| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08997260B2 |
Integrated microscope and related methods and devices
An embodiment includes an integrated microscope including scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with optical microscopy hardware, and other embodiments include related methods and devices. |
| US08997258B2 |
Microscope probe and method for use of same
A microscope probe includes a substrate; an optical resonator disposed on the substrate and including an optical resonance property; a displacement member disposed on the substrate and separated from the optical resonator, the displacement member including: a first end disposed distal to the optical resonator; and a second end disposed proximate to the optical resonator; and a coupling member disposed on the substrate and connecting the displacement member to the substrate, wherein the first end is configured to probe a sample and to be displaced in response to a condition of the sample, the displacement member is configured to communicate displacement of the first end to the second end, and the second end is configured to change the optical resonance property in response to displacement of the second end. |
| US08997255B2 |
Verifying data integrity in a data storage device
A data storage device may include one or more pages, each page having a fixed number of memory cells, each memory cell being adapted to store one unit of data; a verification page, the verification page having a corresponding fixed number of verification cells, each verification cell storing a predetermined value; and a controller configured to 1) receive a read command having an address value, and 2) upon receiving the read command, a) retrieve a predetermined value from a verification cell corresponding to the address value, b) determine whether the retrieved predetermined value is an expected value, and c) if so, providing a retrieved unit of data, and if not, initiating a protective action. Determining whether the retrieved predetermined value is the expected value may include applying a function to the address value to obtain a result and determining whether the result corresponds to the retrieved predetermined value. |
| US08997254B2 |
Systems and methods for fast startup streaming of encrypted multimedia content
Methods and systems to allow for the streaming of media from a file server to a client, where the streaming occurs concurrently with the execution of an information security protocol. The security protocol allows the client to securely receive one or more keys that allow the client to access the media. This permits a user to access the media sooner than would otherwise be possible, while allowing timely performance of security related processing. |
| US08997252B2 |
Downloadable security based on certificate status
A conditional access system (CAS) computer in a downloadable CAS receives a downloadable management certificate (DMC) and determines, using the DMC, security information including a DMC key size and an expiration time of a DMC subordinate certificate authority (sub-CA) certificate, for the client device. The CAS computer then determines whether the DMC is valid based on the expiration time of the DMC sub-CA certificate. If the DMC is determined to be valid, the CAS server sends a cryptographic identity for the client device and a CAS client to the client device protected using the DMC. At a later time, if the DMC key size is considered to be still sufficiently secure, the validity of the DMC is extended by issuing a new DMC sub-CA certificate with the same public key as the original DMC sub-CA certificate. |
| US08997244B2 |
Automatic software audit system and associated method
An automatic software audit system includes a client and a server. The client includes a network interface, a software installation record database, a software audit rule database, a software release database and a central processing unit (CPU). The network interface is coupled to the client. The software installation record databases stores a software installation record of the client. The software audit rule database stores a software audit rule. The software release database stores a software release record of the client. The CPU installs an agent program to the client to collect the software installation record, and generates a software audit result of the client according to the software installation record, the software audio rule and the software release record. |
| US08997243B2 |
Temporal proximity to verify physical proximity
A security system assesses the response time to requests for information to determine whether the responding system is in physical proximity to the requesting system. Generally, physical proximity corresponds to temporal proximity. If the response time indicates a substantial or abnormal lag between request and response, the system assumes that the lag is caused by the request and response having to travel a substantial or abnormal physical distance, or caused by the request being processed to generate a response, rather than being answered by an existing response in the physical possession of a user. If a substantial or abnormal lag is detected, for example due to the fact that the information was downloaded from the Internet, the system is configured to limit subsequent access to protected material by the current user, and/or to notify security personnel of the abnormal response lag. |
| US08997242B2 |
Methods and apparatus for software license management
Systems and techniques for managing software licensing are described. When a computing system service request is made, the request is intercepted and software information that may be more or less continuously updated in a managed computing environment is examined to determine the effect of the service request on software usage by the system. The software usage represented by the service request is evaluated based on licensing information to determine license usage by the system and changes in license usage based on the service request, and license usage information is determined based on the software usage and the licensing information. The license usage information may be used in connection with a system of rules to govern actions such as reporting licensing usage or allowing or preventing the use of software based on whether use of the software will violate licensing requirements. |
| US08997241B2 |
Secure information handling system matrix bar code
An information handling system analyzes secondary information captured with an image of a two-dimensional barcode to perform a function. For example, a mobile phone camera captures an image of a QR code at a product plus characters printed next to the QR code, uses optical code recognition to determine the characters, and applies information from the QR code and the characters to register the product. As another example, a security indicator is captured with an image of the QR code and applied to access information of the QR code, such as by using GPS position information, local network information, or telephone number information to encrypt and/or decrypt information stored in the QR code. |
| US08997239B2 |
Detecting code injections through cryptographic methods
Code injection is detected based on code digests associated with hashes of selected portions of content supplied to clients by a server. A client receives the content and generates a corresponding code digest, and based upon a comparison with the code digest received from the server, determines if the received content has been corrupted. The code digest can be signed or supplied with a digital certification for verification that the code digest originated from the server providing the content. |
| US08997224B1 |
Explosive network attack and mitigation strategies
Described is a system for explosive network attack and mitigation analysis. A network structure is received as input. A network attack method that applies an Achlioptas process is selected. Then, an explosive mitigation strategy is selected. An attack-mitigation competing process is simulated for the network structure. A sequence of network structures under competing processes is generated. The effectiveness of the selected explosive mitigation strategy against the selected network attack method is quantified by analyzing the sequence of network structures under competing processes. |
| US08997219B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting malicious PDF network content
Systems and methods for detecting malicious PDF network content are provided herein. According to some embodiments, the methods may include at least the steps of examining received PDF network content to determine if one or more suspicious characteristics indicative of malicious network content are included in the PDF network content, providing PDF network content determined to include at least one suspicious characteristic to one or more virtual machines, and analyzing responses received from the one or more virtual machines to verify the inclusion of malicious network content in the PDF network content determined to include at least one suspicious characteristic. |
| US08997212B2 |
Image forming apparatus to execute user authentication and method of executing user authentication in image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus to execute user authentication includes an input unit through which user information is input, and an account management unit to manage an account information database. The account information database stores user information corresponding to functions of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a user authentication unit to execute user authentication based on the user information input through the input unit by using the account information database, and a display unit to display a user interface where a function corresponding to the input user information is activated, in response to a result of the authentication. |
| US08997211B2 |
Display apparatus, authentication method, and program
A display apparatus includes an input section that inputs input information representing an input operation from an operation means contacting a touch screen, a display section that refers to an authentication table correlating the input operation with a display image so as to display the display image on the touch screen, and an authentication processing section that refers to the authentication table so as to determine whether or not a combination of a display image displayed on the touch screen and an input operation represented by the input information input by the input section in a state where the display image is being displayed is correlated in the authentication table, and authenticates an input action by the input operation when the combination is correlated in the authentication table. |
| US08997208B2 |
Gateway device for terminating a large volume of VPN connections
A VPN gateway device is able to assign, manage, and terminate a large volume of connections from apps executing on devices, enabling a large scale per-app VPN mobile environment. When a mobile device user opens an app on a mobile device, a VPN gateway transmits a unique IP address to the app. The gateway also transmits an app federation cookie to the app. The app shares the app federation cookie with a second app. The VPN gateway then assigns the second app the same unique IP address. The gateway then transmits a range of ports to the first app. The app uses a port in the range of ports for data transmission from the device to the VPN gateway. The gateway receives a data transmission from the first app via a VPN and determines that the data transmission originated from the first app based on the source port. |
| US08997207B2 |
Modular secure data transfer
A method and system that modularizes a message by separating the message definition data from the message data. The message definition data and message data are transmitted over a secure channel to a target computing device. The message definition data and message data are recombined to form the original message at the target computer using a process corresponding to the modularization process. A key is used to track the associated definitions and message data and determine the corresponding combination process. Separate transmission of the data definitions and message data provides an added level of security. If message data is intercepted and decrypted by a third party, then the data is not easily utilized, because the definition data is absent. Similarly, interception of the message definition is not useful without the message data. |
| US08997204B2 |
Efficient modification of packet filters in a wireless communication network
Techniques for modifying packet filters in a wireless communication network are described. In one scheme, packet filters may be performed with multiple operations, if needed. The operation(s) to be performed and the order of performing the operation(s) may be dependent on the number of existing packet filters to be replaced (N) and the number of new packet filters (M). If N=M, then N packet filters in a traffic filter template may be replaced with a single operation. If N>M, then M packet filters in the traffic filter template may be replaced first, and N−M packet filters may be deleted from the traffic filter template next. If N |
| US08997199B2 |
Token-based security for links to media streams
Systems and methods of token-based protection for links to media streams are disclosed. For example, a computing device may generate a first token based on a private key and an encryption algorithm. The first token may be inserted into a link to a media stream. When the link is selected at a client device, a media request including the first token may be sent to a server. The server may generate a second token based on the private key and the encryption algorithm. The server may grant or deny the media request based on a comparison of the first token and the second token. |
| US08997196B2 |
Flexible end-point compliance and strong authentication for distributed hybrid enterprises
Systems, methods and apparatus for accessing at least one resource hosted by at least one server of a cloud service provider. In some embodiments, a client computer sends authentication information associated with a user of the client computer and a statement of health regarding the client computer to an access control gateway deployed in an enterprise's managed network. The access control gateway authenticates the user and determines whether the user is authorized to access the at least one resource hosted in the cloud. If the user authentication and authorization succeeds, the access control gateway requests a security token from a security token service trusted by an access control component in the cloud and forwards the security token to the client computer. The client computer sends the security token to the access component in the cloud to access the at least one resource from the at least one server. |
| US08997191B1 |
Gradual template generation
Embodiments of the invention relate to collecting keystroke timing data of samples of a phrase input by a user on an input device during different user sessions, and creating a biometric user template based on the timing data collected during the different sessions. Once a sufficient number of samples are collected, the template may be used to authenticate the user. |
| US08997190B2 |
Using metadata in security tokens to prevent coordinated gaming in a reputation system
To prevent gaming of a reputation system, a security token is generated for a security module using metadata about the client observed during the registration of the security module. The registration server selects metadata for use in generating the security token. The generated security token is provided to identify the client in later transactions. A security server may conduct a transaction with the client and observe metadata about the client during the transaction. The security server also extracts metadata from the security token. The security server correlates the observed metadata during the transaction with the extracted metadata from the security token. Based on the result of the correlation, a security policy is applied. As a result, the metadata in the security token enables stateless verification of the client. |
| US08997185B2 |
Encryption sentinel system and method
An encryption sentinel system and method protects sensitive data stored on a storage device and includes sentinel software that runs on a client machine, sentinel software that runs on a server machine, and a data storage device. When a client machine requests sensitive data from the data storage device, the data storage device interrogates the sentinel software on the server machine to determine if this client machine has previously been deemed to have proper encryption procedures and authentication. If the sentinel server software has this information stored, it provides an approval or denial to the storage device that releases the data if appropriate. If the sentinel server software does not have this information at hand or the previous information is too old, the sentinel server interrogates the sentinel software that resides on the client machine which scans the client machine and provides an encryption update to the sentinel server software, following which data will be released if appropriate. |
| US08997183B2 |
Outgoing email check system, check data providing apparatus, check data inspecting apparatus, and outgoing email check method
To allow inspecting whether a security check of a planned outgoing email is finished in an outgoing email check system, a check data providing apparatus 2 of an outgoing email check system 100 stores check information distributed from a check information management apparatus 1, appends check data generated based on the check information to a header of a checked planned outgoing email, and transmits the email to an email transmitting apparatus 9. A check data inspecting apparatus 3 stores the check information distributed from the check information management apparatus 1, inspects the check data extracted from the planned outgoing email received from the email transmitting apparatus 9 based on the check information, determines that the transmission is permitted when the check data of the planned outgoing email matches the check information, and determines that the transmission is rejected when the check data does not match the check information. The email transmitting apparatus 9 executes a transmission process only for the planned outgoing email for which the transmission is permitted. |
| US08997180B2 |
System and method for embedding first party widgets in third-party applications
Methods and systems provide embeddable user interface widgets to third-party applications so that the widgets can be securely embedded in, and securely used from within, the third-party applications. An embeddable widget may be authorized to access a first-party cloud storage system from a third-party application based on the cloud storage system authenticating a request received from the widget. The authentication may be based on an application identifier, an origin identifier, and/or one or more document identifiers received from the third-party application through the embedded widget. The disclosed methods and systems may significantly mitigate security concerns caused by embedding software in third-party sites, such as clickjacking. |
| US08997178B2 |
Method and system for securing a third party communication with a hosting web page
A method and system for securing hosting web pages from malicious third party modules. The method includes uploading a third party module to a hosting web page; validating a proxy API call received from the third party module, wherein the proxy API call includes at least a payload parameter provided by the third party module; generating an engine API call including at least the payload parameter; validating the engine API call; and executing the payload parameter if the engine API call is validated. |
| US08997177B2 |
Graphical encryption and display of codes and text
The present invention provides an image-based encryption and decryption technique where the user uses pre-chosen image categories to create an encryption/decryption key. The encryption key can be used to encrypt alphanumeric strings such as a confirmation code or other information. The user uses the decryption key, i.e., knowledge of the chosen image categories) to decrypt and recover the original message. For example, upon presentation of a grid of images, the user selects certain images contained therein that match the pre-chosen image categories to recover the original message. |
| US08997168B2 |
Video server apparatus and synchronization control method
According to one embodiment, a video server apparatus includes a memory, a recorder, a decoder, a controller, a synchronizer, a sync signal transmitter and a time manager. The synchronizer generates sync signals in frame unit. The sync signal transmitter distributes the sync signals generated by the synchronizer in frame unit, to the memory, the recorder, the decoder and the controller. Each of the memory, recorder, decoder and controller includes a time manager. The time manager manages the sync signals distributed. |
| US08997167B1 |
Live streaming video sharing system and related methods
A live streaming video sharing system. Implementations may include a video camera, portable computing device, video streaming server, database, application server, web server, and a portable computing device associated with a user operatively coupled together. The video camera sends a live stream of video data wirelessly to the portable computing device. The computing device associated with a user receives a live stream of video data from the web server, processes the live stream of video data, and generates a computer interface. The computer interface may include a public computer interface including a public channel and an invisible computer interface including an invisible shares channel associated with the user including an icon corresponding with one or more invisible shares, each invisible share corresponding with a live stream of video data and each invisible share not retrievable using a search form in the computer interface, the application server, and the database. |
| US08997166B2 |
Communication system, transmission apparatus, transmission method, reception apparatus and reception method
An AV system composed of an HD recorder and a display unit uses a communication interface of the HDMI. An HDMI source of the HD recorder transmits image data (image signal) in the form of differential signals to an HDMI sink of the display unit through three TMDS channels. The HDMI source inserts content identification information for the identification of the type of a content of image data to be transmitted into an AVI InfoFrame packet placed in a blanking period. A control section of the display unit controls operation of a display processing section which carries out a process for displaying for the image data based on the content identification information received by the HDMI sink and a display section for displaying an image. |
| US08997162B2 |
Resource allocation for video on demand
A video on demand system has a video server (200) for outputting video streams requested by users, via a core network (620) and access networks (630, 640, 650). A resource manager (600) determines occupation information concerning how much of the previously allocated capacity is occupied by previously authorized video streams is determined before authorizing transmitting a new requested video stream. By checking there is sufficient core network capacity, a risk of disrupting existing video streams or causing other problems by overloading the allocated capacity, is reduced or avoided. Thus less capacity in the core network is needed, and so costs of such capacity can be reduced and there is increased confidence that demand peaks will be handled more gracefully. By checking without obtaining occupation information from the core network, the system can be more independent of the core network, to reduce costs of a real time interface to the core network. |
| US08997155B2 |
Locally stored advertisements
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing supplemental content during a broadcast. The supplemental content is provided by the operation of a interactive application resident on a receiver. The interactive application is initiated through a trigger that is received during a otherwise standard broadcast. The trigger includes an interactive prompt that is to be displayed during a particular portion of the broadcast. The prompt including a means for enabling receipt of a user input. The user input may be a request for further information. |
| US08997154B2 |
Apparatus and method for obtaining media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to receive a request for media content from a set top box of an Internet Protocol Television System, perform a search of one or more storage devices associated with other set top boxes for the media content based at least in part on a user profile associated with the set top box where the other set top boxes are located remotely from the set top box, receive the media content, and adjust a format of the media content prior to delivery to the set top box based at least in part on the user profile. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08997153B2 |
EPG realignment
Arrangements detailed may cause a television channel received via the tuner to be recorded for a period of time to create a channel-specific file. The channel-specific file may include multiple television programs. User input that requests playback of a first television program of the plurality of television programs from the channel-specific file may be received. A front-end adjustment time period for playback of the first television program may be determined. A start time from which playback commences in the channel-specific file may be at least partially based on the front-end adjustment time period and a scheduled start time of the television program. |
| US08997149B1 |
Context-sensitive interactive television ticker
An in-context interactive television ticker is provided. The ticker is rendered on a display screen that also shows a television program, and presents ticker content that is in-context with subject matter of the television program. The ticker remains rendered and context-sensitive to the subject matter of the currently shown television program, whenever there is a change in the television program, such as when the subject matter of the current television program changes, when a commercial interruption occurs during the television program, or when the television channel is changed. The ticker is interactive in that the viewer can perform various interactive operations with the ticker, including interacting with the ticker to obtain additional information related to an in-context item presented by the ticker. |
| US08997148B2 |
Premium channel promotion system and method
The present invention is directed to a television schedule guide which includes a detector for determining whether a previously scrambled program is unscrambled. If a previously scrambled program is momentarily unscrambled due to promotional efforts by the program provider, the system will visually distinguish the program on the guide, and a viewer may tune to or record the program from the guide. The view may also subscribe to the program provider through the guide during the promotional period. |
| US08997142B2 |
Advertisement insertion decisions for set top box management of advertisements
Methods are disclosed for inserting local ad assets into a video transport stream at the set top box level. The media advertising platform of the present system works in conjunction with existing platforms, such as an advertising decision service and a media platform. The present system further includes a client resident on end user set top boxes. In general, the present system operates by pre-caching advertisements to a set top box or boxes within a household or elsewhere. Each set top box is also assigned to particular groups, based on characteristics of the user of that set top box. Group membership information is also sent to the set top box and stored. The present system sends the set top box a decision matrix based on group memberships to allow the set top box to select and insert an ad asset targeted to the specific set top box. |
| US08997139B2 |
Payment authentication and authorization non-web devices
The present disclosure involves a method of conducting a transaction. In one aspect, the method includes: displaying a media program on a media display device; indicating, while the media program is being displayed, an item associated with the media program is available for purchase; receiving authentication information of a prospective purchaser of the item; and completing a purchase of the item in response to the authentication information. In another aspect, the method includes: receiving, from a media display device, a user authentication request that contains user login credentials; granting the user authentication request in response to the user login credentials; and sending an authentication permission to the media display device; wherein the receiving and the sending are each performed such that the user login credentials and the authentication permission are sent through one or more intermediate hops without being inspected by any of the intermediate hops. |
| US08997138B2 |
Correlating online behavior with presumed viewing of television advertisements
A method implemented using a programmed hardware computer system comprises: in response to a request to deliver an advertisement received from a TVP or STB (or another entity for the STB), causing a television advertisement to be directed to the STB; storing indicia derived from that direction; and taking an action with respect to an online user interface device (such as a computer, game machine, or mobile phone) associated with the STB, which action is either (i) causing delivery to the online user interface device of an online advertisement targeted based on the presumed viewing of the television advertisement, or (ii) identifying a correlation between the presumed viewing of the television advertisement and subsequent online behavior conducted using the online user interface device that is or has been tracked. |
| US08997136B2 |
Apparatus and methods for packetized content delivery over a bandwidth-efficient network
Methods and apparatus for providing packetized content to users via a bandwidth-optimized network. In one embodiment, legacy and IPTV streams are carried over the same switched digital infrastructure, and freely intermixed without regard to their encoding or type. A user's selection for IPTV content is transmitted to an IP proxy (such as a gateway apparatus or a headend server), then on to the switched digital server which causes provision of the requested content back to the proxy for formatting. The formatted content is then delivered to the requesting IP-capable device. The entire carrier class program stream is therefore available as IP-encapsulated content to the IP capable devices (and as legacy content to legacy devices) without any significant modifications to the network infrastructure or bandwidth penalty. |
| US08997135B2 |
Program guide system for recording television programs
An interactive program guide system is provided. The system facilitates recording of programs selected from the program guide. The system handles the recording and viewing of pay programs, parentally-controlled programs, consecutive programs on different television channels, and programs with and without copy protection. Programs may be recorded using combination television videocassette recorder (TV/VCR) units. |
| US08997134B2 |
Controlling presentation flow based on content element feedback
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for selecting presentation content. Presentation content is displayed to an audience, the presentation content includes a plurality of content elements. One or more feedback inputs are received from the audience, each feedback input is associated with one of the content elements. A computer determines an alternative presentation content based on the received feedback inputs, and the alternative presentation content is displayed. |
| US08997128B2 |
Optical disc drive having a cable for connecting electric devices
An optical disc drive (ODD) including a tray having a spindle motor, an optical pickup unit, and a transfer motor, may have first and second flat cables. The first flat cable may be connected to the transfer motor, and the second flat cable may have a first terminal part connected to the first flat cable and a second terminal part connected to a circuit board. The circuit board may be arranged at the front of the tray. The second flat cable may include a plurality of signal lines covered by an insulator. One or more exposure parts may be formed in the second flat cable to expose at least one of the plurality of signal lines. An electric actuator of a locking unit may be connected to the one or more of the plurality of signal lines through the one or more exposure parts. |
| US08997127B2 |
Medium transporting unit and medium processing apparatus
A holding mechanism is operable to hold a top medium from a plurality of plate-shaped media accommodated in a stacker in a stacked manner. A transport arm supports the holding mechanism. When the lift mechanism lifts down the transport arm, one of a first elastic pressing force and a second elastic pressing force greater than the first elastic pressing force is selectively applied from the holding mechanism to an upper surface of the top medium. |
| US08997126B2 |
Computer-readable storage medium having information processing program stored therein, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system for conducting communication between information processing apparatuses and control of execution of predetermined processing based on the communication result
Object data that can be used in a predetermined application is previously stored in the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus makes communication with another unspecified information processing apparatus that is within a predetermined range. When object data that can be used in the predetermined application is received by the communication, an object based on the object data having been received is caused to appear in a virtual space, and when object data that can be used in the predetermined application is not received by the communication an object based on the previously stored object data is caused to appear in the virtual space. |
| US08997124B2 |
Method for updating data in a distributed data storage system
There is provided a method implemented in a data storage system including a plurality of storage nodes connected to each other via a communications network. At least one storage node of the plurality of storage nodes may store a first data item. The data item may be arranged to include a reference to a second data item stored in the data storage system. The method may include providing an identifier of the second data item. The method may also include providing status information about the first data item. The identifier may be used to update the first data item, for example based on the status information. The first data item may be stored at the at least one storage node. |
| US08997120B1 |
Lightweight communication channel for control of device driver components
In a data storage system, a fixture communication channel is created for communications between a fixture and another component, where the fixture is a component of a device driver that provides extended input/output functionality with respect to one or more storage devices. A handle identifies the fixture communication channel, and callbacks are registered with a driver handler and reference callback functions of the fixture. Fixture communication messages each include the handle and a message-specific operation code for an operation to be performed by the fixture, and each is conveyed by (1) issuing a fixture-control input/output control command to the handler that includes the handle and message-specific operation code, and (2) at the handler, using the handle and message-specific operation code to select a callback and invoke a corresponding callback function of the fixture. |
| US08997114B2 |
Language level support for shared virtual memory
Embodiments of the invention provide language support for CPU-GPU platforms. In one embodiment, code can be flexibly executed on both the CPU and GPU. CPU code can offload a kernel to the GPU. That kernel may in turn call preexisting libraries on the CPU, or make other calls into CPU functions. This allows an application to be built without requiring the entire call chain to be recompiled. Additionally, in one embodiment data may be shared seamlessly between CPU and GPU. This includes sharing objects that may have virtual functions. Embodiments thus ensure the right virtual function gets invoked on the CPU or the GPU if a virtual function is called by either the CPU or GPU. |
| US08997111B2 |
System and method for deterministic context switching in a real-time scheduler
A system and method deterministically switches context in a real-time scheduler to guarantee schedule periodicity. The method includes determining a time slice for each of the plurality of processes. The method includes determining a time slice switch duration between consecutive ones of the time slices. The method includes determining a starting point for each time slice. The method includes generating a schedule as a function of the time slices, the time slice switch durations, and the starting points of the time slices. The schedule includes an order for each of the time slices for a respective one of the plurality of processes. Each of the time slices and each of the time slice switch durations are required to run for their entire duration to guarantee a periodicity of the schedule. |
| US08997109B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing data stream distributed parallel processing service
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for managing a data stream distributed parallel processing service. The apparatus includes a service management unit, a Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring unit, and a scheduling unit. The service management unit registers a plurality of tasks constituting the data stream distributed parallel processing service. The QoS monitoring unit gathers information about the load of the plurality of tasks and information about the load of a plurality of nodes constituting a cluster which provides the data stream distributed parallel processing service. The scheduling unit arranges the plurality of tasks by distributing the plurality of tasks among the plurality of nodes based on the information about the load of the plurality of tasks and the information about the load of the plurality of nodes. |
| US08997105B2 |
Method for packet flow control using credit parameters with a plurality of limits
The present invention relates to a processor and a method for processing a data packet, the method including steps of decreasing a value of a first credit parameter when the data packet is admitted to a processor at least partly based on the value of the first credit parameter and a first limit of the first credit parameter, and increasing the value of the first credit parameter, in dependence on a data storage level in a buffer in which the data packet is stored before being admitted to the processor, the value of the first credit parameter not being increased, so as to become larger than a second limit of the first credit parameter, when the buffer is empty. |
| US08997103B2 |
N-way memory barrier operation coalescing
One embodiment sets forth a technique for N-way memory barrier operation coalescing. When a first memory barrier is received for a first thread group execution of subsequent memory operations for the first thread group are suspended until the first memory barrier is executed. Subsequent memory barriers for different thread groups may be coalesced with the first memory barrier to produce a coalesced memory barrier that represents memory barrier operations for multiple thread groups. When the coalesced memory barrier is being processed, execution of subsequent memory operations for the different thread groups is also suspended. However, memory operations for other thread groups that are not affected by the coalesced memory barrier may be executed. |
| US08997100B2 |
Systems and method for performing machine-implemented tasks of sending substitute keyword to advertisement supplier
A task management system may be configured to select and/or perform one or more tasks. The task management system may be configured to create weighted groups of tasks to be performed in response to various triggering conditions. The task management system may include a value generation module, which may be configured to generate values used to select tasks from two or more of the weighted groups of tasks. |
| US08997090B2 |
Installing an operating system in a host system
Method and system for installing an operating system (OS) in a host computer system. The method comprises: receiving user parameters required during OS installation in a pre-boot execution environment and generating an unattended installation pack; transferring the unattended installation pack to a baseboard management controller (BMC); sending a control command to the BMC to instruct the BMC to mount the installation pack as a universal serial bus (USB) key; and installing the OS in the host in response to receiving a reply from the BMC, wherein during the OS installation process, the unattended pack is obtained from the USB key so as to acquire the user parameters in the installation process. The method and system make it possible for the OS installation to use no external storage or network apparatus and thus the required resources are reduced in the OS installation for a host. |
| US08997081B1 |
Analytics for mobile applications
A tag delivery network is disclosed for delivering tags to collect analytics related to use of mobile applications. The tag delivery network may include multiple servers for communicating with mobile devices executing mobile applications. The mobile applications may be any mobile application that has been recompiled with, for example, a particular line of code and a static library. A recompiled mobile application may initiate a browser when executed by a mobile device. The tag delivery network may deliver a tag container to the browser. The tag container may load a bootstrap file which in turn may load one or more rule files and code files. These files may cause the mobile device to modify an appearance of the mobile application. The modification may be performed to carry out multivariate testing (e.g., A/B testing), content swapping, optimization of the mobile application, or personalization of the mobile application. |
| US08997075B2 |
System and method for dynamic class management
A system and method of dynamic class management includes starting a skeleton application by loading a main class of the skeleton application and executing the main class, detecting a request for a requested class made by a referencing class, loading a class file associated with the requested class from a local storage device when the class file is stored on the local storage device and the requested class is not loaded in memory of the virtual machine, loading the class file from a class storage unit when the class file is not stored on the local storage device and the requested class is not loaded in the memory of the virtual machine, updating an application class graph (ACG) to record a dependency of the referencing class on the requested class, and updating an object table when the request is associated with creation of an object of the requested class. |
| US08997074B1 |
Dynamic linking library (DLL) replacement in an embedded operating system environment
Techniques for replacing ROM-based (Read-Only Memory) DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) in a Windows CE type embedded operating system such that the target DLL is replaceable by the hook DLL, and the target DLL is callable by the hook DLL but not callable directly by any other applications after loading of the hook DLL. The techniques enable replacement irrespective whether the hook DLL and the target DLL have the same name and irrespective of which DLL is loaded first. The techniques change the file name of the target DLL in a list of loaded DLL modules by a trusted program that executes in the full kernel mode. |
| US08997069B2 |
API descriptions
API description techniques are described for consumption by dynamically-typed languages. In one or more implementations, machine-readable data is parsed to locate descriptions of one or more application programming interfaces (APIs). The descriptions of the one or more application programming interfaces are projected into an alternate form that is different than a form of the machine-readable data. |
| US08997068B1 |
Method and system for providing an implicit unknown value to user ENUM data constructs in an HDL system to model power shutoff in simulation
A method and system are provided for automatically creating an implicit literal value in a user defined enumerated data type by inserting an additional literal value, scanning the HDL design files for broken interdependencies or potential incompatibilities with the implicitly defined literal value, and modifying the HDL design files to be in accordance with the implicitly defined literal value while maintaining the semantics of the VHDL language reference model. |
| US08997067B2 |
Unified software build system
A computer-implemented method for generating one or more build system build files using a unified build system configuration file includes: receiving the unified build system configuration file in a computer system, the unified build system configuration file comprising at least one platform-independent build system configuration; generating, using the computer system, at least one platform-specific build system configuration from the at least one platform-independent build system configuration; selecting at least one template for the unified build system configuration file, the template selected from among templates corresponding to each of multiple platforms; generating the one or more build system build files for at least one of the multiple platforms using the platform-specific build system configuration and the selected template; and providing the generated one or more build system build files in response to the unified build system configuration file. |
| US08997058B2 |
Method for automatically generating a trace data set for a software system, a computer system, and a computer program product
The invention relates to a method, a computer system, and a computer program product for automatically generating a trace data set for a software system on a computer system. The method includes the step of providing a software system comprising a source code. Binary code is provided by compiling the source code by inserting a plurality of tracing instructions into the binary code. The tracing instructions initiate trace data generation during runtime of the software system. The method also includes modifying the binary code by replacing at least one tracing instruction of the plurality of tracing instructions with a neutral instruction. The modified binary code is run by activating trace data generation by re-replacing the neutral instruction with the at least one tracing instruction. The method further includes recording the trace data set. The recording step is initiated by the at least one tracing instruction. |
| US08997056B2 |
Directed graphs pertaining to read/write operations
A system comprises a processor and storage containing software executable by the processor. The storage also contains a trace log that contains information pertaining to read and write operations and, for each read and write operation, the information is indicative of a start time, a completion time, and a value targeted by the read or write operation, Based on the trace log, the software causes the processor to construct a directed graph comprising nodes as well as edges interconnecting at least some of the nodes, each node representing a read or write operation and determine whether the constructed directed graph has a cycle. At least one edge is at least one of a data edge representing a data precedence between operations and a time edge representing a time precedence between operations, and at least one edge is a hybrid edge representing both time and data precedence between operations. |
| US08997055B2 |
Context based code analysis
