus during a plurality of second periods obtained by segmentalizing the first period, based on the first period and the overall target amount, transmits the corresponding second period and the individual target amount to each information processing apparatus, receives an actual usage value of the amount of power consumption in the corresponding second period transmitted from each information processing apparatus, calculates the individual target amount, based on the actual usage value of the amount and the overall target amount, and retransmits the individual target amount to each information processing apparatus. |
| US08626006B2 |
Heat-responsive switch, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
A heat-responsive switch includes a case member, a deformation member deformed from a shape concave to an inside of the case member to a convex shape in response to a temperature variation, a first electrode having a first contact, a second electrode having a second contact and bringing the second contact into contact with the first contact with the first contact impelled to the deformation member, a first pressing member pressing the first electrode to separate the first contact from the second contact by having an end pressed by the deformation of the deformation member into the convex shape, and a second pressing member pressing the deformation member to restore the deformation member to the concave shape and pressing the second electrode to keep the first contact and the second contact separated by having the end pressed to the deformation member from an outside of the case member. |
| US08626005B2 |
Printing apparatus, and control method and storage medium therefor
A printing apparatus capable of reducing the frequency of detection of a recording agent remaining amount and obtaining accurate information of the recording agent remaining amount. When a printed sheet is discharged, a CPU of a printer updates information representing the number of discharged sheets and stores the information into a memory of a print engine. The CPU refers to toner remaining amount information stored in a memory of a cartridge and determines whether there is a sufficient toner remaining amount in the cartridge. If there is no sufficient toner remaining amount, toner remaining amount detection is executed each time printing of one page has been performed. If there is a sufficient toner remaining amount, the toner remaining amount detection is executed when the number of discharged sheets coincides with a predetermined value. |
| US08626004B2 |
Detecting apparatus and image forming apparatus
A detecting apparatus includes: a transmission member that is provided facing a conveying path on which a medium is conveyed and that transmits light from the medium being conveyed on the conveying path; a detecting section that detects the medium or an image on the medium from the light which is transmitted through the transmission member, wherein the light is received by a light-receiving member of the detection section; an opposing member that is provided on an opposite side of the conveying path from the transmission member and has at least a first opposing surface that faces the transmission member; and a guide member provided at a downstream side of the opposing member in the conveying direction, and guides the medium downstream in the conveying path. The opposing surface is closer to the detecting section at a downstream side than at an upstream side thereof in the conveying direction. |
| US08626001B2 |
Optical communication card and optical transmission device
There arises a problem that power consumption increases along with an increasing throughout of an FEC function effective in speeding up of a transmission speed. FEC function information necessary for a system is prepared, and multiple FEC functions are properly used according to a selected transmission line, etc. |
| US08625993B2 |
Wavelength-switched optical add-drop multiplexer with wavelength broadcasting capability
The present invention provides a wavelength-switched reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (R-OADM) with wavelength broadcasting capability, such that asymmetric video signal distribution and the like can be performed without sacrificing with respect to component complexity and expense. The present invention utilizes an optical splitting and combining device with the wavelength-switched R-OADM to allow the R-OADM to support network-wide wavelength broadcasts without requiring external regeneration and extra optical transceiver equipment. |
| US08625991B1 |
Amortization of expensive optical components
A laser system includes an array of lasers that emit light at a number of different, fixed wavelengths. A group of optical transport systems connect to the laser system. Each of the optical transport systems is configured to modulate data signals onto the light from the laser system to create optical signals and transmit the optical signals on one or more optical fibers. |
| US08625987B2 |
Monitoring method for a passive optical network
The invention relates to a method for monitoring a passive optical network having a tree-like structure with a main line and a plurality of branches. The method includes transmitting a wake-up signal from an optical line termination (OLT) arranged in the main line to a plurality of monitoring units arranged in the branches. The method also includes detecting the wake-up signal and listening to information requests from the OLT in the monitoring units during a listening time interval after the detection of the wake-up signal. The method further includes transmitting an information request to be received in the listening time interval from the OLT to the monitoring units. The method additionally includes receiving the information request in the monitoring units during the listening time interval, one of the monitoring units which is addressed by the information request transmitting a response message back to the OLT. |
| US08625986B2 |
Methods and systems for optical performance monitoring
A method and system to economically monitor an optical OOK signal that can detect perceptible changes in signal quality and identify the type of optical impairment causing the change. The invention requires a new and novel combination of known techniques to create an eye diagram of the transmitted pulse in a wavelength division multiplexing systems and then removing the noise from the eye diagram. Economy of operation is achieve by using asynchronous sampling techniques for generating the eye diagram. The resulting “cleaner” eye diagram is then analyzed to identify any changes in performance. In the preferred embodiment, the analysis is conducted on histograms generated from eye diagram, the histograms are computed at a number of points across the optical signal pulse period. |
| US08625985B2 |
Router having dual propagation paths for packets
A router comprising an interface module (IM), having an optical path and an electrical path and a speed sensor coupled between an input of the router and an input of the IM. The speed sensor is adapted to receive a packet and detect a speed of the IM connection and in response to the speed of the IM connection being above a threshold value, the speed sensor provides the packet to the optical path of the IM and in response to the relative speed being below the threshold value, the speed sensor provides the packet to the electrical path of the IM. |
| US08625981B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes: an image-pickup lens; a shutter partitioned into a plurality of sections along a first direction and allowed to open and close for each of the plurality of sections; a stop adjusting an amount of light; and a drive section driving the shutter and the stop. The drive section controls the shutter in such a manner that any one of the sections of the shutter is opened and the remaining sections are closed, and drives the stop in such a manner that passage of a flux of light through the open section is limited to a larger extent in a second direction than in the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction. |
| US08625979B2 |
Lens barrel and photographing apparatus comprising the same
A lens barrel and a photographing apparatus comprising the lens barrel include: a lens module that comprises at least one lens and moves along an optical axis of the at least one lens; a shake correction module arranged near the lens module; at least one fixing member that is disposed between the lens module and the shake correction module and fixes the shake correction module in response to being pressed by the lens module; a frame on which the at least one fixing member is installed; and at least one elastic member that elastically mounts the at least one fixing member on the frame. |
| US08625978B2 |
Urea tank and base plate with an integrated heating element
Urea tank and base plate with an integrated heating element in which the heating element comprises at least one flexible part which is preferably a flexible heater comprising at least one resistive track affixed to one flexible film and/or placed between two flexible films. |
| US08625971B2 |
Systems and methods for recording and playing back programs having desirable recording attributes
Systems and methods for recording multiple copies of a program are provided. The method may include receiving a user instruction to record a program. A determination may be made to record multiple copies of the program. In response to the determination, multiple copies of the program may be recorded. A user instruction to display the recorded program may be received. A copy of the program may be played back. The user may switch to another copy of the recorded program if the original copy lacks desirable recording attributes, or the interactive television application may automatically switch to another copy of the program. |
| US08625969B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus for editing a three-dimensional video, including, a switching section configured to switch a video to be used as an editing result from a first three-dimensional video to a second three-dimensional video by any one of a plurality of switching methods, a parallax measuring section configured to measure a parallax in a three-dimensional video to compute a depth of the three-dimensional video on the basis of a measured parallax, a comparing section configured to compare a difference between a first depth computed on the first three-dimensional video and a second depth computed on the second three-dimensional video that is different from the first three-dimensional video with a predetermined threshold, and a restricting section configured to restrict an operation of the switching section in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the comparing section. |
| US08625967B2 |
Information processing device, information recording medium manufacturing device, information recording medium, methods thereof, and computer program
An information processing device for executing reproduction processing of content recorded in an information recording medium that includes: a data processing unit for acquiring content codes including a program or application information to be applied to the recording content of the information recording medium, and executing data processing in accordance with the acquired content codes. The data processing unit executes the verification processing of a digital signature which allows tampering verification of the entire content codes included in a content code file storing the content codes, and as the verification result, executes data processing in accordance with the content codes on the condition that validity of the content code file has been confirmed. |
| US08625966B2 |
Reproducing apparatus, method for operating reproducing apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing control program
A reproducing apparatus and method including a video data acquiring section, a program and program management information; a video reproduction section; and a program executing section. According to the result of program execution, first reproduction control information is transmitted to the video reproduction section. Also, an overall control section generates, based on reproduction control manipulation information received via an input section, second reproduction control information for controlling reproduction of the video data, and transmits the same to the video reproducing section. The program management information includes a flag indicating whether or not to transmit the second reproduction control information, and the overall controlling section determines, in accordance with the flag, whether to transmit the second reproduction control information. A non-transitory content recording medium for causing a computer to function as the apparatus implementing the method also is provided. |
