Document Document Title
US09021610B2 Computer recovery or return
A computer return apparatus includes a processor. The apparatus includes a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus includes a display. The apparatus includes a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. A method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner.
US09021609B2 Apparatus and method for verifying integrity of firmware of embedded system
An apparatus and method for verifying the integrity of firmware of an embedded system is provided. The apparatus for verifying the integrity of firmware of an embedded system includes a target integrity code obtainment unit for obtaining a target integrity code of firmware of the embedded system. A source integrity code obtainment unit obtains a source integrity code of source firmware. An integrity determination unit determines whether integrity of the firmware of the embedded system is maintained, by using the target integrity code and the source integrity code.
US09021608B2 Methods and apparatus for sharing, transferring and removing previously owned digital media
The invention provide systems and methods for management of digital media objects, comprising first and second client digital data processors (e.g., personal (or private) computers, laptops, dedicated music devices, electronic book readers, and so forth) that are in communications coupling with one or more stores (e.g., dedicated disk drives, flash drives, cloud storage, etc.). At least one digital media object (DMO) or copy thereof is stored in one or more of those stores and is accessible by at least one of the first and second client digital data processors.
US09021602B2 Data protection method and device
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a digital information in an integral manner. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and device for data protection.
US09021600B1 Digital cinema distribution method and apparatus
Disclosed herein is an improved (digital) supply chain (ISC) product. The disclosure covers a simple explanation of the improved supply chain as a service business model, a review of key digital cinema (D-Cinema) topics, a description of the Digital Cinema supply chain, and finally, a description of the improved supply chain product and process.
US09021596B2 Correcting workflow security vulnerabilities via static analysis and virtual patching
A computer program can be statically analyzed to determine an order in which client side workflows are intended to be implemented by the computer program. A virtual patch can be generated. When executed by a processor, the virtual patch can track web service calls from a client to the computer program, and determine whether the order of the web service calls from the client to the computer program correlate to the order in which client side workflows are intended to be implemented by the computer program. If the order of the web service calls from the client to the computer program do not correlate to the order in which client side workflows are intended to be implemented by the computer program, an alert can be generated.
US09021595B2 Asset risk analysis
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for asset risk analysis. One method includes receiving threat definition data for threats, vulnerability detection data for assets, and countermeasure detection data for assets. The method further includes determining a respective risk metric for each of the assets for each of the threats. This includes analyzing the vulnerability detection data for an asset to determine whether the asset is vulnerable to a threat, determining from the threat definition data and the countermeasure detection data whether the asset is protected by one of the countermeasures identified for the threat, and determining the risk metric for the asset for the threat according to whether the asset is vulnerable to the threat and whether the asset is protected by one of the countermeasures identified for the threat.
US09021593B2 XSS detection method and device
The present invention discloses a XSS detection method for detecting the XSS vulnerabilities in a web page, comprising for each parameter-value pair in a set of parameter-value pairs that can be accepted by the web page: constructing a parameter-value pair in which a dedicated script is inserted; assembling a URL corresponding to the web page based on the parameter-value pair in which a dedicated script is inserted; acquiring the dynamic web page content corresponding to the assembled URL; and simulating the execution of the acquired dynamic web page content, if the dedicated script is executed, it is determined that the processing of the parameter in the web page contains XSS vulnerabilities. The present invention further discloses a corresponding XSS detection device and a web site security scanning system and a web scanning system using such a device.
US09021586B2 Apparatus and methods for preventing cross-site request forgery
Apparatus and methods are provided that prevent cross-site request forgery at one or more web servers. A proxy dynamically monitors web server responses to client requests for content having a selected characteristic, adds a hidden token to content identified as having the selected characteristic prior to serving the content to a requesting client, and stores a copy of the hidden token for later verification that client request content sent to a web server is authentic. The proxy monitors client request content sent to the one or more web servers for a selected characteristic, and allows client request content having the selected characteristic to be processed by a web server application only if the client request content includes a token previously provided by the proxy and only if the token has a value matching a stored token value for the respective client.
US09021582B2 Parallelized pattern matching using non-deterministic finite automata
This disclosure describes techniques of determining whether a symbol stream includes a pattern defined by a regular expression. As described herein, the regular expression may be represented using a non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA). A plurality of states in the NFA may be evaluated in parallel. These states may be associated with a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol stream. Evaluating a plurality of states and symbols in parallel may allow for faster determinations of whether the symbol stream includes the pattern defined by the regular expression.
US09021577B2 Enhancing IPSEC performance and security against eavesdropping
A network element (NE) comprising a memory device configured to store instructions, and a processor configured to execute the instructions by dividing a first plurality of data packets of a data flow into a first plurality of sub-flows, and causing the first plurality of sub-flows to be transmitted to a second NE via a network, wherein the first plurality of sub-flows are transmitted using a first Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) security association (SA) cluster comprising a plurality of parallel sub-SAs. The disclosure also includes a NE comprising a processor configured to create an IPsec SA cluster comprising a first plurality of sub-SAs between the NE and a second NE using an internet key exchange (IKE) or an IKEv2, wherein the first sub-SAs are unidirectional, and wherein the first sub-SAs are configured to transport a first plurality of data packets in a common direction.
US09021575B2 Selectively performing man in the middle decryption
An agent on a device within a network receives a request to access a resource outside the network. A first encrypted connection is established between the device and the agent, and a second encrypted connection is established between the agent and the resource, to facilitate encrypted communication traffic between the device and the resource. The agent sends a policy request to a network appliance within the network, the request specifying the resource. The agent receives a policy response indicating that the resource is associated with one or more security policies of the network. Traffic passing between the device and the resource is selectively decrypted and inspected depending on the security policies.
US09021570B2 System, control method therefor, service providing apparatus, relay apparatus and computer-readable medium
A system in which a first service providing apparatus, a second service providing apparatus, and at least one authentication apparatus cooperate with each other to provide a service by single sign-on to be used by a user, the second service providing apparatus comprises a management unit that manages belonging information for specifying a group to which the user belongs, and a transmission unit that transmits to the client terminal, when an instruction to provide a service by the first service providing apparatus is accepted from the user while providing a service by the second service providing apparatus, information for accessing the first service providing apparatus and the belonging information if the management unit manages the belonging information of the group to which the user belongs.
US09021569B1 Wireless guest access
Methods, systems and computer readable media for providing and managing wireless guest access are described. In some implementations, the method can include a method comprising mining event details including a list of one or more guest attendees for which wireless guest access is selected and a corresponding email address for each of the one or more guest attendees from an event request. The method can also include generating wireless guest access credentials for each of the one or more guest attendees that accept the request, and transmitting corresponding wireless guest access credentials to each guest attendee via email using the corresponding email address. The method can further include receiving an indication that one or more of the guest attendees has connected to a wireless network, and causing a guest access page to be displayed for each guest attendee connecting to the network. The method can also include providing an interface for entering the wireless guest access credentials via the guest access page, and validating the guest access credentials. The method can also include, when the guest access credentials are valid, permitting the guest attendee associated with those credentials to access the wireless network.
US09021567B2 Printing system and method to register card ID
A printing system includes an image forming apparatus and a management server connected via a network. The image forming apparatus reads a card ID of a user of the image forming apparatus from the ID card, accepts non-card authentication information, transmits an authentication request, including the card ID, to the management server, and, if an unsuccessful authentication result is transmitted from the management server, transmits a card registration request, including the non-card authentication information, to the management server. The management server transmits a successful authentication result or the unsuccessful authentication result to the image forming apparatus according to whether the card ID has been registered in correspondence to the user, registers the non-card authentication information in correspondence to the user, and if the non-card authentication information has been registered in correspondence to the user, registers the card ID in correspondence to the user.
US09021561B2 Method of providing a mixed group communication session
A method of providing a mixed group communication session for a mixed group containing protected users and a guest user is provided. The method uses a secure server to assign temporary Identities (IDs) to the protected users. The secure server forms a mixed group session containing desired participants from among the protected users and the guest user. The secure server provides limited group rights to the guest user in the mixed group session. During the mixed group session, the secure server uses the permanent IDs of the protected users towards other protected users and temporary IDs of the permanent users towards the guest user. Also provided is a method for providing a mixed group communication session for a mixed group containing protected users and a guest user, wherein temporary IDs are assigned to protected users and the guest user.
US09021560B1 Authorization via web of subsequent message delivery from a specified sender
In some embodiments, techniques for authorizing a message comprise receiving a request to authorize delivery of a message for a recipient to be sent subsequent to the request, by a specified sender, wherein the request is embedded in a web page associated with the specified sender; determining whether the request is valid; updating information associated with the specified sender to indicate that the specified sender is authorized, when it is determined that the request is valid; receiving an incoming message for the message recipient; determining that the specified sender is a sender of the incoming message; determining whether the specified sender is authorized, wherein determining whether the specified sender is authorized includes checking the information associated with the specified sender; and when it is determined that the second sender is authorized, bypassing spam filtering for the incoming message and delivering the incoming message.
US09021558B2 User authentication based on network context
Example systems and methods of user authentication based on network context are presented. In one example, a command to authenticate a user of a computing device is received in response to a request transmitted from the computing device to access a computing solution. In response to the command, a determination is made whether a network address corresponding to the request matches at least one network address associated with a protected network. Based on the network address corresponding to the request not matching the at least one network address associated with the protected network, authentication of the user is initiated at an identity provider corresponding to the computing solution. Otherwise, based on the network address corresponding to the request matching the at least one network address associated with the protected network, authentication of the user is delegated to an identity management system located within the protected network.
US09021554B2 Unlimited access to media and applications over wireless infrastructure
Methods, systems, and apparatus are presented for providing unlimited access to either or both of media content, such as music, and applications. A media server environment can be provided, which maintains an instance of each subscriber account, a central archive of media content, and an application catalog. Selected media content can be downloaded to, and stored locally at, a subscriber device, such as on a secure storage device. Also, selected applications can be locally installed on the subscriber device. Access to the local media content and locally installed applications can be controlled through the media server environment based on the status of the subscriber's account. If the subscriber's account becomes inactive, access to the downloaded media content and installed applications can be disabled. Once the subscriber's account is reactivated, access to the downloaded media content and applications can be restored.
US09021544B1 Personal irritation dispersion device systems
An apparatus for an electronic feedback system designed to work in combination with a television set to enable a viewer to express his or her anger toward televised events by allowing the viewer to vent his or her anger in a physical, satisfying manner, yet do no harm to the television set.
US09021539B2 Leakage location methods
“Cradle-to-grave” treatment of leaks begins with technicians logging leakage signal strengths and GPS latitude and longitude coordinates in technicians' vehicles as the technicians go about their daily assignments. Leakage signal strengths and GPS latitude and longitude coordinates are then uploaded to a leakage server. The server calculates leak latitude and longitude coordinates and signal strengths. The system sends the leakage signal strengths and/or calculated leak latitude and longitude coordinates to technicians' vehicles, for example, as components of, or attachments to, work orders. The latitudes and longitudes are converted by GPS navigators in the technicians' vehicles to turn-by-turn directions to the calculated leak locations. The technicians drive to the leaks, identify and repair them, and close the work orders.