Embodiments provided a formalized set of intermediate analysis contexts that are relevant for analysis checks of target code. Such intermediate analysis context may include, but are not limited to, the development phase of targeted code, the type or state of the targeted code, a source manipulating the targeted code, a purpose for the targeted code, or other development or runtime requirements. Accordingly, embodiments dynamically identify a current analysis context under which targeted code is being developed and can then execute rules based on knowledge of what contexts the rule(s) may apply. More specifically, analysis rules can describe (e.g., via metadata) those context conditions under which a rule can run. Based on such description and the current context, those rules that have been configured to apply to such context conditions can be executed. |
| US08997051B2 |
Apparatus and method for decommissioning/recommissioning a component/program of a computer system
A program stored on a computer-readable medium for self-decommissioning at least a part of a program product is disclosed. The program may include a program code that defines a plurality of functions, a program code that includes a metric for each of the plurality of functions, wherein the metric includes at least a usage pattern and transactions relating to the metric, a program code configured to measure at least one metric, a program code defining a logic relating to the self-decommissioning of a component and/or program, a program code configured to determine decommissioning of the at least a part of the program product based on the logic, and a program code configured to self-decommission the at least a part of the program. |
| US08997050B2 |
TSQL debug breakpoint interoperability across heterogeneous projects
TSQL debug breakpoint interoperability across heterogeneous project systems within an IDE can be provided. A user can set a breakpoint in the user's SQL source code and the breakpoint can be triggered by the code within another project. Breakpoints can be set and triggered within SQL source code tiles that reside in one or more SQL Database projects. Binding of the application project being debugged with one or more SQL Database projects that reside within the IDE session can be automated, SQL artifacts not found in any of the SQL Database projects can be debugged. |
| US08997048B1 |
Method and apparatus for profiling a virtual machine
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for profiling a virtual machine on an embedded device. During operation, the system receives an operation-request at a system-level profiler from a virtual machine on an embedded device. The system then records the operation-request in a system-level log. Next, the system sends the operation-request to a native layer on the embedded device. Then, the system receives an operation-response associated with the operation-request from the native layer. The system then records the operation-response in the system-level log. Next, the system sends the operation-response to the virtual machine, thereby facilitating logging of interactions between the virtual machine and the native layer. Note that logging interactions between the virtual machine and the native layer facilitates emulation of the platform independent virtual machine on a second device. Furthermore, note that logging interactions between the virtual machine and the native layer can facilitate emulation of the platform independent virtual machine executing a specific application on a second device. |
| US08997044B2 |
Overriding system attributes and function returns in a software subsystem
An approach is provided in which a request is received from a software module to retrieve a value stored in a pre-defined location. Prior to retrieving the value, an override tank is checked for a corresponding override value. When the override tank includes an override value, the override value in the override tank is provided to the software module. When the override tank fails to include a corresponding override value, an actual value is retrieved from a pre-defined storage location and provided to the software module. In one embodiment, the override value is an override system attribute value. In another embodiment, the override value is an override function return value. |
| US08997042B2 |
Flexible and run-time-modifiable inclusion of functionality in computer code
The current application is directed to flexible and run-time-modifiable implementation of crosscutting functionalities, including code instrumentation, error logging, and other such crosscutting functionalities. These crosscutting functionalities generally violate, or run counter to, modern code-development strategies and programming-language features that seek to partition logic into hierarchically organized compartments and modules with related functionalities, attribute values, and other common features. One feature of the methods and systems for implementing crosscutting functionalities to which the current application is directed is an intelligent switch that can be controlled, at run time, to alter invocation and behavior of crosscutting-functionality implementations, including data-collection instrumentation, error logging, and other crosscutting-functionality implementations. |
| US08997037B2 |
User customizable queries to populate model diagrams
A method, computer program product, and system for visually modeling architectures or system designs are described. A method may comprise providing an architectural model having a plurality of elements of one or more types. The method may further comprise providing a platform for a user to develop a non-software code query relating to the elements of the model. The method may also comprise executing the developed query to extract one or more of the plurality of elements from the model. The method may additionally comprise populating a diagram with the extracted one or more of the plurality of elements. |
| US08997036B2 |
Using a web-based software oriented architecture method and system for integrating 3D design software programs
A Software Oriented Architecture (SOA)-based integration method for 3D design system comprising the following steps: 1) constructing an SOA integration development system platform comprising four structural layers: application layer, business layer, service layer and resource layer, 2) setting global model data server at the resource layer, and setting a design information integration platform at the business layer; 3) setting multiple pieces of third-party 3D model design system software at the resource layer, encapsulating them into WEB service, and setting the WEB service at the service layer, 4) setting database systems of the multiple pieces of third-party 3D model design system software at the resource layer, connecting the database systems to the global model data server, 5) setting an integration web portal at the application layer, the portal is integrated with sign-in links of the third-party 3D model design system software. A system for implementing the above method is also provided. |
| US08997035B2 |
Extensible template-based code generator builder
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for producing aspects of a generation model. These include a domain model having one or more elements, and templates defined for the elements. The generation model is used to compile a code generator, which can be used to generate code from an input conforming to the domain model. |
| US08997034B2 |
Emulation-based functional qualification
Techniques for emulation-based functional qualification are disclosed that use an emulation platform to replace simulation in mutation-based analysis. A method for functional qualification of an integrated circuit design includes receiving an integrated circuit design having one or more mutations. Emulation setup and activation simulation are performed in parallel to maximize computing resources. A prototype board can then be programed according to the integrated circuit design and a verification module. A set of test patterns and response generated by a simulation of the integrated circuit using the set of test patterns are stored in a memory of the prototyping board allowing enumeration of mutants to occur at in-circuit emulation speed. |
| US08997033B1 |
Techniques for generating a single configuration file for multiple partial reconfiguration regions
Techniques for compiling an integrated circuit (IC) design with a computer-aided design tool are provided. The IC design may include multiple dynamic configuration regions that may be updated during runtime without affecting other regions on the IC device. When an IC design is compiled for an IC device, dynamic configuration regions in the IC design are identified. The computer-aided design tool may generate a partial configuration file for each identified dynamic configuration region. Two or more partial reconfiguration files may be combined to obtain a single partial configuration file that may then be used to configure respective dynamic configuration regions on the IC device. |
| US08997032B2 |
Method for input/output design of chip
Method for input/output (IO) design of a chip, including: according to a signal IO pin sequence and associated driving parameters, sequentially placing a signal IO cell in the IO design associated with each of the signal IO pins; after a signal IO cell is placed, performing a simultaneous switching output (SSO) verification step according to physical layout parameters and locations of the signal IO cells placed in the IO design, so as to check whether an SSO specification is violated; if not violated, continuing to place a signal IO cell of a next signal IO pin; if violated, including a decoupling capacitor, an IO power cell and/or an IO ground cell in the IO design. |
| US08997029B1 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a field programmable gate array architecture with programmable clock skew
A skew generator unit includes a delay chain. The delay chain is coupled to a clock line that transmits a clock signal. The delay chain generates a skewed clock signal having a unit of delay from the clock signal. The skew generator unit also includes a selector. The selector is coupled to the delay chain and the clock line and may select one of the clock signal and the skewed clock signal. |
| US08997027B2 |
Methods for modifying an integrated circuit layout design
Methods for modifying a layout design of an integrated circuit using model-based retargeting are provided. In one embodiment, a method for modifying an integrated circuit layout design includes providing an initial integrated circuit layout design, correcting the initial layout design for etch-induced lithography errors to generate an etch-corrected layout design, and fragmenting the etch-corrected layout design to generate a fragmented layout design comprising a plurality of fragments. The method further includes performing a bridging condition simulation and a pinching condition simulation on the fragmented layout design and calculating a required movement for at least one fragment of the fragmented layout design based on the bridging condition simulation and the pinching condition simulation. Still further, the method includes modifying the fragmented layout design by moving the at least one fragment in accordance with the required movement to generate a modified layout design and performing optical proximity correction on the modified layout design. |
| US08997026B1 |
System and method for self alignment of pad mask
A system and method provide semiconductor fabrication mask creation techniques that align the device features patterned with a first core mask with one or more pad features patterned with a subsequent pad mask. Shapes representing the pad features may be included in the core mask by reducing on all sides, the shape of the pad feature in the core mask by the width of the spacer material. A pad mask then may be created to include a shape of the pad feature that may overlap a portion of the spacer material pattern created by the shape of the pad feature in the core mask. Data sets may be generated from a circuit design to create the masks that may be fabricated with the described techniques. |
| US08997023B2 |
Rapid manipulation of flowsheet configurations
A user initiated move action can be detected on a selected graphical object on a flowsheet within a rendered canvas of a graphical user interface. During the user initiated move action, based a predetermined threshold distance between the selected graphical object and the other graphical objects, candidate graphical objects are identified from the other graphical objects. Provided at least one candidate graphical object is identified, at least one proposed connection is visually presented between the selected graphical object and the candidate graphical object in a contrasting visual style to a style for established interconnections between the plurality of graphical objects within the rendered canvas. Upon the user confirming the proposed connection, a new established connection is visually presented in a canvas final state to replace the proposed connection using the style for established interconnections within the rendered canvas between the selected graphical object and the candidate graphical object. |
| US08997015B2 |
Portable terminal and control method therefor
When it is discriminated by an input-means determining unit 8 that an input to display unit is a first input by a pen, a function of an application 3 allocated in advance to an area on a screen of the application 3 specified by an input coordinate of first input means determined by an input-position determining unit 11 is executed on the basis of the first input. When it is discriminated that the input to the display unit is a second input by a finger, the execution of the function of the application 3 allocated in advance on the screen of the application 3 is prohibited and a predetermined function not allocated to the area on the screen of the application 3 is executed on the basis of the second input. |
| US08997012B2 |
Information processing device and information processing system
An acquisition unit acquires, via a communication unit, presence information including status information indicating the status of execution of an application from a separate information processing device. A status image generation unit refers to the status information and determines a display mode for presenting the status of execution of the application to a user. The status image generation unit determines a display mode of a mark to indicate whether the user can participate in a session of an application. |
| US08997003B2 |
System and method for customizing an interface related to accessing, manipulating and viewing internet and non-internet related information
A system and method are disclosed for accessing, generating, presenting and manipulating Internet and non-Internet related information, data and content, including information netcast over the Internet. The system is also capable of controlling operatively connected, privately networked devices. A number of graphical user interfaces are utilized to facilitate user access, manipulation and control of information, data and content and networked devices. Some of the graphical user interfaces are time and topic oriented, are customizable by the user, and allow for the manipulation of information, data, content and operatively connected networked devices from the graphical interfaces themselves. The system is preferably enhanced through the use of an intelligent, dynamically updated user profile that is fully integrated with the system. |
| US08996999B2 |
Mobile terminal determining whether to transmit display data according to privacy property, and controlling method thereof
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal includes a display unit configured to display at least one display data, a communication unit configured to exchange the at least one display data externally, and a controller configured to establish a data path to an external display device via the communication unit, to control the at least one display data displayed on the display unit to be transmitted to and to be displayed on the external display device via the data path, and to determine whether to transmit the at least one display data according to a privacy property, wherein the privacy property indicates whether a sharing restriction is set for each of the at least one display data. |
| US08996995B2 |
Method and apparatus for phrase replacement
An apparatus comprising a controller, wherein said controller is arranged to receive touch input identifying an original string; receive a multi-touch input gesture comprising a first and a second touch point in which a distance between a first touch point and a second touch point is changed and to replace said identified original string with a replacement string in response thereto. |
| US08996992B2 |
Image forming apparatus and information processing apparatus
An object of this invention is to return a file changed on an arbitrary application to the state before change and improve the convenience of a user in the restoring operation. This invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of executing an application, which includes a display image log recording unit that repeatedly captures a display image when the application is activated, a content log recording unit that stores a backup file before change every time the file loaded by the activated application is changed and saved, a log association unit that associates content log information with display image log information, a display image log selection unit that displays the captured display image, and an application activation unit that loads the backup file associated with the display image designated by a user and activates the application. |
| US08996991B2 |
System and method for displaying an acceptance status
A method of parsing a markup-language document includes detecting, in a markup-language document, a start of a first data node of a first node type and identifying a first data definition associated with the first node type. The first data definition specifies defined contents of the first node type. The method further includes adding a first entry associated with the first data node to a data structure and reading, from the markup-language document, contents of the first data node. The method also includes determining a status of the first data node based on the first data definition and the contents read from the first data node and indicating the status of the first data node on a graphical user interface. |
| US08996983B2 |
Device and a method for annotating content
A device and a method for annotating content is provided. The device may comprise a means to analyze the content (150) and generate a first output (205) based upon the analysis of the content, a means to generate an annotation request (230), a means to communicate (130), the means to communicate being adapted to distribute the annotation request to at least one other device and to receive an annotation result from the at least one other device and a means to combine (240) the first output and the annotation result to provide an improved output. By combining multiple independent results of content analysis algorithms from different devices, possibly based upon background different knowledge a higher quality result is provided for the annotation. |
| US08996974B2 |
Enhancing video presentation systems
A video system comprises a shared media accessor configured to access shared media. The shared media is configured to be displayed on a first display screen and a second display screen. A video accessor configured to access images from a first camera. A field of view of the first camera is oriented such that the first camera can capture the images comprising non-verbal communication of a user associated with the shared media. A video compositor configured to composite the images captured by the first camera and said shared media. The composited images are configured to be displayed on the second display screen. |
| US08996967B2 |
Rendering data write errors detectable
An embodiment of a data write path includes encoder and write circuits. The encoder circuit is configured to code data so as to render detectable a write error that occurs during a writing of the coded data to a storage medium, and the write circuit is configured to write the coded data to the storage medium. For example, such an embodiment may allow rendering detectable a write error that occurs while writing data to a bit-patterned storage medium. |
| US08996961B2 |
Error correction code rate management for nonvolatile memory
An apparatus having an interface and a circuit is shown. The interface is coupled to a memory that is nonvolatile. The circuit is configured to (i) read a plurality of codewords from a block in the memory based on a program/erase count associated with the block, (ii) count a number of iterations used to decode the codewords and (iii) decrease a code rate of an error correction coding used to program the block in response to the number of iterations exceeding a threshold. |
| US08996958B2 |
Method, device and computer program product for decoding a codeword
A method and apparatus for decoding a codeword received from a flash memory. The flash memory comprises multi-level flash memory cells, wherein each multi-level flash memory cell stores one symbol of the codeword. An ECC decoder is arranged for decoding the codeword into a decoded codeword and correcting a maximum number of errors. The method determines the number of errors in the codeword. If the number of errors is more than the maximum number of errors that the ECC decoder can correct, the method generates modified codewords, calculates a corrective effect of a modified codeword, and determines a decoded codeword based on the corrective effect. |
| US08996952B2 |
High-throughput iterative decoding's defect scan in retry mode of storage system channel
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to decoding signals produced within a storage device. A described technique includes retrieving a first codeword from a storage medium, decoding the first codeword, performing a retry process when the decoding was not successful, and retrieving one or more second codewords from the storage medium during the retry process to at least maintain a drive throughput. The retry process can include identifying one or more data chunks within the first codeword having potential defects, generating an erasure mask based on the one or more data chunks, applying, based on a window, one or more erasures within one or more different regions of the first codeword based on one or more corresponding regions of the erasure mask to produce one or more versions of the first codeword, and decoding the one or more versions of the first codeword. |
| US08996951B2 |
Error correction with non-volatile memory on an integrated circuit
A memory device includes but is not limited to a non-volatile memory array and control logic integrated with and distributed over the non-volatile memory array. The control logic can be operable to maintain a plurality of copies of data in the non-volatile memory array and detect errors by comparison of selected ones of the plurality of copies. |
| US08996945B2 |
Bulk data transfer
This disclosure relates to network data communication. Some embodiments include initiating a network connection between an original source and an ultimate destination, transmitting a block of data from the original source to the ultimate destination on the network, requesting retransmission of lost blocks from the ultimate destination to the source and retransmitting the lost blocks from source to the ultimate destination. These embodiments further include measuring round-trip time of a retransmit request, the round-trip time measured from a time of transmission of a retransmit request from the ultimate destination to a time of reception at the ultimate destination after retransmission from the original source and setting the round-trip time as a minimum retransmission request time for the network connection, wherein the round-trip time includes latencies of the network connection and in data processes at the original source and at the ultimate destination. |
| US08996936B2 |
Enhanced error correction in memory devices
A method of correcting stored data includes reading data stored in a portion of a nonvolatile memory. The method includes, for each particular bit position of the read data, updating a count of data error instances associated with the particular bit position in response to detecting that the read data differs from a corresponding reference value of the particular bit position. The reading of the first portion and the updating of the counts of data error instances are performed for a particular number of repetitions. The method includes identifying each bit position having an associated count of data error instances equal to the particular number of repetitions as a recurring error bit position. |
| US08996935B2 |
Memory operation of paired memory devices
A method and apparatus for operation of a memory module for storage of a data word is provided. The apparatus includes a memory module having a set of paired memory devices including a first memory device to store a first section of a data word and a second memory device to store a second section of the data word when used in failure free operation. The apparatus may further include a first logic module to perform a write operation by writing the first and second sections of the data word to both the first memory device and the second memory device upon the determination of certain types of failure. The determination may include that a failure exists in the word section storage of either the first or second memory devices but that no failures exist in equivalent locations of word section storage in the two memory devices. |
| US08996933B2 |
Memory management method, controller, and storage system
An identification code generation method and a management method for a non-volatile memory, and a controller and a storage system using the same are provided, and the non-volatile memory has a plurality of physical blocks. The identification code generation method includes testing the physical blocks to obtain an availability state of the physical blocks and identifying a plurality of good physical blocks or bad physical blocks among the physical blocks according to the availability state. The identification code generation method also includes generating a memory identification code corresponding to the non-volatile memory according to the good physical blocks or the bad physical blocks. Thereby, in the present invention, a unique memory identification code is generated and is prevented from being stolen. |
| US08996931B2 |
System and method to transmit data, in particular error data over a bus system
The invention relates to an electrical or electronic system, and more specifically, to a system with a bus, and a method to transmit data, in particular error data over a bus system. According to an embodiment, a method to transmit error data over a bus system that connects a plurality of modules/components/elements of an electronic system in a chain-like structure comprises in a first phase, transmitting information regarding what kinds of errors have occurred in the system, and in a second phase, transmitting information regarding where in the system an error has occurred. |
| US08996930B2 |
Error video creation, playback and reporting
A computer system records screenshots associated with a user session. In response to an error in a user application that has occurred during the user session, the computer system terminates the recording and creates a video file from the recorded screenshots. While notifying the user about the error, the computer system allows the user to select an option to play back the created video. In response to a user selection, the computer system plays back the video from a local store. |
| US08996929B2 |
Management system, computer system, and method of providing information
A management system includes a plurality of analyzers; and a computer system connected to the analyzers via a network, wherein each of the analyzers comprises: a data transmitter for transmitting data produced by the analyzer to the computer system via the network, and wherein the computer system includes a memory under control of a processor, the memory storing instructions enabling the processor to carry out operations, comprising: (a) receiving a plurality of data transmitted from the data transmitters of the plurality of analyzers; (b) generating an aggregate result used for determining a determination condition for making a determination as to whether or not a notification to a user of the analyzer is required based on the plurality of received data; and (c) outputting the aggregate result. A computer system and a method of providing information are also disclosed. |
| US08996923B2 |
Apparatus and method to obtain information regarding suppressed faults
A processor includes an execution unit, a fault mask coupled to the execution unit, and a suppress mask coupled to the execution unit. The fault mask is to store a first plurality of bit values to indicate which elements of a multi-element vector have an associated fault generated in response to execution of an instruction on the element in the execution unit. The suppress mask is to store a second plurality of bit values to indicate which of the elements are to have an associated fault suppressed. The processor also includes counter logic to increment a counter in response to an indication of a first fault associated with the first element and received from the fault mask, and an indication of a first suppression associated with the first element and received from the suppress mask. Other embodiments are described as claimed. |
| US08996920B2 |
Finite state machine method for test case generation and execution of communication protocols
The technology disclosed relates to implementing a novel architecture of a finite state machine (abbreviated FSM) that can be used for testing. In particular, it can be used for testing communications devices and communication protocol behaviors. |
| US08996917B1 |
Systems and methods for testing a central controller in a centrally managed network
Systems and methods are described herein for validating operation of a centrally managed network. A central controller is configured to manage a network, and an emulator configured to emulate one or more nodes in the network is connected to the central controller. The emulator determines a state value for one or more nodes in the network, and the state value represents whether the respective node is in error. The emulator receives a first plurality of policies including instructions for the nodes in the network, and whether the policies are consistent with one another is identified. |
| US08996915B2 |
Test data generation and scale up for database testing
Test data generation and scale up for database testing using unique common factor sequencing can include selecting a column of a table for which test data is needed and generating test data for the column that replicates cardinality characteristics of an existing production dataset and that includes a local predicate of a workload. |
| US08996907B2 |
Determining location of error detection data
Methods, devices, and systems for determining location of error detection data are described. One method for operating a memory unit having a bad group of memory cells includes determining a location of where to store error detection data for data to be stored across a plurality of memory units, including the memory unit having the bad group, based at least partially on a location of the bad group and storing the error detection data in the determined location. |
| US08996904B1 |
Maintaining clock synchronization between computing devices
In transferring data between a first computing device having a first clock generator component and a second computing device having a second clock generator component, timing information is generated by at least the first clock generator component and is shared over a communication channel with the second computing device to synchronize the first and second clock generator components. Upon detecting that power available to the first computing device has fallen below a designated threshold level, the first computing device enters a power loss mode. Upon entering the power loss mode, the first computing device selectively inactivates one or more designated components by a power module while continuing operation of at least the first clock generator component to maintain the synchronizing timing information associated with the second clock generator component. |
| US08996902B2 |
Modal workload scheduling in a heterogeneous multi-processor system on a chip
Various embodiments of methods and systems for mode-based reallocation of workloads in a portable computing device (“PCD”) that contains a heterogeneous, multi-processor system on a chip (“SoC”) are disclosed. Because individual processing components in a heterogeneous, multi-processor SoC may exhibit different performance capabilities or strengths, and because more than one of the processing components may be capable of processing a given block of code, mode-based reallocation systems and methodologies can be leveraged to optimize quality of service (“QoS”) by allocating workloads in real time, or near real time, to the processing components most capable of processing the block of code in a manner that meets the performance goals of an operational mode. Operational modes may be determined by the recognition of one or more mode-decision conditions in the PCD. |
| US08996901B2 |
Power management of electronic device with display
An electronic device, such as an e-book, for displaying information includes a power source; a display having a high power mode and a low power mode, said display being powered by said power source; and a power control arrangement for switching the display to a low power mode when no changes to selected regions of the display are required for at least a predetermined time. The power control arrangement switches said display from said low power mode to said high power mode when changes of said display are required in display portions other than said selected portions. A method for operating the electronic device. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions thereon for implementing the method. |
| US08996900B2 |
System and method for managing power consumption in data propagation environments
An example method includes communicating a first signal to a remote computer element, the first signal can be used to establish a link between the remote computer element and a local computer element. The method also includes evaluating whether the remote computer element is configured to support a low-power protocol in which low-power IDLE signals are exchanged between the local computer element and the remote computer element, the evaluating occurs using a link layer protocol. In detailed embodiments, the method includes negotiating a wake-up time for the remote computer element to shift from a low-power mode to an active mode. The method can also include evaluating buffer parameters to confirm the wake-up time for the remote computer element to shift to the active mode. In still other embodiments, the method can include delaying a data transmission on the link for at least the wake-up time that was negotiated. |
| US08996899B2 |
Independent power control of processing cores
Independent power control of two or more processing cores. More particularly, at least one embodiment of the invention pertains to a technique to place at least one processing core in a power state without coordinating with the power state of one or more other processing cores. |
| US08996897B2 |
Automatic backlight intensity adjustment in an embedded operating system environment
A method includes monitoring, through a battery driver component of a embedded operating system executing on a data processing system deriving power from a battery, a state of the battery. The method also includes modifying, through a backlight driver component of the embedded operating system, an intensity level of a backlight of one or more Input/Output (I/O) devices of the data processing system from a current level associated with a normal operation thereof to an intensity level lower than the current level when the battery is detected to be in a critical state to prolong a lifetime thereof. The critical state is associated with a remaining charge on the battery being below a threshold required to maintain the data processing system in a powered on state. |
| US08996892B1 |
Power smart peripheral devices with external power supplies
A peripheral device includes a host interface, a power interface, a switch, a control module, and a regulator. The host interface transfers data between the peripheral device and a host. The power interface receives power from a power source. The power source is separate from the peripheral device and the host. The control module monitors the host interface and generates a control signal to transition the switch from a first state to a second state when the host interface does not receive an expected signal from the host. The regulator powers the control module and a circuit of the peripheral device based on the power received from the power source. The control module is separate from the circuit. The switch activates the control module, the regulator and the circuit when in the first state and deactivates the control module, the regulator and the circuit when in the second state. |
| US08996889B2 |
Portable computing device with methodologies for client-side analytic data collection
A portable computing device with methodologies for client-side analytic data collection are described. In one embodiment, for example, a method performed by a portable computing device having volatile and non-volatile memory includes obtaining a plurality of events to be logged; serializing the events to be logged; storing the serialized events in the volatile memory; encrypting the serialized events to produce serialized and encrypted events; storing the serialized and encrypted events in the non-volatile memory; decrypting the serialized and encrypted events to produce serialized and decrypted events; storing the serialized and decrypted events in the volatile memory; compressing the serialized and decrypted events to produce compressed, serialized, and decrypted events; encrypting the compressed, serialized, and decrypted events to produce encrypted, compressed, and serialized events and storing the encrypted, compressed, and serialized events in the non-volatile memory. |
| US08996888B2 |
Mobile device using secure spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM)
A mobile device includes an application processor, an RF modem for connection to cellular networks, wireless device for connection to wireless networks, a display coupled to the application processor, audio devices coupled to the application processor, power management for providing power through a main battery; and charging the battery, a hybrid memory including a magnetic memory, the magnetic memory further including a parameter area configured to store parameters used to authenticate access to certain areas of the main memory, and a parameter memory that maintains a first area, used to store protected zone parameters, and a second area used to store authentication parameters, the protection zone parameters and the authentication parameters being associated with access to the certain areas in the main memory that requires authentication. Upon modification of any of the parameters stored in the parameter memory by a user, a corresponding location of the parameter area of the main memory is also modified. |
| US08996887B2 |
Log structured volume encryption for virtual machines
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a method for providing data. The method comprises receiving a first request from a first virtual machine (VM) to store data, obtaining the data and an access control list (ACL) of authorized users, obtaining a data key that has a data key identifier, encrypting the data key and the ACL using a wrapping key to generate a wrapped blob, encrypting the data, storing the wrapped blob and the encrypted data, and providing the data key identifier to users on the ACL. The method further comprises receiving a second request from a second VM to obtain a data snapshot, obtaining an unwrapped blob, obtaining the data key and the ACL from the unwrapped blob, authenticating a user associated with the second request, authorizing the user against the ACL, decrypting the data using the data key, and providing a snapshot of the data to the second VM. |
| US08996886B2 |
Encrypted biometric data management and retrieval
Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for managing and retrieving encrypted biometric data. A plurality of biometric entries is obtained and each one is encrypted with a unique non-invertible encryption function to get a plurality of encrypted biometric entries. A biometric measurement to be compared against the biometric entries is obtained, a predetermined noise is applied to the biometric measurement, and then the biometric measurement if encrypted using the non-invertible encryption function, resulting in a scrambled encrypted biometric. For each comparison, one of the encrypted biometric entries is subtracted from the scrambled encrypted biometric to get a calculated noise. This calculated noise is then compared with the predetermined noise to determine whether a match exists. Based on a determination that a match exists any information associated with the encrypted biometric entry is forwarded to the requestor. |
| US08996872B2 |
Contactless seed programming method and system thereof
The invention discloses a contactless seed programming method, belonging to information security field. In the method, a seed programming device obtains a token ID of a dynamic token, obtains corresponding first seed data according to the token ID, communicates with the dynamic token contactlessly, obtains first seed data from the dynamic token, decrypts the first seed data so as to obtain second seed data, encrypts the second seed data with the first data so as to obtain third seed data and sends the third seed data to the dynamic token; and the dynamic token decrypts the seed and updates seed stored in itself. By the invention, programming operation is simplified and programming efficiency is improved by communicating with the dynamic token contactlessly and security is ensured by transferring the encrypted seed during communication between the programming device and the token. |
| US08996870B2 |
Method for protecting a recorded multimedia content
A method for protecting recorded multimedia content and enabling the recorded multimedia content to be shared between recorders and readers of multimedia content connected to one another via a wide area information transmission network. |
| US08996866B2 |
Unobtrusive assurance of authentic user intent
Computer-executable instructions that are directed to the performance of consequential actions and automatically elevate to execute at a higher privilege level to do so can perform such consequential actions only after user notification. Doing so can enable monitoring processes to avoid presenting duplicative user notification upon detection of such auto-elevation. In addition, prior to presenting user notification, input from the execution environment can be ignored and access to DLLs for performing consequential actions can be avoided. A static analyzer can identify non-conforming computer-executable instructions. A wrapper can be utilized to provide compliance by otherwise unknown or non-conforming computer-executable instructions. |
| US08996865B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing computer security
A computer system includes memory storing an operating system. An agent executive runs within the operating system. The agent executive receives an agent identity token from a grid computer system. The agent identity token includes a unique cryptographic key assigned to the agent executive. The agent executive collects information about the computer system for an evaluation of integrity of the agent executive, according to a plurality of agent self-verification factors. The agent executive encrypts the collected information using the cryptographic key and transmits the encrypted information to the grid computer system. The agent executive retrieves an encrypted set of commands from the grid computer system, which are selected by the grid computer system in response to the transmitted information. The agent executive decrypts the encrypted set of commands and executes, at the computer system, each command in the set of commands. |
| US08996861B1 |
Secure communications system for mobile devices
A comprehensive solution for providing secure mobile communication is provided. The system includes techniques for authentication and control of communication end-points; chain of trust to ensure devices are certified as authentic; contact list management; peer-to-peer encrypted voice, email, and texting communication; and a technique for bypassing an IP PBX to ensure high levels of security. The system is able to support use of commodity mobile communication devices (e.g., smart phones, laptops) over public carrier networks. |
| US08996859B2 |
Authentication system, authentication method and computer readable medium
An authentication apparatus includes an accepting unit and an instructing unit. The accepting unit accepts a request, which requests to issue an authentication medium for a second user, from a first user who is authenticated. The instructing unit instructs to issue the authentication medium for the second user. |
| US08996846B2 |
System, method and computer program product for performing a scan operation
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for efficiently performing a scan operation. In use, an array of elements is traversed by utilizing a parallel processor architecture. Such parallel processor architecture includes a plurality of processors each capable of physically executing a predetermined number of threads in parallel. For efficiency purposes, the predetermined number of threads of at least one of the processors may be executed to perform a scan operation involving a number of the elements that is a function (e.g. multiple, etc.) of the predetermined number of threads. |
| US08996844B1 |
Apparatus and method for accessing non-overlapping portions of memory according to respective orders of dimensions
A system including a storage device and a controller. The storage device is configured to store a map. The map relates (i) a first portion of a memory to a first order of first dimensions, and (ii) a second portion of the memory to a second order of second dimensions. The first portion of the memory and the second portion of the memory are non-overlapping. Each of the first dimensions and each of the second dimensions has corresponding memory cells in the memory. The controller is configured to control access to the first portion of the memory according to the first order of first dimensions while controlling access to the second portion of the memory according to the second order of the second dimensions. |
| US08996843B2 |
Method for distributing random and sequential data in a tiered storage system
A method for assigning data in a plurality of physical storage resources for an information handling system is disclosed. The plurality of physical storage resources includes a first tier and a second tier with a lower performance and cost relative to capacity than the first tier. A tier manager hosted on the information handling system and in electronic communication with the plurality of physical storage resources is configured to: determine a seek distance value, operation rate, operation size value, and elapsed time value for each page; and calculate a relative randomness value for each page using the seek distance value, operation rate, operation size value, and elapsed time value determined for each page. A classification module may assign a physical location for each page such that the relative randomness value for each page in the first tier is greater than the relative randomness value for each page in the second tier. |
| US08996842B2 |
Memory stacks management
A method for managing a memory stack provides mapping a part of the memory stack to a span of fast memory and a part of the memory stack to a span of slow memory, wherein the fast memory provides access speed substantially higher than the access speed provided by the slow memory. |
| US08996841B2 |
Hypervolume data storage object and method of data storage