| US08625959B2 |
Apparatus and method for image coding and decoding
A multiplexed stream is inputted and includes multimedia coding data. A video stream is separated from the inputted multiplexed stream, and the separated video stream is decoded. A predetermined conversion process is performed in accordance with additional information indicating whether a mismatch is present in a relationship between the decoded data and the multimedia coding data. |
| US08625956B2 |
Imaging/reproducing device
Position information of image pickup positions included in a designated moving image file is read out from position of point of change information, and map information covering all the positions of the position information is obtained from a map information database by a map information obtaining portion. A map is drawn by a map drawing portion based on the position information and the map information. The drawn map is overlapped with a moving image, which is replayed by a moving image replay portion, by an overlapping portion and displayed on a display portion. |
| US08625955B2 |
Information recording apparatus, information distribution server, information recording system and information recording method
An information recording apparatus includes a stream receiver configured to receive a stream including therein video and audio data regarding a program, a program information transmitter configured to transmit program information regarding the program to a server connected thereto via a communication network, a writing information receiver configured to receive writing information from the server, which is used for processing for writing the video and audio data into a recording medium, and a recording section configured to, under the condition in which absolute time information included in the stream and absolute time information included in the writing information having been received from the server are synchronized with each other, write the video and audio data included in the stream into the recording medium, as well as the writing information. |
| US08625952B2 |
Fiber optic cable mounting adapters, and related fiber optic cable assemblies and methods
Fiber optic cable mounting adapters and related fiber optic cable assemblies and methods for attaching an external mounting device to the fiber optic cable are disclosed. The fiber optic mounting adapters can be configured to be secured to a portion of a fiber optic cable. The fiber optic mounting adapters can also be configured to be secured to external mounting devices compatible to be secured to fiber optic equipment, to secure the fiber optic mounting adapter, and in turn the fiber optic cable, to the fiber optic equipment. Securing a portion of a fiber optic cable can reduce or prevent bending strain from being propagated along the fiber optic cable. Undesired bending strain of a fiber optic cable can cause undesired optical attenuation. Bending strain can also risk damaging optical fibers, such as furcated legs, exposed from the end portion of the fiber optic cable. |
| US08625947B1 |
Low-smoke and flame-retardant fiber optic cables
The present invention relates to flame-retardant fiber optic cables. The fiber optic cables include reinforcing materials that generate low smoke levels and exhibit improved performance during burn testing. The fiber optic cables are capable of meeting burn testing requirements without employing expensive, high-performance cable jacketing and buffering compounds. |
| US08625944B1 |
Low-shrink reduced-diameter buffer tubes
Disclosed is a low-shrink buffer tube having a reduced diameter. The buffer tube provides adequate crush resistance and is suitable for deployments requiring mid-span access. |
| US08625943B2 |
Waveguide device and module
Excess optical power in a waveguide device is appropriately terminated. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waveguide device comprises a termination structure filled with a light blocking material for terminating light from the end section of a waveguide. This termination structure can be formed by forming a groove on an optical waveguide by removing the clad and core, and filling the inside of that groove with a material attenuating the intensity of the light (light blocking material). In this manner, light that enters into the termination structure is attenuated by the light blocking material, and influence on other optical devices as a crosstalk component can be suppressed. With such termination structure, not only the influence on optical devices integrated on the same substrate, but also the influence on other optical devices directly connected to that substrate can be suppressed. |
| US08625942B2 |
Efficient silicon-on-insulator grating coupler
An efficient grating coupler for a semiconductor optical mode includes a tapered edge to couple light between waveguide modes constrained by differing waveguide thicknesses. An optical circuit or laser has a waveguide in a rib or strip waveguide section that is of different height (e.g., having different vertical constraints) than a waveguide section that has a grating coupler through which light passes off-circuit. The tapered edge can couple light between the two waveguide sections with very low loss and back-reflection. The low loss and minimal back-reflection enables testing of the photonics circuit on a wafer level, and improved performance through the grating coupler. |
| US08625937B2 |
Multimode optical coupler
Embodiments of the invention provide optical lenses comprised of layers of material each having a different index of refraction from that of the other layers wherein the layers of material are arranged in order of increasing index of refraction. The lens region is capable of causing an optical beam that enters the lens region to be focused into an output beam that is smaller in at least one dimension. A waveguide is optically coupled to the optical lens and a photodetector is optically coupled to the waveguide. The optical lens is capable of being manufactured using semiconductor processing techniques and is capable of being integrated into an integrated circuit chip. |
| US08625931B2 |
Light space graphical model in shape from shading
Methods and apparatus for construction of an object shape from an image using a light-space graphical model are disclosed. A set of normal vectors for a set of pixels in an image is defined. Each normal vector is defined in terms of an azimuth and a zenith measured in a spherical coordinate system centered on a light source illuminating the image. The zenith of each normal vector is constrained based on an observed shading of a respective pixel. A shape is constructed from the image. Constructing the shape includes minimizing an energy function to specify an azimuth value and a zenith value of each normal vector. Minimizing the energy function further includes constraining the azimuth of each normal vector based on an image gradient of the image at each respective pixel to enforce a coplanar assumption between the image gradient expressed in a three-dimensional space and the respective normal vector. |
| US08625926B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing image data from a primary sensor and a secondary sensor
Systems and methods are provided for processing image data captured by a device. In one implementation, a system is provided to process primary image data based on motion of the device during generation of the image data, as detected by a secondary image sensor. In another implementation, a method is provided for processing image data by generating primary image data, generating secondary image data, calculating, using the secondary image data, at least one motion vector based on motion of the device during generation of the primary image data, processing the primary image data based on the at least one motion vector, and outputting the processed primary image data. |
| US08625925B2 |
Distortion of digital images using spatial offsets from image reference points
A method for distorting a digital image comprising receiving the coordinates of one or more than one image reference point defined by a user within the digital image, receiving one or more than one spatial offset assigned by the user and associated with the coordinates of the one or more than one defined image reference point, providing a mixing function algorithm embodied on a computer-readable medium for distorting the digital image, calculating an offset matrix by applying the mixing function algorithm based on the one or more than one spatial offset and the coordinates of the one or more than one defined image reference point; and distorting the digital image by application of the offset matrix. A graphic tag may be associated with each of the defined image reference points and displayed over the digital image, and the assignment of the spatial offset may be accomplished by movement of the graphic tag with the pointing device. Abstract image reference points may be used to limit distortion. |
| US08625917B2 |
Method and apparatus for realizing adaptive quantization in process of image coding
A method and apparatus for realizing adaptive quantization in the process of image/video coding, which includes the following steps: acquiring the parameter information of the neighbor blocks of the current block; determining the quantization mode of the current block according to the parameter information of the neighbor blocks; and performing quantization processing on transform coefficients of the current block by using the determined quantization mode. Wherein, block coding type and motion vector of the neighbor blocks are used as the parameter information for determining the quantization mode of the current block. An apparatus for adaptive quantization in process of image/video coding is provided. The invention can use different quantization mode for adaptive quantization in different image content of an image sequence, thereby improving the subjective quality of the compressed images at the same bit rate. |
| US08625916B2 |
Method and apparatus for image encoding and image decoding
Provided are a method and apparatus for image encoding which improves encoding efficiency in accordance with image characteristics by performing prediction in lines and performing a one-dimensional transformation in lines on an input image, and a method and apparatus for image decoding. Encoding efficiency of an image may be improved by generating a prediction sub residual block using neighboring residues and performing a one-dimensional discrete cosine transformation (DCT) on a difference residual block which is a difference between an original sub residual block and the prediction sub residual block. |
| US08625902B2 |
Object recognition using incremental feature extraction
In one example, an apparatus includes a processor configured to extract a first set of one or more keypoints from a first set of blurred images of a first octave of a received image, calculate a first set of one or more descriptors for the first set of keypoints, receive a confidence value for a result produced by querying a feature descriptor database with the first set of descriptors, wherein the result comprises information describing an identity of an object in the received image, and extract a second set of one or more keypoints from a second set of blurred images of a second octave of the received image when the confidence value does not exceed a confidence threshold. In this manner, the processor may perform incremental feature descriptor extraction, which may improve computational efficiency of object recognition in digital images. |
| US08625901B2 |
Method for dynamically adjusting a waiting time of handwriting inputs, electronic equipment and computer-readable medium thereof
A method for dynamically adjusting a waiting time of handwriting inputs is applied to an electronic equipment having a handwriting input device. When a waiting-for-input time after the handwriting input device receives a handwriting input exceeds a waiting time of the electronic equipment, the electronic equipment performs a handwriting recognition upon the handwriting input so as to display a candidate word list. The method includes the following steps: receiving the handwriting input; generating a writing speed according to the handwriting input; and setting the waiting time of the electronic equipment according to the writing speed. |
| US08625899B2 |
Method for recognizing and translating characters in camera-based image