US09021527B1 Facilitating communication actions in accordance with cable attributes
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for facilitating initiation of communication actions in accordance with cable attributes. In one embodiment, cable attributes are referenced that indicate utilization of a cable device at a time a communication event is directed to a user device. The user device and the cable device may be associated with the same user. Communication actions to apply in accordance with the communication event are determined based on at least one of the cable attributes. Thereafter, the communication actions are initiated, for example, such that a user is provided with an indication of the communication event visually via the cable device and/or audibly via the user device, depending on the particular cable attributes.
US09021525B2 Broadcasting receiving apparatus and control method thereof
There is provided a broadcasting receiving apparatus. The broadcasting receiving apparatus includes: a receiver which receives a broadcasting signal of a broadcasting channel; a UI generator which generates a data broadcasting UI; and a controller which controls the UI generator to generate a channel data broadcasting UI including a data broadcasting item corresponding to broadcasting contents of a tuned broadcasting channel if data broadcasting is received through the receiver.
US09021524B2 Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US09021511B1 Runtime management of TOC pointer save and restore commands
Embodiments relate to runtime management of table of contents (TOC) pointer save and restore commands. An aspect includes receiving, by a computer system, application object code comprising a first function call. Another aspect includes determining, at runtime of the application object code, that the first function call comprises an external function call from a calling function in the application object code to a callee function that is external to the application object code. Yet another aspect includes, based on determining that the first function call comprises the external function call, inserting a TOC save command and a TOC restore command corresponding to the first function call into the application object code.
US09021507B2 Dynamic use of data across multiple programs
A method and computer program product for dynamic program integration is described. The method may comprise allowing, with at least one of a client electronic device and a server computer, selection of content in an original program. The method may further comprise applying a command sequence to the content. The method may also comprise copying the content on to a clipboard. Moreover, the method may activate a new program configured to handle the content. Additionally, the method may transfer the content from the clipboard to the new program and receive the content in the new program.
US09021499B2 Moving a logical device between processor modules in response to identifying a varying load pattern
Utilization of the processor modules is monitored. A varying load pattern including at least one of a bursty behavior or an oscillatory behavior of the processor modules is identified. Distribution of logical devices between processor modules is performed.
US09021498B1 Adjusting pause-loop exiting window values
In a method for adjusting a Pause-loop exiting window value, one or more processors execute an exit instruction for a first virtual CPU (vCPU) in a virtualized computer environment based on the first vCPU exceeding a first Pause-loop exiting (PLE) window value. The one or more processors initiate a first directed yield from the first vCPU to a second vCPU in the virtualized computer environment. The one or more processors determine whether the first directed yield was successful. The one or more processors adjust the first PLE window value based on the determination of whether the first directed yield was successful.
US09021497B1 Adjusting pause-loop exiting window values
In a method for adjusting a Pause-loop exiting window value, one or more processors execute an exit instruction for a first virtual CPU (vCPU) in a virtualized computer environment based on the first vCPU exceeding a first Pause-loop exiting (PLE) window value. The one or more processors initiate a first directed yield from the first vCPU to a second vCPU in the virtualized computer environment. The one or more processors determine whether the first directed yield was successful. The one or more processors adjust the first PLE window value based on the determination of whether the first directed yield was successful.
US09021495B2 Management of resources within a computing environment
Resources in a computing environment are managed, for example, by a hardware controller controlling dispatching of resources from one or more pools of resources to be used in execution of threads. The controlling includes conditionally dispatching resources from the pool(s) to one or more low-priority threads of the computing environment based on current usage of resources in the pool(s) relative to an associated resource usage threshold. The management further includes monitoring resource dispatching from the pool(s) to one or more high-priority threads of the computing environment, and based on the monitoring, dynamically adjusting the resource usage threshold used in the conditionally dispatching of resources from the pool(s) to the low-priority thread(s).
US09021493B2 Management of resources within a computing environment
Resources in a computing environment are managed, for example, by a hardware controller controlling dispatching of resources from one or more pools of resources to be used in execution of threads. The controlling includes conditionally dispatching resources from the pool(s) to one or more low-priority threads of the computing environment based on current usage of resources in the pool(s) relative to an associated resource usage threshold. The management further includes monitoring resource dispatching from the pool(s) to one or more high-priority threads of the computing environment, and based on the monitoring, dynamically adjusting the resource usage threshold used in the conditionally dispatching of resources from the pool(s) to the low-priority thread(s).
US09021492B2 Dual mode reader writer lock
A method for a dual mode reader writer lock is provided. A contention condition is determined in using an original lock. The original lock manages read and write access to a resource by several processes executing in the data processing system. The embodiment creates a set of expanded locks for use in conjunction with the original lock. The original lock and the set of expanded locks forming the dual mode reader writer lock, which operates to manage the read and write access to the resource. Using an index within the original lock, each expanded lock is indexed such that each expanded lock is locatable using the index. The contention condition is resolved by distributing requests for acquiring and releasing the read access and write access to the resource by the several processes across the original lock and the set of expanded locks.
US09021490B2 Optimizing allocation of computer resources by tracking job status and resource availability profiles
Embodiments of the presently claimed invention automatically and systematically schedule jobs in a computer system thereby optimizing job throughput while simultaneously minimizing the amount of time a job waits for access to a shareable resource in the system. Such embodiments may implement a methodology that continuously pre-conditions the profile of requests submitted to a job scheduler such that the resulting schedule for the dispatch of those jobs results in optimized use of available computer system resources. Through this methodology, the intersection of the envelope of available computer system shareable resources may be considered in the context of the envelope of requested resources associated with the jobs in the system input queue. By using heuristic policies, an arrangement of allocations of available resources against requested resources may be determined thereby maximizing resource consumption on the processing system.
US09021485B2 Automatically restarting a first child process based on presence of SQL code in a list
Systems and methods for auto-restarting abnormally terminated processes are disclosed. An auto-restart system can include a parent task control block, a child process, and a shared resource. The parent task control block can spawn the child process. The child process can operate on the shared resource. When the child process finds the shared resource locked, the child process can terminate abnormally. The parent task control block can recognize the abnormal termination of the child process, and can automatically rollback and restart the child process. Accordingly, the child process can be restarted to operate on the shared resource without human intervention.
US09021484B2 Migrated application performance comparisons using log mapping
Mechanisms are provided for comparing the performance of applications. An application log record associated with a first application is identified. Mappings between the application logs and underlying log record of environments are made for both the source and the target environments. Performance measurements are made based on both the application logs in the source and target environments are made and compared to each other by way of the mappings. A result of the comparison is output to thereby compare performance of the first application in the source environment with performance of a second application in the target environment.
US09021480B2 Security management device and method
In a case where a master virtual machine, which is constructed on the basis of master information for configuring either part or all of a virtual machine, and an individual virtual machine, which is constructed on the basis of individual information that is configured partially or entirely in accordance with the master information, exist as the types of virtual machines that a physical client provides to a user terminal, a security check of a plurality of virtual machines is selectively executed, with respect to each check item, for a virtual machine of the type corresponding to the contents of the check item.
US09021478B1 Provisioning virtual machines from template by splitting and building index for locating content portions via content-centric network
Techniques are disclosed for provisioning virtual machines via content-centric networking approach in a computing system implemented with a distributed virtual infrastructure. In one example, a method comprises the following steps. A virtual machine template is obtained. The virtual machine template defines one or more segments which represent one or more content portions. The one or more content portions are addressable in accordance with a content-centric network communications protocol. At least one virtual machine is deployed from the virtual machine template. The generating and deploying steps are performed on one or more physical processing elements associated with a computing system implemented via a distributed virtual infrastructure.
US09021477B2 Method for improving the performance of high performance computing applications on Cloud using integrated load balancing
A computer-implemented method of load balancing including calculating an expected cost set associated with an application-specific task of an application executing on a processing resource in a cloud computing environment, and communicating the expected cost set from the processing resource to a cloud management system. Resource mapping of applications currently executing in the cloud computing environment are retrieved, the application-specific task is assigned to a specific computational resource in the cloud computing environment based on the expected cost set and the resource mapping of applications currently executing in the cloud computing environment. A task to VM (virtual machine) assignment is determined based on the assignment of the application-specific task to the specific computational resource. The task to VM assignment is transferred from the cloud management system to the application executing on the processing resource in the cloud computing environment.
US09021476B1 Ensuring the privacy and integrity of a hypervisor
Approaches for ensuring the privacy and integrity of a hypervisor. A host operating system manages a set of resources. The host operating system is prevented from accessing a portion of the resources belonging to or allocated by the hypervisor. The host operating system may be prevented from accessing resources belonging to or allocated by the hypervisor by transferring execution of the host operating system into a virtual machine container that does not have sufficient privilege to access any portion of the memory pages in which the hypervisor is executing.
US09021475B2 Systems and methods for SR-IOV pass-thru via an intermediary device
This disclosure describes a system for Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) pass-thru for network packet processing via a virtualized environment of a device. The system includes a device comprising a virtualized environment and a plurality of virtual machines having a virtual network interface for receiving and transmitting network packets. A driver for the physical network interface of the device creates a plurality of virtual devices corresponding to the physical network interface, which appear as a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device to the virtualized environment. A virtual device of the plurality of virtual devices is assigned via the virtualized environment to each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines. The virtual machine uses the virtual device assigned to the virtual machine, to receive and transmit network packets via the physical network interface of the device.
US09021471B2 Managing change-set delivery
An approach that analyzes and manages unresolved (i.e., pending, outgoing) change-sets is provided. Specifically, this approach parses the change-set into a plurality (i.e., one or more) of changes to determine the impact each change may have. An alert may be provided to the user indicating whether the change-set should be checked-in based on the determined impact. Specifically, a change-set management tool provides this capability. The change-set management tool includes a parsing module configured to receive an outgoing change-set; and parse the change-set into a plurality of changes. The change-set management tool further comprises an evaluation module configured to evaluate an impact that each of the plurality of changes within the change-set has on other changes of the plurality of changes within the change-set.
US09021470B2 Software provisioning in multiple network configuration environment
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for provisioning software to machines in a set of diverse networks. A provisioning (or “cobbler”) server can interact with a remote installation client to initiate a software provisioning process to machines installed on two or more diverse networks, such as local area, wide area, virtual private, or other networks. The remote installation clients in different networks can report the network interface types and configurations of their networks to the cobbler server. During provisioning, the administrator can specify one software distribution to the entire set of diverse networks, and the cobbler server can generate different distribution versions tailored to the network configurations of the various different networks. In embodiments, the cobbler server can maintain a set of network configuration templates to automatically set network settings such as static IP addresses, gateway information, hostname information, network mask information, and other settings for the different network types.