The present disclosure relates to a data storage device having a hypervolume accessible by a plurality of servers operating on two or more data storage systems, a first physical volume, associated with the hypervolume, located at a first data storage system, and a second physical volume, associated with the hypervolume, located at a second storage system. The hypervolume directs input/output (I/O) from the servers to a primary physical volume comprising either the first or second physical volume, and the primary physical volume may be changed, transparently to the servers, to the other of the first or second physical volume. The present disclosure, in another embodiment, relates to a method for moving operation of a storage device from one data storage location to a second data storage location. A hypervolume is used to redirect input/output (I/O) from the a plurality of servers from the one physical volume to another. |
| US08996834B2 |
Memory class based heap partitioning
The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing a heap. The heap is partitioned into at least one sub heap based on a relationship to at least one memory class of a plurality of memory classes. A memory allocation request comprising a memory class is received from a requester. A unique heap handle based on the memory class and associated with a specific sub heap is generated. The unique heap handle is then returned to the requester. |
| US08996832B2 |
Method and system for responding to client requests for information maintained by storage systems
Method and system for providing information regarding a plurality of storage devices managed by a plurality of storage servers are provided. The storage space at the storage devices is presented to a plurality of computing systems as logical storage space. A plurality of searchable data structures having a plurality of data object types are stored at a temporary memory storage device of a management console that interfaces with the plurality of computing systems and the storage servers. Each data object type stores information regarding the storage device. The searchable data structure includes information regarding the storage devices and the logical storage space presented to the computing systems. A lock data structure for tracking locks that are assigned for accessing information pertaining to a storage server and a data object type is maintained to prevent unauthorized access to at least one of the searchable data structures. |
| US08996829B2 |
Consistency without ordering dependency
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to maintaining consistency in a storage system. In aspects, one or more objects may be updated in the context of a transaction. In conjunction with updating the objects, logical copies of the objects may be obtained and modified. A request to write the updated logical copies is sent to a storage controller. The logical copies do not overwrite the original copies. In conjunction with sending the request, a data structure is provided for the storage controller to store on the disk. The data structure indicates the one or more objects that were supposed to be written to disk and may include verification data to indicate the content that was supposed to be written to disk. During recovery, this data structure may be used to determine whether all of the object(s) were correctly written to disk. |
| US08996826B2 |
Techniques for system recovery using change tracking
Techniques for system recovery using change tracking are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for providing system recovery using change tracking comprising receiving a request to write to electronic storage, identifying a region in the electronic storage region associated with the write request, setting a region indicator identifying the electronic storage region as dirty, and setting one or more portion indicators identifying one or more dirty portions of the electronic storage region. |
| US08996824B2 |
Memory reorder queue biasing preceding high latency operations
A method for controlling memory refresh operations in dynamic random access memories. The method includes determining a count of deferred memory refresh operations for a first memory rank. Responsive to the count approaching a high priority threshold, issuing an early high priority refresh notification for the first memory rank, which indicates the pre-determined time for performing a high priority memory refresh operation at the first memory rank. Responsive to the early high priority refresh notification, the behavior of a read reorder queue is dynamically modified to give priority scheduling to at least one read command targeting the first memory rank, and one or more of the at least one read command is executed on the first memory rank according to the priority scheduling. Priority scheduling removes these commands from the re-order queue before the refresh operation is initiated at the first memory rank. |
| US08996823B2 |
Parallel access virtual tape library and drives
A system and method described herein allows a virtual tape library (VTL) to perform multiple simultaneous or parallel read/write or access sessions with disk drives or other storage media, particularly when subject to a sequential SCSI-compliant layer or traditional limitations of VTLs. In one embodiment, a virtualizing or transaction layer can establish multiple sessions with one or more clients to concurrently satisfy the read/write requests of those clients for physical storage resources. A table or other data structure tracks or maps the sessions associated with each client and the location of data on the physical storage devices. |
| US08996822B2 |
Multi-device memory serial architecture
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to memory devices comprising a memory array, a first port to interface with a memory controller directly or indirectly via another memory device, a second port to interface with yet another memory device, and a switch to selectively electrically connect the memory controller to a circuit path leading to the second port or to the memory array, wherein the switch may be responsive to a signal generated by the memory controller. |
| US08996820B2 |
Multi-core processor system, cache coherency control method, and computer product
A multi-core processor system includes a processor configured to establish coherency of shared data values stored in a cache memory accessed by a multiple cores; detect a first thread executed by a first core among the cores; identify upon detecting the first thread, a second thread under execution by a second core other than the first core and among the cores; determine whether shared data commonly accessed by the first thread and the second thread is present; and stop establishment of coherency for a first cache memory corresponding to the first core and a second cache memory corresponding to the second core, upon determining that no shared data commonly accessed is present. |
| US08996819B2 |
Performance optimization and dynamic resource reservation for guaranteed coherency updates in a multi-level cache hierarchy
A cache includes a cache pipeline, a request receiver configured to receive off chip coherency requests from an off chip cache and a plurality of state machines coupled to the request receiver. The cache also includes an arbiter coupled between the plurality of state machines and the cache pipe line and is configured to give priority to off chip coherency requests as well as a counter configured to count the number of coherency requests sent from the cache pipeline to a lower level cache. The cache pipeline is halted from sending coherency requests when the counter exceeds a predetermined limit. |
| US08996818B2 |
Bypassing memory requests to a main memory
Some embodiments include a computing device with a control circuit that handles memory requests. The control circuit checks one or more conditions to determine when a memory request should be bypassed to a main memory instead of sending the memory request to a cache memory. When the memory request should be bypassed to a main memory, the control circuit sends the memory request to the main memory. Otherwise, the control circuit sends the memory request to the cache memory. |
| US08996813B2 |
Systems and methods for managing destage conflicts
Destaging storage tracks from each rank that includes a greater than a predetermined percentage of a predetermined amount of storage space with respect to a current amount of storage space allocated to each rank until the current amount of storage space used by each respective rank is equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space. The destage storage tracks are declined from being destaged from each rank that includes less than or equal to the predetermined percentage of the predetermined amount of storage space rank. |
| US08996812B2 |
Write-back coherency data cache for resolving read/write conflicts
A write-back coherency data cache for temporarily holding cache lines. Upon receiving a processor request for data, a determination is made from a coherency directory whether a copy of the data is cached in a write-back cache located in a memory controller hardware. The write-back cache holds data being written back to main memory for a period of time prior to writing the data to main memory. If the data is cached in the write-back cache, the data is removed from the write-back cache and forwarded to the requesting processor. The cache coherency state in the coherency directory entry for the data is updated to reflect the current cache coherency state of the data based on the requesting processor's intended use of the data. |
| US08996808B2 |
Enhancing tiering storage performance
Various embodiments for improving data storage and retrieval performance, for a tiered storage environment having levels corresponding to storage performance, are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, reference count information of at least one data segment maintained in the tiered storage environment is used to determine which of the levels in the tiered storage environment the at least one data segment will be assigned. Those of the at least one data segment having higher reference counts are assigned to a higher performance level than those having lower reference counts. |
| US08996804B2 |
Optimizing and enhancing performance for parity based storage
A mechanism is provided for optimizing and enhancing performance for parity based storage, particularly redundant array of independent disk (RAID) storage. The mechanism optimizes a repetitive pattern write command for performance for storage configurations that require parity calculations. The mechanism eliminates the need for laborious parity calculations that are resource intensive and add to IO latency. For repetitive write commands that span across the full stripe of a RAID5 or similar volume, the mechanism calculates parity by looking at the pattern and the number of columns in the volume. The mechanism may avoid the XOR operation altogether for repetitive pattern write commands. The mechanism may enhance secure delete operations that use repetitive pattern write commands by eliminating data reliability operations like parity generation and writing altogether. |
| US08996796B1 |
Small block write operations in non-volatile memory systems
A first portion of an asymmetric memory is configured as temporary storage for application data units with sizes corresponding to a small memory block that is smaller than the size of a logical write unit associated with the asymmetric memory. A portion of the remaining asymmetric memory is configured as a reconciled storage for application data units with varying sizes. A first application data unit is received for writing to the asymmetric memory. Based on computing the size of the first application data unit as corresponding to the small memory block, the first application data unit is written to the temporary storage. Upon determining that a threshold is reached, a memory write operation is performed for writing the application data units from the temporary storage to the reconciled storage. The application data units written to the reconciled storage are removed from the temporary storage. |
| US08996794B2 |
Flash memory controller
A Flash memory controller is coupled to a first Flash memory package through a first Flash memory interface and to a second Flash memory package through the first Flash memory interface. The Flash memory controller is designed to receive a first instruction relating to the first Flash memory package and to perform a first process depending on the first instruction. The Flash memory controller is further designed to receive a second instruction relating to the second Flash memory package and to perform a second process depending on the second instruction. The Flash memory controller is further adapted for splitting the first process into at least two first sub-steps and for splitting the second process into at least two second sub-steps. The Flash memory controller is further adapted for executing the first and second sub-steps, and for interleaving execution of first and second sub-steps. |
| US08996790B1 |
System and method for flash memory management
A method, a computer readable medium and a system for managing flash memory. The method may include receiving multiple data sectors from an interface; writing the multiple data sectors into a data buffer that is nonvolatile; creating a pointer in a data management structure that is stored in a metadata buffer that is nonvolatile, for each data sector corresponding to a storage location of the data sector in the data buffer; if a predefined condition is reached, merging data sectors stored in the data buffer with data sectors that are already stored in a sequential nonvolatile portion of the flash memory device, wherein the sequential nonvolatile portion differs from the data buffer. |
| US08996788B2 |
Configurable flash interface
A flash memory controller, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a method for performing operations with a flash memory device, the method may include receiving, by a flash memory controller, a request to perform a requested operation with the flash memory device; selecting multiple selected instructions to be executed by a programmable module of the flash memory controller, based upon (a) an interface specification supported by the flash memory device and (b) the requested operation; wherein the programmable module comprising multiple operation phase circuits; and executing the multiple selected instructions by the programmable module, wherein the executing of the multiple selected instructions comprises executing a plurality of selected instructions by multiple operation phase circuits; wherein different operation phase circuits are arranged to execute different operation phases of the requested operation. |
| US08996787B2 |
Storage device aware of I/O transaction and stored data
A storage device that is aware of I/O transactions and stored data is provided. In one embodiment, a storage device identifies a type of data stored in each logical partition of the storage device. When the storage device receives a request from the host device to access a logical partition of the memory, the storage device handles the request based on the identified type of data stored in the logical partition. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination. |
| US08996783B2 |
Managing nodes in a storage system
Each node in a clustered array is the owner of a set of zero logical disks (LDs). Thinly-provisioned VVs (TPVVs) are partitioned so each is mapped to a group of zero LDs from different sets of zero LDs. When there is a change in ownership, the affected zero LDs are switched one at a time so only a group of the TPVVs is affected each time. |
| US08996781B2 |
Integrated storage/processing devices, systems and methods for performing big data analytics
Architectures and methods for performing big data analytics by providing an integrated storage/processing system containing non-volatile memory devices that form a large, non-volatile memory array and a graphics processing unit (GPU) configured for general purpose (GPGPU) computing. The non-volatile memory array is directly functionally coupled (local) with the GPU and optionally mounted on the same board (on-board) as the GPU. |
| US08996779B2 |
Service oriented architecture service dependency determination
Service dependency is determined for services in a service oriented architecture (SOA) environment. The steps in determining service dependency include: recording a first triple describing a first service call where the first service calls the second service, and determining the first service is dependent upon the second service based, at least in part, upon the first triple. The recording action is performed dynamically, the recording occurring when the first service call is made. Other related steps include recording the first triple to a timestamp indicating when the first service call is made. |
| US08996771B1 |
System and method for communication via universal serial bus
A system and method for serial communication between a USB host and a USB device. The USB device is a handheld microprocessor equipped device capable of functioning as a general purpose computer. The USB host places the USB device in an accessory mode which permits the USB host to transmit its configuration information to the USB device. This configuration information can include the manufacturer and product ID of the USB host. The USB device, in accessory mode, uses this configuration information to acquire and load application software (such as by downloading the software from the Internet). The application software enables the USB device to provide a programmable function to the USB host and to enable applications on the USB host and device to communicate on a peer-to-peer basis via the USB communications channel. |
| US08996767B2 |
Mobile device control based on surface material detection
A mobile device uses sensor data related to the type of surface in contact with the mobile device to determine an action to perform. The sensors, by way of example, may be one or more of a microphone and noise generator, a light based proximity sensor, and pressure sensors, such as dielectric elastomers, configured to detect a texture of the surface, and/or pressure waves produced by setting the mobile device down or by a noise generator and reflected by the surface. The mobile device may identify the type of surface and perform the action based on the type of surface. The mobile device may further determine its location based on the sensor data and use that location to identify the action to be performed. The location may be determined using additional data, e.g., data not related to determining the type of surface with which the mobile device is in contact. |
| US08996766B2 |
Method of operating a router
A router has multiple channel inputs and multiple channel outputs and a switch core for selectively connecting at least two of the channel outputs to respective channel inputs. Each channel output is connected to an output signal path containing a FIFO register and the router is configured so that first and second channel outputs are connected to a pair of channel inputs respectively. The router configuration is changed so that the first and second channel outputs are connected to first and second channel inputs respectively. The FIFO registers in the output signal paths of the first and second channel outputs are forced to equal fullness. |
| US08996763B2 |
Electronic device, control method, program, and recording medium for remotely operating electronic device
An electronic device executes a certain process when first data for instructing the electronic device to begin the certain process has been received from an external apparatus, and stops the certain process when the external apparatus has not been detected as a certain apparatus and when a first time has elapsed since the certain process was executed, even if second data for instructing the electronic device to stop the certain process has not been received. |
| US08996762B2 |
Customized buffering at sink device in wireless display system based on application awareness
This disclosure describes techniques to improve a user experience in a Wireless Display (WD) system. The WD system includes a source device that provides media data to one or more sink devices. The techniques are directed toward reducing end-to-end latency in the WD system while improving video playback quality at the sink devices. More specifically, the techniques include customized buffering at the sink devices based on application awareness for the media data. The techniques include learning the type of application for the media data, and adjusting the size of buffers in the processing pipeline to achieve an appropriate balance between smoothness and latency for the application type. For example, when the media data is for a video playback application, the techniques include increasing the buffer size to increase smoothness in the video playback application. |
| US08996761B2 |
Virtual queue processing circuit and task processor
A queue control circuit controls the placement and retrieval of a plurality of tasks in a plurality of types of virtual queues. State registers are associated with respective tasks. Each of the state registers stores a task priority order, a queue ID of a virtual queue, and the order of placement in the virtual queue. Upon receipt of a normal placement command ENQ_TL, the queue control circuit establishes, in the state register for the placed task, QID of the virtual queue as the destination of placement and an order value indicating the end of the queue. When a reverse placement command ENQ_TP is received, QID of the destination virtual queue and an order value indicating the start of the queue are established. When a retrieval command DEQ is received, QID is cleared in the destination virtual queue. |
| US08996756B2 |
Using process location to bind IO resources on NUMA architectures
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for binding input/output (I/O) objects to nodes. The method includes receiving a request to use an I/O device from a process, determining a resource to service the request, generating a first I/O object corresponding to the resource, wherein the first I/O object is unbound, and generating a proc object, wherein the proc object comprises a reference to the process requesting to use the I/O device. The method also includes sending the first I/O object and the proc object to a Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) I/O Framework, determining that the process is executing on a first NUMA node, selecting the first NUMA, binding the first I/O object to the first NUMA node, and servicing the request by processing, on the first NUMA node, the resource corresponding to the first I/O object. |
| US08996750B2 |
Automation system with an output device
An automation system includes a first and second controllers, and an output device connected to the first and second controllers, wherein the output device comprises a module having at least a first submodule and a second submodule, wherein the first controller includes first interconnection information defining an assignment between the first controller and the first submodule, the second controller includes second interconnection information defining an assignment between the second controller and the second submodule, the first submodule accepts first output data from the first controller, the second submodule accepts second output data from the second controller, wherein the module is further configured so that it is connected to a plurality of outputs for control of actuators and includes a logical linkage device for logically linking the first output data to the second output data such that logically linked output data is provided for the outputs for controlling actuators. |
| US08996749B2 |
Achieving a uniform device abstraction layer
A system for achieving a uniform device abstraction layer is described. The system includes a device class determiner coupled with a local server, the device class determiner configured for establishing a device class for at least one device residing in a domain at a premises, wherein the domain is coupled with a remote server, and a device of the at least one device includes a communication port that supports a first protocol corresponding to a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is supported by a device driver coupled with the domain, wherein based on the establishing the device class, an action is enabled to be mapped to the device, thereby enabling an application to run on and utilize a capability of the device. |
| US08996746B2 |
Intelligent building automation node
Apparatuses and methods for use in connection with a Building Automation System (BAS) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an intelligent power node comprising a JAVA-enabled device and serial communication cable that provide a seamless open protocol and aggregation point to broadcast internet protocol communications. In another embodiment, the present invention enables energy monitoring and control of individual ports and outlets. In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method of configuring and operating fieldbus devices. |
| US08996743B1 |
Event driven remote direct memory access snapshots
Mechanisms are provided, in a data processing system, for generating a snapshot of a remote direct memory access (RDMA) resource. The mechanisms receive, from an Input/Output (IO) adapter associated with the data processing system, an error event notification and store, in response to the error event notification, a snapshot of a RDMA resource associated with the error event notification. The mechanisms tear down the RDMA resource in response to the error even notification and free memory associated with the RDMA resource in response to tearing down the RDMA resource. The snapshot stores contents of the RDMA resource. |
| US08996740B2 |
N-phase polarity output pin mode multiplexer
System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. Data is selectively transmitted as N-phase polarity encoded symbols or as packets on differentially driven connectors. A desired operational mode for communicating between the two devices is determined, an encoder is selected to drive a plurality of connectors communicatively coupling the two devices, and a plurality of drivers is configured to receive encoded data from the encoder and drive the plurality of connectors. Switches may couple outputs of the selected encoder to the plurality of drivers. One or more outputs of another encoder may be caused or forced to enter a high impedance mode. |
| US08996738B2 |
Data transfer operation completion detection circuit and semiconductor memory device provided therewith
A data transfer operation completion detection circuit including a first counter for performing a shifting operation in response to the generation of a read initiation signal, a second counter for performing a shifting operation in response to the generation of a burst completion signal, and an SR latch circuit for generating a read enable signal in response to the burst completion signal being generated when the count value of the first counter matches the count value of the second counter. The completion of a read operation or another data transfer operation is thus detected based on a read initiation signal reception history; therefore, it is possible to detect whether all read operations are complete at a given time even if a new read command is received while a read operation or the like is in progress. |
| US08996736B2 |
Clock domain crossing serial interface, direct latching, and response codes
Aspects of a clock domain crossing serial interface, direct latching over the serial interface, and response codes are described. In various embodiments, a data communication command received over a serial interface is identified, and an address received over the serial interface is resolved to access a register bank. In a write operation, depending upon whether the address falls within a direct latch address range of the register bank, data may be directly latched into a direct latch register of the register bank or into a first-in-first-out register. For both read and write operations, reference may be made to a status register of the serial interface to identify or mitigate error conditions, and wait times may be relied upon to account for a clock domain crossing. After each of the read and write operations, a response code including a status indictor may be communicated. |
| US08996733B2 |
Allocation of an operating address to a bus-compatible operating device for luminous means
The invention relates to a method for allocating an operating address to an operating device for luminous means, in which the operating address is transmitted to the operating device in digitally coded form via an interface which is configured to connect a light sensor. The operating address is allocated by a user using a handheld device to transmit optical digital signals to a light sensor or infrared sensor which is connected to the interface. |
| US08996730B1 |
System and method to restore maximum payload size in a network adapter
Method and system for managing a maximum payload size (MPS) between a host system and an adapter is provided. The method includes storing a host maximum payload size (MPS) value of the host system as an adapter MPS value for the adapter operationally coupled to the host system; storing a host identifier at the adapter for identifying the host system; setting an adapter MPS value to the host MPS value; resetting the adapter MPS value to a default value after an event; and restoring the adapter MPS value to the host MPS value when the host identifier stored at the adapter matches with a host identifier value stored by the host system. |
| US08996726B2 |
Methods and apparatus for event distribution and routing in peer-to-peer overlay networks
Methods and apparatus for event distribution and routing in peer-to-peer overlay networks. A method is provided for event distribution and routing in a peer-to-peer overlay network that comprises a plurality of nodes. The method includes identifying a plurality of buckets on the overlay network, wherein each bucket includes one or more nodes, respectively, identifying bucket groups, wherein each bucket group includes a selected number of buckets, respectively, distributing events based on the bucket groups, and updating a routing table based on the events. A node includes a transceiver and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to identify a plurality of buckets on the overlay network, wherein each bucket includes one or more nodes, respectively, identify bucket groups, wherein each bucket group includes a selected number of buckets, respectively, distribute events based on the bucket groups, and update a routing table based on the events. |
| US08996725B2 |
Programmatic redirect management
A computer-implemented process for programmatic redirect management receives a request containing a uniform resource locator, identifies a set of keyword tokens in the uniform resource locator of the request and a set of associated token identifications and determines whether a token identification in the set of associated token identifications is located in a data structure of a redirect registry. Responsive to a determination that the token identification in the set of associated token identifications is located in the redirect registry, the computer-implemented process performs token identification mapping for each token identification in the set of associated token identifications, updating statistics for each token identification mapped in the set of associated token identifications and responsive to a determination that token identification mapping is complete, composes a redirect uniform resource locator. |
| US08996719B2 |
System and method of adaptive transport of multimedia data
Network-based content distribution is improved by controlling the flow of multimedia data and streaming characteristics to ensure real-time, consistent delivery. An adaptive media distribution system includes at least one original source of a media channel, a plurality of content playback devices, and one or more stream controllers disposed between the original sources and the playback devices. Each media channel provides audio and/or video content on one or more switchable streams, each stream being encoded with different characteristics such as bitrate. The stream controllers receive streams and determine how the streams should be allocated to the playback devices so as to provide consistent delivery of the content in accordance with playback demand and the stream attributes or information. |
| US08996717B2 |
Clustered system for storing data files
A clustered system arranged for supporting a clustered file system. The clustered system comprises at least two nodes and is characterised in that these at least two nodes are arranged for exchanging data traffic of the clustered file system between each other via an IP protocol over a lossless Ethernet network. |
| US08996716B2 |
Remote access to local network via security gateway
Multiple protocol tunnels (e.g., IPsec tunnels) are deployed to enable an access terminal that is connected to a network to access a local network associated with a femto access point. A first protocol tunnel is established between a security gateway and the femto access point. A second protocol tunnel is then established in either of two ways. In some implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the security gateway. In other implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the femto access point, whereby a portion of the tunnel is routed through the first tunnel. |
| US08996715B2 |
Application firewall validation bypass for impromptu components
A method of controlling data transfer between a Web client and a Web application by building a response with a target. The target indicates a destination to an impromptu component of the Web application. The target is signed when a response is built. After receiving the response by the Web client; the corresponding a request from the Web client includes the signed target. The request is received by an entry point of the Web application. The entry point has existing validation rules. The validation rules are by-passed when the signed target is verified. The target is restored in the request to the original state; and dispatched to the impromptu component. |
| US08996709B2 |
Providing a managed browser
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing a managed browser are presented. In various embodiments, a computing device may load a managed browser. The managed browser may, for instance, be configured to provide a managed mode in which one or more policies are applied to the managed browser, and an unmanaged mode in which such policies might not be applied and/or in which the browser might not be managed by at least one device manager agent running on the computing device. Based on device state information and/or one or more policies, the managed browser may switch between the managed mode and the unmanaged mode, and the managed browser may provide various functionalities, which may include selectively providing access to enterprise resources, based on such state information and/or the one or more policies. |
| US08996708B2 |
Method of providing content information using wireless communication device and navigation device performing the same
A method of providing content information using a wireless communication device and a navigation device of performing the method are disclosed. The navigation device may comprise a terminal searching unit that searches a wireless communication terminal that may perform near field wireless communication in response to a content information providing request, a terminal authenticating unit that performs terminal authentication on whether the searched wireless communication terminal has been subscribing for a content providing service, and a content information displaying unit that, if it is identified that the wireless communication terminal is a terminal subscribing for the content providing service, receives content information from the wireless communication terminal and displays the content information on a display. |
| US08996706B2 |
Method for policy and charging rules function (PCRF) informing centralized deployment functional architecture (BPCF) of user equipment access information
A system and method for performing quality of service control on a user equipment are provided in the present invention. The method includes: after establishing an Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) security association between the user equipment and a packet data network gateway to establish an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnel, the packet data network gateway sending IPSec tunnel information to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), the PCRF then sending the IPSec tunnel information to a Broadband Policy Control Function (BPCF), and the BPCF performing quality of service control on services of the user equipment according to the received IPSec tunnel information. With the technical scheme of the present invention, it enables the BPCF to acquire tunnel information of the user equipment and then perform quality of service control on the user equipment. |
| US08996705B2 |
Optimization of enhanced network links
A method and apparatus for dynamic network link acceleration provides a managed communication link for accelerated and reliable network communication between a client and other network devices. In one or more embodiments, a client computing device which generates communication packets of a first type is enhanced with a front end mechanism which selectively encodes the data packets into packets of a second type. The data packets which are encoded into a second type are transmitted over a managed communication link which may provide error correction, security, quality of service, and other services including acceleration of communications. |
| US08996704B2 |
Method and system for connecting clients with server
The present invention discloses a method for connecting clients with a server. The method includes: the client obtains random number seed information; the client calculates out a random delay time according to the random number seed information and a random function after the client is disconnected from the server, wherein the random delay time is a delay time for reconnection between the client and the server; and the client sends a connection request to the server upon expiry of the random delay time. Therefore, when the server is restarted or breaks down, each client delays the connection according to the random delay time calculated by them respectively, thereby preventing plenty of clients from requesting to connect to the server simultaneously and avoiding service interruption of the server. |
| US08996703B2 |
Refresh requests in soft-state signalling
A power-saving synchronization of refresh requesting messages transmitted from a client terminal (31) to different server terminals (33a, 33b) in multiple soft-state dialogues, e.g. in SIP. The synchronization involves a continuous detection of a large time offset (34) occurring between the refresh requesting messages in the different dialogues, and an adjustment of the negotiated length of the refresh interval indicated in the refresh requesting messages, such that the client terminal will transmit the refresh requesting messages approximately simultaneously to the different server terminals. |
| US08996698B1 |
Cooperative network for mobile internet access
A method and system for connecting mobile users to the Internet using cooperative interconnection. A node consists of a network element that has two connection methodologies—typically a node will have a radio link and a wired link to the Internet. To obtain a connection a member of the service locates themselves in proximity to a network node which is commonly provided by another member and the cooperative tunneling agent requests a secure link. All members of the service agree to give connection to the Internet upon request from another member. |
| US08996697B2 |
Server authentication
A method of authenticating a content-provider server, the method comprising: determining a domain name of the content-provider server; obtaining a fragment of a database of IP addresses, the fragment corresponding to the domain name of the content-provider server and storing one or more IP addresses associated with the domain name; comparing the IP address of the content-provider server against the IP addresses of the fragment; and providing an indication that the IP address of the content-provider server is included or excluded from the fragment of IP addresses. Additionally, a client computer and server operable to implement the method are described. |
| US08996686B2 |
Content delivery validation service
A Request for content is validated for a specific level of service that is to be provided over a network when making the request for the content and when delivering the content to satisfy the request over the network. A network transaction is tagged representing the request and the delivery of the content. Resources that comport with the specific level of service are designated to handle the network transaction and the transaction is injected into the network. Usage of the resources is monitored as the network transaction is processed. |
| US08996683B2 |
Data center without structural bottlenecks
A method of networking a plurality of servers together within a data center is disclosed. The method includes the step of addressing a data packet for delivery to a destination server by providing the destination server address as a flat address. The method further includes the steps of obtaining routing information required to route the packet to the destination server. This routing information may be obtained from a directory service servicing the plurality of servers. Once the routing information is obtained, the data packet may be routed to the destination server according to the flat address of the destination server and routing information obtained from the directory service. |
| US08996681B2 |
Passively attributing anonymous network events to their associated users
Systems, methods, and computer program products for passively attributing anonymous network events to their associated users are provided herein. Embodiments include filtering network events over a pre-determined time interval to generate a filtered event list. In an embodiment, event attribution includes attributing an anonymous network event to a user associated with a nearest-neighbor event relative to the anonymous network event. In another embodiment, event attribution includes attributing an anonymous network event to a user associated with an event in the filtered event list, wherein that user maximizes an event attribution function. In a further embodiment, event attribution includes determining a first potential attribution user for an anonymous network event based on a nearest-neighbor attribution approach; determining a second potential attribution user for the anonymous network event based on an event attribution function approach; and comparing the first and second potential attribution users to determine the attribution of the anonymous event. |
| US08996679B2 |
Naming system layer
A facility for publishing information in a distributed network without a central management infrastructure is described. In various embodiments, the facility receives an indication of a new node and a destination node, the new node omitted from a contact list associated with the destination node, the contact list having an approximately logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes; introduces the new node to the destination node via a permanent circuit; and causes the destination node to add the new node to the contact list when adding the new node improves the logarithmic distribution of neighboring nodes. |
| US08996673B2 |
Emergency signalling in an IP multimedia subsystem network
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for handling emergency signaling in an IP Multimedia Subsystem network. A Proxy-Call Session Control Function receives a message requesting set up of a session. The message is associated with an IP Multimedia Private Identity. The P-CSCF determines that the message relates to an emergency call. If an emergency override tag associated with the IMPI is provisioned or set at the P-CSCF, then the message is forwarding the SIP message to a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) for further handling. However, if an emergency override tag associated with the IMPI is not provisioned or set at the P-CSCF, the message is forwarded to an Emergency-Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF). The P-CSCF exercises control over the handling of emergency signaling, according to embodiments of the invention. |
| US08996671B1 |
Method of providing service-provider-specific support link data to a client in a storage context
A method of providing service-provider-specific link data to a client computer includes (a) at a storage management server (SMS), the SMS being configured to provide management services for a data storage system, sending an identification number of the SMS to a database application, (b) at the SMS, receiving, from the database application, a set of link descriptors, the set of link descriptors identifying a set of link addresses (LAs) to a particular remote storage support server (RMSS) of a plurality of RMSSs, the particular RMSS being associated with the identification number, (c) at the SMS, integrating system-specific status information into the LAs of the set of LAs, thereby generating the service-provider-specific link data, and (d) at the SMS, sending the service-provider-specific link data to the client computer to allow the client computer to display links to a user which allow the user to receive service-provider-specific support services from the service-provider. |
| US08996670B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for network metadata based policy control
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for network metadata based policy control. According to one aspect, a system for network metadata based policy control is provided. The system includes a network metadata directed policy server for obtaining network information for a plurality of subscribers, for deriving network metadata from the network information, for applying a network metadata policy manipulation rule for changing a value of a network an operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscribers, and for generating an instruction for changing the value of the network operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscriber. The system further includes a policy control and charging rules function (PCRF) node for detecting the instruction and for instructing a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) node to change value of the operator assigned policy control parameter for the subscribers. |
| US08996667B2 |
Deploying an operating system
A method for deploying an operating system onto a client system includes, with the client system, receiving a bootloader image from an external device in response to a request for the bootloader image and installing the bootloader. The installed bootloader is configured to provide a streaming function from the client system to both a client repository of the client system and a remote data repository and selectively redirect requests for a block of data to one of: the client repository and the remote data repository. The method further includes, with the client system, during operation of a function of the operating system, making a request for a data block of the operating system, the data block including the function, and receiving the data block from one of: the client repository and the remote repository based on availability information. |
| US08996658B2 |
System and method for integration of browser-based thin client applications within desktop rich client architecture
Techniques for facilitating the reuse of a browser-based thin client of a client-server application in a browser-independent context. These techniques may be used, for instance, to integrate the functionality of a browser-based thin client in a desktop-based, rich client infrastructure. In one set of embodiments, these techniques include determining one or more browser dependencies that require the thin client to operate within a web browser. For example, the thin client may depend on a web browser to handle application security, the loading/caching of client-side files, the receipt/passing of application parameters, and the like. These browser dependencies are then eliminated. As a result, the thin client can be subsequently reused without the presence of a web browser. In one set of embodiments, this process is performed by a conversion utility that automatically converts program code for the browser-based thin client into program code for a browser-independent client application. |