A method for recognizing an image photographed by a camera and translating characters in connection with an electronic dictionary is provided. The method includes directly selecting an area to be recognized from the photographed character image and performing character recognition, translating and recognizing characters of a user's selected word in connection with dictionary data, and displaying translation result information of user's selected character or word in connection with dictionary data on a screen device. The recognition includes providing information on location of the selected character image area and location of the recognized character string words to the user, and then translating a character string or word in a location area selected by the user. The electronic dictionary-connected search and translation is for searching the character or word selected in connection with the electronic dictionary database, and providing translation result to the user. |
| US08625897B2 |
Foreground and background image segmentation
Foreground and background image segmentation is described. In an example, a seed region is selected in a foreground portion of an image, and a geodesic distance is calculated from each image element to the seed region. A subset of the image elements having a geodesic distance less than a threshold is determined, and this subset of image elements are labeled as foreground. In another example, an image element from an image showing at least a user, a foreground object in proximity to the user, and a background is applied to trained decision trees to obtain probabilities of the image element representing one of these items, and a corresponding classification assigned to the image element. This is repeated for each image element. Image elements classified as belonging to the user are labeled as foreground, and image elements classified as foreground objects or background are labeled as background. |
| US08625896B2 |
Image matting
An alpha matte is generated from image forming elements of an image. For each of one or more of the image forming elements: a respective representative foreground value is determined from one or more of the image forming element values; the respective representative foreground value and the value of the image forming element are normalized with respect to a threshold level; and a respective value of the alpha matte is generated from an evaluation of the normalized image forming element value in relation to the normalized representative foreground value. |
| US08625891B2 |
Image processing apparatus and processing method therefor
In an image processing apparatus for dividing image data into blocks having a predetermined number of pixels and processing each of the divided blocks in sequence, color data of pixels in a block to be processed is compared to identify a pattern flag that corresponds to a placement pattern of the color data included in the block. The identified pattern flag and the color data for the number of colors included in the block are output and, assuming that output color data that corresponds to a pixel at a predefined position in the block is first color data, the pattern flag, the first color data, and other color data that are output for each of the divided blocks are collectively stored in respectively different memory areas. |
| US08625888B2 |
Variable kernel size image matting
Image matting is performed on an image having a specified foreground region, a background region and an unknown region by selecting a kernel size based on a size of the unknown region. The matting processing is performed using the selected kernel size to provide an alpha matte that distinguishes a foreground portion from a background portion in the unknown region. Further, in some implementations, a trimap of the image may be segmented and matting processing may be performed on each segment using a kernel size appropriate for that segment. |
| US08625878B2 |
Method and system of rail component detection using vision technology
A method, system, and computer program product for automatically inspecting railroad tracks. The method includes assessing a configuration of rail components depicted in an image by comparing the configuration of the rail components to known hazards. The method also includes determining a severity of detected problems in the configuration of the rail components, using a computer processor. |
| US08625876B2 |
Validation template for valuable media of multiple classes
A technique for use in automatic validation of a media item involves accessing a template that comprises multiple one-class classifiers, each corresponding to one of multiple classes to which the media item might belong, and then applying each of the one-class classifiers to an image of the media item to generate a result set for each of the multiple classes. The result set for each media class is then analyzed to assess whether the media item belongs to that class. |
| US08625874B2 |
Methods and devices for analysis of x-ray images
Disclosed are devices, methods and systems for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone structure from x-ray images. Also disclosed are related non-invasive measurement of bone structure and diagnosis and/or treatment of bone conditions. |
| US08625873B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus
Provided is a medical image processing apparatus allowing the generation of image data by changing the reconstruction conditions in correspondence with the positional relation of an observation target based on the projected data chronologically acquired by an X-ray CT scanner. The medical image processing apparatus includes a photographing unit, a reconfiguration processing unit, an extracting unit, and an analyzing unit. The photographing unit scans the flexible site of the living body configured from multiple parts in order to acquire projected data. The reconfiguration processing unit carries out reconfiguration processing on the projected data and generates image data of the flexible site regarding the plurality of timing points. The extracting unit extracts the plurality of components configuring the flexible site from the respective image data. The analyzing unit obtains the positional relation of the plurality of components. |
| US08625870B2 |
Method and system for supplementing detail image in successive multi-scale reconstruction
The image reconstruction method and system reconstructs a multi-scale image using a set of predetermined nested 3D grids, and a zoomed image is reconstructed without losing details. The multiple steps uses a decreasing grid size to reconstruct an ultimately zoomed image in region of interest without degrading image quality. |
| US08625869B2 |
Visualization of medical image data with localized enhancement
Systems and methods for visualization of medical image data with localized enhancement. In one implementation, image data of a structure of interest is resampled within a predetermined plane to generate at least one background image of the structure of interest. In addition, at least one local image is reconstructed to visually enhance at least one local region of interest associated with the structure of interest. The local image and the background image are then combined to generate a composite image. |
| US08625868B2 |
Radiation diagnostic apparatus and image reconstructing method
According to one embodiment, a radiation diagnostic apparatus includes a photon-counting detector, a counting information storage unit, an image reconstituting unit, and a controlling unit. The detector performs counting on light derived from incident radiation. The counting information storage unit stores therein counting information based on the counting result of the detector. The image reconstituting unit reconstitutes a medical image by performing a back projection process on projection data that is generated by use of the counting information stored in the counting information storage unit. After the reconstitution of the medical image, the controlling unit performs control so that all or part of the counting information is maintained in the counting information storage unit. |
| US08625865B2 |
Method and apparatus for navigating a therapeutic device to a location
A method and apparatus for navigating a therapeutic device to a location in a moving organ. A feature is identified in one reference image, such as a calcified spot. Then the target location for the device is determined. If the feature and the target location are not shown on the same frame, registration is performed, and the geometric relation between the feature and the target location is determined. On the positioning stage, the feature is identified in a positioning image, then the target location is indicated on the image. The user then manipulates the device, also visible on the positioning image to the target location. If the feature is not identified automatically in the positioning image, the target location is assumed at the current location, and the feature is marked, which assists the user in identifying the real location of the feature, and manipulating the device to the target location. |
| US08625864B2 |
System and method of cosmetic analysis and treatment diagnosis
A method and system is provided for performing cosmetic analysis of a subject. Assessment data of observable characteristics of each of a plurality of defined body areas of a subject is converted to weighted data for each of the plurality of defined body areas. This weighted data is analyzed to generate cosmetic analysis data. This cosmetic analysis data can include an apparent age of the subject. The cosmetic analysis data is then provided to a user such as a cosmetic surgeon, beauty therapist or the subject themself. The system and method can be further adapted to perform treatment diagnosis for the subject based on the cosmetic analysis data. |
| US08625862B2 |
Image display method and image display apparatus
An image data apparatus comprises a view angle defining section for defining a plurality of view angles relative to an object of examination, an image data preparing section for preparing a plurality of three-dimensional image data for the plurality of view angles from four-dimensional image data of the object of examination and a display control section for displaying moving images of the three-dimensional image data of the object of examination on a monitor screen under the condition that the view angles are fixed. |
| US08625860B2 |
Adaptive face recognition using online learning
In one embodiment an electronic device comprises an input/output module, a memory coupled to the input/output module, and logic to store a first image of a face in the memory module, associate an identity with the first image of a face, subsequently collect a second image of a face, determine a correlation between features on the first image of a face and the second image of a face, and store the correlation between the first image and the second image. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08625857B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, an image processing method for inspecting an image includes creating synthetic image information in which information is synthesized with main image information in a visible state which the human eyes perceive in an invisible state which is hard to perceive with the human eyes, printing the synthetic image information onto a medium, acquiring an image printed on the medium as an inspection image information, extracting information embedded in the main image information from the inspection image acquired, and determining a fault in the image printed on the medium based on an extraction result of information. |
| US08625856B2 |
Method and system for wholesomeness inspection of freshly slaughtered chickens on a processing line
An imaging system containing an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device detector and line-scan spectrograph is used for identifying wholesome and unwholesome freshly slaughtered chicken carcasses on high-speed commercial chicken processing lines. Multispectral imaging algorithms allow for real-time online identification of wholesome and unwholesome chicken carcasses. |
| US08625852B2 |
System and method for linking real-world objects and object representations by pointing
A system and method are described for selecting and identifying a unique object or feature in the system user's three-dimensional (“3-D”) environment in a two-dimensional (“2-D”) virtual representation of the same object or feature in a virtual environment. The system and method may be incorporated in a mobile device that includes position and orientation sensors to determine the pointing device's position and pointing direction. The mobile device incorporating the present invention may be adapted for wireless communication with a computer-based system that represents static and dynamic objects and features that exist or are present in the system user's 3-D environment. The mobile device incorporating the present invention will also have the capability to process information regarding a system user's environment and calculating specific measures for pointing accuracy and reliability. |