US09021465B2 Downloading guest software updates by a hypervisor
A method and system for providing guest software updates to a host computer system. The hypervisor in the host computer system downloads an update to guest software that runs on a virtual machine associated with the hypervisor. The hypervisor determines the content of the update to be sent to the virtual machine. The hypervisor then sends the content of the update to the virtual machine via a dedicated channel between the hypervisor and the virtual machine. Thus, a guest without external networking or even no network stack can be updated.
US09021464B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for rationalization of computer system configuration change data through correlation with product installation activity
Methods for correlating configuration change data to an application installation/removal event for a computer system are provided. Configuration change data records for the computer system are retrieved. The application installation/removal event is identified. Correlation criteria are determined. A plurality of the configuration change data records are automatically identified as being associated with the identified application installation/removal event based on the determined correlation criteria and a characteristic of the configuration change data records.
US09021462B2 Systems and methods for provisioning equipment
Systems and methods for provisioning building equipment are provided. A disclosed provisioning system includes a main control unit having a processing circuit, a memory device, and a data communications interface. The provisioning system further includes an auxiliary control unit and a portable data storage device. The portable data storage device is physically separate from the main control unit and has an update file stored therein. The update file includes a plurality of partitions, each partition including provisioning data and metadata. The main control unit identifies a first partition of the update file containing first provisioning data for the main control unit and a second partition of the update file containing second provisioning data for the auxiliary control unit. The processing circuit is configured to extract the provisioning data from the identified partitions and to apply the extracted provisioning data to the main control unit and the auxiliary control unit.
US09021461B2 Method and system for minimizing or eliminating downtime when updating a website
Websites, including supporting databases, are updated with little or no downtime. In one aspect, a database is replicated prior to updating, so that updates can be performed on one copy while the other remains operational. In another aspect, the data remains in one location while an application programming interface for interacting with the data using new software code is introduced. Another application programming interface remains operational while the update is taking place. Public and private synonyms are used to direct web traffic to the appropriate application programming interface during the update process.
US09021456B2 Using collaborative annotations to specify real-time process flows and system constraints
A method of modifying an existing standard-based system using collaborative annotations can include associating an annotation with a message of the standard-based system. The message can correspond to a first service and the annotation can specify at least one of a second service. The method further can include intercepting the message and executing the annotation. At least one of the second service can be automatically invoked according to the annotation.
US09021451B2 Call graph simplification/comparison and automatic initial suspects finding of performance degradations
In one embodiment, a method for call graph analysis is provided. The method includes determining a plurality of nodes in a call graph. The plurality of nodes represent resource consumption of functions of a software program executed in a software system. A simplification factor is determined. A first set of nodes in the plurality of nodes is then eliminated based on exclusive values for the plurality of nodes, inclusive values for the plurality of nodes, and the simplification factor. An inclusive value for a node is a first amount of resources consumed by the node and any descendent nodes of that node. An exclusive value for the node is a second amount of resources consumed by the node. A simplified call graph is output including a second set of nodes in the plurality of nodes. The second set of nodes does not include the eliminated first set of nodes.
US09021450B2 Scalable and precise string analysis using index-sensitive static string abstractions
A disclosed method includes accessing one or more seeding specifications and a program including computer-readable code and applying the one or more seeding specifications to the program to identify for analysis seeds including strings for corresponding identified string variables. The method includes tracking flows emanating from the identified seeds. The tracking includes computing an integral offset into a tracked string variable for any statements causing such a computation. The tracking also includes providing a string representation based on the computed integral offset, wherein the provided string representation comprises a value of the integral offset and an indication of the corresponding tracked string variable. The tracking further includes modeling string manipulations of the tracked string variables using the string representations. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed.
US09021449B2 Software regression testing using symbolic execution
A method of testing software may include accessing first software that includes multiple execution paths and concretely executing the first software using a test case associated with second software to traverse at least a first execution path of the execution paths. The method may also include capturing concrete execution results produced from concretely executing the first software to record the first execution path and symbolically executing the first software using a symbolic input based on the recorded first execution path.
US09021446B2 Uncoverage tool
Indication of uncoverage information allows tests to be tailored to target those uncovered code units with the most potential to increase coverage of a program. A tool examines coverage information of a program to identify code units of the program that were not covered by test data used to exercise the program. The tool also examines structural information (e.g., control flow) for the program to identify those of the uncovered code units that have direct control flow from a corresponding covered code unit (“root level uncovered code units”). The coverage tool then measures potential impact on coverage for each of the root level uncovered code units.
US09021445B2 Tracer list for automatically controlling tracer behavior
A tracing system may use an evaluation mechanism to determine which functions to include or exclude during tracing. The architecture may evaluate functions when functions or groups of functions may be loaded for execution, as well as each time a function may be encountered. The evaluation mechanism may use whitelists, blacklists, and various expressions to identify which functions to trace and which functions to exclude. The evaluation mechanism may evaluate an expression that may identify specific conditions under which a function may be traced or not traced. The tracing mechanism may create wrapping functions for each function, including callback functions.
US09021444B2 Combined performance tracer and snapshot debugging system
A tracing and debugging system may collect both performance related tracer data and snapshot data. The tracer data may contain aggregated performance and operational data, while the snapshot data may contain call stack, source code, and other information that may be useful for debugging and detailed understanding of an application. The snapshot data may be stored in a separate database from the tracer data, as the snapshot data may contain data that may be private or sensitive, while the tracer data may be aggregated information that may be less sensitive. A debugging user interface may be used to access, display, and browse the stored snapshot data.
US09021443B1 Test automation API for host devices
A system is described for testing an application on one or more host devices in a host device farm using an application programming interface (“API”) to send a test package containing an application to a test server. The sending may be initiated by a single action such as a click on a control in a user interface, or may be automatic such as on completion of a build. The test server may then execute and test the application across one or more host devices using one or more testing frameworks. Test results based at least in part on the type of testing framework used in the application may then be provided to a client device.
US09021442B2 Dynamic scenario testing of web application
A test automation system can include a web controller configured to provide access to at least one container displayed by an application and a web user interface (UI) configured to be controlled using the web controller. The system can include an application controller object configured to implement an application controller interface and expose methods for performing operations on application controls of the application and an application query object. The application query object can include at least one filter with at least one condition, the at least one condition defining an attribute or property of a UI element to check for. The application query object can be configured to return at least one UI control when the UI control includes at least one UI element that includes features that match criteria defined by the at least one filter and the at least one condition.
US09021441B2 Methods and systems of determining a quality level of a software instance
An exemplary method includes displaying a graphical user interface configured to facilitate identification of one or more defects in a software instance, receiving data representative of at least one instruction via the graphical user interface to associate one of a plurality of defect severity levels each having one of a plurality of weighted values with each of the one or more defects, and generating a product quality index corresponding to the software instance and that indicates a quality level of the software instance compared to a substantially defect-free software instance. In some examples, the generation of the product quality index is based on the defect severity levels and the weighted values associated with the one or more defects.
US09021440B1 System and method for automated test script generation
A system and method for automatically generating a test script includes receiving a test case flow that includes steps, nodes, and sub-nodes, wherein each sub-node is associated with a use-case based application programming interface (UC-API), for each sub-node of the test case flow retrieving a template array corresponding to the UC-API associated with the sub-node, generating a test array wherein for each node in a step, generating a node array wherein the elements of each node array includes the sub-node arrays associated with the sub-nodes of the node, for each step, generating a step array wherein the elements of each step array include references to the node arrays of the nodes in the step, and populating the test array wherein each element of the test array includes one of the step arrays.
US09021438B2 Automatic framework for parallel testing on multiple testing environments
A web application is tested on multiple testing environments provided by testing appliances. The testing environments are described by a platform, managing an appliance, a browser used for loading the web application, and a browser version. An automatic testing framework is used for handling the parallelized test execution on all of the testing environments. Within the testing framework the testing environments are defined and prepared for the test execution. A consolidated configuration file is generated for the web application's configuration and the tests classes. The testing framework provides a local server to host the web application which is later loaded in the testing environments. The testing framework processes the test and uses a communication with the appliances to send commands and to execute the test on all of the testing environments. A unified test report is generated that accumulates the results from all of the testing environments.
US09021432B2 Enrichment of entity relational model
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for enriching an entity relational model. One computer-implemented method includes accessing entity relationship settings (ERS), entity relationship data (ERD), and software code with an entity relationship monitor (ERM), monitoring software code by a computer for changes related to software entities associated with the software code, interfacing with a software development tool to monitor for activity in the software development tool related to the software entities, determining that a change or activity related to the software entities has occurred, determining that a relatedness value associated with the software entities associated with the change or activity is within a relatedness threshold specified by the ERS, and performing a function associated with the determined change or activity.
US09021430B2 Method of determining multimedia architectural pattern, and apparatus and method for transforming single-core based architecture to multi-core based architecture
A method and apparatus for authoring an architecture for transforming a single-core based embedded software application to a multi-core based embedded software application, and a method of determining an architectural pattern in a multimedia system. It is possible to perform an architecture authoring operation by using an architectural decision supporter, without prior knowledge and accumulated knowledge regarding a software architecture. Additionally, it is possible to prevent an error from occurring during authoring of an architecture, by using a concurrency-related software architectural pattern that is already evaluated. Thus, it is possible to improve overall quality of software, and to reduce a development time.
US09021429B1 Recommending applications to portable electronic devices
Various embodiments of systems and methods for recommending applications to portable electronic devices are described herein. Initially a context change of an application identification parameter is detected. Based on the detected context change, a target application, from a plurality of applications, may be identified. A similarity value is then computed between the identified target application and another application. Finally, an application to be recommended to a portable electronic device is determined based on the computed similarity value and a rate value of another application.
US09021424B2 Multi-document editor with code inlining
A multi-document editor system includes a repository for storing a plurality of documents having code fragments. The system further includes a graphical user interface having an editor window within a display region, the editor window for displaying a rendering of the plurality of documents. A program editor module provides a unified editor control to the editor window for editing the plurality of documents.
US09021420B2 Deployment of business processes in service-oriented architecture environments
A computer-implemented business process deployment system and method are disclosed. The system includes memory which stores a design tool which receives a business process description and generates a deployment package composite based thereon. The business process description includes a set of business process activities for a business process, each of the business process activities in the set depending on abstract services for implementing the business process activity. An abstract bindings repository stores mappings between the abstract services and corresponding real services employed by an associated real service employing system. The deployment package composite is configured to bind the abstract service dependencies to the real services in the abstract bindings repository to generate a deployable business process composite that is deployable in the associated real service employing system. A processor implements the design tool.
US09021412B2 RC extraction methodology for floating silicon substrate with TSV
The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for generating a through-silicon via (TSV) model for RC extraction that accurately models an interposer substrate comprising one or more TSVs. In some embodiments, a method is performed by generating an interposer wafer model having a sub-circuit that models a TSV. The sub-circuit can compensate for limitations in resistive and capacitive extraction of traditional TSV models performed by EDA tools. In some embodiments, the sub-circuit is coupled to a floating common node of the model. The floating common node enables the interposer wafer model to take into consideration capacitive coupling within the interposer. The improved interposer wafer model enables accurate RC extraction of an interposer with one or more TSVs, thereby providing for an interposer wafer model that is consistent between GDS and APR flows.