| US08996656B2 |
File transfer method in converged IP messaging system
A method for performing a one-to-many file transfer in a converged IP messaging system includes receiving a list of target receiving terminals from a transmitting terminal; verifying whether the transmitting terminal can transfer a file; inquiring each receiving terminal server corresponding to each target receiving terminal whether to receive the file; verifying whether each target receiving terminal can receive the file; inquiring each target receiving terminal whether to receive the file; transmitting to the transmitting terminal server the reply of receiving terminals to receive the file; creating a list of determined receiving terminals; requesting the transmitting terminal to transfer the file; receiving the file from the transmitting terminal; and transferring the file to each receiving terminal server corresponding to the determined receiving terminals or to each determined receiving terminal. |
| US08996654B2 |
Aggregator with managed content
Apparatus, method, and manufacture, illustratively the aggregation apparatus connects to a sites on the Internet, authenticates itself with the sites, and facilitates at least one of: retrieving user-selected information from the sites, parsing the user-selected information from the sites to produce an aggregation, and rendering at least some of the aggregation as the output; retrieving information from the sites, parsing the information from the sites, and user-selectedly filtering the parsed information in producing an aggregation of the parsed information in producing an aggregation, and rendering at least some of the aggregation as the output; and retrieving information from the sites, parsing the information from the sites, producing an aggregation of the parsed information so as to produce an aggregation of the parsed information, and user-selectedly rendering the aggregation as the output. The rendering can include supplying content from one of the sites to another of the sites. |
| US08996647B2 |
Optimizing storage between mobile devices and cloud storage providers
Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution to optimize data transfer between a mobile device and a cloud storage provider. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention may select one or more files for transfer from the mobile device to a cloud storage device based on an analysis of a set (at least one) of factors such as: (1) the percentage of local storage being consumed on the mobile device; (2) the mobile device's billing plan, and whether file transfer will cause the billing plan to be exceeded; (3) a capacity of a link between the mobile device and the cloud storage provider; (4) dates of last access for files stored on the mobile device; and/or (5) a battery power remaining in the mobile device (if applicable). Any files selected based on an analysis of these factors can be transferred via the link and deleted from the mobile device. Typically, a file is a candidate for transfer if it has not been accessed recently (e.g., within a certain time period), the link and billing plan can accommodate the transfer of the file (e.g., determined based on the size of the file), and there is sufficient power to make the file transfer. |
| US08996646B2 |
Peer of a peer-to-peer network and such network
The invention relates to a peer-to-peer network where said peer-to-peer network comprises a plurality of peers (P), wherein said peer (RP) comprises and maintains a communication record (CR) defining a plurality of candidate peers (CP) from which information representative data (S) may be downloaded, wherein said plurality of candidate peers (CP) comprises a subset of said plurality of peers (P), and wherein said peer (RP) comprises means for downloading said information representative data (S) from at least one of said candidate peers (CP) according to an individual routine of said peer (RP). The invention furthermore relates to a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of peers (P) according to the above. |
| US08996644B2 |
Encapsulated accelerator
A data processing system comprising a host computer system and a network interface device for connection to a network, the host computer system and network interface device being coupled together by means of a data bus, and: the network interface device comprising: a controller unit having a first data port for connection to a network, a second data port, and a data bus interface connected to said data bus, the controller unit being operable to perform, in dependence on the network endpoints to which data packets received at the network interface device are directed, switching of data packets between the first and second data ports and the data bus interface; and an accelerator module having a first medium access controller coupled to said second data port of the controller unit and a processor operable to perform one or more functions in hardware on data packets received at the accelerator module, the said first medium access controller being operable to support one or more first network endpoints; the host computer system supporting: a plurality of guest software domains including a first guest software domain having an application; and a privileged software domain configured to present a virtual operating platform to said plurality of guest domains, the privileged software entity including a first software driver for the controller unit but not including a second software driver for the accelerator module; wherein the application is configured to access the accelerator module by means of one or more first data packets formed in accordance with a predetermined network protocol and directed to one or more of the first network endpoints. |
| US08996642B1 |
Systems and methods for prioritizing and servicing support tickets using a chat session
The present disclosure facilitates servicing information technology support tickets. In some embodiments, the system includes a server configured to access a database storing two support tickets, each of which can have a ticket identifier and information to facilitate providing information technology support to a computing device. The server can receive an indication of a status from two computing devices, each of which can be associated with one of the support tickets. The server can determine a priority of each ticket based on its status, where the priority of the first ticket is higher than the priority of the second ticket. The server can initiate a chat session associated with the first computing device and the first ticket to provide information technology support to the first computing device, based on the priority of the first ticket and the status of the first computing device. |
| US08996640B2 |
System, method and computer readable medium for processing unsolicited electronic mail
An internet service provider (ISP) is configured to analyze a subscriber's sent e-mail packets to determine a subscriber identity associated with the e-mail packets. A database is then queried to determine a current sending rate of e-mails by the subscriber. A sending rate above an allowed threshold causes the upstream transmission of the e-mail packets to be blocked by injecting connection destroying packets. A subscriber remains blocked from upstream transmission of e-mails until the sending rate as determined by the ISP drops below a second, more stringent threshold. This automatic process is also accompanied by automated messaging to the subscriber with information as to the measures taken and remedial options. |
| US08996634B2 |
Automated messaging tool
A system and method for an automatic messaging system which automatically sends emails or pages to groups of people with specific data from a database. Other messaging tools may be utilized. The data source that provides information may be any ODBC compliant data source including standard DBMS (SQL Server, Oracle, Informix, DB2, Sybase, etc.) Access databases, or Excel spreadsheets. |
| US08996632B2 |
Managing email disk usage based on user specified conditions
A method, system, and computer program product are provided for managing email disk usage based on user specified conditions. An incoming email for a user is scanned for email expressions. A determination is made as to whether one of the email expressions matches one of a number of listed expressions forming a matched expression. Responsive to a presence of a matched expression, a determination is made as to whether a first threshold associated with the matched expression is met or exceeded. Responsive to the first threshold being met or exceeded, a notification is sent to the user of the first threshold being met. |
| US08996631B1 |
Customizing annotations for online content
A computer-implemented method for customizing a user display is disclosed. A user is identified based on user-provided information or user activity. The user's sharing activity is determined. A user type is identified based at least in part on the user's sharing activity and associated with the user. The user type is one of two or more user types related to a measure of the user's sharing activity. One or more of a content item and an annotation displayed to the user is customized based at least in part on the user's user type. |
| US08996628B2 |
Internet/intranet-connected apparatus
A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP/IP, for a home control network. The invention also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The invention integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch, or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server. |
| US08996625B1 |
Aggregate display of messages
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for aggregating posts submitted to a messaging system. A server system identifies a plurality of posts that were submitted to a messaging system from a plurality of users with which a first user has an acquaintanceship relationship. The server system analyzes content from a body of each post to determine a group of the posts that each reference a common topic. The server system provides information so as to cause the computing device to display to the first user, in place of an individual display for each post in the group, an aggregate post that presents, as a primary entity, a second user of the messaging system that is affiliated with the common topic and that did not submit to the messaging system a post that referenced the common topic. |
| US08996623B2 |
Cost management for messages
Messages are managed for cost. A processing device includes receiving a message designating a recipient and determining a cost associated with the message. |
| US08996622B2 |
Query log mining for detecting spam hosts
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting spam hosts. In one embodiment, one or more graphs are generated using data obtained from a query log, where the one or more graphs include at least one of an anticlick graph or a view graph. Values of one or more syntactic features of the one or more graphs are ascertained. Values of one or more semantic features of the one or more graphs are determined by propagating categories from a web directory among nodes in each of the one or more graphs. Spam hosts are then detected based upon the values of the syntactic features and the semantic features. |
| US08996621B2 |
Asynchronous comment updates
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a comment object from a first client computer, the comment object being associated with an electronic document accessed from the first client computer. Further actions may include assigning the comment object a unique identifier, placing the comment object in a queue according to the unique identifier, and forwarding the comment object to a second client computer in response to opening the electronic document by the second client computer. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08996619B1 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program for controlling a target device using instant messages
An instant message is communicated from a controller device to a target device. The instant message includes a command and one or more optional parameters associated with the command. Upon authentication and validation of the instant message and the command (and any optional parameters), the command is executed. The target device generates a second instant message having at least one of a response, a result, and a status associated with at least one of the authentication, validation, and execution. The second instant message is communicated to the controller device. The controller device authenticates the second instant message and validates at least one of the response, the result, and the status. As a particular example, the controller device represents a communication device such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant, and the target device represents a media application server capable of supporting one or more communication sessions such as conference calls. |
| US08996617B2 |
System, process, or method for creation, propagation and use of dynamic fractional proxy in collaborative societal decision making within social networks
The present invention relates to voting systems, and more particularly to social network based voting systems. Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and processes, computing devices, computer-implemented methods, computer programs stored on a computer-readable medium, and network communications used for the creation and use of dynamic fractional proxy in social network. |
| US08996610B1 |
Proxy system, method and computer program product for utilizing an identifier of a request to route the request to a networked device
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided proxy mechanisms and methods for utilizing an identifier of a request to route the request to a networked device. These proxy mechanisms and methods for utilizing an identifier of a request to route the request to a network device can avoid delays associated with using DNS to route requests, while further reducing a number of IP addresses necessary for routing such requests to various network devices. |
| US08996604B2 |
Distributed symbol table with intelligent lookup scheme
In a larger-scale context such as that of a workflow system, a mechanism and a set of rules are for looking up a parameter in a hierarchical symbol table. In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, the approach is bottom-up, and uses rules defined in an arbitration table to determine a correct version of the parameter. A distributed design is broadly contemplated herein, wherein different symbol tables need not be disposed on one and the same machine. This can permit a greater degree of scalability and error tolerance. |
| US08996601B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiply instructions in data processors
The disclosed embodiments relate to apparatus for accurately, efficiently and quickly executing a multiplication instruction. The disclosed embodiments can provide a multiplier module having an optimized layout that can help speed up computation of a result during a multiply operation so that cycle delay can be reduced and so that power consumption can be reduced. |
| US08996600B1 |
Specialized processing block for implementing floating-point multiplier with subnormal operation support
The functions available in a specialized processing block of a programmable device include floating-point operations, including support within the specialized processing block for subnormal operations. This is accomplished, in part, by borrowing an adder in the specialized processing block and using the adder to operate on output of a multiplier or other operator to compete a subnormal operation. Although the adder becomes unavailable to serve as an adder, the need to complete the operation in slower, more valuable general purpose logic is avoided. The adder and the other operator need not necessarily be located together in a specialized processing block. |
| US08996598B2 |
Latency compensation
Systems and methods for latency compensation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-based system for latency compensation in a dynamic system comprises a processor and logic instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable medium coupled to the processor which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to receive at least first parameter data from a first sensor and second parameter data from a second sensor, direct the at least first parameter data and the second parameter data into a combining filter, receive additional parameter data about the dynamic system from at least one additional sensor, construct a model of latency effects on the first parameter data and the second parameter data, and use the model of latency effects to compensate for latency-based differences in the first parameter data and the second parameter data. |
| US08996597B2 |
Nyquist constrained digital finite impulse response filter
Various embodiments of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods for filtering a digital signal with a Nyquist constrained digital finite impulse response filter. For example, an apparatus for filtering digital data is disclosed that includes a digital finite impulse response filter having a plurality of taps. The apparatus also includes a tap weight controller connected to the digital finite impulse response filter, operable to adjust a tap weight for each of a subset of the taps such that a magnitude of a Nyquist response of the digital finite impulse response filter remains within a constraint range. |
| US08996596B2 |
Apparatus and method of generating random number
A random number generation method and apparatus are disclosed. In the random number generation method, a random number is generated using a plurality of digital signals existing in various storage devices, and thus the speed at which a random number is generated may be significantly increased. |
| US08996595B2 |
User activity response dynamic frequency scaling processor power management system and method
A method of executing a dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) algorithm in a central processing unit (CPU) is disclosed and may include monitoring CPU activity and determining whether a workload is designated as a special workload when the workload is added to the CPU activity. |
| US08996593B2 |
File management apparatus and file management method
In order to make more efficient virtual folder creation work which is required at the time of virtually classifying files, the present invention provides a system having: a function of extracting keywords and frequencies thereof included in metadata; and a function of creating a virtual folder on the basis of the extracted keywords and the extracted frequencies thereof. At the time of extracting the keywords, character strings which can be considered as the keywords are comprehensively extracted. In addition, at the time of creating the virtual folder, the virtual folder is provided with a hierarchical structure including at least two hierarchical levels of a parent folder and a child folder. At the time of creating the child folder, in the case where child folder candidates having equivalent frequencies exist, a candidate having a longer character string is adopted. |
| US08996592B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying a container associated with a plurality of files
Methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying a container associated with a plurality of files are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes providing for associating a file with a container associated with at least one file to form a plurality of associated files. The prevailing metadata is not required to be from all of the plurality of associated files. Further, the container may be identified based on the prevailing metadata. |
| US08996590B2 |
Computerized legal case management system incorporating reconciliation feature
A method for docketing and reporting activities related to a legal case by first establishing a database in a computer memory for storing case data comprised of a plurality of docket records associated with the legal case. The database is then populated with one or more docket records. A court sourced alert associated with the legal case is received via a communications network and loaded into the database. A docket report listing and identifying at least one docket record and the court sourced alert is generated and displayed to a subscriber or user. The user may then reconcile the court sourced alert with the docket record and the displayed docket report listing is modified to indicate that the court sourced alert has been reconciled with the docket record. |
| US08996588B2 |
Mechanism for facilitating dynamic management of assets in an on-demand services environment
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for facilitating dynamic management of assets in an on-demand services environment. In one embodiment and by way of example, a method includes receiving, in real-time, a request for performance of one or more tasks relating to management of assets. The management of assets may include management of data relating to the assets, where the assets may include hardware assets or software assets, wherein the request is received at a first computing system. The method may further include performing, in real-time, the one or more tasks. The one or more tasks may include dynamically customizing, according to the request, data relating to the assets. |
| US08996584B2 |
Systems and methods for healthcare service delivery location relationship management
Certain examples provide systems, apparatus, and methods for content-driven healthcare location relationship management. An example method includes receiving one or more location identifiers for a content-based clinical application. The example method includes assigning one or more locations to a source role and a target role based on the one or more location identifiers and an ontology, the ontology including a plurality of relationship types. The example method includes identifying a relationship between the source role and the target role based on the one or more location identifiers and the ontology. The example method includes associating the source role and target role based on the identified relationship. The example method includes utilizing the source role, target role, and identified relationship to configure one or more content items forming the content-based clinical application. |
| US08996582B1 |
Attribute category enhanced search
Performing a user initiated search query is disclosed and comprises receiving user input comprising description details of at least one desired object, retrieving a plurality of objects from a database sharing one or more of the description details of the user input, constructing a tree data structure based on the description details of the plurality of objects, the tree data structure comprising one or more attributes related to each of the plurality of objects retrieved, displaying visual images associated with the retrieved plurality of objects, the visual images matching at least one of the attributes related to the plurality of objects, and receiving a user selection of one or more of the visual images. |
| US08996581B2 |
Obtaining hierarchical information of planar data
The invention provides a method and apparatus for obtaining hierarchical information of planar data. The method comprises mapping at least one data item from a same data set in the planar data to at least one node in a tree structure formed by a structured terminology system. The method also comprises obtaining at least one sub tree structure in the tree structure, each of the at least one sub tree structure taking the at least one node as all of its leaf node. The method also comprises selecting a target tree structure from the at least one sub tree structure and obtaining hierarchical information in the target tree structure. An apparatus corresponding to the above method is also provided. With the above method and apparatus, hierarchical information of data items may be obtained from planar organized data to facilitate subsequent and further analysis and management. |
| US08996579B2 |
Process and apparatus for selecting an item from a database
A database for selecting database items, where the database items are indexed by a list of item identifiers. The item identifiers may be in the form of text. An initial display is generated which includes one or more parts of the item identifiers. Selection of the one or more parts may be made and results in the generation of a display of a further one or more parts for selection. The further one or more parts may be selected in order to add to the selected one or more parts to build a larger part or whole of an item identifier. Selection from a large list of item identifiers may be carried out in a relatively short time period. |
| US08996578B1 |
High efficiency binary encoding
A method and a system are provided for encoding and processing digital information. The digital information is encoded according to binary encoding formats corresponding to primitive data types. The primitive data types comprise scalar data types including Boolean, integer, float, decimal, time stamp, string, symbol, binary large object, and character large object data types. The primitive data types also comprise composite data types including structure, list and S-expression data types. The binary-encoded digital information is stored in a message with a predetermined format for transmission. No metadata is included in the message. |
| US08996577B2 |
Object information provision device, object information provision system, terminal, and object information provision method
In an object information provision system, at least one matching data is transmitted from an object information provision device to a terminal, and a result of image analysis based on the matching data is transmitted from the terminal to the object information provision device, and the amount of information of matching data is adjusted based on the image processing result. The success or failure of extraction of a valid physical object represented by the matching data in the terminal is thereby reflected on the amount of information of matching data. |
| US08996575B2 |
Method, an apparatus, a computer system, a security component and a computer readable medium for defining access rights in metadata-based file arrangement
The invention relates to a method for a computer system storing electronic objects being defined by metadata items. The method comprises deriving access rights from one or more security components originating from respective metadata items of at least one object, and determining the effective access rights for the object by means of the security components. The invention also relates to a method for a computer system storing electronic objects being defined by metadata items, wherein access rights for an object are determined by means of one or more pseudo-users. The invention also relates to an apparatus, a computer system and a computer readable medium comprising a computer program stored therein for carrying out the methods. |
| US08996571B2 |
Text search apparatus and text search method
The text search apparatus has an information storage that stores plural transposed indexes associating characters or character strings appearing in a document to be searched with the appearance positions of the characters or character strings. The transposed indexes were generated for a document in which beginning marks are added in front of texts to be subject to forward matching search. The incremental searcher of the text search apparatus adds a beginning mark in front of a search keyword and executes a forward matching search using a set of transposed indexes. The main searcher executes a partial match search using the same set of transposed indexes. |
| US08996567B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for utility common pool database
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for providing for utility common pool database. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for utilizing a common pool database. The method may include transmitting, by one or more networks, one or more queries comprising location data from a mobile device to a server in communication with a database; receiving, from the database by the one or more networks, localized field information based at least in part on the one or more queries; and outputting the localized field information via the mobile device. |
| US08996552B2 |
System and method for graphically creating queries on model data
Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for creating queries on model data of at least one data source (DS1, . . . , DS3) in accordance with at least one data source specific format. A graphical query builder (QB) is configured to enable a user to graphically define a query including multiple building blocks in accordance with a data source independent format (MM). At least one adapter (A1, . . . , A3) for the at least one data source (DS1, . . . , DS3) is configured to translate the query in the data source independent format (MM) into at least one corresponding query in the data source specific format. |
| US08996551B2 |
Managing geographic region information
In an implementation, geographic region information is managed through storage, in a database, of respective sets of coordinates of elements and region identifiers of a plurality of geographic regions that are mapped onto the respective sets of coordinates of elements, in which the plurality of geographic regions are expanded to extend into additional elements prior to the storage of the respective sets of coordinates and the region identifiers. |
| US08996550B2 |
Autocompletion for partially entered query
A server system receives, respectively, a first character string from a first user and a second character string from a second user. There are one or more differences between the first and second character strings. The server system obtains from a plurality of previously submitted complete queries, respectively, a first set of predicted complete queries corresponding to the first character string and a second set of predicted complete queries corresponding to the second character string. There are one or more identical queries in both the first and second sets. The server system conveys at least a first subset of the first set to the first user and at least a second subset of the second set to the second user. Both the first subset and the second subset include a respective identical query. |
| US08996549B2 |
Recommending data based on user and data attributes
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for recommending data based on user and data attributes. User information and accessed data sets are periodically (and possibly automatically) accessed and updated. Source attributes are derived from user information and accessed data sets. Target attributes are derived from data directories and data services. Source attributes for an accessed data set are used along target attributes for a data directory or data service to determine the desirability of data directory or data service as a source of data relevant to the accessed data set. The data directory and/or data service can be recommended as able to provide relevant data. Accordingly, recommend relevant data can be recommended to a user without the user having to expressly search for the relevant data or even know that the relevant data exists. |
| US08996548B2 |
Identifying consuming entity behavior across domains
The present disclosure relates to identifying consuming entity behavior across domains. Identity records are stored in a memory accessible to a computing system. Each of the identity records comprises at least one attribute, and the identity records originate from a plurality of domains. A determination is made as to whether a first one of the identity records identifies a consumption entity that is identified by a second one of the identity records. The first and the second identity records originate from separate ones of the domains, and the second one of the identity records is associated with a persistent key. The persistent key is associated with the consumption entity. The first identity record is associated with the persistent key if the first identity record is determined to identify the consumption entity. |
| US08996546B2 |
Internet based resource retrieval system
A resource retrieval system comprises a server having a searchable database wherein users can readily access region-based publications similar to, but not necessarily limited to, printed telephone directories. The resource retrieval system communicates with at least one user system, preferably via the Internet. In one embodiment, the server is accessed by the user system via an icon, which initiates an interactive interface wherein the user can “point and click” to a geographic area so as to further narrow the searchable field until arriving at a “virtual phone book,” or an electronic replica of an actual or physical telephone directory for a desired geographic region. Preferably, the replicated telephone directory is displayed in a manner so as to digitally or electronically replicate the traditional format of the physical telephone directory. Further, the replicated telephone directory can be further searched or accessed in a relative manner common with the use of the physical telephone directory while allowing for additional capabilities currently not found or available in print directories. In one embodiment, the present invention also includes interactive features which the user can utilize to access Internet addresses (e.g., webpage addresses) and/or telephone numbers provided within the content of the printed telephone directory. |
| US08996545B2 |
In-memory spatial database for geocoding/geoprocessing
The embodiments provide an in-memory database system having an extraction module configured to extract data (e.g., business data and address data) from one or more external data sources and transform the data into a standard format, a geocoder configured to geocode the address data including obtaining spatial data based on the address data using an internal reference table, and an internal database configured to store the internal reference table, the business data, the address data, and the spatial data. |
| US08996543B2 |
Method and system for identifying and accessing multimedia content
Methods, systems, and subsystems for identifying and accessing multimedia content are provided. One external library access module includes instructions, stored on computer readable media, that, when executed by a processor, perform steps for: accessing personal profile settings stored in computer readable media, the profile settings including personal settings relating to filtering content; accessing an external search engine used to identify content on a network, the engine having an adjustable content filter; and selecting a setting of the filter based on the personal settings. In another embodiment, a method for identifying and accessing multimedia content from a network includes: filtering content described in a first compilation of data in strict adherence to personal settings relating to filtering content; and using an external filter to filter content accessible from the network through an external search engine. A setting of the external filter is automatically selected based on the personal settings. |
| US08996534B2 |
Custom caching
Methods and systems are presented for custom caching. Application threads define caches. The caches may be accessed through multiple index keys, which are mapped to multiple application thread-defined keys. Methods provide for the each index key and each application thread-defined key to be symmetrical. The index keys are used for loading data from one or more data sources into the cache stores on behalf of the application threads. Application threads access the data from the cache store by providing references to the caches and the application-supplied keys. Some data associated with some caches may be shared from the cache store by multiple application threads. Additionally, some caches are exclusively accessed by specific application threads. |
| US08996527B1 |
Clustering images
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for clustering images. In one aspect a system includes one or more computers configured to, for each of a plurality of digital images, associate extrinsic image-related information with each individual image, the extrinsic image-related information including text information and co-click data for the individual image, assign images from the plurality of images to one or more of the clusters of images based on the extrinsic information associated with each of the plurality of images, receive in the search system a user query from a user device, identify by operation of the search system one or more clusters of images that match the query, and provide one or more cluster results, where each cluster result provides information about an identified cluster. |
| US08996526B1 |
Determining a lasting value of content items and performers
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating a content item metric or a performer metric. The metric can assess a lasting value of a content item or performer by identifying a distribution of a population of users expressing an interest in the content item or performer according to a demographic attribute, such as age. |
| US08996525B1 |
Facilitating user relationships to organizations in a social graph
An on-line system utilizing a social graph allows users to establish an account with the system and establish connections to nodes in the system. The social graph uses system-provided nodes that are created and maintained by the system, so that users cannot edit the system-provided nodes. The system aggregates and analyzes the social graph to present information in ways useful to its users. For example, the system generates a listing of persons and information about persons related to an organization. |
| US08996524B2 |
Automatically mining patterns for rule based data standardization systems
Methods, computer program products and systems are provided for mining for sub-patterns within a text data set. The embodiments facilitate finding a set of N frequently occurring sub-patterns within the data set, extracting the N sub-patterns from the data set, and clustering the extracted sub-patterns into K groups, where each extracted sub-pattern is placed within the same group with other extracted sub-patterns based upon a distance value D that determines a degree of similarity between the sub-pattern and every other sub-pattern within the same group. |
| US08996520B2 |
Ranking of native application content
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium for normalizing native application scores. In an aspect, a system ranks web resources and native applications based on web resource scores and normalized native application scores that are normalized to the web resource scores. The ranking is indicative of the relevance of each web resource and native application for a search operation relative to each other web resource and native application. |
| US08996518B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a cross-product matrix in a single pass through data using single pass levelization
Systems and methods are provided for a data processing system having multiple executable threads that is configured to generate a cross-product matrix in a single pass through data to be analyzed. An example system comprises memory for receiving the data to be analyzed, a processor having a plurality of executable threads for executing code to analyze data, and software code for generating a cross-product matrix in a single pass through data to be analyzed. The software code includes threaded variable levelization code for generating a plurality of thread specific binary trees for a plurality of classification variables, variable tree merge code for combining a plurality of the thread-specific trees into a plurality of overall trees for the plurality of classification variables, effect levelization code for generating sub-matrices using the plurality of the overall trees for the plurality of classification variables, and cross-product matrix generation code for generating the cross-product matrix. |
| US08996511B2 |
System, method, and computer product for providing search results in a hierarchical graphical format
Exemplary embodiments of a system and method for providing search results using an interactive graphical user interface may be described. A system may be configured to receive a search query, transmit the query to a search interface, receive a data set of search results and related search categories, and cause a visual representation of the search results and related search categories to be displayed on a connected device. A search system may further be configured to perform multiple, related searches and determine and recommend related, narrower searches to a user. Search results and recommended, related searches may be delivered to a user's device such that a user can, using an input device, interact with the search results and recommended searches. |
| US08996510B2 |
Identifying digital content using bioresponse data
In one exemplary embodiment, eye-tracking data may be collected from a user while the user is viewing a visual sensory stimulus. If the eye-tracking data includes an eye motion pattern exceeding a predetermined threshold, then the eye-tracking data may be used to identify a visual element within the user's field of view. In addition to the visual element, attributes and context information related to the sensory experience may be determined. Information related to the sensory experience may be stored in a repository for purposes of aiding the user's recollection of the visual element at a future time. |
| US08996506B2 |
Duplicate search optimization
A method and system for providing up-to-date monitoring results in a virtual machine environment are described. In one embodiment, a host controller receives a new query pertaining to at least one object in a virtual machine system from a client, and determines whether the new query is similar to any queries previously received from other clients. If the new query is similar to any of the previously received queries, the host controller provides data pertaining to a result of a last execution of the similar query to the client. If the new query is not similar to any of the previously received queries, the host controller executes the new query and provides a result of an execution of the new query to the client. |
| US08996504B2 |
Plan caching using density-based clustering
A query plan predictor receives a query instance according to a query template having a set of parameters. The query plan predictor determines a plan space point for the query instance which is based upon the set of parameters. The query plan predictor predicts a predicted query plan for the plan space point, which is selected from a map of query plans according to a confidence threshold from a plan cache that includes at least one histogram. Each histogram is representative of a cached query plan in the plan cache combined with a previously-selected locality-sensitive hashing function. The histogram stores a frequency distribution of a mapping of sample plan points for the cached query plan by the locality-sensitive hashing function. |
| US08996503B2 |
Query plan optimization for prepared SQL statements
System, methods and articles of manufacture for optimizing a query plan reuse in a database server system accessible by a plurality of client connections. An embodiment comprises providing at least one global cache storage and a private cache storage to a plurality of client connections, and coordinating utilization of the at least one global cache storage and the private cache storage to share light weight stored procedures and query plans for prepared SQL statements across the plurality of client connections via the at least one global cache storage while avoiding a spinlock access for executing the prepared SQL statements. |
| US08996502B2 |
Using join dependencies for refresh
In an embodiment, Partition Change Tracking (PCT) refresh is performed by using join dependencies on partitioning columns to derive and fill in identifiers of rows and/or partitions containing the rows in the refresh expressions. In an embodiment, the join dependencies that form the Materialized View's (MV's) query definition and the partitioning predicate of the table are used to automatically generate a statement which is run in order to derive and fill in identifiers of the rows and/or partitions that are being changed. The identifiers are then plugged into the refresh expression, and the refresh expression is run. Running the refresh expression causes the rows identified to be refreshed. |
| US08996492B2 |
Graph traversal operator inside a column store
A system, computer-implemented method, and a computer-readable storage medium for a data graph traversal are provided. The input parameters for traversing the data graph are received. The data graph having a set of vertices and a set of edges are stored in a column based format in a memory cache of a computer device based on the input parameters is traversed. The traversal generates a set of traversed vertices that are the result of the graph traversal. |
| US08996489B2 |
Method and system for pushing content to mobile devices
A method of pushing content, such as eLearning packages, to mobile devices is disclosed. The content push stores the content locally on the user's mobile device so the content can be viewed offline. |
| US08996487B1 |
System and method for improving the relevance of search results using data container access patterns
A system and method for improving the relevance of search results using data container access patterns. An indexing process tracks data access patterns and updates an access data structure. When executing a search operation, a search process first identifies a set of data containers containing the search terms. The search process then utilizes the access data structure to rank the identified data containers based on the collected data access pattern information. |
| US08996481B2 |
Method, system, apparatus, program code and means for identifying and extracting information
Some embodiments include a system, method, apparatus and means for identifying and extracting information include generating a list of information sources, each selected as having information potentially relevant to a topic, the list of information sources including sources of at least a first type and sources of a second type, retrieving first information from an information source of the at least first type and determining that the first information is relevant to the topic, monitoring the information source of the at least first type to identify a change in the first information, and retrieving updated information from the information source of the at least first type upon identifying the change. |
| US08996479B2 |
Comparing and selecting data cleansing service providers
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for exploring and selecting data cleansing service providers. Embodiments of the invention permit a user to explore different data cleansing service providers and compare quality results from the different data cleansing service providers. Sample data is mapped to a specified data domain. A list of service providers, for cleansing data for the selected data domain, is provided to a user. The user selects a subset of service providers. The sample data is submitted to the subset of service providers, which return results including allegedly cleansed data. The results are profiled and a comparison of the subset of service providers is presented to the user. The user selects a service provider to use when cleansing further data. |
| US08996478B2 |
Migrating deduplicated data
Methods and apparatuses for efficiently migrating deduplicated data are provided. In one example, a data management system includes a data storage volume, a memory including machine executable instructions, and a computer processor. The data storage volume includes data objects and free storage space. The computer processor executes the instructions to perform deduplication of the data objects and determine migration efficiency metrics for groups of the data objects. Determining the migration efficiency metrics includes determining, for each group, a relationship between the free storage space that will result if the group is migrated from the volume and the resources required to migrate the group from the volume. |
| US08996477B2 |
Multiple node/virtual input/output (I/O) server (VIOS) failure recovery in clustered partition mobility