| US08625849B2 |
Multiple camera control system
A multiple camera tracking system for interfacing with an application program is provided. The tracking system includes multiple cameras arranged to provide different viewpoints of a region of interest, and are operable to produce a series of video images. A processor is operable to receive the series of video images and detect objects appearing in the region of interest. The processor executes a process to generate a background data set from the video images, generate an image data set for each received video image, compare each image data set to the background data set to produce a difference map for each image data set, detect a relative position of an object of interest within each difference map, and produce an absolute position of the object of interest from the relative positions of the object of interest and map the absolute position to a position indicator associated with the application program. |
| US08625843B2 |
Monitoring system, image-processing apparatus, management apparatus, event detecting method, and program
A monitoring system includes a plurality of image-capturing apparatuses each including an event detector that executes on a corresponding captured image at least one of a plurality of processing algorithms for detection of a monitor event, and a transmission controller that outputs to a network only a processing result of the executed processing algorithm when a monitor event is not detected and that outputs to the network at least the captured image when a monitor event is detected; and a management apparatus managing the plurality of image-capturing apparatuses via the network and including an event determination unit that determines occurrence of a monitor event in accordance with the received processing result and a record controller that records the received captured image. |
| US08625842B2 |
Remote encoding center automation systems and methods
A computerized method for retrofitting a legacy manual mail recognition processing system (MRPS) with an automated MRPS without substantial changes to the configuration of the legacy manual MRPS includes detecting a request by a keyer desk software component to display a mail piece scan image on a computer display connected to the keyer desk computer. The image can at least temporarily be prevented from being displayed on the computer display and the image can be read from memory. Automated recognition processing can be performed on the image to resolve the image and create an automated recognition processing results data. If said automated recognition processing was successful the automated recognition processing results data can be sent to the keyer desk software component and the image can be permanently prevented from being displayed on the computer display. Otherwise, the image can be displayed to the human user for manual processing. |
| US08625841B2 |
Remote encoding center automation systems and methods
A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations. The operations can include intercepting a request for manual processing of a mail piece image. The request can be transmitted by an originating MPE having failed to resolve the mail piece image. The request can be ignored and the mail piece scan image can be forwarded to an automated mail recognition system (AMRS). If the AMRS successfully resolved the image, a response, including a plurality of addressing data corresponding to the mail piece scan image, can be received from the AMRS. If the AMRS successfully resolved the image, at least a portion of the plurality of addressing data can be transmitted to the originating MPE. If the AMRS did not successfully resolve the image, the request can be forwarded to a manual mail recognition processing system. |
| US08625837B2 |
Protocol and format for communicating an image from a camera to a computing environment
A media feed interface may be provided that may be used to extract a media frame from a media feed. The media feed interface may access a capture device, a file, and/or a network resource. Upon accessing the capture device, file, and/or network resource, the media feed interface may populate buffers with data and then may create a media feed from the buffers. Upon request, the media feed interface may isolate a media frame within the media feed. For example, the media feed interface analyze media frames in the media feed to determine whether a media frame includes information associated with, for example, the request. If the media frame includes the requested information, the media feed interface may isolate the media frame associated with the information and may provide access to the isolated media frame. |
| US08625836B2 |
Cable structure for preventing tangling
This is directed to a cable structure for use with an electronic device. The cable structure can include one or more conductors around which a sheath is provided. To prevent the cable structure from tangling, the cable structure can include a core placed between the conductors and the sheath, where a stiffness of the core can be varied along different segments of the cable structure to facilitate or hinder bending of the cable structure in different areas. The size and distribution of the stiffer portions can be selected to prevent the cable from forming loops. The resistance of the core to bending can be varied using different approaches including, for example, by varying the materials used in the core, varying a cross-section of portions of the core, or combinations of these. |
| US08625835B2 |
Apparel with built-in headphone extension wire device
The present invention provides for the embodiments for a combined apparel and conductive extension wire assembly to bridge connectivity between a portable audio listening devices and transducers that emit audio sounds. The combined garment and extension wire assembly comprises of a garment (such as a shirt, jacket, cap, etc.) having an electrical wire with a connector on one end positioned within the interior of a garment pocket for conductive connectivity to the audio output of a portable listening device held within said pocket. The extension wire assembly shall channel through the interior of the garment through passageways or within garment seams, extending to garment apertures wherein a left and right channel wire shall respectively pass through and exit the apparel fabric having each wire ending with a connector enabling further conductive connectivity respectively to left and right channel transducers emitting audio sounds. |
| US08625834B2 |
Ergonomic earpiece and attachments
An earpiece that substantially lacks a lower lobe is disclosed. In one example, the earpiece can have a generally arcuate rib having upper and lower ends. A lobe can be formed at the upper end of the arcuate rib. No lobe is formed at the lower end of the arcuate rib. An extension can extend from the earpiece and can be configured to extend into the ear canal. Eliminating the lower lobe mitigates discomfort during use and also reduces the likelihood of tissue damage and infection. The extension can enhance communication of desired sound, e.g., from a two-way radio, to an eardrum while mitigating communication of undesirable ambient noise to the eardrum. Other implementations and related methods are also disclosed. |
| US08625828B2 |
Hearing prosthesis having an on-board fitting system
A hearing prosthesis comprising an external component having an integrated user interface, a sound processor configured to process received sounds based on predefined fitting data, and an on-board fitting system configured to set the fitting data in response to control inputs received via the integrated user interface. |
| US08625827B2 |
One-size-fits-most hearing aid
A hearing-aid device comprising a housing and circuitry module, wherein the circuitry module comprises a battery, a microphone, and a receiver, and the circuit module is inserted in the hearing aid housing. The hearing aid device further comprises a retractable battery sleeve, wherein a battery slot is exposed when the battery sleeve is retracted, and a battery can be inserted into the battery slot from either side of the battery slot with either polarity. The hearing aid housing may comprise an ear-tip, wherein a microphone is mounted in the hearing aid housing near the ear-tip and the microphone receives sounds through at least one sound inlet located on a side surface of the hearing aid housing. The ear-tip additionally comprises three flanges decreasing in size toward the flange closest to the ear canal, and the hearing aid can be inserted into the ear canal in any orientation. |
| US08625826B2 |
Apparatus and method for background noise estimation with a binaural hearing device supply
An apparatus and a method for background noise estimation use a first and a second hearing device for binaural supply of a hearing impaired person. In each case the hearing devices have a first and a second omnidirectional microphone and the two microphones of each hearing device are connected to each other electrically in order to form a first and/or a second monaural directional characteristic. The first and/or second microphone of the first hearing device is connected together wirelessly with the first and/or second microphone of the second hearing device to form a binaural directional characteristic. To estimate the background noise, the level of an output signal from the first and/or the second directional microphone having a monaural directional characteristic is combined with the level of an output signal from the directional microphone having a binaural directional characteristic. Background noise estimation is thereby enhanced in the case of binaural supply. |
| US08625825B2 |
Electrostatic speaker
An electrostatic speaker including a frame; a first electrode installed at a first end of the frame; a second electrode installed at a second end of the frame to be at a predetermined distance apart from the first electrode; a suspension which is arranged between the second electrode and the first electrode and is elastically installed inside the frame; and a diaphragm assembly which is supported by the suspension and has a multilayer structure. The electrostatic speaker adopts a dual electrode structure, has the multilayer structure formed inside the diaphragm assembly, and is provided with a driving chip that applies a bias voltage to the diaphragm assembly by rectifying an audio signal after applying a driving signal that has amplified the audio signal to the dual electrodes. Thus, the invention does not require any external power, and is also capable of maintaining relatively high sensitivity by enhancing the charge density. |
| US08625823B2 |
MEMS microphone overtravel stop structure
A MEMS microphone. The MEMS microphone includes a membrane, a spring, and a first layer having a backplate, and a first OTS structure. The spring has a first end coupled to the membrane, and a second end mounted to a support. The first OTS structure is released from the backplate and coupled to a structure other than the backplate, and is configured to stop movement of the membrane in a first direction after the membrane has moved a predetermined distance. |
| US08625819B2 |
Method and device for voice operated control
Methods and devices for voice operated control are provided. The method can include measuring an ambient sound received from at least one Ambient Sound Microphone, measuring an internal sound received from at least one Ear Canal Microphone, detecting a spoken voice from a wearer of the earpiece based on an analysis of the ambient sound and the internal sound, and controlling at least one voice operation of the earpiece if the presence of spoken voice is detected. The analysis can be a non-difference comparison such as a correlation analysis, a cross-correlation analysis, and a coherence analysis. |
| US08625808B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals
Provided are an audio encoding method and apparatus and an audio decoding method and apparatus in which audio signals can be encoded or decoded so that sound images can be localized at any desired position for each object audio signal. The audio decoding method includes extracting a downmix signal and object-based side information from an audio signal; generating channel-based side information based on object-based side information and control information for rendering the downmix signal; processing the downmix signal using a decorrelated channel signal; and generating a multi-channel audio signal using the processed downmix signal and the channel-based side information. |