US09021407B2 Signal path of a multiple-patterned semiconductor device
A multiple-patterned semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes one or more layers with signal tracks defined by masks and a structure for transferring a signal between signal tracks and repowering the signal.
US09021405B2 Layout method and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A plurality of gate electrode patterns to be laid out in parallel are alternately set as first patterns to be formed in a first exposure step of double patterning and as second patterns to be formed in a second exposure step. Subsequently, a circuit that includes transistor pairs each formed by connecting one of the first patterns and one of the second patterns in parallel is laid out. This reduces the risk of variations in characteristics of transistors caused by double patterning.
US09021401B2 Methods and systems involving browser nodes
A method comprises creating a first node, determining whether an indicator associated with a head node is present, and designating the first node as a head node, defining and associating a head node identifier with the first node, define a link from the first node to the first node, and create and save an indicator associated with the head node responsive to determining that the indicator associated with a head node is not present.
US09021397B2 Visualization and interaction with financial data using sunburst visualization
A system and method for illustrating and interacting with data. An example method includes grouping data according to two or more user-specified dimensions and determining one or more hierarchical relationships between the two or more user-specified dimensions. Plural bands are depicted in a first order based on the one or more intrinsic hierarchical relationships. A first user option enables a user to selectively change the first order to a second order, thereby selectively changing the one or more hierarchical relationships. In an illustrative embodiment, the data includes financial data. The plural bands illustrate only those bands that the user has access permissions or privileges to view. A second user option enables a user to selectively omit one or more of the plural bands while maintaining the one or more hierarchical relationships between remaining displayed bands. Additional user options enable a user to adjust a hierarchical relationship used to depict the plural bands; to trigger tabular view of underlying data, and so on. In a specific embodiment, the bands include concentric bands or rings displayed in a sunburst visualization.
US09021395B2 Display control device, integrated circuit, and display control method
Included are: a plural-push information management unit; a screen attention degree determination unit; a selection operation history collection unit; a selection probability calculation unit calculating a user's selection probability for each category; and a display style determination unit causing pieces of push information in a category having a higher probability to be displayed in a more easily selectable display style. The categories include a relevance category including pieces of push information regarding content displayed on the screen. The selection probability calculation unit calculates a selection probability of the relevance category having a first attention degree as a screen attention degree to be higher than that having the second attention degree lower than the first attention degree; and calculates a selection probability having a first number as the number of selection times to be higher than that having a second number smaller than the first number.
US09021394B2 Capturing user feedback of software content in a networked environment and controlling the software using a single action
A system and method for capturing user feedback of content in a networked environment and controlling the software using a single action is disclosed. Feedback-software controls provide the user with a single interface that allows the user to simultaneously provide user review content while controlling the software displaying the content. The feedback-software controls eliminate the additional action(s) required to provide feedback and control software. By reducing the process of providing feedback and controlling software into a single action, the feedback-software controls increase the probability that a user will provide feedback. This increased feedback can result in improved recommendations given to users and insightful feedback for content providers or merchants. Another advantage provided by the feedback-software controls is that a viewer can easily provide feedback on all of the displayed content or can simply provide feedback on smaller portions of the content, e.g., a specific link provided on a webpage.
US09021393B2 Mobile terminal for bookmarking icons and a method of bookmarking icons of a mobile terminal
A mobile terminal is presented. The mobile terminal includes a memory unit, a touchscreen configured to display an icon, and a controller configured to control an operation associated with a function corresponding the icon displayed on the touchscreen, control the touchscreen to display a UI (user interface) for bookmarking icons, detect a bookmark command for the icon displayed on the touchscreen, temporarily store, in the memory unit, the icon in response to the bookmark command, and control the touchscreen to display the bookmarked icon within the UI.
US09021392B2 Managing extension projects with repository based tagging
According to some embodiments, information about a delta change package may be received. The delta change package may be, for example, associated with a customer extension project to be applied to content from a business service provider. A description tag for the delta change package may be received from a user, and the delta change package may be associated with the description tag in a repository of the business service provider.
US09021391B2 Image forming apparatus able to re-execute workflow and method thereof
A method of re-executing a workflow and an image forming apparatus able to re-execute a workflow. The method of re-executing a workflow includes accessing a job history illustrating a result of executing one or more workflows, displaying the accessed job history, selecting a workflow to be re-executed from the displayed job history, and re-executing the selected workflow.
US09021389B1 Systems and methods for end-user initiated data-loss-prevention content analysis
A computer-implemented method for end-user initiated data-loss-prevention content analysis may include identifying an end-user application that handles content subject to data-loss-prevention policies. The computer-implemented method may also include receiving a request through a user interface associated with the end-user application to analyze selected content for data-loss-prevention policy compliance. The computer-implemented method may further include performing an analysis of the selected content for data-loss-prevention policy compliance. The computer-implemented method may additionally include providing a result of the analysis through the user interface associated with the end-user application. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09021388B1 Electronic calendar
The present invention features an electronic calendar device. The device includes a touch screen, a mounting mechanism, a battery component, a memory and a microprocessor. The microprocessor causes the touch screen to display a default monthly calendar window on the screen, wherein the window takes the space of screen displaying the current month and a table comprising weekdays and dates. The user can select the desired date for event input. When the current date has an event, the microprocessor causes the default window automatically to shrink to the smaller window occupying the first half of the screen, and the event window pops up to occupy the remaining half of the screen and display the event content.
US09021387B2 Re-sizing user interface object on touch sensitive display
A resizable user interface object on a touch sensitive display is resized based on detection of first and second contacts at first and second locations on the touch sensitive display. The object is resized based on detection of relative movement of the first and second contacts.
US09021381B2 Display device, controller, method and computer readable medium
A display controller device includes: a display data storage unit configured to store therein a plurality of display images; an operation unit configured to accept a page change operation for changing the display images; a page turning processing unit configured to update the display images; a working unit configured to update the display data storage unit by changing a display image to be displayed on a second display area to a second display image produced on the basis of a first display image updated by the page turning processing unit and stored in the display data storage unit; and a display instruction unit configured to refer to the display data storage unit so as to display individually the display images individually stored in relation to the plural display areas on the respective plural display areas of the display unit.
US09021377B2 Goal based user interface for managing business solutions in an on demand environment
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a goal-based graphical user interface for managing business solutions and more particularly, a user interface that helps a user manage and achieve the user's goals across multiple platforms for the solutions utilized by the goals. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention provide a system for managing goals that allows a user to create/customize specific user goals and/or modify existing goals to meet the user's needs.
US09021374B2 Systems and methods for generating a dashboard in a multi-tenant database system environment
A system and method for creating a dashboard in multi-tenant database environment is provided. The method may include, but is not limited to receiving, by a processor, positional data and one of a component type and a data source within a database in the multi-tenant database environment for a dashboard object via a first drag and drop operation, receiving, by the processor, the other of the component type and the data source within the database in the multi-tenant database environment for the dashboard object via a second drag and drop operation, and generating, by the processor, display data for the dashboard based upon the dashboard object in real time based upon the received component type, the received positional data and the received data source.
US09021373B2 Systems and methods for webpage creation and updating
A computer network system for posting content at a web site includes computer servers configured to host a web site for a group of users, and a data storage configured to store an email address in association with a destination at the website. The computer servers can receive an electronic message at the email address by the computer servers from a user. A computer processor can automatically extract content from the electronic message. The computer servers can automatically post the content extracted from the electronic message at the destination at the website.
US09021367B2 Metadata capture for screen sharing
A method for metadata capture for screen sharing of a graphical user interface (GUI) screen includes determining by a screen share sending module a region of the GUI screen to be shared; analyzing the GUI screen by a metadata capture module to determine metadata relevant to the region to be shared; and sending a screen share of the region comprising the relevant metadata to a receiver by the screen share sending module.
US09021366B1 Data management system and method
A method and computing system for receiving an indication of a first photo being uploaded to a web-based resource. A first capture date is determined for the first photo. A first object is associated with the first photo. The first object is positioned within a graphical representation of a calendar based, at least in part, upon the first capture date.
US09021365B2 Apparatus and method for distributing media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to determine a common user interface to be presented by a group of media devices of a premises where the group of media devices are capable of receiving media content from the server over a power line of the premises and are capable of presenting the media content, detect user interaction with the common user interface from different media devices of the group of media devices, and transmit display signals to the group of media devices for displaying the user interaction on the common user interface, where the display signals differentiate the different media devices that received the user interaction. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09021363B2 Centralized user preference management for electronic decision making devices
Systems and techniques for centralized user preference management for electronic decision making devices are provided. A user preference profile is received. A user preference profile manager may transmit a user preference from the user preference profile to a requesting user transaction terminal. the user preference manager may also receive a dynamic user preference from a user preference profile and extend the user preference profile with the dynamic user preference, where the dynamic user preference includes a preference definition and the preference definition includes read and write access controls for the dynamic user preference. Then the user manager may update the user preference profile based on data received from the user transaction terminal.
US09021354B2 Context sensitive remote device
A user can make selections of one or more items, defined as a context, in a graphical user interface on a computer running software. The computer sends data to a connected wireless device, and the data is representative of the context. The wireless touch screen device displays one or more commands corresponding to the received context data and the commands can control the program on the computer. The wireless touch screen device then receives a user input on the wireless touch screen device to execute one of the one or more commands. The wireless touch screen device then sends the user command to the computer, wherein the computer executes the command and controls the program according to the user command. For example, this can allow remote control of a DAW, video-editing software, photo-editing software, and word processing software by a coupled wireless touch screen device.
US09021352B2 Methods and apparatus for predictive document rendering
A system receives a document having a predefined format to be rendered on the computer system. The document is comprised of a plurality of objects. The system identifies at least one correlation between at least two objects within the plurality of objects, and assigns a weight to the correlation. The system determines a logical relationship between at least two objects within the plurality of objects. The logical relationship is determined according to the weight of at least one correlation. The logical relationship is associated with an order in which at least one object is rendered on the computer system.
US09021351B2 Method and apparatus for setting output image including image processing information and program for controlling the same
Apparatus, method and program product set output characteristics of at least one device of a multifunction image processing system by displaying an initial output image for setting the output image on the display screen; displaying an output setting menu 230 related to a position on the output image according to an operator's indication input made at the position; updating the output image according to operator's setting operations on the setting menu; and displaying the updated output image as the final output image upon completing the setting. The setting menu is displayed in response to the operator's indication input made at the position on the output image and the setting operation input to the position by the operator.
US09021348B1 Composition of templates using transclusion that guarantee a valid HTML document
A system, method and computer-readable medium for composing a valid HTML document using template transclusion. A system includes a memory configured to store a transcluded template file, the transcluded template file includes a transcluded template and a transcluding template file, the transcluding template file including a transcluding template, the transcluding template including credentials to the transcluded template. The system also includes a template building module configured to build a transcluded template object from the transcluded template and a transcluding template object from the transcluding template, where the transcluded template object and the transcluding template object generate a valid HTML document that is sent for display on a browser.