A method utilizes cluster-awareness to effectively support a live partition mobility (LPM) event and provide recovery from node failure within a Virtual Input/Output (I/O) Server (VIOS) cluster. An LPM utility creates a monitoring thread on a first VIOS on initiation of a corresponding LPM event. The monitoring thread tracks a status of an LPM and records status information in the mobility table of a database. The LPM utility creates other monitoring threads on other VIOSes running on the (same) source server. If the first VIOS VIOS sustains one of multiple failures, the LPM utility provides notification to other functioning nodes/VIOSes. The LPM utility enables a functioning monitoring thread to update the LPM status. In particular, a last monitoring thread may perform cleanup/update operations within the database based on an indication that there are nodes on the first server that are in failed state. |
| US08996471B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing help content corresponding to the occurrence of an event within a computer
A method and apparatus are provided for displaying help content corresponding to the occurrence of an event occurring within a computer. An alert help data file is periodically downloaded at a client computer. When a program alert occurs within a client computer, the alert help data file is searched to identify help content corresponding to the particular occurrence of the alert. An alert identifier may be uniquely assigned to each alert to assist in locating the corresponding help content. Moreover, an assert tag and a function result value may also be utilized to define and locate particular help content. Once located, the help content may be displayed to a user. |
| US08996468B1 |
Block status mapping system for reducing virtual machine backup storage
Systems and methods programmatically determine the status of blocks in a virtual machine image. In certain embodiments, the system can determine which blocks are active, deleted, zero, or a combination of the same. In certain embodiments, the system advantageously determines block status without scanning all the blocks in a virtual machine image. Instead, the system can access metadata in a file system of a virtual machine image to determine the block status. When backing up the virtual machine image, the system can back up active blocks while skipping inactive blocks, including deleted and/or zero blocks. As a result, the system can take less time to back up a virtual machine image, and the resulting backup file or files can consume less storage space. |
| US08996466B2 |
Extend crud to support lifecyle management and business continuity
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing software updates. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include receiving a command for execution at a database. Moreover, a determination may be made as to whether the received command is one of a set of extended commands. The set of extended commands includes lock read, lock write, migrate, copy, and log changes. The received command is executed at the database. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described. |
| US08996465B2 |
Replicating data to a database
Techniques for replicating data to a database include determining a change to at least one database value in a database table on a source repository; updating, based on the change to the at least one database value, a snapshot value associated with the change to the at least one database value stored in a log table; incrementing a commit value associated with the snapshot value stored in a commit table, the commit table comprising a plurality of commit values associated with a plurality of corresponding snapshot values; initiating replication of the database from the source repository to a target repository; determining a maximum commit value of the plurality of commit values; and replicating the database value in the database table from the source repository to the target repository based on the commit value associated with the snapshot value being less than or equal to the maximum commit value. |
| US08996460B1 |
Accessing an image in a continuous data protection using deduplication-based storage
In one aspect, a method to generate a point-in-time (PIT) snapshot of deduplication-based volume includes generating a virtual access data structure, generating a preliminary snapshot of the volume and modifying the preliminary snapshot to point to a block according to the virtual access data structure to generate the PIT snapshot of the deduplication-based volume. |
| US08996459B2 |
Offline and/or client-side execution of a network application
Generally described, the present invention is directed to a network operating system that provides more effective ways of leveraging the connectivity of computer networks. In one embodiment, an XML virtual machine is implemented that accepts high-level application code written in an XML programming language as input. Functionality is provided to interpret or translate the application code written in an XML programming language into code that is suitable for execution across computer platforms. Moreover, the XML virtual machine supports the Model View Controller (MVC) design paradigm that facilitates true data abstraction from applications to a common data model. Multi-instance applications, with each instance potentially supporting multiple views, may be created and executed. |
| US08996456B2 |
Data processing service
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A system includes a first data center, a second data center, and a third data center. The multiple data centers are configured to replicate a logical collection of data that comprises multiple logical partitions of data. The system comprises a first writing subsystem that is designated to write updates to a copy of a first logical partition of data that is stored by the first data center. The system comprises a second writing subsystem that is designated to write updates to a copy of a second logical partition of data that is stored by the second data center. The system comprises a third writing subsystem that is designated to write updates to a copy of a third logical partition of data that is stored by the third data center. |
| US08996455B2 |
System and method for configuring a storage network utilizing a multi-protocol storage appliance
A system and method for configuring a storage network utilizing one or more storage appliances to utilize the multi-block based protocol nature of the storage appliances. By configuring the storage network, data served by the storage appliance may be accessed by a plurality of protocols simultaneously. Illustratively, a virtual disk (vdisk) may be access by clients using the FCP protocol over a FC network while other clients access the vdisk using the iSCSI protocol over a TCP/IP network. |
| US08996452B2 |
Generating a predictive model from multiple data sources
Techniques are disclosed for generating an ensemble model from multiple data sources. In one embodiment, the ensemble model is generated using a global validation sample, a global holdout sample and base models generated from the multiple data sources. An accuracy value may be determined for each base model, on the basis of the global validation dataset. The ensemble model may be generated from a subset of the base models, where the subset is selected on the basis of the determined accuracy values. |
| US08996451B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining an analysis chronicle
An apparatus, comprising a processor, memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, working with the processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: receiving a first set of information associated with a first information source, performing a first analysis of, at least part of, the first set of information based, at least in part, on an analysis criteria, determining that the first set of information complies with the analysis criteria, determining an analysis chronicle based, at least in part, on the first analysis, determining that the analysis chronicle has changed, and performing at least one operation in response to determining that the analysis chronicle has changed. |
| US08996448B2 |
Method and system for determining skill matrix
A method and a system for determining a skill matrix of an employee is provided. The method comprises analyzing the employee's folksonomic behavior and consequently creating the skill matrix of the employee. Folksonomy comprises creating one or more tags to annotate and categorize web content. The system includes a Tag Cloud Management Module, a Tag Cluster Generator Module and a Skill Matrix Generator Module. The Tag Cloud Management Module is configured to generate a tag cloud, wherein the tag cloud includes one or more tags created by the employee while browsing content of interest. The Tag Cluster Generator Module is configured to create one or more groups/clusters of one or more tags included in the tag cloud, based on one or more technologies related to the one or more tags. The Skill Matrix Generator Module is configured to analyze the created one or more clusters of tags to determine the skill matrix of the employee. |
| US08996443B2 |
System and method for composite distance metric leveraging multiple expert judgments
A system and method for a composite distance metric leveraging multiple expert judgments includes inputting a data distribution of multiple expert judgments stored on a computer readable storage medium. Base distance metrics are converted into neighborhoods for comparison, wherein each base distance metric represents an expert. The neighborhoods are combined to leverage the local discriminalities of all base distance metrics by applying at least one iterative process to output a composite distance metric. |
| US08996440B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus configured to create a schedule to be presented to a user includes an estimation unit and a creation unit. The estimation unit is configured to estimate whether or not the user acts in accordance with a first schedule including a task to do for accomplishing a preset aim. The creation unit is configured to create, when estimated that the user does not act in accordance with the first schedule, a new second schedule for accomplishing the aim from a state of the user who acts without following the first schedule. |
| US08996438B2 |
System for selecting an item of data representing a parameter of the air, engine control system, aircraft comprising such systems and associated method
A system and method for selecting a datum representative of an air parameter, including a plurality of sources each capable of delivering a datum representative of a measured value of the parameter. The system includes: a mechanism for determining, for at least some sources, a number of other sources from the plurality of sources in agreement with a source in question; and a mechanism for selecting the datum selected from the data delivered by the sources for which the determined agreement number is the maximum. An engine control system, or an aircraft can include such a system or implement such a method. |
| US08996432B1 |
Intelligent apparatus for providing personalized configuration of wheelchair tilt and recline
A method and apparatus for providing personalized configuration of physical supports for the human body, comprising accepting input including an individual's demographic information, neurological attributes, physical history, operational environment, and outcome or use objectives, processing user input employing an artificial intelligence engine, and then returning guidance and/or control parameters directed to seating adjustment and positioning, including incline angles for wheelchair tilt and recline. |
| US08996431B2 |
Spike domain neuron circuit with programmable kinetic dynamic, homeostatic plasticity and axonal delays
A spike domain asynchronous neuron circuit includes a first spike to exponential circuit for emulating kinetic dynamics at a neuron input and converting voltage spikes into exponentials, a first adjustable gain circuit for emulating homeostatic plasticity coupled to the first voltage-type spike exponential output and having a first current output, a neuron core circuit coupled to the first current output for emulating a neuron core and having a spike encoded voltage output, a filter and comparator circuit coupled to the spike encoded voltage output and having a gain control output coupled to the first adjustable gain circuit for controlling a gain of the first adjustable gain circuit, and an adjustable delay circuit for emulating an axonal delay coupled to the spike encoded voltage output and having an axonal delay output. |
| US08996429B1 |
Methods and systems for robot personality development
Methods and systems for robot and user interaction are provided to generate a personality for the robot. A robot may access a user device to determine or identify information about a user, and the robot may be configured to tailor a personality for interaction with the user based on the identified information. A robot may further receive data associated with the user to identify the user, such as using speech or face recognition. The robot may provide a personalized interaction or response to the user based on the determined information of the user. In some examples, a robot's personality or personalization can be transferred from one robot to another robot, or information stored on one robot can be shared with another robot over the cloud. |
| US08996428B2 |
Predicting diagnosis of a patient
Method, system, and computer program product are provided for predicting diagnosis of a patient performed by a computerized device. The method may include: modeling data from a group of successfully diagnosed patients, wherein the data is modeled as treatment paths of patients including referrals to medical practitioners; and predicting diagnosis for a current patient by comparing a treatment path of the current patient with the modeled treatment paths of successfully diagnosed patients, including calculating a probability of a given diagnosis from the modeled treatment paths. The method may include: defining a set of medical entities including medical practitioners to which a patient has been referred; and gathering treatment paths of successfully diagnosed patients, wherein the treatment path links medical entities in a directional route. Predicting diagnosis for a current patient may use the modeled data to calculate the probability of each model instance for each diagnosis and choosing the model instance of the diagnosis that maximizes the treatment path probability. |
| US08996426B2 |
Behavior and information model to yield more accurate probability of successful outcome
A report indicating a user-reported probability of a successful outcome is received. A behavior and information model is estimated based on the report. The behavior and information model includes a behavior model component having a bias parameter and a consistency parameter. The behavior and information model includes an information model component having a first user-believed probability of a successful outcome and a second user-believed probability of a successful outcome. The behavior and information model is used to yield a model-determined probability of a successful outcome that more accurately reflects a probability of a successful outcome than the user-reported probability of a successful outcome does. |
| US08996425B1 |
Dynamically guided user reviews
Systems and associated processes for guiding users to provide more useful reviews are described. These systems and processes can provide guided reviews in certain embodiments by presenting questions to a user in the form of an interview. The questions can be relevant to the item being reviewed, and as such, may be specifically and dynamically selected based on the particular item under consideration. Many other criteria may be used to select the types of questions presented to users, examples of which will be described below. Presenting review questions to users can have the effect of reducing or eliminating the “blank page” effect of having to write a review from scratch, with no guidance. Accordingly, review questions can potentially elicit more thorough and useful feedback than existing review systems in some embodiments. |
| US08996421B2 |
Methods and apparatus to conditionally authorize content delivery at broadcast headends in pay delivery systems
Methods and apparatus to conditionally authorize content delivery at broadcast headends in pay delivery systems are disclosed. An example method includes generating a broadcast signal, receiving an authorization request to download a program from a receiver station, determining an authorization for the download and sending the authorization to a point-to-point content delivery server. |
| US08996418B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for settlement for participation in an electric power grid
Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of physical and financial settlement for participation of active grid elements in supply and/or curtailment of power. Settlement is provided for grid elements that participate in the electric power grid following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity, and are compensated through settlement for their functional participation in the electric power grid. Also, messaging related to settlement is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators. |
| US08996416B2 |
OCR enabled management of accounts payable and/or accounts receivable auditing data
A number of different tags are input in a fax cover sheet that tell an OCR system not only the identity of the supplier, but also to which client the document should be routed. The OCR system identifies a number of these tags and compares them to stored supplier data to validate to which supplier the document belongs. If the system cannot validate the document, it is routed to a GUI for manual sorting. If there is no coversheet, the system relies upon the OCR system to locate keywords on the document and caller ID information to suggest a correct supplier. The OCR system also clips a separate, horizontal slice of the document (‘snippet’) that corresponds to the display of any line item and places it in a data base for future reference and reporting. The application collects and associates all corresponding snippets to their originating line items. |
| US08996412B2 |
Information processing system and information processing method
An information processing system includes a terminal device and a server device. When recommending subsidiary contents, recommended contents are extracted at the server, and recommended content information is returned to the terminal device. At the terminal device, a recommendation order is set regarding the recommended contents which the recommended content information indicates, upon which the recommended contents are presented, such that recommended content extracting processing and recommendation order setting processing is dispersed among the server device and terminal device. |
| US08996409B2 |
Management of online trading services using mediated communications
Systems and methods for mediation of online trading services are provided. Supplemental content related to a content title may be listed in a market or store for content. A client device sends a mediated communication to a trading server; the mediated communication may include mediation data and a request concerning the transfer of supplemental content. A user account associated with the client device is identified and the supplemental content may then be assigned to the user account. A report regarding activity associated with the assignment of the supplemental content may be generated in accordance with mediation data. |
| US08996406B2 |
Search engine segmentation
The claimed subject matter can provide a mechanism that facilitates market segmentation among search engines. A segmentation mechanism is provided that displays a plurality of search engines that can be employed in connection with a plurality of search types. Thus, an Internet search query can be analyzed, e.g., by keywords to determine a type of search being performed, and subsequently directed to the search engine selected for that type rather than all search queries going to a single search engine. The routing of a query can be based upon a user's choices, which takes advantage of the fact that some search engines perform better than others based upon the type of search. The segmentation mechanism can be built into, e.g., an operating system, a browser and the like, and can be easily configured. |
| US08996405B2 |
System for providing for a revenue generator to bid exclusively on mobile search traffic
A system is described for providing for a revenue generator to bid exclusively on mobile search traffic. The system may include a processor, a memory and an interface. The memory may store a plurality of bids, a keyword, a mobile search request and a mobile advertisement associated with a revenue generator. The interface may communicate with a user and a plurality of revenue generators. The processor may receive bids on the keyword from the revenue generators. The bids may apply to the keyword when the keyword is searched for through the mobile carrier. The processor may receive the mobile search request from the user. The processor may determine if the mobile search request originated from the mobile carrier. The processor may serve the user the advertisement if the mobile search request originated from the mobile carrier, otherwise the mobile advertisement is not served for the keyword. |
| US08996404B2 |
Method for processing invalid click and system for executing the method
A method and system of processing an invalid click is provided. The method includes the steps of: verifying an invalid click Internet Protocol (IP) address of a user terminal generating the invalid click with respect to an advertisement; associating the invalid click IP address with the advertisement, and registering and maintaining the invalid click IP address in an invalid click list when the invalid click IP address is verified; and providing the user terminal of the invalid click IP address with a result page other than the advertisement with respect to an advertisement exposure request using the invalid click IP address. When a number of clicks is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of clicks with respect to the same advertisement using the same IP address over a predetermined time, the step of verifying verifies the same IP address as the invalid click IP address. |
| US08996403B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for enabling the automated selection of keywords for rapid keyword portfolio expansion
A computer-implemented method and system for enabling the automated selection of keywords for rapid keyword portfolio expansion are disclosed. Various embodiments are operable to normalize a plurality of keywords received from a source, filter the normalized plurality of keywords against one or more keyword filtration lists, produce site-specific variants of the filtered plurality of keywords, associate at least one level of dimension data with each of the plurality of keywords, and store the processed plurality of keywords and dimension data in a keyword database. |
| US08996402B2 |
Forecasting and booking of inventory atoms in content delivery systems
Systems and methods for planning and booking advertising campaigns are provided. In operation, a booking engine generates a collection of proposed campaigns in response to a campaign request, where the each of the proposed campaigns corresponds to a scenario of atom availability. Such scenarios can account for possible or anticipated changes in the number and cost of atoms or any other changes of interest to the advertiser. The availability for the atoms in the campaign request can be projected using the past history and the known future unavailability of the atoms and is further modified to account for the variation in atom availability associated with each scenario. Thereafter, the booking engine can present the results for each scenario to the advertiser and allow him to select a campaign. |
| US08996399B1 |
Product promotion methods and associated systems
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a product promotion method. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a product promotion system. In one specific example, the present invention provides a product promotion method, comprising: selecting at least one winning prize for the product promotion; selecting a time period over which the product promotion will be run; selecting a number of prize-winning items that are sold in a store; and providing at least a portion of the winning prize to a person who purchases from the store, during the time period over which the product promotion will be run, all of the selected prize-winning items. |
| US08996389B2 |
Artifact reduction in time compression
Various techniques are disclosed for reducing artifacts generated by time compression. by adapting the time compression based on the state of the received audio. The amount of time compression may be bounded based on audio characteristics. Another feature provides a way of determining the most correlated portions of segments of audio. Voiced speech may be distinguished from unvoiced speech. Another feature provides a way of distinguishing between silence, voiced speech, and unvoiced speech. Time compression may be adapted during periods of lengthy silence. Another feature allows for reducing time compression during sensitive portions of the received audio. One or more of these features may be present in different embodiments. |
| US08996387B2 |
Release of transaction data
For clearing transaction data selected for a processing, there is generated in a portable data carrier (1) a transaction acoustic signal (003; 103; 203) (S007; S107; S207) upon whose acoustic reproduction by an end device (10) at least transaction data selected for the processing are reproduced superimposed acoustically with a melody specific to a user of the data carrier (1) (S009; S109; S209). The generated transaction acoustic signal (003; 103; 203) is electronically transferred to an end device (10) (S108; S208), which processes the selected transaction data (S011; S121; S216) only when the user of the data carrier (1) confirms vis-à-vis the end device (10) an at least partial match both of the acoustically reproduced melody with the user-specific melody and of the acoustically reproduced transaction data with the selected transaction data (S010; S110, S116; S210). |
| US08996384B2 |
Transforming components of a web page to voice prompts
Embodiments of the invention address the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a method, apparatus, and program product to of converting components of a web page to voice prompts for a user. In some embodiments, the method comprises selectively determining at least one HTML component from a plurality of HTML components of a web page to transform into a voice prompt for a mobile system based upon a voice attribute file associated with the web page. The method further comprises transforming the at least one HTML component into parameterized data suitable for use by the mobile system based upon at least a portion of the voice attribute file associated with the at least one HTML component and transmitting the parameterized data to the mobile system. |
| US08996381B2 |
Background speech recognition assistant
In one embodiment, a method receives an acoustic input signal at a speech recognizer configured to recognize the acoustic input signal in an always on mode. A set of responses based on the recognized acoustic input signal is determined and ranked based on criteria. A computing device determines if the response should be output based on a ranking of the response. The method determines an output method in a plurality of output methods based on the ranking of the response and outputs the response using the output method if it is determined the response should be output. |
| US08996379B2 |
Speech recognition text entry for software applications
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a mobile environment speech processing facility. The present invention may provide for the entering of text into a software application resident on a mobile communication facility, where recorded speech may be presented by the user using the mobile communications facility's resident capture facility. Transmission of the recording may be provided through a wireless communication facility to a speech recognition facility, and may be accompanied by information related to the software application. Results may be generated utilizing the speech recognition facility that may be independent of structured grammar, and may be based at least in part on the information relating to the software application and the recording. The results may then be transmitted to the mobile communications facility, where they may be loaded into the software application. In addition, the speech recognition facility may be adapted based on usage. |
| US08996377B2 |
Blending recorded speech with text-to-speech output for specific domains
A text-to-speech (TTS) engine combines recorded speech with synthesized speech from a TTS synthesizer based on text input. The TTS engine receives the text input and identifies the domain for the speech (e.g. navigation, dialing, . . . ). The identified domain is used in selecting domain specific speech recordings (e.g. pre-recorded static phrases such as “turn left”, “turn right” . . . ) from the input text. The speech recordings are obtained based on the static phrases for the domain that are identified from the input text. The TTS engine blends the static phrases with the TTS output to smooth the acoustic trajectory of the input text. The prosody of the static phrases is used to create similar prosody in the TTS output. |
| US08996371B2 |
Method and system for automatic domain adaptation in speech recognition applications
A system and method for adapting a language model to a specific environment by receiving interactions captured the specific environment, generating a collection of documents from documents retrieved from external resources, detecting in the collection of documents terms related to the environment that are not included in an initial language model and adapting the initial language model to include the terms detected. |
| US08996369B2 |
System and method for transcribing audio files of various languages
System, method and program product for transcribing an audio file included in or referenced by a web page. A language of text in the web page is determined. Then, voice recognition software of the language of text is selected and used to transcribe the audio file. If the language of the text is not the language of the audio file, then a related language is determined. Then, voice recognition software of the related language is selected and used to transcribe the audio file. The related language can be related geographically, by common root, as another dialect of the same language, or as another language commonly spoken in the same country as the language of the text. Another system, method and program product is disclosed for transcribing an audio file included in or referenced by a web page. A domain extension or full domain of the web page and an official language of the domain extension or full domain are determined. Then, voice recognition software of the official language is used to attempt to transcribe the audio file. If the official language is not a language of the audio file, then a language related to the official language is determined. Then, voice recognition software of the related language is selected and used to transcribe said audio file. The related language can be related geographically, by common root, as another dialect of the same language, or as another language commonly spoken in the same country as the official language. |
| US08996368B2 |
Online maximum-likelihood mean and variance normalization for speech recognition
A feature transform for speech recognition is described. An input speech utterance is processed to produce a sequence of representative speech vectors. A time-synchronous speech recognition pass is performed using a decoding search to determine a recognition output corresponding to the speech input. The decoding search includes, for each speech vector after some first threshold number of speech vectors, estimating a feature transform based on the preceding speech vectors in the utterance and partial decoding results of the decoding search. The current speech vector is then adjusted based on the current feature transform, and the adjusted speech vector is used in a current frame of the decoding search. |
| US08996363B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining a plurality of local center of gravity frequencies of a spectrum of an audio signal
An apparatus for determining a plurality of local center-of-gravity frequencies of a spectrum of an audio signal includes an offset determiner, a frequency determiner and an iteration controller. The offset determiner determines an offset frequency for each iteration start frequency of a plurality of iteration start frequencies based on the spectrum of the audio signal, wherein a number of discrete sample values of the spectrum is larger than a number of iteration start frequencies. The frequency determiner determines a new plurality of iteration start frequencies by increasing or reducing each iteration start frequency of the plurality of iteration start frequencies by the corresponding determined offset frequency. The iteration controller provides the new plurality of iteration start frequencies to the offset determiner for further iteration or provides the plurality of local center-of-gravity frequencies, if a predefined termination condition is fulfilled. |
| US08996362B2 |
Device and method for a bandwidth extension of an audio signal
For a bandwidth extension of an audio signal, in a signal spreader the audio signal is temporally spread by a spread factor greater than 1. The temporally spread audio signal is then supplied to a demicator to decimate the temporally spread version by a decimation factor matched to the spread factor. The band generated by this decimation operation is extracted and distorted, and finally combined with the audio signal to obtain a bandwidth extended audio signal. A phase vocoder in the filterbank implementation or transformation implementation may be used for signal spreading. |
| US08996360B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating journal
A method and an apparatus for generating a journal, which can implement automatic generation of a journal based on data from various sources. The method includes: obtaining a source data set and a journal description data set corresponding to the source data set; calculating an alignment probability between each source data sequence and each journal description data sequence to obtain an alignment probability set; calculating a probability that each journal description data sequence occurs in the journal description data set to obtain an occurrence probability set; determining, according to the alignment probability set and the occurrence probability set and from each journal description data sequence, a target journal description data sequence corresponding to a source data sequence to be translated, and translating the target journal description data sequence into a journal description text. |
| US08996358B2 |
Entity variant generation and normalization
Determining variants of a text entity comprises parsing the text entity into semantic components and generating variants for each of the semantic components. The entity is recomposed in different morphological forms from the different variants of the semantic components. |
| US08996357B2 |
Method for generating diagrams, and information processing apparatus for same
A computer analyzes a statement written in a natural language to determine the types and structure of phrases that constitute the statement. A memory stores a plurality of translation rules for different types of phrases, each rule describing how a phrase is to be translated into graphical symbol datasets and relationship link datasets. Each graphical symbol dataset specifies a graphical symbol having a content label representing its content. The content label is or includes a word contained in the pertinent phrase. Each relationship link dataset specifies a relationship link that represents a relationship between graphical symbols and has a particular end shape to indicate what type of relationship it is. The computer translates each phrase of the statement into two or more graphical symbol datasets and one or more relationship link datasets, according to the translation rules pertinent to the determined phrase types. |
| US08996355B2 |
Systems and methods for reviewing histories of text messages from multi-user multi-lingual communications
Various embodiments described herein facilitate multi-lingual communications. The systems and methods of some embodiments enable multi-lingual communications through different modes of communication including, for example, Internet-based chat, e-mail, text-based mobile phone communications, postings to online forums, postings to online social media services, and the like. Certain embodiments implement communication systems and methods that translate text between two or more languages. Users of the systems and methods may be incentivized to submit corrections for inaccurate or erroneous translations, and may receive a reward for these submissions. Systems and methods for assessing the accuracy of translations are described. |
| US08996352B2 |
Systems and methods for correcting translations in multi-user multi-lingual communications
Various embodiments described herein facilitate multi-lingual communications. The systems and methods of some embodiments enable multi-lingual communications through different modes of communication including, for example, Internet-based chat, e-mail, text-based mobile phone communications, postings to online forums, postings to online social media services, and the like. Certain embodiments implement communication systems and methods that translate text between two or more languages. Users of the systems and methods may be incentivized to submit corrections for inaccurate or erroneous translations, and may receive a reward for these submissions. Systems and methods for assessing the accuracy of translations are described. |
| US08996350B1 |
System and method for automatic document management
A system for managing documents, comprising: interfaces to a user interface, proving an application programming interface, a database of document images, a remote server, configured to communicate a text representation of the document from the optical character recognition engine to the report server, and to receive from the remote server a classification of the document; and logic configured to receive commands from the user interface, and to apply the classifications received from the remote server to the document images through the interface to the database. A corresponding method is also provided. |
| US08996345B2 |
Machine emulator methods
Emulator computer program methods using an emulator module are disclosed. A computer program method includes a computer usable medium for emulating a process of a machine having actuators and mechanical elements. The computer usable medium is configured to display a graphical user interface having input fields corresponding to the actuators and mechanical elements, and to display a graphical representation of output response data of the machine using inputted parameters. A plurality of parameters are input into the plurality of input fields for emulating a mechanical operation of the machine using the plurality of parameters. Output response data based on an emulation of the mechanical operation of the machine is generated and displayed. |
| US08996342B1 |
Automatic variable fidelity simulation
A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for performing a computer simulation a physical object, includes receiving at least one selection by a user with respect to usage of a simpler model or a more complex model to be used to model at least one attribute of the physical object; performing a computer simulation of the physical object based on the at least one selection received from the user; and rerunning the computer simulation a plurality of times using results obtained from earlier run computer simulations, to obtain an accurate representation of the physical object. |
| US08996336B2 |
Method, tool, and device for assembling a plurality of partial floor plans into a combined floor plan
A method, tool, and device for assembling a plurality of partial floor plans into a combined floor plan by means of an electronic device. The method involves positioning partial floor plans relatively one to another, pairing substantially aligned walls, and computing modified partial floor plans that can be assembled into a combined floor plan. |
| US08996334B2 |
Method and system for analysis of turbomachinery
A method and a system for analyzing turbomachinery is provided. In one embodiment, a system for analyzing turbomachinery is provided. The system includes an intelligent turbomachinery tracking filter (ITTF) system configured to determine one or more performance shifts for one or more components of the turbomachinery based on a plurality of turbomachinery parameters. The system further includes a root cause analyzer configured to determine a root cause of the turbomachinery performance based on the one or more performance shifts. The one or more performance shifts include trended data. |
| US08996333B2 |
Information processing apparatus which executes specific processing based on a specific condition and a detected specific vibration, and method for controlling the same
An information processing apparatus capable of preventing unintentional vibration from being erroneously recognized as vibration caused by a tapping operation is provided. The information processing apparatus detects acceleration caused by vibration applied thereto, determines whether the amplitude of acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is greater than or equal to a threshold, analyzes a frequency of the acceleration data when the amplitude is greater than or equal to the threshold, and executes processing assigned to the tapping operation when the frequency analysis result indicates the tapping operation. |
| US08996331B2 |
Method and system for managing thermal policies of a portable computing device
A method and system for managing one or more thermal policies of a portable computing device (PCD) includes monitoring temperature of the portable computing device with internal thermal sensors and external thermal sensors. If a change in temperature has been detected by at least one thermal sensor, then a thermal policy manager may increase a frequency in which temperature readings are detected by the thermal sensors. The thermal policy manager may also determine if a current temperature of the portable computing device as detected by one or more of the thermal sensors falls within one or more predetermined thermal states. Each thermal state may be assigned a unique set of thermal mitigation techniques. Each set of thermal mitigation techniques may be different from one another. The sets of thermal mitigation techniques may differ according to quantity of techniques and impacts on performance of the PCD. |
| US08996322B2 |
Method and system for improving MLS-based measurements
A measurement systems that reduces spurious artifacts in reflected signals by generating and employing an improved maximum length sequence. Accurate acoustic measurements with both high SNR and low spurious artifacts are made possible by generating Wide MLS (WMLS) which modifies a base MLS by replacing each value with a sequence that includes the value and one or more additional values, where typically the replaced values have opposing polarities and, the additional signals have intermediate values. An exemplary intermediate values can be approximately zero value. |
| US08996320B2 |
System and method including analytical units
Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples. |
| US08996316B2 |
System and method for fractionation of a well using a three dimensional wellbore profile with an executive dashboard
A system and computer assisted method to fractionate an oil or other well using a user moveable and rotatable three dimensional model of a lateral pay zone for a directionally drilled well, and other information relative to the lateral pay zone, enabling accurate identification of fractionation zones, accurate placement of well perforating guns, and accurate insertion of fractionation plugs to maximize production of the well, while additionally enabling the three dimensional model of the lateral pay zone to be viewable and updatable by on site uses at the location of the fractionation and by remote users as events occur, in some cases, in providing updates in less than 1 minute. |
| US08996313B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and electronic device
An apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain an atmospheric-pressure value measured by each of a plurality of electronic devices, the plurality of electronic devices being located at corresponding floors in a building and having atmospheric-pressure sensors, respectively, a setting unit configured to perform processing, the processing including calculating a frequency of an atmospheric-pressure value having a same value on the basis of the obtained plurality of atmospheric-pressure values and, classifying the atmospheric-pressure values on the basis of the frequencies, and generating association information associating the classified atmospheric-pressure value with a floor of the building; and a transmission unit configured to transmit information on a floor of the building associated with the atmospheric-pressure value on the basis of the generated association information when an atmospheric-pressure value is received together with identification information identifying the electronic device from any one of the electronic devices. |
| US08996312B1 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing alternative trips for a computer-implemented trip search
Provided are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for providing alternative trips for a computer-implemented trip search. User may submit a trip request associated with a primary transportation mode between an origin and a destination, such as by submitting a request for directions via an interactive map. The trip price for the primary trip may be determined. Additionally, alternative trip prices for alternative transportation modes may be determined and compared to the primary trip price. If an alternative trip price is lower than the primary trip price, an alternative trip notification may be provided to user with information about the alternative trip, such as a link to further details about the alternative trip. |
| US08996308B2 |
Apparatus, method and article for providing locations of power storage device collection, charging, and distribution machines
A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). Locations of collection, charging and distribution machines having available charged portable electrical energy storage devices are communicated to or acquired by a mobile device of a user or a navigation system of a user's vehicle. The locations are indicated on a graphical user interface on a map relative to the user's current location. The user may select particular locations on the map to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device at a particular collection, charging and distribution machine location. The collection, charging and distribution machine locations displayed may also be based on a physical distance or driving time from the current location of the user mobile device or vehicle. |
| US08996304B2 |
Customized travel route system
An embodiment of the invention includes (a) acquiring a tour start location, a tour constraint, and a first user travel preference for a first user; and (b) determining a tour route, including first and second tour segments, based on the tour start location and the tour constraint. The first tour segment is determined based on the first user travel preference. The tour constraint includes a time constraint that is defined by the first user and includes a maximum allowable time for the tour route. Other embodiments are described herein. |
| US08996302B2 |
Reduction of the impact of hard limit constraints in state space models