| US08625805B1 |
Digital security bubble
A digital security bubble encapsulation is disclosed. A public key and a device identifier of at least one recipient is requested from a first server. A message containing one or more components is encrypted using a symmetric key. The symmetric key is encrypted with a public key received in response to the request. The encrypted message, the encrypted symmetric key, and the device identifier are encapsulated in a digital security bubble encapsulation. The digital security bubble encapsulation is transmitted to a second server. |
| US08625802B2 |
Methods, devices, and media for secure key management in a non-secured, distributed, virtualized environment with applications to cloud-computing security and management
The present invention discloses methods, devices, and media for secure key management in a non-secured, distributed, virtualized environment with applications to cloud-computing security and management. Methods include the steps of: receiving an encryption request for protecting an original key at a first encryption location in a network computing-environment; initially encrypting the original key with a first location-specific secure-key, located at a second encryption location, to create a location-specific initially-encrypted key; and finally encrypting the location-specific initially-encrypted key with a second location-specific secure-key, located at a third encryption location, to create a finally-encrypted key which may then be used in any way in a cipher-location; wherein the locations are regions of memory located in computing devices operationally connected to the network computing-environment; and wherein each of the location-specific secure-keys is protected from compromise by any owner of other location-specific secure keys using an appropriate technique in the respective locations. |
| US08625800B2 |
Portable secure element
Transferring control of a secure element between TSMs comprises a zone master key established between the TSMs that facilitates encryption of a temporary key. The TSMs create the zone master key prior to initiation of transfer of control. Once transfer of control is initiated, the first TSM establishes a communication channel and deletes its key from the secure element. The first TSM creates a temporary key that is encrypted with the zone master key established between the first TSM and the second TSM. The encrypted temporary key is communicated to the second TSM with a device identifier. The second TSM decrypts the temporary key using the zone master key and identifies the user device using the device identifier. The new TSM establishes a communication channel and deletes the temporary key from the secure element. The new TSM then inputs and saves its key into the secure element. |
| US08625799B2 |
Privacy management for tracked devices
A system is disclosed that protects private data of users while permitting the monitoring or tracking of electronic devices that are shared for both business and private purposes. The electronic devices are configured to selectively encrypt location data, and/or other types of data, before such data is transmitted to a monitoring center. For example, data collected or generated on a user device outside of work hours may be encrypted with a private key of the device's user prior to transmission to the monitoring center, so that the data is not accessible to the employer. Data collected or generated during work hours may be transmitted without such encryption. |
| US08625798B2 |
Method and apparatus for encrypting short data in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus is capable of encrypting short data in a wireless communication system When a terminal generates a short data burst in idle mode, the apparatus generates a Traffic Encryption Key (TEK) using a Cipher-based Message Authentication Code (CMAC)-TEK prekey derived from an Authorization Key (AK) related to Security Association (SA) between the terminal and a Base Station (BS). A nonce is constructed with a Packet Number (PN) identical to an uplink CMAC PN (CMAC-PN_U) transmitted together with a Ranging Request (RNG-REQ) message carrying the short data burst The short data burst is encrypted using the TEK and the nonce. A Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) is generated by attaching a MAC header and a CMAC digest for integrity protection to the RNG-REQ message carrying the encrypted short data burst. The MAC PDU is transmitted to the BS. |
| US08625793B2 |
Resynchronization for push message security using secret keys
A method for a server to initiate resynchronization with an access terminal, when synchronization has been lost, that cannot be exploited by attackers is provided. The server may provide the access terminal with a secret key that is only known to the access terminal and the server. The access terminal may store the secret key in a secure storage device to prevent the secret key from being hacked. If the server determines that synchronization has been lost, the server may send a resynchronization message to the access terminal with the secret key attached. The access terminal retrieves the stored secret key from the secure memory device and compares it to the secret key attached to the resynchronization message. If there is a match, the access terminal may initiate a secure communication link with the server to reestablish synchronization. |
| US08625791B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for selective data encryption
A method of encryption, using an encryption key K with key length k, of at least one message M comprising uniformly distributed symbols, k bits are encrypted of messages at least k bits long, while shorter messages are lengthened, e.g. by padding or concatenation, to obtain a lengthened message at least k bits long before encryption. The encryption efficiency is thus optimized while the encryption security is retained. The encryption method is particularly suitable for JPEG2000 encoded packets comprising a message M. Also provided are an encryption apparatus, a decryption method and a decryption apparatus. |
| US08625789B2 |
Dynamic encryption
Systems and methods for encrypting a media file for streaming and/or downloading over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming, and collect metric information regarding the streaming. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving requests for a media file or a chunk of a media file and responding to these requests by encrypting the requested chunks dynamically and providing the chunks to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized with a dynamic chunk generation and dynamic index file generation, enable a high degree of flexibility in streaming chunked media files and preclude the need to encrypt the chunks prior to streaming. The systems and methods may also be applied to encrypting files for continuous streaming protocols as well as for progressive download. |
| US08625785B2 |
Identity based symmetric cryptosystem using secure biometric model
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are herein described that provide for an identity-based cryptosystem using a highly secure biometric model through which both access and data transmission are effectively made very secure. Through implementation of generating and securely storing biometric data as syndrome vectors tolerance is provided for the inherent variability of biometric data. In addition, to insure that the biometric data is not duplicated by adversaries who might gain access to the syndrome generation algorithm and the biometric data, present aspects, provide for keeping the private key more secure and making the cryptosystem user-identity dependent. As such the systems, apparatus and computer program products herein disclosed provide end-to-end authentication of end users using secure biometry, which constitute the symmetric and/or asymmetric identity-based cryptosystem. |
| US08625777B2 |
Pairing computation device, pairing computation method, and pairing computation program
Provided are a pairing computation device, a pairing computation method, and a pairing computation program all of which enable fast pairing computation. The pairing computation device includes, where: E is an additive group of rational points on a pairable elliptic curve defined over Fpk with an embedding degree of k, and the curve equation is given by y2=x3+ax+b where aεFp and bεFp, E[r] is a set of rational points of a prime order r, φp is Frobenius endomorphism, and the order r and a trace t of the Frobenius endomorphism φp are used as functions of an integer variable χ: computation means for computing a rational function fχ,Q(S); computation means for computing a value of a rational point S(xs, ys) on a line passing through a predetermined rational point; computation means for computing a rational function f′χ,Q(S) using computation results of these computation means; and computation means for performing pairing computation by using the rational function f′χ,Q(S) as Formula (1): e(Q,S)=ƒ′χ,Q(S)(pk−1)/r (1). |
| US08625774B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a subliminal alert
A method and apparatus for generating a subliminal alert at a computing device is provided. A first audio file comprising a subliminal alert is selected, the first audio file enabled for processing by a processing unit to control a speaker at the computing device. The first audio file is at least one of: a subliminally audible length; a subliminally audible volume; and chosen based on previous conditioning of a user to the first audio file. The first audio file is associated with at least one alert condition, such that when the alert condition is met, the processing unit controls the speaker to play the first audio file thereby providing the subliminal alert. |
| US08625771B2 |
Local route groups and transformation patterns
In one embodiment, method can include: receiving an address in a call agent, the address being associated with a call; triggering a trunk group selection algorithm in response to at least a portion of the received address, the trunk group selection algorithm providing a selection result from among a trunk group placeholder and a plurality of trunk groups; and forwarding the call to a trunk group determined by a caller-associated attribute when the selection result comprises the trunk group placeholder. |
| US08625768B2 |
Recursive identification of individuals for casual collaborative conferencing
A method for real-time communication among two or more individuals separated in space. The method includes the steps of determining that a first individual is likely to be interested in communicating with a second individual via a first communications link; retrieving information via the first communications link about one or more additional individuals from electronic memory means associated with the second individual; and establishing communication with at least one of the additional individuals based on the retrieved information. |
| US08625767B2 |
Conference bridge audio quality diagnostic and self configuration system and method
A conference diagnosis system can correlate information about a current teleconference with information about past conferences to make an intelligent assessment as to the potential cause of a poor audio or other condition. A conference bridge conducting the conference can then change various configuration settings on the conference bridge to resolve the problem. A running average of the results of past adjustments can be measured and direct future configuration changes. Thus, past successful adjustments can provide a starting point for changes to a new conference and real-time digital signal processing (DSP) adjustments can help tailor changes to the specific conference. |
| US08625763B2 |
Telecommunications calls
A user accesses a destination such as a call center. The call center generates a record for insertion into the user's personal address book, with a telephone number of the center and metadata concerning a transaction. To place a later call on the same matter, the user selects, either using his telephone or via a separate terminal, the address book entry and the call is made. The center receives the user's telephone number via the calling line identity (CLI) and translates this into a data address so that it can “pull” the metadata from the personal address book. Alternatively the server can translate the center's telephone number into a data address to “push” the metadata to the center. |
| US08625761B2 |
Method, system, apparatus, and computer program product for user authentication