US09021347B2 Information processing method and apparatus, program, and storage medium
An information processing method comprises the steps of: inputting an input information of a multi-dimensional array; calculating an accumulated information value corresponding to a position of each element of the input information; and holding the accumulated information value in a buffer having a size of predetermined bits, wherein in the holding step, when an accumulated information value calculated in the calculating step overflows with respect to the size, a part not more than the predetermined bits of the calculated accumulated information value is held as the accumulated information value.
US09021344B2 Off-line graphical user interface system and method for three-dimensional measurement
An off-line graphical user interface (GUI) system and method provide for input control of a three-dimensional coordinate measuring machine (CMM) using the CMM's probe. A GUI image presents a plurality of control operation icons associated with the CMM. A controller uses the CMM to locate the GUI image in a coordinate system of the CMM. The controller defines coordinates of the control operation icons and references the coordinates to the coordinate system of the CMM. The controller also defines a function activation zone associated with each of the control operation icons. Each function activation zone defines criteria relating movement of the CMM's probe therein to the operational function of the CMM associated with one of the control operation icons corresponding thereto. Satisfaction of the criteria causes the operational function of the CMM to be carried out by the CMM.
US09021339B2 Data reliability schemes for data storage systems
A data storage system configured to implement a data reliability scheme is disclosed. In one embodiment, a data storage system controller detects uncorrectable errors using intra page parity when data units are read from a set of pages. When an uncorrectable error is detected, the data storage system controller attempts to recover user data using inter page parity without using all data from each page of the set of pages. Recovery of user data can thereby be performed without reading all data from each page. As a result, the amount of time needed to read data can be reduced in some cases and overall data storage system performance can be increased.
US09021338B2 Memory system and data storage method
A memory system comprises a nonvolatile memory device comprising a memory cell array comprising first and second memory blocks, and a memory controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device to read data from the first memory block, selectively determine an error correction operation to be performed on the data after it is read from the first memory block based on a state of at least one of the first and second memory blocks, and then store the data in the second memory block.
US09021325B2 Classifying bit errors in transmitted run length limited data
A test pattern is encoded using a run length limited line encoding to produce an encoded block of data. The encoded block of data is sent via a channel. A plurality of bits in the received block of data that are subsequent to a maximum length run in the sent data is compared to an expected plurality of bits. A type of bit error is classified based on a mismatch between the expected plurality of bits and the plurality of bits in the received block of data.
US09021324B2 Calibration arrangement
An arrangement including at least one path, at least one replica path, the at least one replica path corresponding to a respective path, a controller configured to use control information derived from the at least one replica path, at least one of the paths comprising a monitoring unit configured to provide monitor information to the controller, the controller being configured to modify the control information in dependence on the monitor information.
US09021322B2 Probeless testing of pad buffers on wafer
The peripheral circuitry (350, 360, ESD, BH) of an integrated circuit die on a wafer is tested without physically contacting the bond pads of the die.
US09021319B2 Non-volatile memory management system with load leveling and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: generating a test stimulus for a page in a memory array; measuring a test response from the page in the memory array based on the test stimulus; calculating a measured effective life of the page from the test response; and determining a use plan according to the measured effective life for accessing the page.
US09021316B2 Register protected against fault attacks
A circuit and method of detecting a fault attack in a circuit includes a plurality of registers each identified by an address. The method includes storing in a memory the address present on an address bus during a write operation to one of said registers. In response to a first alert signal indicating that the data stored by a first of said registers has been modified, comparing the address identifying said first register with said stored address.
US09021308B2 Analyzing a process of software defects handling using percentile-based metrics
A system for analyzing one or more process of software defect handling using one or more percentile-based statistical metric is provided herein. The system may include: a monitoring unit that is configured to monitor one or more processes of software defect handling, to yield monitored samples. The system further includes a percentile-based generator configured to generate one or more statistical metric that are at least partially based on percentile, further based on the monitored samples and further responsive to user selection; and a statistical calculation unit configured to apply the generated one or more statistical metric to real-time handling time samples obtained from the one or more processes of software defect handling, to yield a percentile-based analysis of the processes of software defect handling. The system may further include and a visual representation unit configured to visually present the percentile-based analysis responsive to preferences specified by the user.
US09021304B2 Fault analysis rule extraction device, fault analysis rule extraction method and storage medium
The disclosed fault analysis rule extraction device includes: an event preprocessing section and a fault analysis rule extraction section. The event preprocessing section merges, with respect to event groups each of which is grouped every certain time period, event groups that can be presumed to occur from the same fault by a cluster analysis. The fault analysis rule extraction section extracts a fault analysis rule useful for a fault analysis by relating event logs to clusters. By the fault analysis rule extraction device of the above configuration, highly accurate fault analysis rule are automatically provided from the event logs of a system.
US09021302B2 Load control system
A load control system includes: a power supply control unit for controlling a power feeding to multiple load devices; and a backup power supply unit for supplying backup power during a power failure. During a power failure, the power supply control unit supplies the power from the backup power supply unit only to a part of load devices selected among the load devices, and the load devices are devoid of communications function for communicating with the power supply control unit.
US09021294B2 Discovering boot order sequence of servers belonging to an application
A survey tool for use in a Recover to Cloud (R2C) replication service environment that determines configuration information automatically (such as through SNMP messaging or custom APIs) and stores it in a survey database. A Virtual Data Center (VDC) representation is then instantiated from the survey database, with the VDC being a virtual replica of the production environment including dormant Virtual Machine (VM) definition files, applications, storage requirements, VLANs firewalls, and the like. The survey tool determines the order in which the replicas are brought on line to ensure orderly recovery, by determining the order in which each machine makes requests for connections to other machines.
US09021290B2 Systems and methods for dynamic power management in a blade server
A system and method of dynamically managing a power supply allocation for each one of the server blades in a blade server includes a blade server system having a blade chassis, multiple server blades coupled to the blade chassis, a power supply system coupled to the blade chassis, a chassis management module coupled to the blade chassis, wherein the blade chassis includes electrical and data communication interconnections between the server blades, the redundant power supply system and the chassis management module. The chassis management module includes computer readable media having program instructions for dynamically managing a power supply allocation for each one of the server blades.
US09021288B2 Method and apparatus for recovery from low power state
A method and apparatus for recovering from a low power state in a computing system is disclosed. In one embodiment of the method, the computing system enters the low power state from a standard power state after an activity detector indicates a user controlled peripheral device connected to the computer system has been inactive for a period of time. To enter the low power state, the method disconnects the user controlled peripheral device from a host controller, while continuing to supply power to the user controlled peripheral device and shutting off power to the host controller. The method returns the computer system to the standard power state when the activity detector indicates the user controlled peripheral device has become active. To return to the standard power state, power is restored to the host controller and the user controlled peripheral device is reconnected to the host controller.
US09021287B2 Circuit arrangement and method for low power mode management with delayable request
For example, a circuit arrangement is provided comprising a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal, a circuit having a low power mode, and a controller, configured to receive, when the circuit is in the low power mode, a request specifying that the circuit should return from the low power mode and trigger the circuit to return from the low power mode when the number of clock cycles of the clock signal since the reception of the request has reached a threshold value.
US09021284B2 Standby operation with additional micro-controller
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a low-power micro-controller unit having both a standby micro-controller optimized for low power consumption and a main micro-controller optimized for high performance. A power supply is coupled to the main micro-controller and the standby micro-controller. The power supply provides power to one or more of the low-power, standby micro-controller and the high performance, main micro-controller by separate power supply paths, depending on system needs. The separate power supply paths allow the main micro-controller and the standby micro-controller operate independent of each other. During a low-power standby operating mode, power can be disconnected to the main micro-controller, while providing power to the standby micro-controller, thereby eliminating the leakage current associated with the large number of transistors in the main micro-controller, while still retaining the computational capabilities of the standby micro-controller.
US09021281B2 Run-time task-level dynamic energy management
A mechanism is provided for run-time task-level dynamic energy management. An instruction address for a first instruction of the application is mapped to a portion of application code in the application in response to an application being marked for energy management. A monitoring of the hardware resource activities is done for the portion of the application code. A level of energy management is then implemented for the portion of the application code based on a value of the tick indicator, resource activities, and an intensity indicator.
US09021279B2 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.
US09021277B2 Powering devices using RF energy harvesting
Disclosed is an apparatus for an application including a core device for the application. The apparatus includes a power (preferably RF energy) harvester connected to the core device to power the core device. Also disclosed is a method for an application. The method includes the steps of converting RF energy into usable energy. There is the step of powering the core device with the usable energy.
US09021276B2 Voltage adjustment based on load line and power estimates
A method and device for setting a processor performance profile for a processor that is unable to directly measure voltage supplied by a voltage regulator includes determining a voltage requested of the voltage regulator and determining a first characteristic of a first portion of the electrical component. The first characteristic is one of power consumed by the first portion of the electrical component and load presented by the first portion of the electrical component. A first current is then determined by using the first voltage, the first characteristic, and a known relationship therebetween. A third voltage that is an estimate of the voltage supplied by the voltage regulator is then determined by comparing the first current to load line characteristics of the electrical component. The third voltage is then used to manage performance of the processor.
US09021275B1 Method and apparatus to exercise and manage a related set of power managed storage devices
A method and apparatus to exercise and manage a related set of power managed storage devices is described. In one example a method includes receiving a request to allow a transition of the set of storage devices from a first power state to a second power state, determining a wear level for each device in the set, comparing the determined wear levels to thresholds, testing data integrity for each device in the set, and if the wear level does not exceed the threshold and the data integrity tests are passed, then commanding the requested power state transition.
US09021273B2 Efficient storage of encrypted data in a dispersed storage network
A method begins with a processing module obtaining data to store and determining whether substantially similar data to the data is stored. When the substantially similar data is not stored, the method continues with the processing module generating a first encryption key based on the data, encoding the first encryption key into encoded data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function, and storing the encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module encrypting the data using an encryption key of the substantially similar data in accordance with an encryption function to produce encrypted data, compressing the encrypted data in accordance with a compression function to produce compressed data, storing the compressed data when the substantially similar data is stored.
US09021262B2 Obfuscating trace data
A tracer may obfuscate trace data such that the trace data may be used in an unsecure environment even though raw trace data may contain private, confidential, or other sensitive information. The tracer may obfuscate using irreversible or lossy hash functions, look up tables, or other mechanisms for certain raw trace data, rendering the obfuscated trace data acceptable for transmission, storage, and analysis. In the case of parameters passed to and from a function, trace data may be obfuscated as a group or as individual parameters. The obfuscated trace data may be transmitted to a remote server in some scenarios.