A location of a mobile device in a venue can be estimated by using a state space estimator to determine candidate locations of the mobile device at a first time point based on previous candidate positions conditioned upon an observation of one or more environmental variables. A second observation is received at a second time point, and the state space estimator performs a propagation step to determine the candidate locations at the second time point based on the candidate locations at the first time point and the second observation. The propagation step includes a plurality of sub-propagation steps in which a time length between the sub-propagation steps is a fraction of the time length between the first and second time points, and at each sub-propagation step each candidate location is propagated according to a stochastic process. The location of the mobile device at the second time point is determined based on the candidate locations at the second time point. |
| US08996294B2 |
Inter-vehicle distance maintenance supporting system and method
An inter-vehicle distance maintenance supporting system for a host vehicle can include an obstacle detector that detects the obstacle present ahead of the host vehicle, an inter-vehicle distance detector that detects the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the obstacle, a confidence factor computing device that computes the confidence factor for taking the obstacle as a preceding vehicle ahead of the host vehicle based on the state of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detector, a confidence factor correcting part that corrects the confidence factor based on the relative-position relationship between the host vehicle and the obstacle, and a reaction force controller that applies a reaction force on the accelerator pedal based on the inter-vehicle distance and the confidence factor. |
| US08996293B2 |
System and method for determining a slack condition of a vehicle system
A method for determining a slack condition of a vehicle system includes determining when each of first and second vehicles reaches a designated location along a route. The method also includes communicating a response message from the second vehicle to the first vehicle responsive to the second vehicle reaching the designated location, calculating a separation distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on a time delay between a first time when the first vehicle reached the designated location and a second time when the second vehicle reached the designated location, and determining a slack condition of the vehicle system based on the separation distance. The slack condition is representative of an amount of slack in the vehicle system between the first and second vehicles. |
| US08996289B2 |
Geofence-based triggers for automated data collection
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for automated data collection using geofence-based triggers. In one embodiment, the location of a vehicle can be monitored by a variety of computing entities. By using the vehicle's location, it can be determined when the vehicle enters and/or exits defined geofences. After a determination that a vehicle has entered or exited a defined geofence, one or more events can be automatically triggered/initiated. |
| US08996286B1 |
Method for analyzing traffic patterns to provide solutions for alleviating traffic problems
A system and method for providing a suggested modification to road characteristics is provided. Signals indicating locations of several users are received at different points in time. A flow of traffic corresponding to the several users is determined based on an analysis of the locations of the several users at the different points in time. A high traffic area is identified in the determined flow of traffic by comparing the determined flow of traffic with a predetermined baseline flow of traffic. Road characteristics in the identified high traffic area are analyzed and a suggested modification to at least one of the road characteristics based on the analyzing of the road characteristics is provided. |
| US08996284B2 |
Automotive electrical system operation management during coasting and with engine off
An automotive electrical system for a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, the automotive electrical system comprising a main electrical power source, a secondary electrical power source, safety critical electrical loads and non-safety critical electrical loads, and an electrical switching device arranged between the main and secondary electrical power sources and at least the safety critical electrical loads and configured to selectively connect at least the safety critical electrical loads to at least one of the main and secondary electrical power sources. The electrical switching device is configured to connect at least the safety critical electrical loads to the auxiliary electrical power source during the cranking of the internal combustion engine and/or when the motor vehicle is coasting with the internal combustion engine off and the main electrical power source is faulty. |
| US08996282B2 |
Fueling systems, methods and apparatus for an internal combustion engine
The present disclosure provides a method to operate an internal combustion engine comprising storing a fueling command map having fueling index values, each of the fueling index values defining values for a plurality of fueling parameters, and a plurality of predetermined non-linear relationships that directly relate fueling index values to in-cylinder oxygen mass values; determining a temporary fueling index value; determining an in-cylinder oxygen mass value; identifying a predetermined relationship that directly relates fueling index values to in-cylinder oxygen mass values from the plurality of predetermined relationships to provide an identified predetermined relationship; determining that a current relationship of the temporary fueling index value to the calculated oxygen mass value differs from the identified predetermined relationship; and adjusting the temporary fueling index value using at least one fueling correction model to provide a revised fueling index value that approaches the identified predetermined relationship. |
| US08996277B2 |
Gas turbine engine control
A gas turbine engine control apparatus comprises a controller 34, a memory 36 associated with the controller 34 and inputs 38 for measurement data from an engine. The controller 34 determines the start of a monitoring cycle at 73, receives measurement data at the inputs 38 during the monitoring cycle, manipulates the measurement data to provide an incremental deterioration value representing deterioration occurring within the engine and during the monitoring cycle, and uses the incremental deterioration value at 72 to update a deterioration value 74 stored in the memory 36, and determines the start of a further monitoring cycle. |
| US08996276B2 |
Vehicle driving support control apparatus
When a stereo image recognition device detects a vehicle ahead, a driving support apparatus extracts the vehicle ahead as a vehicle against which control should be performed, and performs driving support control based upon the information from the stereo image recognition device. When the stereo image recognition device does not detect the vehicle ahead, the driving support apparatus sets either one of the distance from the driving lane on which the vehicle travels and a start point of a curve ahead according to the configuration of the road ahead and a detection limit distance of the information of the vehicle ahead by the stereo image recognition device (front recognition device) as a threshold value IVC_L. When the vehicle ahead is present distant by more than the threshold value IVC_L, the driving support apparatus performs driving support control based upon the information by the inter-vehicle communication from a communication device. |
| US08996268B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a brake system for a motor vehicle having a brake device
A method is provided for controlling a brake system of a motor vehicle having a brake device (40) with a hydraulic brake unit (41) and a recuperation brake unit (42). The method includes calculating (S1) a hydraulic brake force characteristic curve (B2) of the hydraulic brake unit (41) on the basis of at least one detected characteristic of the brake system, selecting (S2) a generator-based brake force characteristic curve (G1-G4) of the recuperation brake unit (42) on the basis of a predefined criterion and as a function of the calculated hydraulic brake force characteristic curve (B2), and controlling (S3) the hydraulic brake unit (41) and the recuperation brake unit (42) in accordance with a detected degree of actuation of the brake pedal (10), the calculated hydraulic brake force characteristic curves (B2), and the selected generator-based brake force characteristic curve (G1-G4). |
| US08996262B2 |
Skip-shift operations for automatic transmission systems
Method and system providing manual skip-shift for operating the automatic transmission of a vehicle. The method includes accepting the input of gear states by operating a selector mechanism to select a value. The system accepts input of a selected sequence of gear states from a plurality of available gear states, the selected sequence including fewer gear states than the number of available gear states. The system then operates a selector mechanism to select the gear state from the selected sequence. The system also includes an electronic control module, a selector mechanism, and a power train control module. |
| US08996261B2 |
Automobile paddle shifters locking device and system
A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle. The system including a steering wheel, first and second paddle shifters coupled to the steering wheel or column, a switch having an activate state and a deactivate state and coupled to the steering wheel, a center console, an instrument panel, or an integrated display, and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second paddle shifters to inhibit movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the deactivate state and to allow movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the activate state as a stand-alone lock out method or integrated with an electronic lock out method. |
| US08996260B2 |
Automobile paddle shifters with first and second positions
A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel and a detent mechanism having an idle location, a first location, and a second location, the detent mechanism is coupled to the steering wheel. The system also includes a paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and the detent mechanism, the paddle shifter having an idle position with no associated function when the paddle shifter is in the idle location, a first operating position with an associated first function when the paddle shifter is in the first location, and a second operating position with an associated second function when the paddle shifter is in the second location. The associated first function is different from the associated second function. |
| US08996258B2 |
Vehicle safety system having methods and apparatus configurable for various vehicle geometries
Methods and apparatus for automatically adjusting the angle of a rotatable side view mirror of an articulated tractor and trailer includes transducers attached to the tractor for transmitting signals toward the trailer and for receiving signals reflected by the trailer. The transducers have a substantially symmetrical arrangement about a centerline of a linear transducer bar attached to the tractor and each has an angular orientation substantially dissimilar to adjacent transducers on a same side of the centerline. A control circuit sequentially activates ones of the transducers such that only a single transducer transmits signals at any given time. Thereafter, the control circuit only processes reflected signals received by the emitting transducer. The control circuit calculates an angle between the tractor and trailer and causes the mirrors to rotate. Transducer calibration and mirror adjustment relative to a zero position set by a driver are also contemplated. |
| US08996256B2 |
Communication system for a passenger protection system
In each sensor unit, when a sensor control unit cannot detect current flowing to an output side, its address is set to the same address as a sensor unit of the last stage. In an ECU, if the set address and characteristic information of each sensor unit are not stored in a memory unit when the set addresses and the characteristic information of all the sensor units are received by an ECU control unit, the received set addresses and the characteristic information are stored. A failure check unit checks received characteristic information received by the ECU control unit with characteristic information stored in the memory unit. If one characteristic information is in disagreement, a sensor unit having such characteristic information is determined to be failing. If plural characteristic information are in disagreement, a sensor unit having characteristic information and closest to the ECU is determined to be failing. |
| US08996255B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a safing function in a restraining system
An apparatus (10) is provided for controlling an actuatable restraint (14, 16) in a vehicle (12). An sensor (24) is mounted in the vehicle (12) and outputs an electrical signal having a characteristic indicative of a vehicle event. A discrimination circuit (42) is coupled to the sensor (24) and determines if a predetermined event occurred. A safing circuit (50) is coupled to the sensor (24) signal and sequestered from the discrimination circuit (42) for determining if the predetermined event occurred. An actuation device is actuates the restraint when both the discrimination circuit (42) and the safing circuit (50) determine the predetermined event occurred. |
| US08996249B2 |
Adaptive active suspension system with road preview
A method for controlling an active suspension is disclosed. The method includes steps of determining a dimension of a road abnormality ahead of the vehicle; comparing the dimension with a vehicle dimension; responsive to the comparison, classifying the abnormality as one type of a plurality of predetermined types; responsive to a dimension of the abnormality, further classifying the abnormality as having a severity of one type of a plurality of predetermined types; and controlling the suspension responsive to the abnormality type and severity type. |
| US08996248B2 |
Virtual sensor network system and method for convergence of heterogeneous sensors
A virtual sensor network system is provided that includes a virtual sensor node that stores sensor data collected from a sensor mounted within a vehicle in time synchronization therewith and provides the stored sensor data in time synchronization therewith, in addition, a master node performs a control on the virtual sensor node and executes an algorithm used in an intelligent vehicle using the sensor data. The master node receives the sensor data stored in the virtual sensor node as the virtual sensor data in time synchronization therewith, without inputting actual sensor data from the sensor mounted within the vehicle when executing the algorithm. |
| US08996237B2 |
Smart power management system and method thereof
A diagnostic tool that can communicate with a computing device such as smart phone is provided. The diagnostic tool can include a power management system that allows the dynastic tool to enter lower power state in order to prevent the power drain of vehicle battery. The diagnostic tool can also AutoID a vehicle or use a “fingerprinting” process to identify the vehicle. A crediting system is provided that can be used to credit a 3rd party for software purchased for use by the diagnostic tool or smart phone. |
| US08996236B2 |
Method for detecting offset for a pedestrian protection device
A method for detecting offset for a pedestrian protection device, in which sensor data are ascertained and evaluated for determining an impact point of an object. In the event of a collision with an object, characteristics are extracted for determining the offset of the impact point using the sensor data from at least two sensors, absolute values and/or differential values and/or composite values and/or maximum values and/or minimum values of the sensor data from the at least two sensors being determined in the characteristics extraction. |
| US08996232B2 |
Wireless vehicle servicing
Various embodiments include methods, systems, and computer-program products for wireless vehicle servicing. Instructions for performing a vehicle servicing operation may be received at a servicing terminal. Further, vehicle servicing operation data based on the instructions and data communication rules for communicating data to a vehicle computing system may be received. Servicing request data stored in computer-readable media may be generated and may include the vehicle servicing operation data and the one or more data communication rules. The servicing request data may be transmitted to the vehicle computing system and servicing return data may be received. Servicing status information may be presented on the servicing terminal based on the servicing return data. |
| US08996228B1 |
Construction zone object detection using light detection and ranging
Methods and systems for construction zone object detection are described. A computing device may be configured to receive, from a LIDAR, a 3D point cloud of a road on which a vehicle is travelling. The 3D point cloud may comprise points corresponding to light reflected from objects on the road. Also, the computing device may be configured to determine sets of points in the 3D point cloud representing an area within a threshold distance from a surface of the road. Further, the computing device may be configured to identify construction zone objects in the sets of points. Further, the computing device may be configured to determine a likelihood of existence of a construction zone, based on the identification. Based on the likelihood, the computing device may be configured to modify a control strategy of the vehicle; and control the vehicle based on the modified control strategy. |
| US08996227B2 |
System and method for controlling voltage on a power network
A power control system for controlling a power network of a hybrid electrical vehicle, is provided. The power control system includes a power generating unit, one or more energy storage units coupled to a power converting unit, an electrical load. The power control system further includes a control logic module for controlling the power generating unit and the power converting unit. The control logic module is configured to identify a power demand from the electrical load and to select the power generating unit or one of the one or more energy storage units to control a voltage level of the power network based on the identified power demand, based on electrical characteristics of the power generating unit, of the power converting unit, and of the electrical load, and based on a current mode of operation of the vehicle. |
| US08996225B2 |
System for and method of controlling an unmanned vehicle
A system and method of controlling an unmanned vehicle. The system includes a base station configured to transmit operational commands and an unmanned vehicle including a cellular communication interface and a controller. The cellular communication interface communicates with the base station through cellular communication. The controller communicates with the communication interface and operates the unmanned vehicle based on operational commands received from the base station. |
| US08996223B2 |
Engine operation start control device of hybrid vehicle
The invention relates to an engine operation start control device of a hybrid vehicle comprising a power output device having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. In this hybrid vehicle, an intermittent control for intermittently operating the engine can be performed and when the operation of the engine is started during the intermittent control being performed, a cranking of the engine is performed until the engine speed reaches a target engine speed. According to the invention, in case that the operation of the engine is started when the speed of the hybrid vehicle is higher than or equal to a predetermined speed and a power required for the power output device is larger than or equal to a predetermined power, the engine speed, which increases as the speed of the hybrid vehicle increases, is set as the target engine speed. |
| US08996221B2 |
Method for traction control in a motor vehicle, and control system for carrying out the method
A motor vehicle has a drive unit with at least one electric machine (14, 15) and a control system for traction control. The control system has an ESP control unit (18) that determines a setpoint slip in a manner dependent on the driving situation for each driven axle (10, 11) or each driven wheel (12, 13), and controls the drive unit in a manner dependent on the setpoint slip. The ESP control unit (18) determines a motor setpoint rotational speed for the respective electric machine (14, 15) in a manner dependent on the setpoint slip. An electronic power system (21, 22) of the respective electric machine (14, 15) controls operation of the respective electric machine (14, 15) based on the respective motor setpoint rotational speed. |
| US08996216B2 |
Method for operating a vehicle electrical system, a controller and a computer program product
An electrical system of a vehicle includes at least one energy store, the vehicle having an internal combustion engine and electric machine mechanically coupled thereto, an actuatable accelerator pedal for predefining a torque to be output, an engine controller for injection of fuel, and an actuatable brake pedal, using which a controller is activated at least in a first partial range of its actuation, subject to first external operating conditions, so that recuperative power of the electric machine is generated at the same time that energy is fed into the electrical system. To increase the recuperation potential, the electric machine is switched to recuperative power by the controller in an operating phase in which a driver request is inferred due to actuations of the accelerator pedal, resulting in a braking power of the vehicle, the injection of the internal combustion engine being maintained due to second internal operating conditions. |
| US08996208B2 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for track circuit monitoring and alerting in automatic train control systems
A method, system, and computer readable medium may be provided for train monitoring. Track circuit data may be received including an indication of a shunted track circuit on a train track. The received track circuit data and shunted track circuit may be analyzed. A train may be tracked on the train track based on the received track circuit data. A loss in physically expected track circuit occupancy in a path of the train may be detected. A graph may be generated showing the at least one shunted track circuit over time. The graph may indicate losses or abnormalities in physically expected track circuit occupancy in the path of the train, velocity of the train, acceleration of the train, and/or a size of the train. An alert with the severity and track circuit identifier may be generated and transmitted. |
| US08996205B2 |
Method for regulating the torque of a control surface actuator with a controlled angular position on an aircraft with mechanical flight control
A method for regulating an actuator for a control surface is provided, which actuator has an angular position controlled by an autopilot on an aircraft with mechanical flight control. When the value of the torque exerted by the actuator is less than a threshold torque value, the actuator is regulated in terms of position and the maximum speed of movement of the control surface is limited to a value that is dependent on the torque value. When the value of the torque exerted by the actuator is greater than the threshold torque value, the actuator is regulated in terms of torque. |
| US08996202B1 |
Presenting notices to airmen in charting applications
A method and apparatus for presenting notices used to operate an aircraft. A notice containing information in a text format is received. A category for the notice is identified in response to receiving the notice containing the information. An icon for the notice associated with the category identified for the notice is identified. The icon is displayed for the notice in a location on a map presented on a display device. The location is selected using the information. |
| US08996199B2 |
Vehicle accident history recorder
A vehicle accident history recorder is provided. The vehicle accident history recorder comprises: a collision detection sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle; a collision determination section for determining an occurrence of the collision based on a detection result of the collision detection sensor; a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate of the vehicle; a damaged portion determination section for determining a damaged portion of the vehicle in the collision based on the detection result of the collision detection sensor and a detection result of the yaw rate sensor when the collision determination section determines the occurrence of the collision; and a storage device for storing a determination result of the damaged portion determination section in a readable form. |
| US08996191B2 |
Techniques for provisioning energy generation and storage systems
Techniques for provisioning energy generation and/or storage systems. In one embodiment, a method is provided that can comprise automatically determining, by a site gateway, information pertaining to one or more components of an energy storage system, where the site gateway and the one or more components are located at a customer site. The method can further comprise configuring, by the site gateway, the energy storage system based on the automatically determined information. |
| US08996188B2 |
System and method for home energy monitor and control
The invention generally concerns systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the power consumption of a power-consuming device. The system and method may connect to a power source and a power-consuming device, connecting the power-consuming device to the power source. The power usage of the power-consuming device may then be measured and monitored. This monitoring data may then be stored and optionally sent to a controlling device on a data network. The location of the power-consuming device may also be determined, recorded, and sent to a controlling device. The system may also control the power usage of the power-consuming device. In some cases, a remote server may connect multiple energy monitoring systems in order to gain additional efficiencies and foster a community-based social network. |
| US08996178B2 |
System and method for managing the generation of brewed beverages using shared resources
A system that generates brewed beverages may receive requests to produce specified brewed beverages. The system may include a scheduler that initiates and controls the performance of one or more chemical or mechanical processes to produce the beverages. While one chemical or mechanical process for producing a beverage is being performed, other processes may be performed for production of the beverage or another beverage. The scheduler may determine the time at which to perform each process, the time at which a beverage should be presented, the resources to be used to perform the processes, or the time at which to perform a cleaning process, dependent on an actual or expected demand for beverages, or dependent on a target time for beverage retrieval. Shared resources may be applied to the production of beverages for high priority orders, while partially completed beverages for lower priority orders are staged for subsequent advancement. |
| US08996176B2 |
Robot apparatus, method for controlling the same, and computer program
A robot apparatus includes an output unit that displays an image including an object on a screen, an input unit that receives an operation performed by a user for specifying information relating to an approximate range including the object in the image, an object extraction unit that extracts information regarding a two-dimensional contour of the object on the basis of the specification received by the input unit, and a position and attitude estimation unit that estimates information regarding a three-dimensional position and attitude of the object on the basis of the information regarding the two-dimensional contour. |
| US08996175B2 |
Training and operating industrial robots
Robots may manipulate objects based on sensor input about the objects and/or the environment in conjunction with data structures representing primitive tasks and, in some embodiments, objects and/or locations associated therewith. The data structures may be created by instantiating respective prototypes during training by a human trainer. |
| US08996174B2 |
User interfaces for robot training
In accordance with various embodiments, a user interface embedded into a robot facilitates robot training via direct and intuitive physical interactions. |
| US08996173B2 |
Method and apparatus for hand gesture control in a minimally invasive surgical system
In a minimally invasive surgical system, a hand tracking system tracks a location of a sensor element mounted on part of a human hand. A system control parameter is generated based on the location of the part of the human hand. Operation of the minimally invasive surgical system is controlled using the system control parameter. Thus, the minimally invasive surgical system includes a hand tracking system. The hand tracking system tracks a location of part of a human hand. A controller coupled to the hand tracking system converts the location to a system control parameter, and injects into the minimally invasive surgical system a command based on the system control parameter. |
| US08996172B2 |
Distance sensor system and method
A distance measuring system and method employing a laser distance sensor may have utility in various applications. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a laser distance sensor may acquire accurate distance measurements with a short baseline. |
| US08996169B2 |
Neural monitor-based dynamic haptics
A computer-assisted surgery system may have a robotic arm including a surgical tool and a processor communicatively connected to the robotic arm. The processor may be configured to receive, from a neural monitor, a signal indicative of a distance between the surgical tool and a portion of a patient's anatomy including nervous tissue. The processor may be further configured to generate a command for altering a degree to which the robotic arm resists movement based on the signal received from the neural monitor; and send the command to the robotic arm. |
| US08996163B2 |
Disc dispensing device, tubular container for use in such a disc dispensing device and method of dispensing discs
Disc dispensing device for dispensing discs impregnated with antibiotics onto a culture dish. The device comprises a stationary support on which a magazine is removably mounted. The magazine holds a plurality of tubular containers each containing a stack of discs to be dispensed. A moving means moves one disc from a bottom end of a tubular container to a pick-up position. From the pick-up position a transfer means picks up said one disc and transfers it to the culture dish where it is dispensed. The removable culture dish is supported by a moveable carriage which is mounted on the stationary support. The carriage is moveable relative to the magazine from a starting position to an operating position and vice versa. Control means control the operation of the device. The plurality of tubular containers is rotatable around a magazine center under control of the control means. |
| US08996161B2 |
Controlled architecture for transport systems
Control architecture for use with transport systems, such as linear drive systems, rotary drive systems, or a combination thereof, comprising a computer system having a controller for operating control system software for receiving input commands and protocols for creating a motion profile for each transport element, and a gateway for receiving the motion profile from the control system software and for operating gateway drive software that functions to select the appropriate drives to move each transport element along one or more tracks in accordance with their motion profiles. |
| US08996158B2 |
Apparatus for the handling of containers with a mobile display
An apparatus for handling containers, with at least one handling device which handles the containers in a pre-set manner, a conveying device which conveys the containers along a pre-set conveying path, with a control device for controlling the apparatus, with an input unit, by way of which information is capable of being entered in the apparatus by a user. The apparatus has an information output unit for delivering information to the user, wherein this information unit is made portable and is capable of being brought into at least indirect communication connection with the input unit. |
| US08996157B2 |
Station for preparing orders comprising at least one shaft for vertically accumulating and sequentially dispensing containers
There is proposed a unit including a station for preparing orders, controlled by a control system. The station has a first circuit that includes a first outward conveyor, which receives containers for storing products, and an accumulator for accumulating a predetermined quantity of storage containers received on the first outward conveyor. The accumulator includes: at least one first shaft comprising superposed mobile positions that can each receive and downwardly move at least one storage container, the at least one first shaft vertically accumulating and sequentially dispensing storage containers previously placed in the positions; and at least one first elevator moving vertically along the at least one first chute up to each of the locations of the at least one first chute. |
| US08996156B2 |
Automated repair method and system
A method and system for automated repair of a machine component is provided. According to the proposed method, a first geometry of the component, including a damaged portion of the component, is digitalized. A trough is then machined over the damaged portion of the component. The machining is numerically controlled using digitalized geometrical data of the first geometry of the component. A second geometry of the component is then digitalized subsequent to the machining, the second geometry including the trough. Subsequently, a material is deposited over the trough. The deposition of the material is numerically controlled digitalized geometrical data of the second geometry of the component. |
| US08996152B2 |
Operating system aware hardware mutex
Hardware resource sharing for a computerized system running software tasks. A mutex controller is associated with the hardware resource. Lock and unlock indicators are settable by a software task and readable by the controller, and locked and waiters flags are settable and readable by the controller. The controller monitors whether the lock indicator has been set and determines whether the locked flag is set. If not, it sets the locked flag and, if so, it sets the waiters flag and asserts a mutex interrupt signaling the computer system to divert the software task to run a lock request routine. The controller also monitors whether the unlock indicator has been set and then determines whether the waiters flag is set. If not, it clears the locked flag and, if so, it asserts a mutex interrupt signaling the computer system to divert the software task to run an unlock request routine. |
| US08996149B2 |
Portable radio sets
Embodiments of the present invention may include a box-shaped housing having an upper face; a sound output device for reproducing sound; and an attachment device provided on the upper face of the housing and configured so that a portable audio player can be directly attached thereto. The attachment device allows the sound output device to communicate with the audio player attached thereto, whereby the sound output device can reproduce the sound data stored in the audio player as sound. |
| US08996148B2 |
Controlling gain during multipath multi-rate audio processing
Methods and systems for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. Aspects of the method may comprise controlling gain during multipath, multi-rate audio processing by generating a digital signal that is a product of an input digital signal and a gain coefficient derived from a lookup table, and coarse tuning the gain by bit-shifting the digital signal to generate a digital output signal. The gain may be fine-tuned utilizing a variable step size determined by interpolation. The gain coefficient may be partitioned into gain blocks, which may be twice a corresponding value in preceding gain blocks. The gain blocks may be partitioned into steps that represent particular gain values within a range associated with the gain block. The digital output signal may be ramped utilizing a linear interpolation of the gain coefficients over a number of samples of the input signal, where the number of samples is given as a power of two. |
| US08996146B2 |
Automatic digital music library builder
A digital music library builder including a casing, a receiver socket on the casing through which analog audio is received, an analog-to-digital converter housed within the casing for converting analog audio into digital audio, a meta-data identifier housed within the casing for identifying meta-data for a song, and a database manager housed within the casing for associating the identified meta-data with the song, within a digital music library. |
| US08996144B2 |
Remote disconnect switch assembly
Described herein are embodiments of a remote disconnect switch assembly. In one embodiment, the remote disconnect switch assembly comprises: an actuator; a shuttle that is operably moved by the actuator; one or more disconnect switches that are opened or closed by movement of the shuttle; one or more sensors; a communication interface; and a processor, wherein the processor is operably connected with the actuator, the one or more sensors and the communication interface, and wherein the processor is configured to: communicate with one or more other computing devices over a network using the communication interface; receive signals from the one or more sensors; and cause the actuator to operate in accordance with the signals received from the one or more sensors or the communications with the one or more other computing devices. |
| US08996143B2 |
System and method to align a boss of a head gimbal assembly to a boss hole of an actuator arm for disk drive assembly
Disclosed is a method and system comprising: an alignment pin to be positioned adjacent to the boss hole (BH) of an actuator arm (AA); an actuator coupled to the alignment pin to move the alignment pin; an imaging device; and a computing device that performs operations including: commanding the imaging device to produce an image of the position of the alignment pin relative to the BH of the AA; commanding the HGA to be positioned in the AA such that the boss of the HGA is adjacent to the BH of the AA; and, based on the image, commanding the actuator to move the alignment pin such that the alignment pin is concentric relative to the BH and to move the alignment pin through an opening of the boss of the HGA such that the boss of the HGA is concentric and aligned with the BH of the AA. |
| US08996139B2 |
Method for synchronizing two control devices, and redundantly designed automation system
A method for synchronizing a first control device and a second control device of a redundantly structured automation device that controls a technical process is provided. The first control device and the second control device are connected to each other. The first and second devices include functional components which implement the functions that control the technical process. The first control device performs the functions in the functional components for controlling the technical process in cycles, thus creating internal states of the functional components. During control of the technical process by the first control device, information about the internal states of the functional components is transferred, distributed over several cycles, to the second control device. The second control device assigns the transmitted information about the internal states to the functional components. In addition, a corresponding redundantly structured automation device is provided. |
| US08996134B2 |
Implantable lead
A highly flexible implantable lead that offers improved flexibility, fatigue life and fatigue and abrasion resistance improved reliability, effective electrode tissue contact with a small diameter and low risk of tissue damage during extraction. In one embodiment the lead is provided with both defibrillation electrodes and pacing/sensing electrodes. For defibrillation/pacing leads, the lead diameter may be as small as six French or smaller. The construction utilizes helically wound conductors. For leads incorporating multiple separate conductors, many of the helically wound conductors are arranged in a multi-filar relationship. Preferably, each conductor is a length of wire that is uninsulated at about the middle of its length to create an electrode, wherein the conductor is folded in half at about the middle of the length to create first and second length segments that constitute parallel conductors. |
| US08996126B2 |
Composite RF current attenuator for a medical lead
A composite RF current attenuator for a medical lead includes a conductor having a distal electrode contactable to biological cells, a bandstop filter in series with the lead conductor for attenuating RF currents flow through the lead conductor at a selected center frequency or across a range of frequencies about the center frequency, and a lowpass filter in series with the bandstop filter and forming a portion of the lead conductor. The bandstop filter has a capacitance in parallel with a first inductance. In a preferred form, the lowpass filter includes a second inductance in series with the bandstop filter, wherein the values of capacitance and inductances for the composite RF current attenuator are selected such that it attenuates MRI-induced RF current flow in an MRI environment. |
| US08996122B2 |
Methods and systems for managing cochlear implant fitting software features
An exemplary system includes 1) a storage facility configured to maintain data representative of a cochlear implant fitting software package comprising a plurality of cochlear implant fitting features and maintain data representative of a plurality of independent licensing heuristics corresponding to the plurality of cochlear implant fitting features, wherein each independent licensing heuristic within the plurality of independent licensing heuristics corresponds to a different cochlear implant fitting feature within the plurality of cochlear implant fitting features, and 2) a feature control facility configured to selectively enable or disable each cochlear implant fitting feature in accordance with the corresponding independent licensing heuristic. Corresponding methods and systems are also described. |
| US08996116B2 |
Modulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway to treat pain or addiction
Methods and devices for the treatment of chronic pain by modulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. In particular, the methods and systems described herein may be used to enhance chronic pain therapies such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Thus, the present invention describes devices and methods for modulation of the cytokine pathway by stimulation of the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (NCAP) to enhance the treatment of chronic pain by SCS. The use of NCAP in conjunction with SCS may potentiate the effects of SCS and/or prevent the desensitization of the patient to SCS. |
| US08996112B2 |
Method and apparatus for phrenic stimulation detection
Approaches for characterizing a phrenic stimulation threshold, a cardiac capture threshold, a maximum device parameter, and a minimum device parameter are described. A plurality of cardiac pacing pulses can be delivered by using a cardiac pacing device, a pacing parameter of the plurality of cardiac pacing pulses being changed between delivery of at least some of the pulses. One or more sensor signals can be evaluated to detect stimulation of the phrenic nerve by one or more of the plurality of cardiac pacing pluses. The evaluation of the one or more sensor signals and the pacing parameter can be compared to determine if a phrenic stimulation threshold is at least one of higher than a maximum device parameter and lower than a minimum device parameter. |
| US08996111B2 |
Lead recognition for an implantable medical system
The disclosure describes implantable medical systems that respond to occurrence of a lead-related condition by utilizing an elongated coil electrode in defining an alternative pacing therapy vector to maintain optimal drain of an IMD power supply. An exemplary system includes a medical electrical lead having an elongated electrode and an improved sensing and therapy delivery circuitry to provide the alternative pacing therapy vector responsive to the lead-related conditions. The system includes circuitry for recognition of the lead type in order to respond to the occurrence of the lead-related condition. |
| US08996107B2 |
Heart failure management
Various system embodiments comprise a stimulator adapted to deliver a stimulation signal for a heart failure therapy, a number of sensors adapted to provide at least a first measurement of a heart failure status and a second measurement of the heart failure status, and a controller. The controller is connected to the stimulator and to the number of sensors. The controller is adapted to use the first and second measurements to create a heart failure status index, and control the stimulator to modulate the signal using the index. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US08996102B2 |
Implantable systems and methods for monitoring myocardial electrical stability by detecting PVC induced T-wave alternans reversals
Embodiments of the present invention relate to implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, for assessing a patients' myocardial electrical stability. Implanted electrodes are used to obtain an electrogram (EGM) signal, which is used to identify periods when the patient experiences T-wave alternans. Additionally, the EGM signal is used to determine whether premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) cause phase reversals of the T-wave alternans. The patient's myocardial electrical stability is assessed based on whether, and in a specific embodiment the extent to which, PVCs cause phase reversals of the T-wave alternans. This abstract is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. |
| US08996091B2 |
Basket catheter having multiple electrodes
Embodiments of the present invention provide a catheter that comprises an elongated catheter body (16) and an electrode assembly (10) at the distal end of the catheter body. The electrode assembly comprises a plurality of spines (11), each of the spines having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the catheter and a distal end, the distal ends of the spines being connected at a spine tip junction (13). Each spine includes an elbow (20) having at least one discontinuity in stiffness at an intermediate position between the distal end and the proximal end thereof. The spines include a plurality of electrodes (12). The electrode assembly is collapsible to a collapsed arrangement to fit within a lumen of the elongated catheter body and expandable to an expanded arrangement with the elbows of the spines bending outwardly relative to the proximal and distal ends of the spines. |
| US08996090B2 |
Noninvasive detection of a physiologic parameter within a body tissue of a patient
The invention provides a device for contacting a surface of a tissue within a patient's body to determine a physiologic parameter of the patient. The device typically comprises a sensor responsive to the physiologic parameter and a probe housing the sensor. The probe is constructed to allow the sensor to be secured at a sensing area adjacent to a surface of a patient's tissue, without need for an adhesive and without disturbing the blood flow within the measurement region of the tissue. The device may also include a means for reducing interference in the sensing area. Preferably, the device further comprises an indicating means operably connected to the sensor for indicating an analyte quantity and/or concentration associated with the physiologic parameter. The invention also provides a method for determining a physiologic parameter of a patient. |