A user authentication method is applied to a user authentication apparatus for authentication using a unique ID that is information unique to a communication apparatus. The method includes acquiring a user ID as information identifying a user, and detecting a unique ID corresponding to the user ID from a user ID list. The method also includes making a call with a predetermined number of rings to a communication apparatus having the unique ID. Additionally, the method includes receiving a callback made by a communication apparatus after a predetermined number of rings of the call in response to the call. In addition, the method includes determining whether a unique ID of the communication apparatus having made the callback matches the unique ID of the communication apparatus to which the call has been made, and determining, if there is a match, that a user having the user ID is an authorized user. |
| US08625757B1 |
Monitoring services and service consumers
A monitoring service may receive, from a plurality of service providers, log information pertaining to access calls made by service consumers to services or APIs provided by the service providers. The monitoring service aggregates and analyzes the log information for use in monitoring performance of the services, identifying anomalies, and the like. In some instances, the monitoring service may identify multiple services that are behaviorally interrelated based on at least one performance metric, and may group these services together into service groups for monitoring purposes. A service relationship model may be generated for each of the service groups that predicts how each service will behave relative to the other services in the service group. The monitoring service may monitor performance and use of the services based, at least in part, on the one or more service groups and the service relationship model for each group. |
| US08625750B2 |
Call screening for voicemail
Allowing a user of a communication device to have real-time control as a voicemail is being generated is provided. An incoming call to a communication device may be sent to voicemail; however, rather than waiting for the message to be deposited into the voicemail system followed by subsequent retrieval, a user of the called communication device/called party may have an option to listen to the message as it is being created and stored. During the process of listening in on the message being deposited in the voicemail system, the user/called party may have options in real-time to take the call, ignore the call, listen to the call, and the like. Alternatively, the user/called party may take the call (answer) as the voicemail is being deposited without listening in on the voicemail as it is being deposited. |
| US08625749B2 |
Content sensitive do-not-disturb (DND) option for a communication system
A method and apparatus is described to process an incoming telephone call. The method may comprise, at a recipient telephone system, receiving the incoming call including speech and identifying when a Do-Not-Disturb option is set. The Do-Not-Disturb option may identify that a user has requested not to receive telephone calls. Content analysis may be performed to identify content of the speech and a reference database may be interrogated based on the content to identify an associated rule. Thereafter, the Do-Not-Disturb option may be selectively overridden based on the associated rule. The content analysis may comprise performing speech recognition on the speech to obtain a reference word/phrase and interrogating the reference database with the word/phrase to identify the associated rule. A method of configuring a Do-Not-Disturb option in a telephone system is also described that allows a user to define reference words and associated rules. |
| US08625748B2 |
Removable sensor modules
A removable telecommunication sensor module is configured to be removably coupled between a power protection device and a bus bar and/or a backplane. The removable telecommunication sensor module monitors energy usage at a telecommunication equipment circuit level for a piece of telecommunication equipment arranged in a telecommunication network infrastructure. |
| US08625745B2 |
Line loss tester
A portable signal testing system includes a transmitter, a first dynamically tunable receiver, a second dynamically tunable receiver, a first indicator and a second indicator. The transmitter transmits over a wired communications link a first signal having a corresponding first frequency representative of a first frequency range of the wired communications link, and transmits over the wired communications link a second signal having a corresponding second frequency representative of a second frequency range of the wired communications link. Signal losses for the first signal and second signal are measured, and indicators indicate whether the signal losses are acceptable. |
| US08625742B2 |
Imaging system and control method therefor
An imaging system includes a plurality of imaging apparatuses, each of the imaging apparatuses includes a detector for performing an imaging operation for outputting image data corresponding to applied radiation or light and a controller for controlling the operation of the detector. The imaging apparatuses can independently perform an imaging operation and are movable in accordance with a relative positional relationship thereof. Sensing means obtain information indicative of the relative positional relationship between the imaging apparatuses. A control computer sends a control signal for determining operations of the imaging apparatuses to the controller. The control computer determines the operations of the imaging apparatuses by using the information obtained from the sensing means; and sets an appropriate scanning direction of each of the imaging apparatuses in accordance with the positional relationship thereof. |
| US08625738B2 |
Radiation therapy and scanning system
A radiation therapy and scanning system is provided. The radiation and therapy scanning system includes a therapy source adapted to deliver a predetermined dose of treatment radiation along an axis to a patient positioned in a scan field, a stationary scanning source producing an electron beam, and a detector positioned to partially circumscribe the scan field. The radiation therapy and scanning system also includes a target arranged concentric with the detector and located opposite the detector across the scan field, the target positioned at an angle θ to the axis such that when the electron beam impinges on the target the target transmits radiation through the scan field to the detector. |
| US08625737B2 |
Sample module with sample stream supported and spaced from window, for X-ray analysis system
An x-ray analysis system with an x-ray source for producing an x-ray excitation beam directed toward an x-ray analysis focal area; and a sample chamber for presenting a fluid sample to the x-ray analysis focal area. The x-ray excitation beam is generated by an x-ray engine and passes through an x-ray transparent barrier on a wall of the chamber, to define an analysis focal area within space defined by the chamber. The fluid sample is presented as a stream supported in the space and streaming through the focal area, using a support structure to guide the sample stream. The chamber's barrier is therefore separated from both the focal area and the sample, resulting in lower corruption of the barrier. |
| US08625734B2 |
Counting circuit of semiconductor device and duty correction circuit of semiconductor device using the same
A counting circuit of a semiconductor device includes a plurality of counting units configured to count respective bits of counting codes in response to a plurality of counting clocks, respectively, and to control in a counting direction in response to a counting control signal; a clock toggling control unit configured to control the number of counting clocks that toggle among the plurality of counting clocks in response to clock control signals; and a counting operation control unit configured to compare a value of target codes and a value of the counting codes, and to determine a value of the counting control signal according to a comparison result. |
| US08625729B2 |
Method and device for clock data recovery
A method for the recovery of a clock signal from a data signal, wherein the edges of the data signal and the clock signal are each presented by an ordered sequence of timing points, comprising determining missing edges in the sequence of data-signal edges, inserting new data-signal edges (Dx) into the sequence of data-signal edges to obtain a completed sequence of data-signal edges, and recovering the clock signal from the completed sequence of data-signal edges. The detection of missing edges in the sequence of data-signal edges is based on a prediction of the clock signal (FRONT CLOCK). |
| US08625717B2 |
Wireless transmission device and wireless transmission method
A wireless transmission device of the present invention includes n (where n is an integer of two or more) transmission antennas and a delay imparting section for delaying transmission signals supplied to the n transmission antennas by a maximum delay time (n−1)T or less based on a delay time T dependent upon a communication signal, which indicates whether to transmit the transmission signals by way of frequency diversity or multiuser diversity. |
| US08625716B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing HARQ in wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus for performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) using constellation rearrangement and a circular buffer in a wireless communication system is provided. An encoded information bit is stored into a circular buffer. A transport block in selected from the circular buffer. A bit set comprising n bits of the transport block is mapped to a data symbol on a constellation for 2n-QAM modulation according to a first mapping order. The bit set is mapped according to a second mapping order when the bits of the transport block are subject to wrap-around at the end of the circular buffer. |
| US08625714B2 |
Time delay estimation
An amount of delay between a digital reference signal and a digital derived signal is measured, wherein the derived signal is derived from the reference signal. Measurement involves ascertaining a sign of a slope of the derived signal over a first time interval and producing a set of time-associated reference signs by ascertaining a sign of a slope of the reference signal over each of a plurality of different time intervals leading up to the first time interval. A first set of coincidence results is produced by detecting coincidence between the sign of the slope of the derived signal and each one of the time-associated reference signs in the set of time-associated reference signs. The first set of coincidence results is used alone or in combination with other coincidence results as an indicator of the amount of delay between the reference signal and the derived signal. |
| US08625711B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquiring a Precoding Matrix Indicator and a Precoding Matrix
In the field of communication technologies, a method and an apparatus for acquiring a Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI) and a Precoding Matrix (PM) are provided. The method includes: acquiring a reference PMI and a differential PMI according to a first non-differential codebook and a first diagonal differential codebook, where codewords included in the first diagonal differential codebook form a diagonal matrix. The apparatus includes a PMI acquiring module. Acquiring a reference PMI and a differential PMI according to a non-differential codebook and a diagonal differential codebook can reduce the feedback overhead or improve the feedback precision; and the fact that codewords included in the diagonal differential codebook form a diagonal matrix can maintain amplitude characteristics (for example, a constant modulus characteristic, and a finite character set constraint characteristic) of elements of the non-differential codebook or facilitate power distribution among antennas. |
| US08625709B2 |
Device method and system for communicating data