US09021259B2 Encrypted database system, client terminal, encrypted database server, natural joining method, and program
A client terminal is provided with a column encryption unit that, from an encryption key, a table identifier, and a column identifier, generates a column private key, a column public key, and a comparison value, from which the unit generates a concealed comparison value and a ciphertext, encrypting a particular column; and an encrypted table natural joining request unit that issues a natural joining request text that requests natural joining with regards to columns encrypted from the encryption key, the table identifier, and the column identifier. The natural joining request text contains as a table joining key the column private key generated by a group of generating elements and the encryption key from the table identifier of a first and second table and the column identifier of an a-th column and a b-th column. An encrypted database server executes natural joining using the table joining key, and returns the results.
US09021257B2 Secret information distribution system, secret information distribution method and program
Secret information is encoded/distributed into distributed information according to access structure, a random number sequence corresponding to number of pieces into which the secret information is distributed is generated by randomly selecting polynomial coefficients, the coefficients are encoded/distributed into random number information according to access structure, a hash function whose hash values correspond to the random number sequence is generated, keys for which the hash function applies are selected so as to individually set data for checking whether restored secret information is being manipulated as number of pieces of check data corresponding to number of pieces into which the secret information is distributed, the distributed information is read, the secret information is restored; the random number information is read, the random number sequence is restored, the check data is read, and the restored secret information is judged as not being manipulated when the read check data satisfies the hash function.
US09021250B2 Security enforcement point inspection of encrypted data in an encrypted end-to end communications path
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to security function processing of encrypted data in a security enforcement point and provide a method, system and computer program product for security enforcement point inspection of a traversing encrypted data in a secure, end-to-end communications path. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for security enforcement point inspection of encrypted data in a secure, end-to-end communications path can be provided. The method can include establishing a persistent secure session with a key server holding an SA for an end-to-end secure communications path between endpoints, receiving the SA for the end-to-end secure communications path over the persistent secure session, decrypting an encrypted payload for the end-to-end secure communications path using session key data in the SA, and performing a security function on the decrypted payload.
US09021248B2 Secure access of mobile devices using passwords
Enhanced security measures are provided for accessing applications or data on a client device using an encryption scheme. The client device receives authorization to access the applications or data from a server that compares a password received at the client device with a password previously stored in the server. In addition to comparing the passwords, the server may implement additional security measures such as checking geographic locations of the client device or monitoring for suspicious patterns of usage on the client device. Further, different passwords may be used depending on whether the client device has connectivity with the server. When the connectivity is not available, a longer or more complicated password may be used instead of a shorter or simple password to provide added security. When the user is authenticated, a key is made available to access applications or data on the client device.
US09021247B2 Home network controlling apparatus and method to obtain encrypted control information
A network control apparatus and method is provided. The method includes operations of informing a server of capability information including an encryption/decryption method, wherein the server provides the network control apparatus with control information used to control a network device using a general-purpose control web application, transmitting to the server a control information requesting message that requests the control information, receiving from the server the control information which has been encrypted using the encryption/decryption method, decrypting the encrypted control information according to the encryption/decryption method, and transmitting a control command for controlling the network device according to the decrypted control information.
US09021245B2 Applying settings in a cloud computing environment based on geographical region
A method, data processing system, and computer program product for applying a setting. A request for a set of resources is received. The request is to use the set of resources over a network connection. An address associated with a device from the request is identified. A geographic location of the device is identified based on the address. A set of settings for the set of resources is identified based on the geographic location of the device. The set of settings is applied to the set of resources.
US09021237B2 Low latency variable transfer network communicating variable written to source processing core variable register allocated to destination thread to destination processing core variable register allocated to source thread
A method and circuit arrangement utilize a low latency variable transfer network between the register files of multiple processing cores in a multi-core processor chip to support fine grained parallelism of virtual threads across multiple hardware threads. The communication of a variable over the variable transfer network may be initiated by a move from a local register in a register file of a source processing core to a variable register that is allocated to a destination hardware thread in a destination processing core, so that the destination hardware thread can then move the variable from the variable register to a local register in the destination processing core.
US09021234B2 Indirect designation of physical configuration number as logical configuration number based on correlation information, within parallel computing
A computing section is provided with a plurality of computing units and correlatively stores entries of configuration information that describes configurations of the plurality of computing units with physical configuration numbers that represent the entries of configuration information and executes a computation in a configuration corresponding to a designated physical configuration number. A status management section designates a physical configuration number corresponding to a status to which the computing section needs to advance the next time for the computing section and outputs the status to which the computing section needs to advance the next time as a logical status number that uniquely identifies the status to which the computing section needs to advance the next time in an object code. A determination section determines whether or not the computing section has stored an entry of configuration information corresponding to the status to which the computing section needs to advance the next time based on the logical status number that is output from the status management section. A rewriting section correlatively stores the entry of the configuration information and a physical configuration number corresponding to the entry of the configuration information in the computing section when the determination section determines that the computing section has not stored the entry of configuration information corresponding to the status to which the computing section needs to advance the next time.
US09021228B2 Managing out-of-order memory command execution from multiple queues while maintaining data coherency
Responsive to selecting a particular queue from among at least two queues to place an incoming event into within a particular entry from among multiple entries ordered upon arrival of the particular queue each comprising a separate collision vector, a memory address for the incoming event is compared with each queued memory address for each queued event in the other entries in the at least one other queue. Responsive to the memory address for the incoming event matching at least one particular queued memory address for at least one particular queued event in the at least one other queue, at least one particular bit is set in a particular collision vector for the particular entry in at least one bit position from among the bits corresponding with at least one row entry position of the at least one particular queued memory address within the other entries.
US09021227B2 Drift management in a phase change memory and switch (PCMS) memory device
The present disclosure relates to the drift management for a memory device. In at least one embodiment, the memory device of the present disclosure may include a phase change memory and switch (hereinafter “PCMS”) memory cell and a memory controller that is capable of implementing drift management to control drift. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09021225B2 Dynamic address translation with fetch protection in an emulated environment
What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated is first obtained and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables is obtained. Based on the obtained initial origin, a segment table entry is obtained. The segment table entry is configured to contain a format control and access validity fields. If the format control and access validity fields are enabled, the segment table entry further contains an access control field, a fetch protection field, and a segment-frame absolute address. Store operations are permitted only if the access control field matches a program access key provided by any one of a Program Status Word or an operand of a program instruction being emulated. Fetch operations are permitted if the program access key associated with the virtual address is equal to the segment access control field or the fetch protection field is not enabled.
US09021213B2 System and method for sharing media in a computer network
A computerized method for sharing removable storage media in a network, the method comprising associating, in an index entry, a first piece of removable storage media in a first storage device with at least a first storage policy copy and a second storage policy copy; copying, to the first piece of removable storage media, data associated with the first storage policy copy; and copying, to the first piece of removable storage media, data associated with the second storage policy copy.
US09021212B2 Semiconductor memory system having a snapshot function
In a semiconductor memory computer equipped with a flash memory, use of backed-up data is enabled. The semiconductor memory computer includes an address conversion table for detecting physical addresses of at least two pages storing data by designating a logical address from one of logical addresses to be designated by a reading request. The semiconductor memory computer includes a page status register for detecting one page status allocated to each page, and page statuses to be detected include the at least following four statuses: (1) a latest data storage status, (2) a not latest data storage status, (3) an invalid data storage status, and (4) an unwritten status. By using the address conversion table and the page status register, at least two data s (latest data and past data) can be read for one designated logical address from a host computer.
US09021211B2 Epoch-based recovery for coherent attached processor proxy
A coherent attached processor proxy (CAPP) participates in coherence communication in a primary coherent system on behalf of an attached processor external to the primary coherent system. The CAPP includes an epoch timer that advances at regular intervals to define epochs of operation of the CAPP. Each of one or more entries in a data structure in the CAPP are associated with a respective epoch. Recovery operations for the CAPP are initiated based on a comparison of an epoch indicated by the epoch timer and the epoch associated with one of the one or more entries in the data structure.
US09021210B2 Cache prefetching based on non-sequential lagging cache affinity
A mechanism is provided in a cache subsystem for cache prefetching based on non-sequential access. The mechanism determines frequently accessed non-sequential cache records in the cache subsystem. The mechanism collects trailing record statistics for the frequently accessed non-sequential cache records. The mechanism determines a caching strategy. The caching strategy comprises prefetching a set of trailing records responsive to a read of a given frequently accessed non-sequential cache record. The mechanism applies the caching strategy to the cache subsystem.
US09021209B2 Cache flush based on idle prediction and probe activity level
A processing node tracks probe activity level associated with its cache. The processing node and/or processing system further predicts an idle duration. If the probe activity level increases above a threshold probe activity level, and the idle duration prediction is above a threshold idle duration threshold, the processing node flushes its cache to prevent probes to the cache. If the probe activity level is above the threshold probe activity level but the predicted idle duration is too short, the performance state of the processing node is increased above its current performance state to provide enhanced performance capability in responding to the probe requests.
US09021199B2 Methods and structure for normalizing storage performance across a plurality of logical volumes
Methods and structure are disclosed for normalizing storage performance across a plurality of logical volumes. One embodiment is a storage controller. The storage controller is adapted to couple with a plurality of host systems and a storage device. The storage controller is adapted to receive one or more requests to create logical volumes for the plurality of hose systems, and adapted to identify a plurality of performance zones for storage areas of the storage device. The performance zones exhibit different performance criteria for one or more of: reading data from the storage device and writing data to the storage device. The storage controller is further adapted to allocate storage from each of the plurality of performance zones for each of the plurality of logical volumes such that the performance criteria for accessing the storage device is distributed substantially uniformly across the plurality of logical volumes.
US09021192B1 System and method for enhancing processing of memory access requests
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to improving solid-state non-volatile memory management. Embodiments improve the management of solid-state non-volatile memory by providing a central manager responsible for receiving requests from media access requesters. In embodiments, the central manager updates requests with a physical address corresponding to a logical address for a request. In embodiments, the central manager is the only entity updating a mapping table and invalid page table for the system. In embodiments, the central manager may also throttle or prioritize requests originating from two or more requesters to change the ratio of requests executed from each requester.
US09021190B2 Memory system
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory include a first area, and a second area smaller than the first area; and a controller configured to control data stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory, wherein the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is configured to store a first data accessible by a host command and to a second data inaccessible by the host command, and when receiving the host command, the controller writes the second data of the first area within the second area and initializes a first address information related the first data.
US09021184B2 Flash memory device
In a flash memory device, after an updated value is copied from a first block to a second block, a block management value of the first block is set to an unused state, and maintenance is performed to erase data from the first block. When performing maintenance, the block management value of the first block B1 is rewritten from “$FFF0” to “$FFFF.” When a reset occurs and the power supply is deactivated during the maintenance, the digit of “$0” in the block management value may become “1” to “E” of the hexadecimal system. In this manner, when the block management value includes a single digit of “1” to “E” and three digits of “F,” the reading of an updated value from the block corresponding to the block management value is restricted.