| US08996089B2 |
Continuous analysis device and sample component control system
A continuous analysis apparatus capable of transmitting information about components in body fluid to another apparatus such as medicine dosing apparatus more correctly without giving a user displeasure. The continuous analysis apparatus according to the present invention includes a sensing unit 2 including a sensor that is held in subcutaneous tissue for obtaining information with respect to an objective substance in a sample; and a data holding unit 3 having a storage means for storing the information obtained from the sensor or data corresponding to the information, the sensing unit and the data holding unit having configuration so that they are separably joined to each other. |
| US08996078B2 |
UMTS FDD modem optimized for high data rate applications
A method for increasing data rate in wireless communications includes selectively activating a plurality of hardware accelerators, and performing, using the hardware accelerators, data processing for modem data based on parameters received from a processor. |
| US08996077B2 |
Method and apparatus to limit periodic uplink transmissions
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is at least a method, apparatus which may include operations that result from operation of computer program code, and a plurality of coupled logic circuit elements constructed to carry out the associated functions for, in response to signaling received from a network access node, prematurely terminating operation of a timer running on a user equipment, the timer being used to control how long the user equipment is considered uplink time aligned, and performing operations defined to be executed upon the timer expiring. Further, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention there is signaling a user equipment to prematurely terminate operation of a timer running on the user equipment, the timer being used to control how long the user equipment is considered uplink time aligned, and reserving an uplink resource for the user equipment. |
| US08996075B2 |
Retrievable headset storage case for a portable electronic device
A case is provided for accommodating a portable electronic device and at least one accessory of the portable electronic device. The case provides a holder configured for holding a portable electronic device, the holder having a front panel and a back panel; a retraction system for allowing at least part of a cable portion an accessory to be retracted. Further provided is an ultra thin winding mechanism contained in a enclosure within the case where the audio output is connected via contacts on the back of the spool and contacts on the lining of the case, a button located on the case which engages audio by being adjacent to and in contact with the portable electronic device's audio button, a second button which operates to simultaneously disengage audio and retract the cable, and a microphone installed within the accessory. |
| US08996074B1 |
Paging strategy based on paging success rate and paging-channel occupancy
Exemplary methods and systems may help to more intelligently provide adaptive paging. An exemplary method involves: (i) making a determination that a wireless communication device (WCD) should be paged, (ii) in response, selecting one or more coverage areas for an initial page attempt to the WCD, wherein the selected coverage areas are selected from recent-response list that indicates coverage areas via which a page response message was recently received from the WCD, and wherein selecting the coverage areas comprises, for each coverage area from the recent-response list, using both (a) a paging success rate for the coverage area and (b) a paging-channel occupancy of the coverage area as a basis for determining whether or not to select the coverage area for the initial page attempt, and (iii) initiating the initial page attempt to the WCD in the one or more selected coverage areas. |
| US08996070B2 |
Method and apparatus pertaining to telephone number display formatting
A control circuit automatically presents on a display public telephony system telephone numbers using a presentation format that is standard for the public telephony system and private-exchange telephone numbers using a presentation format that includes a non-numeric private exchange modality indicator. By one approach, the non-numeric private exchange modality indicator consists of a single alphabetic character (such as, for example, the alphabetic character “X”) which may, if desired, by presented contiguously with the remainder of the private-exchange telephone number. |
| US08996066B1 |
Methods and apparatus for directing a beam towards a device in the presence of interference
Methods and apparatus are provided for directing a beam towards a receiving device in the presence of interference. A beam transmitted by a transmission source is received by a received device. The beam shape is affected by signals transmitted by interfering sources. The receiving device computes channel estimates associated with the transmission source and the interfering sources. A feedback signal that represents the channel estimates associated with the transmission and interfering sources is transmitted to the transmission source. The transmission source changes characteristics of the beam to compensate for the interference caused by the interfering sources. The transmission source may change the characteristics of the beam by performing precoding algorithms. |
| US08996065B2 |
Method for automatically transferring an application in a mobile communication terminal of telecommunication networks
A method for transferring an application in a telecommunication terminal includes: storing in a removable smart card identification data related to the application; connecting the removable smart card to the telecommunication terminal in order to establish an electrical communication between them; acquiring by the telecommunication terminal the identification data; sending by the telecommunication terminal the identification data to an application storing device for requesting the application; and downloading in the telecommunication terminal and from the storing device the application corresponding to the identification data. |
| US08996063B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, information processing system, and transmission medium
When a user gets interested in some music he/she listens to somewhere, for example, in a coffee shop, the user records that music in a memory provided in a portable terminal. A processor reads the information recorded in the memory and performs a predetermined process on it. The resultant information is stored on a storage device. The information stored on the storage device is then transferred to a remote server via a communication device. The remote server searches the database for the title of the music corresponding to the received information and returns the results to the terminal. Thus, the user can easily get information about the title of the music. |
| US08996061B2 |
Bridging communications between tactical SDR and cellular telephone networks
A device for bridging communications between radios on a tactical network and telephones on a public cellular network. A dock region of the device housing receives and engages a given telephone that operates on the second network. A processing core of the device has (a) a core engine for receiving and transmitting first radio frequency (RF) signals on the first network, (b) digital signal processing stages for (i) translating first information modulated on the first RF signals into a format compatible with telephones on the second network, and producing corresponding translated first information, and (ii) translating second information demodulated by the given telephone from second RF signals on the second network into a format compatible with radios on the first network, and modulating the translated second information on the first RF signals transmitted by the core engine. An adapter provides an interface between the processing core and the given telephone. |
| US08996060B2 |
IMT and non-IMT wireless communication device
A communication apparatus associated with a system that uses two or more wireless standard in IMT and non-IMT bands. The invention is a wireless device with the ability to operate, transmit and/or receive, in one or more IMT bands and one or more non-IMT bands that are licensed to services and/or applications other than IMT. This is accomplished through inclusion in the wireless device of one or more radios operating in licensed IMT bands, an “IMT radio”, and one or more radios operating in licensed non-IMT bands, a “non-IMT radio”. A non-IMT radio could be a stand-alone, separate radio inside the wireless device or an extension or modification of the IMT radio in a way that it covers non-IMT bands. |
| US08996056B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication
Each of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses determines a factor that indicates wireless communication congestion and compares the factor that indicates wireless communication congestion with a predetermined first threshold value. Each wireless communication apparatus then judges, by means of transmission power set values that are received from other wireless communication apparatuses, whether the transmission power of the wireless communication apparatuses is at the same level as or at a lower level than that of its own wireless communication apparatus. The wireless communication apparatus lowers the transmission power set value by one level when the transmission power of other wireless communication apparatuses is at the same level as or at a lower level than that of its own wireless communication apparatus and when the factor that indicates wireless communication congestion exceeds a first threshold value. |
| US08996048B2 |
Controlling the interferences generated by radio signals
The present invention concerns a method for controlling the interferences generated by radio signals transferred by or to wireless telecommunication devices of a wireless cellular telecommunication network. The method comprises the steps of: forming at least one group of wireless telecommunication devices, allocating at least one identifier to each wireless telecommunication device of the group, the at least one identifier, said as group identifier, being allocated to each wireless telecommunication device of the group of wireless telecommunication devices, the group identifier being intended to be transferred by each wireless telecommunication device to mobile terminals in parallel with another identifier, allocating the same parameters for controlling the interferences generated by radio signals transferred to or by each wireless telecommunication device of the group. |
| US08996043B1 |
Dynamic paging based on the codec used by a wireless device
Methods and systems are disclosed that may help to adjust the paging process for a wireless communication device (WCD) according to the codec that was last assigned to the WCD. An exemplary method may involve a radio access network (RAN): (a) determining that a wireless communication device (WCD) should be paged in a coverage area of the RAN; (b) determining a codec that was last assigned to the WCD in the coverage area; (c) using the last-assigned codec as a basis for adjusting a paging process that is used to page the WCD; and (d) paging the WCD according to the adjusted paging process. |
| US08996039B2 |
Paging method and device
A paging method and device are disclosed, and the technical solution includes: determining to page an user equipment (UE) by using international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), and before the paging, judging whether tracking area identity list (TAI List) of the UE is stored, and if the judgment result is “no”, then paging the UE in the tracking area (TA) served by the base station connected with the local area. Adopting the technical solution enables to effectively resolve the problem of uncertainness of paging an UE in which TAs, wherein the problem exists in the existing technology, and happens when mobility management entity (MME) pages the UE by using IMSI during the process of network error recovery. |
| US08996037B2 |
Wireless communication device capable of performing enhanced fingerprint mapping and location identification
A wireless communication device capable of determining its location in an indoor environment is disclosed. In an indoor environment, a wireless communication device may have insufficient access to GNSS satellites or cellular towers to make an accurate determination as to its location. Therefore, the wireless communication device generates a fingerprint map of the environment by estimating its position and scanning multiple positions within the environment for accessible access points and characteristics. The device stores this information in memory, which it can later refer to for determining its current position. |
| US08996031B2 |
Location estimation of a mobile device in a UMTS network
The present disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods to utilize relative timing offset information reported by one or more mobile devices. When coupled with AGPS information reported by one or more mobile devices, the offset information is be used to calibrate calculations and subsequently to locate all 3G mobiles with GPS-like accuracy, whether or not a GPS receiver is available on said mobile device being located. A determination of a propagation delay between one or more cell sites and a mobile device is reported to a network and used to calibrate unknown information such as a timing offset, to improve the accuracy of a detected location. The relative timing offset can be applied to determine a location for all other mobile devices within the area served by the known base station. The present disclosure utilizes this method in conjunction with information crowd-sourced from a plurality of mobile devices. |
| US08996030B2 |
Beacon-based geofencing
A mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region. A beacon network can provide more accurate estimates of mobile device location and advertise location based services available to the mobile device. |
| US08996025B2 |
Communication parameter selection for small cell access points
Communication parameter selection techniques are presented to reduce interference in small cells of wireless networks. A list of neighboring radio access points with respect to a particular radio access point in a wireless network is obtained. The list includes a unique identifier for each neighboring radio access point. A set of candidate communications parameters are obtained for use in the wireless network by the particular radio access point. A prediction is made of candidate communications parameters in the set of candidate communications parameters which can be used by the neighboring radio access points. The communication parameters in the set of candidate communication parameters which are available for use by the particular access point are determined based on the predicted set of communications parameters. A communication parameter is selected for use by the particular radio access point based on the communication parameters determined to be available for use. |
| US08996024B1 |
Virtual pooling of local resources in a balloon network
Disclosed embodiments relate to virtual pooling of a local resource in a balloon network. In an example, a balloon network has geographic zones, including at least a first and a second geographic zone. Further, each balloon has a sustainable utilization rate for a local resource. Each balloon utilizes the local resource according to a respective first utilization rate when located in the first geographic zone and utilizes the local resource according to a second utilization rate when located in the second geographic zone. For one or more of the balloons, the sustainable utilization rate is less than the respective first utilization rate and greater than the respective second utilization rate. However, the balloons are operable to move between the geographic zones such that the first utilization rate is substantially continuous in first geographic zone. |
| US08996022B2 |
Method and base station, user equipment and system for activating coexistence work mode
A method for activating coexistence work mode and a base station, user equipment and system using the method. The method for activating coexistence work mode includes: a user equipment in a first communication system transmits an activation mode request, which requests for entering the coexistence work mode, to the base station in the first communication system; in the coexistence work mode, using different transmission resource, the user equipment performs a first communication with the base station and performs a second communication with a device of a second communication system which is different from the first communication system, respectively; the user equipment activates the coexistence work mode based on configuration information of the coexistence work mode, wherein, the configuration information of the coexistence work mode is preset for the user equipment by the base station, and is conserved in the user equipment. |
| US08996020B2 |
Method of bringing a wireless telecommunication cell into DTX mode
In a method and system for automatically bringing a cell into DTX mode, a time period is introduced during which the outcome of bringing a cell into DTX mode is observed. The cell can return to a transmission mode if the outcome is non-satisfactory as determined by some criteria. Hereby an improved automated DTX method can be implemented which helps save energy in a cellular radio system. |
| US08996017B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing synchronization information
An apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least evaluate, in a cognitive node, transmission of a physical random access channel in an uplink of a communications carrier, and, based on the evaluating, utilize an interference-free guard time period of a cellular user terminal's transmission in the physical random access channel, for distributing a synchronization signal and a beacon signal locally, the cellular user terminal's transmission in the physical random access channel including a guard time period that compensates a maximum round trip delay in a cell. |
| US08996016B2 |
Method for identifying user equipment to a femtocell
The described method provides for an efficient method for user equipment (104) to identify when it is in proximity to an assigned femtocell (108) in order to be handed over to a femtocell from a macro cell. As the user the equipment moves within a macro cell (106) that is defined by a serving base station (102), it is determined (202) that it is in the range of or in proximity to the femtocell to which it is registered or subscribed. Upon notification that it is near the femtocell, the user equipment sends (204) a message to the serving base station of the macro cell indicating the user equipment has identified its femtocell. The serving base station then sends (208) a message to femtocell to turn on the femtocell so that a handover of the user equipment from the macro cell and serving base station and the femtocell can be initiated. The serving base station sends (212) a response to the user equipment indicating that the femtocell is ready to receive the user equipment as a part of handover procedure. |
| US08996015B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and measuring for Home Node-Bs
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to detect and perform measurements with respect to Home Node-Bs (HNB) and Home evolved Node-Bs (H(e)NB) (collectively “HNB”). The methods may include generating and transmitting a request for a measurement configuration that may include gap allocations to detect and measure a primary scrambling code or a physical cell identity of a target HNB for at least one frequency or radio access technology (RAT). The request may be in response to the WTRU entering a HNB cell for which the WTRU has stored fingerprint information and whose closed subscriber group ID is in the WTRU's whitelist. The network may configure the WTRU to measure the requested frequency or RAT in response to the proximity report/request. Methods are described for releasing the measurement configuration. |
| US08996012B2 |
Method and apparatus for distinguishing cells with the same physical cell identifier
A method (700, 800) and apparatus (500, 600) for distinguishing cells with the same physical cell identifier is disclosed. The method can include receiving (820) a handover request message including target cell timing offset information at a potential target cell base station, where the potential target cell base station can have a physical cell identifier. The method can include comparing (830) the received target cell timing offset information with stored timing offset information at the potential target cell base station. The method can include sending (840) a handover request accept message if the received target cell timing offset information is substantially equal to the stored timing offset information. The method can also include receiving (720), at a wireless terminal, a target cell physical cell identifier and determining (730) a target cell timing offset of a radio frame of the target cell with respect to reference timing of a serving cell. The method can include sending (740) a measurement report including the target cell physical cell identifier and the target cell timing offset. |
| US08996007B2 |
Method and apparatus for reassigning frequency resource in a femto base station during handover
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for arbitrating radio resources between femto base stations in which, when handover of a terminal takes place between femto base stations, the handover is carried out by reallocating radio resources of a serving femto base station assigned to the terminal to a target femto base station, to rearbitrate the radio resources and reduce the time required for rearbitration, thereby enhancing communication effectiveness. |
| US08996005B2 |
Method of handling cell change and related apparatus
A communication device of handling cell change for a mobile device includes performing a cell change order procedure from a source cell of a first radio access technology to a target cell of a second radio access technology, establishing a returning condition corresponding to access barring of the target cell, and determining that the cell change order procedure is failed when the returning condition is conformed. |
| US08996004B2 |
Methods and systems for manual cell selection in boundary area for wireless devices
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for selecting a new cell, from a plurality of cells in a boundary area between first and second coverage areas, for a wireless device. The first and second coverage areas may include, for example, include cells controlled by first and second operators or cells in different time zones. In either case, the techniques may facilitate giving preference to cells in a same coverage area as a current cell. The wireless device may then select a cell from the list of neighbor cells as the new cell. |
| US08996003B2 |
Method, terminal, and system for cell reselection
A method, terminal, system and computer readable medium for cell reselection are disclosed. When in a cell of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, the terminal receives a message from the LTE system. The message includes a dedicated priority list for the cell reselection. When the terminal camps on a cell of a non-LTE system, the terminal performs inter-system cell reselection in accordance with the dedicated priority list before a valid time of the dedicated priority list expires. With the discloses method, terminal and system, the problems of establishing a dedicated priority list causes too much increased signaling and too high costs for network update in the prior art when perform inter-system cell (re)selection are effectively resolved. |
| US08996000B2 |
Real-time load analysis for modification of neighbor relations
Adjusting RAN performance by adapting cell coverage area can help optimize a wireless communications network. RAN topology can be adapted based on analysis of real-time load conditions of RAN base stations. Analysis of the load conditions of RAN base stations can be performed in a core-network of a wireless carrier rather than distributing the analysis to RAN-side elements. Analysis can be based on receiving real-time load information relating to key performance indicators such as X2 load, S1 load, instant outbound handover count, instant inbound handover count, etc. Further, analysis can include the application of predetermined rules relating to preferential performance of the base stations. This can facilitate ranking neighboring base stations, adding new base stations, deleting base stations, black/white listing base stations, etc., in neighbor relations data structures, such as automatic neighbor relations structures for self-organizing networks, e.g., eNodeBs in LTE networks. |
| US08995999B2 |
Distributed network register
The invention relates to a method for operating a telecommunications network and a telecommunications network for mobile telecommunication, having a network register in which identifier of mobile terminals and network-related user data of the terminals are stored. The network register is formed from a peer-to-peer network having a multiplicity of decentralized register nodes which are networked with one another and are each associated with a geographic region. Hash tables are held in the register nodes, in which hash tables the identifiers of the terminals are stored as hash values and the user data is stored associated with these hash values. The network has at least a first node associated with a geographic region at which a terminal can register, and a second node, which is permanently assigned to the terminal and is associated with a geographic region. The terminal registers with the first node by transmitting the identifier, when it is located in the first region. The first node then determines network-related user data of the mobile terminal on registration, and determines the hash value for that identifier. This hash value is used to determine the second node. The first node either transmits the network-related user data to this second node or itself stores this user data in his hash table together with the hash value and transmits only its own address in the network to the second node. Either the network-related user data or the address of the first node is then stored, associated with the hash value, in the hash table of the second node. |
| US08995994B2 |
Routing communications between telecommunications networks
A telecommunications system includes a first (home) mobile telecommunications network A5 second (roamed) mobile telecommunications network B and a third (virtual) mobile telecommunications network C. The virtual network C does not have its own radio access network but uses the radio access network of network B in accordance with a commercial contract between networks B and C. Network C is a MVNO. When a mobile telecommunications device that has network A as its home network roams to network B, the mobile telecommunications device initially registers with network B as the roamed network. Conventionally, communications between network A and network B would be transmitted via a fixed communication link (25) (such as a leased line). However, in the embodiment described, the network A transmits a command to the mobile telecommunications device, instructing that device to de-register from network B and to re-register with virtual network C. The home network A and the virtual network C include IP routing servers (29,29C) which enable voice over IP calls to be routed between the home network A and the virtual network C via the Internet (31). The calls can subsequently be routed from the virtual network C to the mobile device via the radio access network on network B. In this way, use of the fixed communication link (25) between network A and network B is reduced, thereby potentially reducing the cost of making and receiving calls while roaming. |
| US08995991B2 |
Point to multi-point services using shared channels in wireless communication
Service data is transferred in a wireless communication system. A first service identification is synchronously transmitted for reception by a group of users of a cell in the system. The group of users does not include all of the users of the cell. Each of the group of users receives the service identification. Each of the group of users monitors for a second service identification being transmitted over a downlink shared channel. The service data is transmitted over the downlink shared channel with the second service identification. Each of the group of users detects the second service identification and receives the service data of the downlink shared channel. |
| US08995990B2 |
Method, an apparatus, and a system for creating an intelligent recipient list configured to dynamically identify and present additional recipients to the user
Selecting at least one recipient to receive a communication, identifying and presenting a list of additional recipients to the user, the additional recipient list including contacts who have received messages in combination with the at least one selected recipient in the past, and allowing the user to select one or more of the additional recipients to receive the communication. |
| US08995981B1 |
Systems and methods for remote control adaptive configuration
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods in which a controllable device transfers to the remote device, such as to a remote control application (“app”) located on a smartphone, a data structure identifying various functions that can be controlled by a remote device, together with the identity of the signal type that will achieve the desired operation. The remote device, upon accepting input directly from the remote device, can then allow the remote device user to select how controls of the various functions are to be configured and presented to, or otherwise selectively arranged for a user on a user interface of the remote device. In this way, the present disclosure provides a single highly customizable system. Distributors, resellers, and/or manufacturers of various electronic devices will be able utilize the same controllable device instructions, yet visually distinguish its brand name from other solutions using the same instructions. |
| US08995979B2 |
MEID-based paging to reach de-activated telematics modules
A method of operating a telematics unit includes replacing a mobile identification number (MIN) or a mobile dialed number (MDN) stored in a telematics unit with a temporary geographical mobile identification number (GMIN) that prevents the telematics unit from using all of its features; associating the GMIN with a mobile equipment identification number (MEID) of the vehicle telematics unit; storing the associated GMIN and MEID at a central facility; paging the telematics unit using the associated GMIN and MEID; and instructing the telematics unit via the page to communicate with the central facility over a wireless data connection. |
| US08995978B2 |
Emergency call capable wireless device provisioning
The present disclosure relates provisioning a wireless capable device as an emergency call apparatus. In one implementation, a wireless capable device or apparatus receives a provisioning message from a provider of wireless voice and data services, the message including emergency call provisioning information to provision the wireless capable device or apparatus as an emergency call device. |
| US08995974B2 |
Audio-based text messaging
A device that enable users to send and receive a message in different formats may include a text message gateway, an audio message gateway, and a processor. The text message gateway may include a Short Message Service (SMS) gateway. The audio message gateway may include an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit and/or a client application interface that receives audio from a client application of a mobile communications device. The processor may be configured to convert text messages received at the text-message gateway into audio messages and then to send the audio messages via the audio message gateway. The processor may also be configured to convert audio messages received at the audio message gateway into text messages and then to send the text messages via the text message gateway. |
| US08995973B2 |
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. |
| US08995969B2 |
Apparatus and method for sending video content to a mobile device
An apparatus and method for sending video content to a mobile device is described. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprising embedding a widget in a website, the widget generating a form. The form is provided when a user visits the website so as to execute the widget. The form includes a first field to enter a recipient phone number, a send selector, and one or more non-visible fields, the non-visible fields containing a content service provider identifier, and a video URL. A data packet is generated with the widget when the user selects the send selector, the data packet including the recipient phone number, the video URL, and the content service provider identifier. An encoded version of the data packet is sent to the content service provider and a video link message is sent to the recipient phone number. |
| US08995966B2 |
Radio interface layer design for smartphones
A method and system communicates a request between a user application and a modem within a wireless communication device. A radio interface layer (RIL) architecture includes an application framework which receives a hardware specific request as a first application programming interface (API) call from the user application. In response to receiving the request, the application framework sends a corresponding, second API call to a vendor radio interface layer (Vendor RIL) which provides an interface configured for communicating with a specific type of transceiver or modem. In one embodiment, the second API call is transmitted via a Java Native interface (JNI). The JNI provides access to software programs associated with the transceiver, which programs are written in a language that is different from Java. The Vendor RIL communicates with the modem using a modem protocol software corresponding to the specific type of modem to perform commands associated with the request. |
| US08995964B2 |
Schedule managing apparatus and method in mobile terminal
A mobile terminal including a broadcast receiver configured to receive broadcast program information related to available broadcast programs, a memory configured to store user-schedule information and the received broadcast program information, and a controller configured to update the stored user-schedule information to include a broadcast schedule corresponding to a broadcast program selected from the available broadcast programs included in the broadcast program information. |
| US08995963B2 |
System and methods for controlling advertisements on wireless device assets
Methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are described for controlling content presented on user-controlled wireless device assets and/or features, such as ringtone, wallpaper, wireless device memory and the like. In present aspects, a user-requested control state change is undertaken from a user-controlled state to an advertisement-control state. In this regard, once the user has conceded control of the wireless device asset over to an advertiser or advertisement provider, the advertiser is allowed to provide advertisements to the designated wireless device asset for a predetermined period of time. From the advertiser or advertisement provider perspective present aspects provide for advertisements to be presented on novel platforms. Additionally, by gaining control over the wireless device asset the advertisers or advertisement providers are assured that their advertisements will be executed for the duration of the control period. |
| US08995946B2 |
System and method for accountability by interlinking electronic identities for access control and tracking of personnel during an incident or at an emergency scene
An incident management system includes some form of portable machine-readable data 12a-12c and a collector unit 20a and optionally a manager unit 25 for receiving the machine-readable data where one or all of the portable machine-readable data 12a-12c, the collector unit 20a or the manager unit 25 is provided in the form of a cell-enabled device 15a-15d. The portable machine-readable data 12a-12c may include identification information of a person or a resource/asset. By providing the portable machine-readable data 12a-12c in the form of cell-enabled devices 15a-15d each having a GPS unit 38, the location of the responders to the incident may be tracked in real time. |
| US08995935B2 |
Wireless communication device, wireless transmission system and wireless transmission method
Disclosed herein is a wireless communication device, including: a plurality of communication units for transmission adapted to modulate and transmit a transmission subject signal; the communication units for transmission including a communication unit or units for transmission which adopt a method which modulates the amplitude and a communication unit or units for transmission which adopt a modulation method which modulates at least the phase or the frequency and requires transmission power lower than that of the method which modulates the amplitude. |
| US08995934B2 |
Wireless communications circuitry with a triplexer for separating radio-frequency signals in adjacent frequency bands
A wireless electronic device may be used to communicate using multiple wireless standards in adjacent frequency bands. The wireless standards may include Wi-Fi® and cellular standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The wireless electronic device may be provided with wireless communications circuitry that handles Wi-Fi® and cellular signals in adjacent frequency bands such as the Wi-Fi® 2.4 GHz frequency band and LTE bands 38 and 40. The wireless communications circuitry may include a triplexer interposed between transceiver circuitry and an antenna. The triplexer may be used to handle radio-frequency signals in adjacent frequency bands by separating the radio-frequency signals into signals associated with each frequency band. The triplexer may include filters that each pass signals in a respective one of the frequency bands between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna. |
| US08995930B2 |
Method for creating a channel between femto base stations based on user equipment
A method for generating a direct or indirect wireless channel between femto base stations. To relieve interference that occurs in user equipment depending on the proximity of the femto base station, a user equipment may derive to generate an inter-femto channel between the femto base stations. |
| US08995929B2 |
Methods and apparatus for wireless optimization based on platform configuration and use cases
Methods and apparatus for optimizing wireless network performance by incorporating platform configuration and use case information. In one exemplary scheme, a client device provides the wireless network with an indications of impacted operations based on the client device's platform configuration. The wireless network can adjust the radio link to the client device so as to best accommodate the impacted operation. In one embodiment, a client device that includes a 3×3 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (or 4×4, 2×2, etc.) and Bluetooth (BT) module identifies a subset of modulation and coding schemes (MCS) that are preferred for operation. The client device provides the identified subset to the WLAN access point (AP). Responsively, the WLAN AP selects a MCS, such that the client device's overall performance remains at an acceptable level. In another embodiment, the server/client can adjust MCS and/or active antenna chains based on the noise floor (NF) level. |
| US08995928B2 |
Radio communication method, radio communication apparatus, and radio communication system
A first radio communication apparatus includes a controller and a transmitter. The controller determines timing capable of transmitting a control parameter used for a process for establishing connection to a second radio communication apparatus when the connection is not established between the first and second radio communication apparatus. The transmitter transmits a message including data different from the control parameter to the second radio communication apparatus at determined timing. The second radio communication apparatus includes a receiver and a data processing unit. The receiver receives from the first radio communication apparatus the message transmitted at timing at which the first radio communication apparatus is able to transmit the control parameter. The data processing unit extracts data included in the received message. |
| US08995924B2 |
Method for configuring gain factors for uplink service in radio telecommunication system
A method for configuring gain factors in a WCDMA telecommunication system is provided in which the gain factor for defining power required for normal reception of uplink data in an environment supporting an uplink service over an E-DCH can be configured using minimal signaling information. First gain factors for first TFs corresponding to a part of a TF set including a plurality of TFs available for an uplink service are received. One of the first TFs is determined as a reference TF for a second TF other than the first TFs in the TF set. Then, a second gain factor for the second TF is calculated using the first gain factor for the determined reference TF. The second gain factor is used for transmitting or receiving uplink data. |
| US08995921B2 |
Measurement support for a smart antenna in a wireless communication system
A method for taking measurements with a smart antenna in a wireless communication system having a plurality of STAs begins by sending a measurement request from a first STA to a second STA. At least two measurement packets are transmitted consecutively from the second STA to the first STA. Each measurement packet is received at the first STA using a different antenna beam. The first STA performs measurements on each measurement packet and selects an antenna beam direction based on the measurement results. |
| US08995920B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication system, and communication method
A wireless communication apparatus includes: a channel information acquiring unit that, acquires a transmitted signal channel matrix that is channel information as a transmitted signal of a pre-interference-removal transmitted signal group and an interference signal channel matrix that is channel information as an interference signal of the non-interference-removed transmitted signal group; an interference signal calculating unit that generates an interference signal group at the time of reception by the non-interference-removed transmitted signal group with respect to the pre-interference-removal transmitted signal group, based on the pre-interference-removal transmitted signal group, the non-interference-removed transmitted signal group, the transmitted signal channel matrix, and the interference signal channel matrix; a subtracting unit that subtracts the interference signal group from the pre-interference-removal transmitted signal group to generate a post-interference-removal transmitted signal group; and a transmission antenna group that transmits the post-interference-removal transmitted signal group and the non-interference-removed transmitted signal group from mutually different transmission antennas. |
| US08995919B2 |
Interference management using out-of-band signaling
In at least one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first transmission from a device, the first transmission transmitted at a first frequency. In response to receiving the first transmission, a transceiver is disabled and a second transmission is transmitted to the device, the second transmission transmitted at a second frequency. The method further includes receiving a third transmission from the device, the third transmission transmitted at the second frequency. |
| US08995917B2 |
Method, system and radio station for interference cancellation
A method detects a first baseband signal sent by a first sending station via an air interface to a first radio station of a radio communications system. A first receive signal, which contains the first baseband signal superposed with at least a second baseband signal sent by a second sending station to a second radio station, is received by the first radio station. The first radio station uses at least a second receive signal received by the second radio station for detection of the first baseband signal. The second receive signal contains at least the second baseband signal, and is used to at least partially cancel the interference in the first receive signal caused by the second baseband signal. |
| US08995913B2 |
Method for performing cooperative function automatically and device using the same
A method for performing a cooperative function and a device thereof are provided. It is determined whether another device is in a surrounding area of a device. When it is determined that the other device is in the surrounding area, the cooperative function is performed by the device with the other device according to a location of the other device. Accordingly, the cooperative function may be performed automatically if devices are in adjacent areas without a user's command. |
| US08995911B2 |
Apparatus and associated methods
An apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: when the determined relative position of a first portable electronic device with respect to at least a second electronic apparatus is within a predetermined proximity, automatically provide for an availability status update, associated with a user of the first portable electronic device, for use by a third party electronic device. |
| US08995909B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining and processing location information with near field communication
In an environment in which tag readers are installed at a plurality of locations, communication between a tag reader and a terminal including a near field communication (NFC) tag capable of bi-communication with a tag reader is triggered. The tag reader transmits user information and location information which was provided to the terminal to a location information management server so that a service based on the information is provided. |
| US08995905B2 |
Wireless network relay apparatus
A wireless network relay apparatus includes a Layer 2 switch and a line control device as well as wireless/wired line terminating devices performing band limitation associated with an AMR function. It measures traffic passing through each line terminating device in inflow/outflow path directions. Upon detecting a modulation scheme changed due to an AMR function in a wireless area, it may specify a line terminating device so as to read a desired modulation scheme from a transmission source modulation scheme conversion table of the line control device based on traffic. It may change a local modulation scheme with a desired modulation scheme when a difference therebetween is above a predetermined number of stages. By tracking a modulation scheme changed for a transmission destination, it is possible to appropriately change a modulation scheme for a transmission source, thus suppressing traffic without discarding necessary data. |
| US08995904B2 |
Base station, relay station, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method
This disclosure relates to a base station where the base station includes a selector that based on wireless communication states with each mobile station, selects a mobile station for which amplification is to be performed at a relay station; and a reporter that reports information related to the mobile station selected by the selector, wherein the reporter has a function of transmitting report information to the relay station and reports as the report information, the information related to the mobile station and information concerning a gain factor that is selected based on the number of mobile stations for which amplification is to be performed. |
| US08995902B2 |
Link 16-based geolocation of hostile jammers
A method for Link 16-based geolocation of hostile jammers comprising the steps of collecting jamming noise I/Q samples at a plurality of locations, determining the relative time delay of reception between two or more of the locations, determining the first derivative of the time delay of reception between the two or more locations, and using the results calculated in the preceding step to determine the position of the hostile jammers. |