Disclosed is a method, circuit and system for communicating data. A data value to be transmitted from a data source transmitter or transceiver to a downstream receiver or transceiver may be Shannon mapped, by functionally associated processing/mapping logic, to a point on a shape within a higher dimensional plane. Different portions of the shape, for example branches of a spiral, may be designated by a portion or branch number. Coordinates of the Shannon mapping, or another descriptors, of the Shannon mapped point may be transmitted using analog transmission methods. A set of data values may be Shannon mapped and transmitted to a downstream receiver/transceiver in series. For each set of mapped and transmitted data values, processing logic may calculate a branch ambiguity resolution factor. The branch ambiguity resolution factor for each set of values may be transmitted to the downstream receiver/transceiver before, after or with the data values. Decoding logic associated with the downstream receiver/transceiver may then use the branch ambiguity resolution factor to convert/decode received coordinates associated with the set of values into the data values. |
| US08625705B2 |
Data modulation and demodulation method, spectrum management method, apparatus and system
A data modulation method, a data demodulation method, and a method, include obtaining a target frequency band allocated to a transmitting terminal; calculating a precoding codeword index of spectrum shaping according to a codebook corresponding to a current radio scene and the target frequency band, where the codeword index corresponds to a return-to-zero subcarrier sequence, and the return-to-zero subcarrier sequence serves to calculate a precoding vector for modulating data; and sending the precoding codeword index out through broadcast. |
| US08625704B1 |
Rejecting RF interference in communication systems
Rejecting radio frequency (RF) interference in a communication system. In one aspect, rejecting RF interference includes receiving a signal on a signal path of a receiver from a communication channel, the signal including one or more received signal components having a frequency within a predetermined subset range of frequencies within an operating signal bandwidth of the receiver. The received signal components are attenuated using a notch filter to reduce RF interference obtained during transmission of the signal over the communication channel. In some embodiments, the one or more signal components have been boosted in power at a link partner transmitter connected to the communication channel. |
| US08625703B2 |
Method of transmitting control information in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting control information in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes configuring downlink control information including a plurality of information fields according to a format of scheduling for transmission of a single codeword in a spatial multiplexing mode, wherein the plurality of information fields include a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) confirmation filed for indicating whether precoding is performed on downlink data by using a PMI reported by a user equipment and a transmitted precoding matrix indicator (TPMI) information field for indicating a codebook index, and at least one of the PMI confirmation field and the TPMI information field indicates an offset value of power for the downlink data transmission or interference information for the downlink data transmission, and transmitting the downlink control information. |
| US08625702B2 |
Transmitting apparatus, transmission method, receiving apparatus, and receiving method
A transmitting apparatus and method transmits different modulated signals from a plurality of antennas, and employs a configuration that includes a modulation section that obtains a modulated signal by performing signal point mapping of transmit bits using a signal point arrangement that is divided into a plurality of signal point sets on the IQ plane, whereby the minimum distance between signal points within a signal point set is smaller than the minimum signal point distance between signal point sets; and an antenna that transmits a modulated signal obtained by the modulation section. A signal point generating apparatus generates a first and second symbols to be transmitted by first and second antennas, respectively. |
| US08625698B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient feedback in a wireless communication system supporting multiple antenna
A method and apparatus for transmitting effective channel status information (CSI) in a wireless communication system supporting multiple carriers are disclosed. A method for transmitting CSI of downlink (DL) transmission via uplink in a wireless communication system includes transmitting a rank indicator (RI) at a first subframe, and transmitting a first precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a second PMI, and a wideband (WB) channel quality indicator (CQI) at a second subframe. user equipment (UE) preferred precoding matrix is indicated by a combination of the first PMI and the second PMI. A subsampled codebook for each precoding codebook of ranks from Rank-1 to Rank-4 is applied to the first PMI and the second PMI, and a sum of the first PMI and the second PMI for each of Rank-1 to Rank-4 is comprised of 4 bits. |
| US08625690B2 |
Systems and methods for wireless communication in sub gigahertz bands
Systems, methods, and devices for wireless communication. In one aspect, an apparatus for wireless communication is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a wireless signal comprising a packet. At least a portion of the wireless signal is configured to be received over a bandwidth lower than or equal to 1.25 MHz. The packet is formed from at least one orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol comprising thirty-two tones. The thirty-two tones correspond to frequency subcarriers within the bandwidth. The thirty-two tones of the at least one OFDM symbol are allocated as: twenty-four data tones, two pilot tones, five guard tones, and one direct current (DC) tone. The apparatus includes a processor configured to evaluate the wireless signal. The processor includes a transform module configured to convert the at least one OFDM symbol into a frequency domain signal using a thirty-two point mode. |
| US08625689B2 |
Time-domain link adaptation
Embodiments of the invention provide time-domain link adaptation in power line communications. In one embodiment, the cyclic prefix length and position is adjusted with an OFDM symbol to overlap a periodic impulse noise pulse, thereby allowing the data carried in the symbol to be detected at a receiver. The cyclic prefix may be adjusted to provide a pattern that yields an integer number of OFDM symbols in one zero crossing period. The data rate used for the symbols overlapping the zero-crossing period may be zero or very low. A high data rate may be used for symbols outside the zero-crossing period because those symbols will not be affected by the periodic impulse noise. |
| US08625687B2 |
Ultra-wideband receiver
A receiver for receiving a signal that is representative of a plurality of sub-carriers modulated in dependence on transmit data, the receiver being arranged to determine a plurality of candidate vectors in dependence on the received signal, each of the candidate vectors being indicative of a modulation applied to a respective one of the sub-carriers, the receiver being further arranged to determine that the received signal incorporates a predetermined level of interference in respect of one or more of the sub-carriers and adjust one or more of the candidate vectors in dependence on that determination and determine the transmit data in dependence on the one or more adjusted candidate vectors, the receiver being arranged to adjust the one or more candidate vectors so as to reduce an influence that the candidate vectors indicative of the one or more sub-carriers would otherwise have had on the determination of the transmit data. |
| US08625681B2 |
Rate-distortion cost reducing video encoding techniques
Techniques are described that can be used to determine parameters of an adaptive Wiener filter to apply to a video region. The following parameters of the Wiener filter may be adjusted: coefficients, coefficient quantization, filter type, filter size, prediction mode, entropy encoding, and number of filter tables. The parameters associated with the lowest rate distortion cost of the encoder are selected for transmission with the encoded video. If not using adaptive Wiener filtering results in a lowest rate distortion cost, then adaptive Wiener filtering is not used for the video region. If using adaptive Wiener filtering results in a lowest rate distortion cost, then the parameters applied by the adaptive Wiener filtering that result in the lowest rate distortion cost are communicated with the filtered video region. |
| US08625680B2 |
Bitstream-controlled post-processing filtering
Techniques and tools for bitstream-controlled filtering are described. For example, a video encoder puts control information into a bitstream for encoded video. A video decoder decodes the encoded video and, according to the control information, performs post-processing filtering on the decoded video with a de-ringing and/or de-blocking filter. Typically, a content author specifies the control information to the encoder. The control information itself is post-processing filter levels, filter selections, and/or some other type of information. In the bitstream, the control information is specified for a sequence, scene, frame, region within a frame, or at some other syntax level. |
| US08625678B2 |
Method for scalable video coding on a plurality of space resolution levels
A method for estimating motion for the scalable video coding, includes the step of estimating the motion field of a sequence of photograms which can be represented with a plurality of space resolution levels including computing the motion field for the minimum resolution level and, until the maximum resolution level is reached, repeating the steps of: rising by one resolution level; extracting the photograms for such resolution level; and computing the motion field for such resolution level. The motion field is computed through an optical flow equation which contains, for every higher level than the minimum resolution level, a regularization factor between levels which points out the difference between the solution for the considered level and the solution for the immediately lower resolution level. A more or less high value of the regularization factor implies more or less relevant changes of the component at the considered resolution during the following process iterations. |
| US08625677B2 |
Apparatus processing video stream
An apparatus processing a video stream includes a CPU, a memory access controller reading stream data from an external memory, a buffer storing the stream data, and a hardware accelerator decoding the stream data. The hardware accelerator includes a plurality of decoders decoding the stream data in accordance with one of a plurality of different video coding standards. |
| US08625667B2 |
Method of opportunity-based transmission of wireless video
A method is provided to efficiently transport video signals on a wireless network when resources are scarce. In an embodiment, a user's mobile terminal codes the video in multiple layers. If resources are scarce, the mobile terminal reduces current bandwidth requirements by streaming a subset, i.e., one or more of the lower coded video layers only. This streamed video can be viewed by peers and saved on a server. Meanwhile, the higher layers that were not sent are saved on the mobile device. When network resources eventually become available, the saved higher layers only are sent to the destination server that saved the lower layers. The entire video can then be reconstructed on the destination server. |
| US08625663B2 |
Home-video digital-master package
A method for determining digital video data includes receiving digital data comprising a plurality of digital images, wherein each digital image is encoded in a first color space, determining a plurality of color-graded digital images in response to the plurality of digital images and in response to color grading input data, wherein each color-graded digital image is encoded in a second color space, and wherein the second color space is associated with HD video, encoding each color-graded image with a compression encoding substantially independent of integer pixel translation of the plurality of color-graded digital images to form encoded image data package, storing the encoded image data package in a tangible media, and determining the digital video data for a video display device in a remote server in response to the encoded image data package. |
| US08625658B2 |
Digital repeater having bandpass filtering, adaptive pre-equalization and suppression of natural oscillation