US09021183B2 Data storage apparatus and apparatus and method for controlling nonvolatile memories
According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus comprises a channel controller, an encoding module, and a data controller. The channel controller is configured to control data input to, and output from, nonvolatile memories for channels. The encoding module is configured to generate encoded data for which an inter-channel error correction process, using data stored in each of the nonvolatile memories. The data controller is configured to manage the encoded data in units of logic blocks when the channel controller writes the encoded data in parallel to the channels, and to allocate parity data contained in the encoded data to one plane in each logic block.
US09021178B2 High performance path for command processing
Embodiments of solid-state storage system are provided herein which reduce processing delays for performance-sensitive commands. These performance-sensitive commands are typically read-write commands which can be transferred to the storage media by a high performance path to optimize responsiveness to the host. This high performance path can be enabled and disabled to prevent conflicts with commands processed via a low performance path.
US09021175B2 Method for reordering access to reduce total seek time on tape media
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for reordering User Data Segment (UDS) lists to reduce seek times when accessing data stored on tape media. A host application sends a list of UDSs to a target tape drive and requests the tape drive to reorder the list to provide better performance. An ordered list of target User data Segments to retrieve from a target tape media is received. Information related to the location of each UDS on the target media is processed to determine its corresponding physical position on the tape media. The resulting physical positions are then processed to generate a reordered UDS list, where the order of the User Data Segments is reordered according to their physical location on the target tape media. The reordered list of User Data Segments is then used to perform seek, reposition and read operations to read User Data Segments from the tape media.
US09021172B2 Data processing apparatus and method and method for generating performance monitoring interrupt signal based on first event counter and second event counter
A data processing apparatus has performance monitoring circuitry for generating performance monitoring data. The performance monitoring circuitry includes a first event counter for counting occurrences of a first event and a second event counter for counting occurrences of a second event. A performance monitoring interrupt signal is indicated if, when the number of first events counted by the first event counter reaches a first threshold value, the number of second events by the second event counter meets an interrupt triggering condition.
US09021168B1 Systems and methods for an enhanced controller architecture in data storage systems
Disclosed herein is a controller architecture that pairs a controller with a NVM (non-volatile memory) storage system over a high-level, high speed interface such as PCIe. In one embodiment, the NVM storage system includes a bridge that communicates with the controller via the high-level interface, and controls the NVM via an interface (e.g., ONFI). The controller is provided a rich set of physical level of controls over individual elements of the NVM. In one embodiment, the controller is implemented in a higher powered processor that supports advanced functions such as mapping, garbage collection, wear leveling, etc. In one embodiment, the bridge is implemented in a lower powered processor and performs basic signal processing, channel management, basic error correction functions, etc. This labor division provides the controller physical control of the NVM over a fast, high-level interface, resulting in the controller managing the NVM at both the page and block level.
US09021167B2 Method and a bus device for transmitting safety-oriented data
Safe bus devices use a safety protocol in order to transmit safe data encapsulated in an industrial Ethernet message via an Ethernet-based field bus. However, this restricts the safe bus device to a certain combination of safety protocol and industrial Ethernet protocol. In order to be able to use a safe bus device 12, 14, 151 more flexibly, it is provided that, to transmit the safety-oriented data, the industrial Ethernet protocol uses the session layer 5 and/or presentation layer 6 of the safety protocol, which is independent of the industrial Ethernet protocol, instead of the session layer 5 and/or presentation layer 6 which is implemented in the industrial Ethernet protocol, whereby such a bus device 12, 14, 151 becomes independent of the industrial Ethernet protocol.
US09021164B2 Near field communication mimic device and method of use
A NFC mimic device retrieves peripheral information from a peripheral, stores the peripheral information and then mimics the peripheral information to an information handling system so that a NFC device of the information handling system receives the peripheral information as if provided directly from the peripheral. The NFC mimic device supports automated setup a wireless interface between an information handling system and a peripheral, such as a projector.
US09021162B2 Data packet generation apparatus and data packet generation method
A data processing apparatus may include a data conversion unit for, when converting a plurality of sequentially input data into conversion data of the same bit number as a data bus having a prescribed bit number and sequentially transferring the conversion data. The data conversion unit may include a first data generation unit, a second data generation unit for generating second data obtained by allocating a prescribed second number of input data in the input data not allocated to the first data, to the second bit range and a data coupling unit for coupling the first data and the second data to generate the conversion data having the bit number of the bus width of the data bus.
US09021157B2 Reliable socket transfer based on initializing and re-initializing a communication link and retaining a connected state
Various embodiments initialize a communication link associated with data transfer to a connected state between participants in the communication link. In some cases, the communication link is paired with a first Input/Output (I/O) completion port effective to enable the data transfer. Some embodiments disassociate the communication link with the first I/O completion port and re-initialize the communication link while retaining the connected state. Alternately or additionally, the communication link is paired with at least a second I/O completion port. In some cases, the second I/O completion port utilizes an I/O model that differs from an I/O model associated with the first I/O completion port. Alternately or additionally, the communication link can be reconfigured to follow a IO model that does not utilize an IO completion port at all.
US09021154B2 Read training a memory controller
Provided are a device and computer readable storage medium for programming a memory module to initiate a training mode in which the memory module transmits continuous bit patterns on a side band lane of the bus interface; receiving the bit patterns over the bus interface; determining from the received bit patterns a transition of values in the bit pattern to determine a data eye between the determined transitions of the values; and determining a setting to control a phase interpolator to generate interpolated signals used to sample data within the determined data eye.
US09021146B2 High priority command queue for peripheral component
In an embodiment, a peripheral component may include a low priority command queue configured to store a set of commands to perform a transfer on a peripheral interface and a high priority command queue configured to store a second set of commands to perform a transfer on the interface. The commands in the low priority queue may include indications which identify points at which the set of commands can be interrupted to perform the second set of commands. A control circuit may be coupled to the low priority command queue and may interrupt the processing of the commands from the low priority queue responsive to the indications, and may process commands from the high priority command queue.
US09021145B2 Function executing apparatus, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by the function executing apparatus, and method of controlling the function executing apparatus
A function executing apparatus includes: a communication device which communicates with an external device; a function executing device which executes at least one preset function; and a controller. The controller determines whether the communication device can communicate with the external device. When the communication device can communicate with the external device, the controller executes a running-state determination processing for determining whether an application program corresponding to a certain function to be executed by the function executing device is running on the external device. When the application program corresponding to the certain function is running, the controller controls the function executing device to execute the certain function. When the application program corresponding to the certain function is not running, the controller executes an activation command processing for transmitting an activation command for activating the application program corresponding to the certain function, to the external device.
US09021143B2 Polling of I/O devices on host initiated communication transports
A disclosed data processing system includes a processor and an operating system kernel that includes communication drivers to support sideband interrupt deferring of polling associated with I/O requests. The communication drivers may implement a driver stack that includes a sideband miniport driver to detect an application program read request for device data from an input/output (I/O) device. The I/O device may be a sensor or another type of human interface device. The sideband miniport driver may pend the read request and maintain an interrupt pipe of a communication transport between the host system and the I/O device in a disabled state. With the interrupt pipe disabled, the host system drivers are unable to poll the I/O device. The sideband miniport driver may pend the read request and keep the interrupt pipe disabled until a sideband interrupt is communicated to the sideband miniport driver.
US09021140B2 Systems and methods for error detection
The method can include receiving, at a computing device of an end-user, a web page including a script embedded by a network appliance, the script having instructions that when executed by the computing device registers for notification of a browser error event, executing the script at the computing device of the end-user, and recording the occurrence of an error during the rendering of the web page, when an error occurs.
US09021139B1 IoT device environment detection, identification and caching
A method and apparatus for controlling latency within a wireless system, and more specifically sharing, updating and storing status information between devices in a wireless network, is disclosed. An example method includes receiving, at a computing device, a communication including an indication that a mobile device is associated with a device on a network; transmitting stored status data, wherein the stored status data includes a status corresponding to the device, and wherein when the stored status data is received, the stored status data is used to display the status corresponding to the device; detecting updated status data corresponding to the device; updating the stored status data corresponding to the device using the updated status data corresponding to the device; and transmitting the updated status data, wherein the updated status data includes the updated status corresponding to the device, and wherein when the updated status data is received, the updated status data is used to display the updated status corresponding to the device.
US09021129B2 Request routing utilizing client location information
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for request routing based on client location information are provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a resource identifier for requested content from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The alternative resource identifier is selected as a function of client location information. The client location information is obtained from information corresponding to a mapping of at least partial IP addresses to known locations. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query or transmit another alternative resource identifier.
US09021127B2 Updating routing information based on client location
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for updating request routing information associated with client location information are provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a resource identifier for requested content from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider obtains a query IP address corresponding to the client computing device. Based on routing information associated with the query IP address, the content delivery network service provider routes the DNS query. The process further includes monitoring performance data associated with the transmission of the requested resource and updating routing information associated with the query IP address based on the performance data for use in processing subsequent requests form the client computing device.
US09021125B2 Control path I/O virtualisation
There is disclosed a data switch in combination with a proxy controller, the data switch being configured for routing data traffic and control traffic between at least one input/output (I/O) device and at least one server including a memory having an address space including set of data buffers and a list of command/status descriptors. The data switch is configured to: i) distinguish between different types of traffic by examining packet headers; ii) route data traffic directly between the at least one I/O device and the at least one server; and iii) route control traffic by way of the proxy controller. In this way, I/O devices can be virtualized, since only the control traffic (which generally comprises less than 10% of the bandwidth) needs be processed by the proxy controller.
US09021123B2 Method and system for responder side cut through of received data
A method for receiving a single message includes a receiving communication adapter receiving a first sub-unit in a single message. A transmitting communication adapter partitions the single message into sub-units. The method further includes storing the first payload in the memory of a receiving device, appending a first completion code into the first sub-unit, and sending a first notification to a receiving entity of the first completion code. The receiving entity processes the first payload based on the first determination. The receiving communication adapter receives a second sub-unit of the multiple sub-units after the first payload is processed by the receiving entity. The method further includes storing the second payload in the memory of the receiving device. The receiving entity determines that the first sub-unit is completely stored based on the first completion code, and that the second sub-unit is completely stored based on a second completion code.
US09021116B2 System and method to create virtual links for end-to-end virtualization
An information handling system includes a network switching device coupled to a network and a host processing system. The network switching device includes a physical link with an associated virtual link. The host processing system includes a virtual machine and a network interface device coupled to the physical link. The network interface device includes a virtual network interface associated with the virtual machine. The virtual link is associated with the virtual network interface such that communication between the network and the virtual machine is provided via the virtual link and the virtual network interface.
US09021104B2 System and method for mobility management in a wireless communications system
A system and method for mobility management in a wireless communications system are provided. A method for proxy server operations includes determining if a communications device is capable of performing an operation, forwarding a transmission to a destination of the transmission if the communications device is capable of performing an operation, and responding to the transmission on behalf of the communications device if the communications device is not capable of performing an operation.