| US08995899B2 |
Protecting agent-supplying device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus
A protecting agent-supplying device including: a rotation member configured to rotate in a certain direction; an image bearing member-protecting agent containing a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, and being in the form of a solid, wherein the agent is scraped off by the rotation of the rotation member, supplied to an image bearing member for protection thereof, and disposed to have a surface facing the rotation member, which surface has a width G in a direction along the certain direction, and wherein the position X (a center of the width G) is located upstream in the direction along the certain direction from the position Y (a line of intersection between the surface facing and a line extended from the rotational center of the rotation member perpendicular to the surface facing), and a distance d between these positions satisfies a formula 0 |
| US08995898B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image erasing apparatus
According to embodiments, an image forming apparatus and an image erasing apparatus are disclosed. The image forming apparatus receives a degree of freedom regarding whether to erase an image and forms the image using an erasable color material corresponding to the degree of freedom. The image erasing apparatus receives a degree of freedom regarding whether to erase an image and erases the image under the erasing process condition corresponding to the degree of freedom. |
| US08995897B2 |
Fuser member
There is disclosed a fuser member include a substrate layer and a release layer disposed on the substrate layer. The release layer includes a plurality polyimide particles dispersed in a fluoropolymer. An image forming apparatus equipped the fuser member is also described. |
| US08995895B2 |
Fixing apparatus for an image forming apparatus
A fixing member is rotatably supported. A first pressing member faces the fixing member. A running member runs while being sandwiched between the fixing member and the first pressing member. A first mechanism urges the first pressing member against the fixing member, defining a first nip between the fixing member and the running member. A second pressing member presses the running member against the fixing member. A second mechanism includes a holding member that holds the second pressing member and an urging member therein, and urges the second pressing member against the fixing member with the running member sandwiched therebetween, defining a second nip, adjacent to the first nip, between the fixing member and the running member. The second pressing member and the holding member abut each other through a plurality of projections formed on at least one of the second pressing member and second pressing mechanism. |
| US08995892B2 |
Image forming apparatus with threshold adjustment for superposed measurement images
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a controller controls a first and the second image forming unit to form a measurement image on the image bearing member, wherein the measurement image is composed with a first measurement image having a first color, and a second measurement image having a second color with a lower reflectance than the first color, a radiation unit emits a irradiation light to the measurement image, a light receiving unit receives a reflected light from the measurement image, a comparison unit compares a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image with a threshold value, and a changing unit increases the threshold value, if a measurement time period during which a light amount of the reflected light from the measurement image is equal to or greater than the threshold value is longer than a predetermined time period. |
| US08995891B2 |
Developing cartridges with fixed protrusions and manufacturing method thereof
Developing cartridges include a main body, a developer transport member, and a developer thickness regulating member. The main body includes a first and second side portions separated from each other along a direction. The developer thickness regulating member regulates a developer thickness and extends in a direction between the first and second side portions. The developer thickness regulating member includes an end portion, which is disposed near the first side portion, and a first protrusion, which extends along the particular direction from the end portion to at least the first side portion. The main body forms a cavity in the first side portion. The cavity is defined by at least a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the first surface toward the second surface. The first protrusion is fixed at a position between the second protrusion and the second surface. |
| US08995887B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developer container, a developing unit, a developer outlet and a replenishment developer inlet. The developer container contains a developer composed of a toner and a first carrier. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier using the developer. The developer outlet discharges the developer. The replenishment developer inlet supplies a replenishment developer to the developer container. The replenishment developer includes a second carrier. A ratio of a poured bulk density of the second carrier to a poured bulk density of the first carrier ranges from 1.05 to 1.65. |
| US08995879B2 |
Image recording apparatus with first and second pullout units
An image recording apparatus includes a first pullout unit, a second pullout unit, and a first lock mechanism. The first unit is movable along a first axis between a first retracted position where the first unit is fully retracted in the apparatus, and a first exposed position where at least one side surface thereof is fully exposed to the front of the apparatus. The second unit is movable along a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, between a second retracted position where the second unit is fully retracted in the first unit, and a second exposed position where the second unit is exposed to a side of the side surface of the first unit. The first lock mechanism prevents movement of the second unit from the second retracted position to the second exposed position when the first unit is not in the first exposed position. |
| US08995877B2 |
Process cartridge having cover for protecting photosensitive drum
A process cartridge includes: a photosensitive member unit having a photosensitive member; a developing unit detachably mountable on the photosensitive member unit and having a developing roller; a movable member configured to move between a first position and a second position when the developing unit is mounted on the photosensitive member unit, the movable member at the first position permitting the photosensitive member and the developing roller to be in contact with each other and the movable member at the second position permitting the photosensitive member and the developing roller to be in separation from each other; and a covering member configured to cover the photosensitive member, the movable member being at the second position in a state where the covering member covers the photosensitive member. |
| US08995876B2 |
Drum unit, development cartridge detachably attachable to the drum unit, and image forming apparatus having the drum unit and the development cartridge
A drum unit is provided, which includes a frame configured such that a development cartridge including a pressed portion is detachably attached thereto, and a pressing member. The development cartridge is movable between a pressed state where the pressed portion is pressed by the pressing member when attached to the frame and a released state where the pressed portion is released from pressing of the pressing member when the development cartridge is attached to the frame. The pressing member includes a pressing section that contacts and presses the pressed portion when the development cartridge is in the pressed state, and a restriction section configured to, when the development cartridge is in the pressing state, restrict movement of the pressed portion in a released direction, in which the pressed portion moves when the development cartridge moves from the pressing state to the released state. |
| US08995869B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a developing module which develops a toner image on a printing medium, a fixing module which fixes the toner image onto the printing medium, and a toner neutralization module arranged on a travel path of the printing medium between the developing module and the fixing module to electrically neutralize the toner image on the printing medium. |
| US08995867B2 |
Electrode for image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus
An electrode for an image forming apparatus, the electrode including: an elastically deformable spring portion that is formed in a cylindrical shape by spirally winding a wire; a ring portion that is an electrical contact portion having an annular shape and provided to one end side of the spring portion in an axial direction of the spring portion, the ring portion being formed by winding the wire around a center line, which intersects with the axial direction of the spring portion, at least twice; an inner portion that is formed by the wire forming the ring portion and is positioned at an inside of the ring portion; and an outer portion that is formed by the wire forming the ring portion and is positioned at an outside of the ring portion. |
| US08995866B2 |
Cartridge having coupling member and detection body
In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body. |
| US08995864B2 |
Image forming apparatus with enhanced display of guidance information
In an image forming apparatus, guidance information is stored in advance for guiding an optimal operation procedure for execution of a job, and the guidance information is displayed on a display portion based on operation input that is input to an input portion in order to execute a job of image formation. For example, a device control portion compares operation input that is input to the input portion in order to execute the job of image formation to the guidance information corresponding to the job executed by the operation input, and causes the display portion to display the guidance information in a case where an actual frequency of operation input is greater than a frequency of operation input that is specified in an operation procedure of the guidance information. |
| US08995860B2 |
Image fixing apparatus having end region temperature control
The present invention relates to an image fixing apparatus including a fan for cooling one end region of the image fixing apparatus and a fan for cooling another end region thereof. When a temperature of the one end region reaches a cooling starting temperature, a fan corresponding to the one end portion is driven at a first rotation speed, and another fan is driven at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed even if the temperature of the other end region is lower than the cooling starting temperature so as to protect the fans from thermal damages. |
| US08995857B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a first colorant to be heat-fixed on the sheet; a second image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet using a second colorant that is erasable by heating; and a fixing device arranged further on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction than the first image forming unit and further on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction than the second image forming unit and capable of executing fixing processing for heat-fixing the image, which is formed on the sheet by the first image forming unit, on the sheet and executing erasing processing for heating the sheet, on which the image is formed with the second colorant, to erasing temperature to thereby erase the second colorant on the sheet. |
| US08995855B2 |
Printing device that executes calibration at frequency suited to user demand
A printing device including a printing unit that prints an image with print agent, a calibration unit that executes a calibration process, a specifying unit that specifies a usage amount of the print agent, and a control unit that controls the calibration unit to execute the calibration process at a lower frequency when the specifying unit specifies a lower amount as the usage amount. The calibration process is for printing a mark with the print unit, detecting the mark, and calculating a calculation value based on a detection result. |
| US08995854B2 |
Recording material determination apparatus and image forming apparatus
A recording material determination apparatus includes a transmission unit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, a reception unit configured to receive an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission unit and then via a recording material, and a control unit configured to cause the transmission unit to transmit an ultrasonic wave a plurality of times under different conditions, measure an output value a plurality of times, and determine the recording material based on the output values measured a plurality of times. |
| US08995853B2 |
Transfer device and image forming apparatus including transfer device
A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, an environment sensor, a resistance detecting sensor, and a speed ratio adjusting section. The toner images are transferred from the plurality of image carriers onto a surface of the intermediate transfer belt in a superimposed manner. The driving roller circumferentially and rotationally drives the intermediate transfer belt. The environment sensor detects a temperature or a humidity around the intermediate transfer belt. The resistance detecting section detects a change in a resistance value of the intermediate transfer belt. The speed ratio adjusting section controls a rotation speed of the driving roller according to results of detection by the environment sensor and the resistance detecting section, thereby adjusting a speed ratio Vb/Vd between a circumferential rotating speed Vb of the intermediate transfer belt and a rotation speed Vd of the image carrier. |
| US08995852B2 |
Image forming device determining whether or not replacement of cartridge is needed
Either a first developer cartridge or a second developer cartridge is attachable to an image forming device. The second developer cartridge has capacity for accommodating developer larger than capacity for accommodating developer of the first developer cartridge. The control device determines whether the attached cartridge is the first developer cartridge or the second developer cartridge; determines that the replacement of the attached cartridge is needed upon comparison of a consumed amount of developer based on the image data that is inputted with a first threshold value when the first developer cartridge is attached; and determines that replacement of the attached cartridge is needed upon comparison of a detection value with a second threshold value when the second developer cartridge is attached. The detection value is obtained based on the detection information outputted by the detection device. |
| US08995850B2 |
Image forming apparatus with cartridge-replacement indicator
An image forming apparatus includes: a first cartridge configured to contain developer of a first color; a second cartridge configured to contain developer of a second color; a processor; and memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causing the image forming apparatus to: indicate the necessity to replace the first cartridge by using at least information based on a first use amount and information based on a number of printed sheets; and indicate the necessity to replace the second cartridge by using at least information based on a second use amount without using the information based on the number of printed sheets. |
| US08995847B2 |
Cartridge and image forming apparatus provided therewith
A cartridge includes: a frame; a rotation body; a driving force transmission unit; a closing member; and a moving member. The frame is formed with a filling port for filling an internal space of the cartridge with a developing agent therethrough. The closing member is configured to close the filling port. The moving member is configured to be irreversibly moved to one of a covered position and an exposed position by an external driving force transmitted through the driving force transmission unit. The moving member covers at least a portion of the closing member when the moving member is at the covered position. The moving member exposes the closing member when the moving member is at the exposed position. The exposed position provides an exposing degree greater than that at the covered position. |
| US08995845B2 |
Multi-laser transmitter optical subassembly for optoelectronic modules
A multi-laser transmitter optical subassembly may include N number of lasers, where each laser is configured to generate an optical signal with a unique wavelength. The transmitter optical subassembly may further include a focusing lens and a filter assembly. The filter assembly may combine the optical signals into a combined signal that is received by the focusing lens. The filter assembly may include N−1 number of filters. Each of the filters may pass at least one of the optical signals and reflect at least one of the optical signals. The filters may be low pass filters, high pass filters, or a combination thereof. |
| US08995844B2 |
Method and system for a polarization mode dispersion tolerant optical homodyne detection system with optimized transmission modulation
An optical homodyne communication system and method in which a side carrier is transmitted along with data bands in an optical data signal, and upon reception, the side carrier is boosted, shifted to the center of the data bands, and its polarization state is matched to the polarization state of the respective data bands to compensate for polarization mode dispersion during transmission. By shifting a boosted side carrier to the center of the data bands, and by simultaneously compensating for the effects of polarization mode dispersion, the provided system and method simulate the advantages of homodyne reception using a local oscillator. The deleterious effects of chromatic dispersion on the data signals within the data bands are also compensated for by applying a corrective function to the data signals which precisely counteracts the effects of chromatic dispersion. |
| US08995841B1 |
Beam path adaptation system and method for free space optical communications systems
A system and method in the field of free space optical communications (FSOC) for overcoming atmospheric-induced spatial optical signal variations operates within each of two FSOC terminals that make up a bi-directional FSOC link, with each terminal providing the rapid adaptive beam path method over a much wider field of view than typically used for adaptive optical techniques. Each terminal uses a real-time adaptive beam-steering technique that continuously measures optical power and optical power gradients by the receiver optical detectors; this data is sent to a control system that automatically responds by re-aligning the optical system accordingly by maximizing the optical signal power measured by the optical power receiving detector. |
| US08995839B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing data rate conversion and phase alignment
A gearbox IC is incorporated into an optical communications system to enable an optical link that incorporates the system to achieve data rates that are at least double that which are currently achievable in optical links. The gearbox IC performs data rate conversion and phase alignment. In the transmit direction, the gearbox IC receives N lanes of electrical data signals having a data rate of X Gbps and outputs N/2 lanes of electrical data signals having a data rate of 2X Gbps. In the receive direction, the gearbox IC receives N/2 electrical data signals having a data rate of 2X Gbps and converts the N/2 electrical data signals into N electrical data signals having a data rate of X. |
| US08995838B1 |
Waveguide assembly for a microwave receiver with electro-optic modulator
A waveguide assembly for a use with, for example, a microwave receiver. The waveguide assembly includes: a waveguide; a tapered structure disposed within the waveguide, the tapered structure tapering in thickness from a first end with a zero height to a second end where the tapered structure has a height which nearly fills, but does not completely fill, the waveguide, to thereby define a modulator receiving space between the tapered structure and an adjacent wall of said waveguide. The second end of the tapered structure is preferably disposed adjacent an open circuited end of the waveguide. An electro-optic modulator is disposed on a dielectric substrate, the dielectric substrate being disposed at least partially within the modulator receiving space and the electro-optic modulator being disposed so that it is located, in use, at an antinode of a standing wave of the waveguide assembly. |
| US08995835B2 |
Inverse channel apparatus and transmitter, receiver and system containing the apparatus
The embodiments provide an inverse channel apparatus and transmitter, receiver and system containing the apparatus; wherein the inverse channel apparatus comprises: an inverse nonlinear calculating unit configured to perform nonlinear additive calculation and nonlinear multiplicative calculation on input signals, so as to obtain signals containing nonlinear damage of the input signals on at least one polarization state; and an inverse linear calculating unit configured to calculate signals containing nonlinear damage and linear damage of the input signals on at least one polarization state according to the signals containing nonlinear damage of the input signals on at least one polarization state and a linear function of a channel. The advantages of the embodiments exist in that a transmitted signal is recovered by being passed through an inverse channel after or before being transmitted in a practical channel, thereby effectively compensating for intra-channel nonlinear damage of an optical fiber communication system. |
| US08995832B2 |
Transponder Aggregator-based optical loopback in a MD-ROADM
The present principles are directed to a transponder aggregator-based optical loopback in a multi-degree colorless, directionless, contention-less, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer. The multiplexer includes a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer section for performing connect operations for wavelength division multiplexing signals among all degrees. The section has a plurality of subsections. Each of the subsections corresponds to a respective one of the degrees and has an optical separator at an input side and an optical combiner at an output side. The multiplexer further includes a transponder aggregator section having a split-and-select switch-based transponder aggregator. The multiplexer also includes an optical line loopback having a connection path between the optical separator at the input side and the optical combiner at the output side of at least one of the subsections. |
| US08995827B2 |
System and method for finding partially disjoint paths for spare capacity allocation in shared backup path protection for dual fiber cuts
System and method embodiments are provided herein to obtain minimum or optimal spare capacity allocation (SCA) using partial disjoint paths (PDP) for bi-connected network topology. Both an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization model and an approximation algorithm, referred to herein as Successive Survivable Routing (SSR), are formulated for resolving the SCA with PDP. The embodiments include assigning a working path and a primary backup path on two disjoint routes between two end nodes, and assigning a plurality of secondary backup paths that are partially disjoint and that each pass through one fiber cut group on one of the two disjoint routes and all remaining fiber cut groups on the other one of the two disjoint routes. Each of the fiber cut groups includes all fiber cut pairs on both disjoint routes that have the same effect of interrupting a flow on both disjoint routes. |
| US08995825B2 |
Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened. |
| US08995821B2 |
System and method for transferring digital content
A device is provided for use with a digital content provider and a content purchaser. The content provider can provide digital content and a first digital key, wherein the digital content has quantified digital rights associated therewith. The device includes a receiving portion, a security portion, a content database, an interface portion and a transmitting portion. The receiving portion can receive the digital content and the first digital key. The security portion can access the digital content with the first digital key. The content database can store the digital content. The interface portion can offer to the content purchaser the digital content and can enable the content purchaser to purchase the digital content in accordance with purchased quantified digital rights. The security portion can further encrypt the digital content with a digital key such that the content purchaser may use the purchased digital content. |
| US08995819B2 |
Recording medium, reproducing apparatus, and reproducing method
In a recording medium on which is recorded a multiplexed stream including a plurality of first packets (V_main) constituting a first I-picture in a first video stream and a plurality of second packets (V_sub) constituting a second I-picture in a second video stream, information for identifying the first I-picture and information for identifying the second I-picture are recorded on the medium. A recording medium can thereby be obtained that enables the rapid detection, from a small amount of information, of a particular picture included in a stream such as a TS in which multiple content streams are multiplexed. |
| US08995815B2 |
Mobile media pause and resume
In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for managing playback of content delivered to a mobile device with a pause and resume functionality. The method and system including receiving delivered content on a mobile device, initiating playback of the delivered content, pausing playback of the content being delivered to the mobile device in response to an action and resuming delivery of the content upon a request. |
| US08995814B2 |
Light guide and associated light assemblies
A light guide has a transmission of greater than 90 percent, a refractive index greater than 1.4, and less than 10 haze percent. The light guide also includes an organosiloxane block copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 20,000 g/mole. The organosiloxane block copolymer includes 40 to 90 mole percent disiloxy units of the formula [R12SiO2/2] arranged in linear blocks each having an average of from 10 to 400 disiloxy units [R12SiO2/2] per linear block, 10 to 60 mole percent trisiloxy units of the formula [R2SiO3/2] arranged in non-linear blocks each having a weight average molecular weight of at least 500 g/mol, and 0.5 to 25 mole percent silanol groups [≡SiOH]. R1 is independently a C1 to C30 hydrocarbyl and R2 is independently a C1 to C20 hydrocarbyl. Moreover, at least 30% of the non-linear blocks are crosslinked with another non-linear block and aggregated in nano-domains. |
| US08995813B2 |
Optical waveguide attenuator for a polarized light source
An optical apparatus comprises: a waveguide substrate, optical cladding formed on the substrate; a waveguide core formed within the cladding, an optically absorptive layer formed within the cladding, and a linearly polarized light source. The waveguide core includes an attenuating segment thereof, and the absorptive layer is formed near the attenuating segment of the core. The core and cladding are arranged to form an optical waveguide that supports a propagating optical mode. The absorptive layer is positioned near the attenuating segment of the core so as to spatially overlap a portion of the optical mode. The extent of the overlap results in a designed level of optical loss per unit distance of propagation of a linearly polarized optical signal along the attenuating segment of the optical core in the optical mode without substantial alteration of the polarization state of the optical signal. |
| US08995811B2 |
Insulation pressure-resistance cylinder body of submarine cable equipment, submarine cable equipment, and manufacturing method
An insulation pressure-resistant cylinder body of submarine (undersea) cable equipment, submarine cable equipment, and a manufacturing method are provided. The insulation pressure-resistant cylinder body includes: an installation cylinder, an insulation layer, and a pressure-resistant cylinder, disposed sequentially from inside to outside, where a first groove is opened on an outer surface of the installation cylinder, and a second groove is opened on an inner surface of the pressure-resistant cylinder, the second groove is interlaced with the first groove, and the insulation layer is closely adhered to the outer surface of the installation cylinder and the inner surface of the pressure-resistant cylinder. Through the interlaced grooves on the outer surface of the installation cylinder and on the inner surface of the pressure-resistant cylinder, the insulation layer, the installation cylinder, and the pressure-resistant cylinder are closely and integrally combined, thereby improving stability of the cylinder body. |
| US08995810B2 |
Flexible strength members for wire cables
This invention relates to a fiber reinforced plastic material with improved flexibility and high tensile strength for use in optic cables. The strength member composition comprises a polypropylene based thermoplastic resin, a continuous fiber having a modulus greater than 80 PGa, and talc. |
| US08995808B2 |
Optical component having different waveguide angles at the interface between two planar lightwave circuits
An optical component has first and second planar lightwave circuits. The first and second planar lightwave circuits are aligned and jointed such that the position of an i-th optical waveguide (where i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n) of the first planar lightwave circuit and that of an i-th optical waveguide of the second planar lightwave circuit are matched on a joint interface. An angle formed by the i-th optical waveguide of the first planar lightwave circuit and a normal of the interface is configured to vary in accordance with a value of i within a range satisfying the Snell's law. |
| US08995805B2 |
Method and apparatus providing a coupled photonic structure
Described embodiments include optical connections for electronic-photonic devices, such as optical waveguides and photonic detectors for receiving optical waves from the optical waveguides and directing the optical waves to a common point. Methods of fabricating such connections are also described. |
| US08995804B2 |
Monolithic integrated structure comprising a buried heterostructure semiconductor optical amplifier and a photodetector
A monolithic integrated structure comprising a buried heterostructure semiconductor optical amplifier and a deep ridge optical receiver comprising such structure are disclosed. |
| US08995803B2 |
Mode delay managed few moded optical fiber link
An optical fiber link suitable for use in a mode division multiplexing (MDM) optical transmission system is disclosed. The link has a first optical fiber having a core which supports the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with X LP modes at a wavelength of 1550 nm, wherein X is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to 20, the first fiber having a positive differential mode group delay between the LP01 and LP11 modes at a wavelength between 1530-1570. The link also has a second optical fiber having a core which supports the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with Y LP modes at a wavelength of 1550 nm, wherein Y is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to 20, said optical fiber having a negative differential mode group delay between the LP01 and LP11 modes at a wavelength between 1530-1570. |
| US08995802B2 |
IR heavy metal oxide glasses
An IR supercontinuum source for generating supercontinuum in the MIR or possibly LWIR spectral bands comprises a supercontinuum fiber formed from a heavy metal oxide host glass having low optical loss and high non-linearity over the spectral band that is stable, strong and chemically durable. The supercontinuum fiber is suitably a depressed inner clad fiber configured to support only single transverse spatial mode propagation of the pump signal and supercontinuum. The source suitably includes a tapered depressed inner clad fiber to couple the pump signal into the supercontinuum fiber. The source may be configured as an “all-fiber” source. |
| US08995798B1 |
Reflective element for fiber optic sensor
A reflective element for directing an optical signal into a fiber optic sensor having an optical fiber includes a plane containing a sharply defined straight line that separates between a first area of low reflectivity and a second area of high reflectivity. The plane is disposed parallel to a free end surface of the optical fiber so that the free end surface intersects the line of the reflective element, whereby relative movement between the free end surface of the optical fiber and the line in response to a physical change sensed by the fiber optic sensor induces variations in an optical signal reflected by the reflective element through the optical fiber, which variations allow measurement of the physical change. |
| US08995796B2 |
System for generating a beat signal
The invention relates to a system (1) for generating a (high-frequency) beat signal. The system has a first light source (3) with a multimode spectrum, a second light source (4) and a coupler and filter arrangement (5) with a first port (6) for coupling in light from the first light source (3), and a second port (7) for coupling in light from the second light source (4). Furthermore, a detector (11) is provided to which light of both light sources (3, 4) can be supplied. The coupler and filter arrangement (5) has a spectral filter (20, 28) for filtering out one or several modes from the spectrum of the first light source (3), and a first fiber-optical coupler (17, 23, 26) for coupling the light of the second light source (4) and the not yet filtered or the already filtered light of the first light source (3). The coupler and filter arrangement (5) is configured to be merely fiber-optical. |
| US08995794B2 |
System for non-destructive image processing
An image processor comprises a plurality of processing modules coupled together in series. Each of at least two of the processing modules includes an image data input to receive at least one of i) an original image or ii) image data output by a previous processing module in the series. Each of the at least two of the processing modules also includes a processing unit configured to i) detect that image data is to be generated and ii) process image data received via the at least one image data input to generate image data. Each of the at least two of the processing modules also includes a memory to store image data generated by the processing unit. |
| US08995791B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable recording medium
An image processing apparatus includes an exaggeration unit configured to perform on an original image including a hand-drawn element an exaggeration process that expands the hand-drawn element to generate an exaggerated image; and a reduction unit configured to reduce the exaggerated image to generate a reduced image of a predetermined size smaller than a size of the original image. |
| US08995788B2 |
Source imagery selection for planar panorama comprising curve
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for selecting source imagery for a planar panorama comprising a curved path. The curved path can be identified in a block of source imagery, where the source imagery comprises inside-curve source imagery for an inside curve of the curved path. Image data from a first source image from the inside-curve source imagery can be compared with image data from a second source image from the inside-curve source imagery. If image data of the first source image sufficiently overlaps image data of the second source image the first source image can selected for inclusion in a set of images to be used for the planar panorama, while the second source image may not be so selected (e.g., to mitigate artifacts, object overlap, repeated objects, etc. in the planar panorama). |
| US08995787B2 |
Measurement of wave-front aberration in a small telescope remote imaging system using scene-based wave-front sensing
Reference-free compensated imaging makes an estimation of the Fourier phase of a series of images of a target. The Fourier magnitude of the series of images is obtained by dividing the power spectral density of the series of images by an estimate of the power spectral density of atmospheric turbulence from a series of scene based wave front sensor (SBWFS) measurements of the target. A high-resolution image of the target is recovered from the Fourier phase and the Fourier magnitude. |
| US08995785B2 |
Light-field processing and analysis, camera control, and user interfaces and interaction on light-field capture devices
In various embodiments, the present invention relates to methods, systems, architectures, algorithms, designs, and user interfaces for capturing, processing, analyzing, displaying, annotating, modifying, and/or interacting with light-field data on a light-field capture device. In at least one embodiment, the light-field capture device communicates to the user information about the scene during live-view to aid him or her in capturing light-field images that provide increased refocusing ability, increased parallax and perspective shifting ability, increased stereo disparity, and/or more dramatic post-capture effects. Additional embodiments present a standard 2D camera interface to software running on the light-field capture device to enable such software to function normally even though the device is actually capturing light-field data. Additional embodiments provide the ability to control camera optical elements to facilitate ease of composition and capture of light-field data, and/or generating a plurality of 2D video streams derived from a stream of light-field data. |
| US08995779B2 |
Image processing device and method for generating a prediction image
Generating a prediction image by performing motion compensation by using a motion vector of an encoded image, with a frame formed of a decoded image serving as a reference frame, to generate a first motion compensation image corresponding to a prediction image; and generating the prediction image by performing a filtering process on at least two motion-compensated images by using a correlation in a time direction included in the first motion compensation image and a second motion compensation image. |
| US08995777B2 |
Image registration apparatus
The invention relates to an image registration apparatus for registering a first image and a second image with respect to each other. A model, which has a fixed topology, is adapted to the first image for generating a first adapted model and to the second image for generating a second adapted model, and corresponding image elements (40, 48, 49; 50, 58, 9) are determined in the first image and in the second image based on spatial positions of first image elements in the first image with respect to the first adapted model and spatial positions of second image elements in the second image with respect to the second adapted model. Since the model has a fixed topology, corresponding image elements can relatively reliably be found based on the adapted models, even if the first and second images show objects having complex properties like a heart, thereby improving the registration quality. |
| US08995776B2 |
Image filter device, decoding apparatus, encoding apparatus, and data structure
An adaptive filter includes: an edge direction detection section which discriminates directionality of an input image in each of a plurality of unit regions constituting the input image; a region classification section which classifies the each of the plurality of unit regions into one of a plurality of unit region groups in accordance with to which of a plurality of predetermined groups the directionality of the input image in the each of the plurality of unit regions belongs, the directionality having been discriminated by the edge direction detection section; and a filter process section which calculates a pixel value of the each pixel of an output image by use of a filter coefficient group optimized for a unit region group to which a unit region including the each pixel belongs. |
| US08995772B2 |
Real-time face detection using pixel pairs
The subject disclosure is directed towards a face detection technology in which image data is classified as being a non-face image or a face image. Image data is processed into an image pyramid. Features, comprising pixel pairs of the image pyramid, are provided to stages of a cascading classifier to remove sub-window candidates that are classified as non-face sub-windows within each stage. The face detection technology continues with one or more subsequent stages to output a result as to whether the image contains a face. |
| US08995770B2 |
Word warping for offline handwriting recognition
Performing word recognition operations to determine what an image of a word represents. The method includes accessing a first image. The first image represents an image version of a word. The method further includes accessing a second image. The second image also represents an image version of a word. Using a warp mesh, the method includes warping the second image to cause the second image to approximately match the first image by applying a mesh to the second image and moving vertices of the mesh to warp the second image. The difference between the warped second image and the unwarped first image are determined. |
| US08995767B2 |
Multimedia visualization and integration environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for retrieving and displaying multimedia information. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that displays multimedia information that may be stored in a multimedia document. According to the teachings of the present invention, the GUI enables a user to navigate through multimedia information stored in a multimedia document. The GUI provides both a focused and a contextual view of the contents of the multimedia document. |
| US08995765B2 |
Digital image processing apparatus and method
A digital image processing apparatus and method are provided. The digital image processing apparatus includes: a Y component processing unit receiving a Y component and performing edge enhancement processing and first noise reduction processing on the Y component by using a memory allocated to the Y component; and a CbCr processing unit receiving a Cb component and a Cr component, and performing false color suppression processing and second noise reduction processing on the Cb component and the Cr component by using a memory allocated to the Cb component and the Cr component, where the Y component, the Cb component and the Cr component are variables of the YCbCr color space. |
| US08995755B2 |
Two-dimensional to stereoscopic conversion systems and methods
In one embodiment, a two-dimensional to stereoscopic conversion method, comprising: estimating a local motion region in a first image relative to one or more second images, the first and the one or more second images comprising two-dimensional images; generating a color model based on the local motion region; calculating a similarity value for each of at least one image pixel selected from the first image based on the color model; and assigning a depth value for each of the at least one image pixel selected from the first image based on the calculated similarity value to generate a stereoscopic image, the method performed by one or more processors. |
| US08995753B2 |
Stereo distance measurement apparatus and stereo distance measurement method
Provided is a stereo distance measurement apparatus wherein a camera image itself is adjusted to correct the blur, thereby preventing the distance measurement time from being long, while improving the precision of disparity detection. In the apparatus (100), a blur adjusting unit (102) uses a filter to tailor the blur of one of two images used by a disparity measuring unit (103), to the blur of the other which is weaker. A camera image itself is adjusted, whereby the blur can be corrected. Moreover, tailoring the blur of the one image to the blur of the other image which is weaker allows an application of the filter, which is a simple processing, to cause the blurs of the images used in the disparity detection, to coincide with each other. Therefore, the precision of disparity detection can be improved, while the distance measurement can be performed at a high speed. |
| US08995752B2 |
System for making 3D contents provided with visual fatigue minimization and method of the same
Disclosed are a system for making 3D contents provided with visual fatigue minimization and a method of the same. More particularly, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a system for making 3D contents including: a human factor information unit generating guide information for making 3D contents by considering factors causing visual fatigue of the 3D contents; and a 3D contents making unit applying guide information generated by the human factor information unit to 3D contents data inputted for making the 3D contents to make the 3D contents, and a method of making 3D contents. |
| US08995749B2 |
Enhanced edge detection tool for edges of irregular surfaces
A method is provided for enhancing edge detection for edges of irregular surfaces in a machine vision inspection system. The inspection system comprises an edge feature video tool configured to determine profile data for an edge feature based on a plurality of differently focused images. An edge-referenced alignment compensation is provided related to substantially minimizing a respective offset amount of the edge feature at respective locations along a directional filtering direction used for directionally filtering the plurality of differently focused images prior to determining the profile data for the edge feature. In some embodiments, the plurality of differently focused images may be directionally filtered using a directional filtering sub region (DFS) defined relative to a point corresponding to a PFF basis pixel location in each of the plurality of images, each DFS having a relatively longer dimension along the directional filtering direction. |
| US08995747B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for defect detection and classification
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems, methods and apparatus for image-based automatic detection of a defective area in a flat panel display and classification of the defect type and the cause of the detected defect. |
| US08995742B1 |
Systems and methods for evaluation of a superabrasive material
Embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed for evaluating a superabrasive material by a three-dimensional model generated using a computed tomography scanner. The model is analyzed to identify a superabrasive matrix within the model and at least one performance characteristic of the superabrasive material is determined according to at least one property of the superabrasive matrix. Methods are also disclosed for characterizing crystal-to-crystal bonding regions and non-superabrasive material within an interstitial matrix of the superabrasive matrix. |
| US08995738B2 |
System and method for magnetic resonance imaging parametric mapping using confidence maps
A method for producing parametric maps using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The MRI system is used to acquire k-space data from a field-of-view. A series of images is reconstructed from the acquired k-space data, and a confidence map is produced using the k-space data. The confidence map depicts regions in the field-of-view that are affected by error sources. A parametric map is produced using the reconstructed series of images and the produced confidence map. Values in the parametric map associated with regions in the field-of-view depicted in the confidence map as being affected by error sources are not computed, thereby reducing errors in the parametric map. |