Repeaters, event those having digital processing, exist. The significant drawback of these digital repeaters is that the computational complexity or the processing speed has to be very high in order to guarantee, particularly when compensating for echo, that the necessary delay does not excessively impair the performance. The aim of the invention is to provide a structure of the repeater in which the computational complexity is reduced without this reduction having a negative effect on the performance during signal filtering and/or suppression of natural oscillation. To this end, the invention provides that in order to carry out bandpass filtering, adaptive pre-equalization and suppression of the natural oscillation, the components of the repeater in the uplink branch and downlink branch are arranged in a designated sequence, whereby duplex filters are used for coupling both repeater branches to the antennas. In addition, only one reconfiguration in the modules at the user is necessary in order to adapt to user-specific requirements. The invention is used in the field of digital repeaters for data systems technology and telecommunications technology. |
| US08625656B2 |
Channel estimation for wireless communication
Techniques for deriving channel estimates with different channel estimation filters are described. In one scheme, a filter selection metric is determined for a signal to be recovered, a channel estimation filter is selected based on the filter selection metric, and a channel estimate is derived with the selected channel estimation filter. In another scheme, a first channel estimate is derived with a first channel estimation filter having a first filter response, a first signal is recovered with the first channel estimate, and interference due to the first signal is estimated and removed. A second channel estimate is derived with a second channel estimation filter having a second filter response that is different from the first filter response. |
| US08625653B2 |
Method for managing the operation of a wireless apparatus configured to exchange information with a millimeter-wave communication device, and corresponding apparatus
A wireless apparatus includes a millimeter-wave communication interface configured to exchange information within a millimeter-wave communication network, an UWB communication interface and circuitry configured to activate the UWB interface for communicating location indication to the communication network according to an UWB communication standard. The location indication is intended for locating the wireless apparatus within the network. |
| US08625642B2 |
Method and apparatus of network artifact indentification and extraction
A method, system, and apparatus of network artifact identification and extraction are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes aggregating a payload data (e.g., may be a component of the extracted artifact) from different network packets to form an aggregated payload data, matching the payload data with an entry of a library of known artifacts, determining a type of the payload data based on a match with the entry of the library of known artifacts, separating the payload data from a header data in a network packet, and communicating the aggregated payload data as an extracted artifact to a user. The method may include using the extracted artifact to perform network visibility analysis of users on packets flowing across the network. The method may validate that the entry is accurate by performing a deeper analysis of the payload data with the entry of the library of known artifacts. |
| US08625639B2 |
Information processing apparatus and signal transmission method
An information processing apparatus is provided which includes a signal multiplexing unit for multiplexing a plurality of transmission signals, each in a different frequency band and not containing a DC component, and a power signal supplied from a DC power supply and generating a multiplexed signal, a single signal cable through which the multiplexed signal generated by the signal multiplexing unit is transmitted, and a signal separating unit for separating the multiplexed signal transmitted through the signal cable into signals, each in a frequency band of one of the plurality of transmission signals, and a signal in a frequency band of the power signal. |
| US08625636B2 |
Checked write operation dispersed storage network frame
A method begins by a processing module generating a payload of a dispersed storage network frame by generating a transaction number field including a transaction number and generating one or more slice payload sections, wherein each slice payload section includes a slice name field to include a slice name corresponding to an encoded data slice, a last known slice revision numbering field including a last known revision number of the slice name, a new slice revision numbering field including a new revision number of the slice name, a slice length field including a length of the encoded data slice, and a slice payload field including the encoded data slice. The method continues with the processing module generating a protocol header including a payload length field and remaining fields of the protocol header. |
| US08625628B2 |
Method and gateway for transmission of router advertisement
Methods and Gateways (GWs) are provided for efficiently sending a router advertisement message to a User Equipment (UE). The GW comprises an interface, a processor, and an instructions repository that stores instructions that when executed by the processor cause the later to determine the UE is in idle mode, and responsive thereto, to delay a transmission of the router advertisement message to the UE until the UE transitions from the idle mode to an active mode. This is achieved by delaying a paging of the UE. In another embodiment, a method and GW is provided. The GW's processor detects a router advertisement message needs to be sent to the UE, determines the UE is in idle mode and delays a paging of the UE until detecting the UE transitions from the idle mode into an active mode, when the router advertisement message is sent to the UE. |
| US08625627B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling data transmission
An interface for controlling the transmission of data between integrated circuit (IC) chips. The interface comprises a data bus for transmitting data from a first integrated circuit chip to a second integrated circuit chip, and a control bus for transmitting control signals between the first and second integrated circuits. The first IC has a memory for receiving data for transmission to the second IC, and the second IC has a scheduler and a data output port, the scheduler being arranged to control the transfer of data from the memory of the first IC to the data output port of the second IC via the data bus. The interface is capable of stopping and reinitiating data transmission on detection of errors in transmitted data, and the interface may include a code transfer bus for transferring error detection code separately from associated data. |
| US08625626B2 |
Sharing a transmission control protocol port by a plurality of applications
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for sharing a transmission control protocol (TCP) port by a plurality of applications are provided. Embodiments include receiving, by a transmission controller from a client, a first TCP packet that includes an indication of a new TCP connection for a TCP port; determining, by the transmission controller, an origination of the first TCP packet; identifying, by the transmission controller, a TCP sequence number range associated with the determined origination; selecting, by the transmission controller, an initial sequence number (ISN) within the identified TCP sequence number range; and sending, by the transmission controller to the client, a second TCP packet that includes the selected ISN. |
| US08625625B2 |
High data rate interface apparatus and method
A data interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range “serial” type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices. |
| US08625621B2 |
Method to support flexible data transport on serial protocols
A serial buffer transports packets through queues capable of operating in a packet mode or a raw data mode. In packet mode, entire packets are stored in a queue. In raw data mode, packet header/delimiter information is not stored in the queue (only packet data is stored). Packets can be transferred out of a queue in response to a slave read request. The serial buffer constructs a packet header in response to the slave read request, and retrieves a specified amount of packet data from the selected queue. The serial buffer also transfers out packets as a bus master when a water level exceeds a water mark within a queue. The serial buffer constructs packet headers for these bus master transfers, which may be performed in a flush mode or a non-flush mode (in packet mode), or in a flush mode (in raw data mode). |
| US08625620B2 |
Communication system and communication control method for requesting cancellation of registration as bad terminal
A communication system providing a multimedia service which enables requesting a communication network to cancel a registration for a calling terminal as a bad terminal in the communication network. Typically, the calling terminal is connected to a calling-side communication network; and if the calling terminal is registered as a bad terminal in a called-side communication network, the calling-side communication network requests the called-side communication network to cancel the registration. The calling terminal may be informed that reception of a communication in the communication system has been restricted. |
| US08625613B2 |
Cable modem and priority setting method thereof
A cable modem and a priority setting method thereof receive signaling packets from telephone interfaces and local area network (LAN) interfaces, and preset the signaling packets from telephone interfaces as VoIP packets with a first priority and the signaling packets from the LAN interfaces as LAN packets with a second priority. The cable modem and the priority setting method pick out RTP packets from the VoIP and LAN packets, and classify the RTP packets as VoIP RTP packets and LAN RTP packets. The cable modem and the priority setting method determine whether all of the IP phones are on-hook, and update the LAN RTP packets from the second priority to the first priority in response to all of the IP phones being on-hook. The cable modem and the priority setting method allocate bandwidths for the signaling packets corresponding to the first priority and the second priority. |
| US08625611B2 |
Scalable reconfigurable router
A multi-path router includes an interface module (IM) having a time-sensitive logical processing path and a non-time-sensitive logical processing path and a special needs logical processing path and a filter for receiving a packet header and determining the needs of the packet header and for selecting one of: the time-sensitive logical processing path, the non-time sensitive logical processing path and the special needs logical processing path in response to the needs of the packet header. The multi-path router further includes a router special needs agent (RSNA), adapted to receive a packet header having special needs services. The multi-path router can be used in a network which includes first and second networks coupled to the multi-path router and wherein the RSNA receives information from the special needs logical processing path and provides information to the IM on a return path. |
| US08625610B2 |
System and method for improving spoke to spoke communication in a computer network
Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems for improved efficiency in spoke-to-spoke network communication. Embodiments provide systems and methods for registering a spoke with a hub, updating at least one database with spoke registration information at the hub, and advertising the spoke registration information to other spokes using a single control plane that includes transport security, peer discovery, and unicast routing information. |
| US08625608B2 |
Adaptive rate control in a communications system
The invention relates to a method for controlling a bit-rate of a session in a packet-switched communications system where multiple sessions are set-up via a shared resource. A current bit-rate of the session is compared to a bit-rate range valid for the session to determine a distance from the position of the current bit-rate to one of the end-points of the bit-rate range. The current bit-rate is then adapted differently depending on the distance to the selected end-point. By controlling the bit-rate of each session that is set-up via the shared resource for applications that provide delay-sensitive services to users in this way the method and corresponding system and sender-receiver arrangements have the effect that rate adaptations can be distributed among the applications so that users share responsibility for rate adaptations. |