US09021102B2 Providing platform-independent communication with web servers using command line interface
A mechanism for platform-independent communication with web servers is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes accessing a web server of a plurality of web servers from a computer system using a CLI. Accessing the web server is performed independent of a runtime environment at the computer system. The method further includes establishing communication between the web server and the computer system. Establishing communication further includes converting web service arguments into command line arguments that are CLI-compatible and provided through a CLI console associated with the CLI.
US09021101B2 Using a property of a received signal to determine a device for forming a network connection
The described embodiments include an electronic device that uses a property of received signals to determine another device for forming a network connection. During operation, the electronic device receives a signal from each of two or more other devices. The electronic device then compares a property of each received signal to the other received signals to determine a signal that has a property most like a target property. Next, the electronic device selects the other device that was the source of the determined signal and forms the network connection with the selected other device.
US09021094B1 Allocation of resources for tiers of a multi-tiered system based on selecting items from respective sets
Plural sets of items corresponding to plural tiers of a multi-tiered system are defined, where the items represent amounts of resources to allocate to the tiers. Items from respective sets are selected based on a response time constraint and a target cost. Information is provided pertaining to allocation of amounts of resources to the respective tiers based on the selected items.
US09021074B2 System and method for providing server status awareness
A method including analyzing one or more network interactions of a user. One or more servers associated with the one or more network interaction may be identified. A listing of at least a portion of the one or more servers may be rendered.
US09021071B2 Methods of federating applications providing modular data
A method in one embodiment includes establishing communication between a master node and several federated nodes, wherein each node is an instance of a distributed application; initializing the distributed application, wherein the initialization includes the federated nodes processing data local thereto and providing information about the local data to the master node; and after initialization, at run time, receiving data requests, wherein the master node services the data requests by routing the requests to the nodes. A method in another embodiment includes establishing communication between a master node and several federated nodes, wherein each node is an instance of a distributed application; initializing the distributed application, including gathering information about local data associated with each of the federated nodes, the information including associations of local data across multiple federated nodes; and after initialization, at run time, receiving data requests, wherein the master node services the data requests by routing the requests to one of the nodes believed to have the requested data.
US09021064B2 Web service architecture for product configuration
Various techniques for providing product configuration as a Web Service are disclosed. One method involves receiving a Web Service signature requesting access to a product configuration session to configure a product and accessing information representing an instance of the product, in response to receipt of the Web Service signature. A responsive Web Service signature, containing information such as the price of the instance of the product, whether the instance of the product represents a valid configuration, and/or indicative of options available to further configure the product, can be returned to the application that requested access to the session. The requester can request multiple changes to the instance of the product, and validation of those changes can be delayed until after all of the changes have been applied (as opposed to each change being validated independently). A single configurator can handle requests received via multiple different sales channels.
US09021063B2 Method for data interchange in a computer network (variants)
A method including the steps of sending from, users computer devices, a request to a remote server for transfer and movement of an object from a starting point to a destination point, stating the locations of the points; limiting the range and transfer time for the position of the object. The remote server selects from a database, data relating to the locations of the computer users performing the transfer. The remote server transmits, over the Internet, a record of the locations of the computer user's performing the transfer and located within said limitation of the range for the position of object, the status, the type of vehicle and data relating to means for communicating with the computer user's performing the transfer.
US09021060B2 Method of enabling a user to interact with content received from a remote server
A user interacts with content received from a remote server; content (e.g. feeds from social networking sites, advertisements) is received over a wireless network at a mobile telephone, which then automatically displays a specific item of the content on the mobile telephone, without the user explicitly requesting the display of that specific item of content. In response to the user selecting or highlighting the displayed specific item of content, the mobile telephone lists multiple options that, if individually selected, each initiate an associated action that corresponds to a particular way of responding to or interacting with the specific item of content.
US09021058B2 Providing geographically relevant website content
A method, system and computer-readable device for presenting geographically relevant content are provided. They can include reading a remote internet protocol address of a user computing device based on an initial request for content from the user computer device, determining a primary home airport based on the internet protocol address of the user computing device and searching a database for an available flight and hotel package having a flight originating at the primary home airport. They can also include identifying a preferred flight and hotel package from among a plurality of available flight and hotel packages having flights originating at the primary home airport by eliminating travel packages from among the plurality of available flight and hotel packages that have destinations unlikely to be popular for a particular geographic region associated with the internet protocol address.
US09021057B2 Updating transferred files
Systems and techniques for transferring one or more files by connecting to a communications system host; sending, to a client connected to the communications system host, a request to transfer one or more files; when a client permits access to the one or more files, establishing a direct socket connection from the client and bypassing the communications system host; and initiating the transfer of the one or more files from the client over the direct socket connection.
US09021055B2 Nonconforming web service policy functions
Arrangements for enforcing a nonconforming web service policy document are presented. A request for a web service policy document may be received by a web service. A conforming web service policy document may be generated using the nonconforming web service policy document. The nonconforming web service policy document may comprise one or more functions unsupported by the web service description language. The conforming web service policy document may be transmitted to the web service client. The nonconforming web service policy document may be enforced by the web service, wherein the functions that are unsupported by the web service description language standard modifies enforcement of the web service policy document by the web service computer system. The conforming web service policy document may comprise sufficient information for the web service client computer system to comply with the nonconforming web service policy document.
US09021052B2 Method for caching data on client device to optimize server data persistence in building of an image-based project
A system for creating image and or text-based projects includes a server connected to a network, the server having access to least one processor and a data repository, the server including a non-transitory physical medium, and software running from the non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function for establishing a client server connection between the server and at least one user-operated computing appliance connected to the network, a second function for initiating and maintaining an active data session between one or more users involved in project creation and or in project editing through a graphics user interface (GUI), a third function for establishing a cache memory on the at least one operated computing appliance, the cache dedicated for caching user and server-side data, a fourth function for caching user actions in the cache memory, and a fifth function for persisting the cached data to the server.
US09021051B1 Providing selective retrieval of data objects from a network service
Data objects may be selectively retrieved from a network service such that a network data object corresponding to a cached data object may be retrieved responsive to a determination that a network-object hash associated with the network data object and a cache-object hash associated with the cached data object do not match. In some implementations, a network-object hash associated with a network data object at the network service may be generated. The network-object hash may be provided to a client device. The client device may have non-transient electronic storage media that store a cache that includes a cached data object that corresponds to the network data object. A request from the client device may be obtained. Initiation of the request by the client device may be responsive to a determination that the network-object hash and a cache-object hash associated with the cached data object do not match.
US09021048B2 Caching adapted for mobile application behavior and network conditions
Systems and methods for caching adapted for mobile application behavior and network conditions are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of determining cacheability of content received for a client on a mobile device by tracking requests generated by the client at the mobile device to detect periodicity of the requests generated by the client, tracking responses received for requests generated by the client to detect repeatability in content of the responses, and/or determining whether the content received for the client is cacheable on the mobile device based on one or more of the periodicity in the requests and the repeatability in the content of the responses.
US09021046B2 Provisioning server resources in a cloud resource
In some embodiments, a method for managing resources in a data center includes a data center having a plurality of servers in a network. The data center provides a virtual machine for each of a plurality of users, each virtual machine to use a portion of hardware resources of the data center. The hardware resources include storage and processing resources distributed onto each of the plurality of servers. The method further includes sending messages amongst the servers, some of the messages being sent from a server including status information regarding a hardware resource utilization status of that server. The method further includes detecting a request from the virtual machine to handle a workload requiring increased use of the hardware resources, and provisioning the servers to temporarily allocate additional resources to the virtual machine, wherein the provisioning is based on status information provided by one or more of the messages.
US09021043B2 Message gateway with hybrid proxy/store-and-forward logic
Described is a technology by which an email filtering service or other gateway includes hybrid proxy and store-and-forward logic. A message is initially processed with proxy logic. If the proxy logic is unable to complete filtering/scanning of a message within a timeout period, the store-and-forward logic is invoked to complete filtering/scanning of the message. The store-and-forward logic also may be invoked if a delivery attempt made by the proxy logic fails or does not complete prior to a delivery timeout period. When such a condition is met, the store-and-forward logic accepts the message, including storing the message, sending a response that indicates the message was accepted, and closing the connection over which the message was received. The store-and-forward logic may complete any scanning if not completed by the proxy logic, and takes over delivery responsibilities.
US09021040B1 Automatically selecting addressees for receiving a content item
A system, method, and apparatus are provided for distributing a content item toward target recipients solely via first degree connections (e.g., in a professional network, in a social network). For a selected content item and identified target recipients of the item, when a user initiates a message to forward or otherwise convey the content item, one or more schemes are applied to select and automatically populate the message with suitable addressees. In one scheme, values are computed for each neighbor of the sender, to indicate the value of delivering the item to that neighbor; the message is automatically addressed to the highest-value neighbors. In another scheme, user communities that encompass the target recipients are identified and the message is automatically addressed to neighbors that are best able to disseminate the item throughout a community. In another scheme a minimal set of neighbors having connections to all target recipients is identified.
US09021039B2 Message challenge response
A system and method are disclosed for registering a email sender for the purpose of sending an email message to an email receiver including receiving a challenge message wherein the challenge message includes a machine answerable question; processing the challenge message to determine that it is a challenge message sent for the purpose of authorizing delivery of the email message; analyzing the question to determine a valid response to the challenge message; and sending the valid response that includes the answer wherein a nontrivial amount of resources are required to send the valid response.
US09021036B2 Method, server and client for aggregating microblog single message
Embodiments of the application provide a method, server, client and system for aggregating a microblog single message. The method includes: triggering, by a user, to aggregate a microblog single message; and displaying a relaying process of the microblog single message for the user. The server includes: a receiving module, which is to receive a triggering message to aggregate a microblog single message from a client; an obtaining module, which is to obtain aggregation data of the microblog single message, according to the triggering message; a transmitting module, which is to transmit the aggregation data of the microblog single message obtained by the obtaining module to the client. Embodiments of the application also provide a corresponding client and system. By adopting the technical solution of the application, a user may clearly see a message relaying process. Thus, user satisfaction may be improved.
US09021035B2 Formatting rich text data into a JSON array
Formatting rich text data into a JSON array. A parent JSON object can be created within the JSON array. Header information defined as a field of the rich text data can be identified and represented in a root property of the parent JSON object. A plurality of parts of the rich text data can be identified. For each of the plurality of parts of the rich text data, content of the part can be identified. A first respective child JSON object can be inserted into the parent JSON object. The content of the part can be represented in a content property of the respective child JSON object. Header information of the part can be identified and represented in a header property of the respective first child JSON object. The JSON array can be output as a JSON file.
US09021030B2 Selective delivery of content via electronic mail
A method that includes identifying a first electronic mail (email) addressed to at least two groups of recipients, the first email comprising content. The method further can include communicating the first email comprising the content to a first group of recipients. The method also can include generating a second email different than the first email and not comprising the content, the second email comprising information that indicates a contact that the second group of recipients are to contact regarding subject matter associated with the first email, and communicating the second email to a second group of recipients.
US09021027B2 Techniques for alerting a user of unchecked messages before communication with a contact
In one embodiment, techniques for alerting a user of unchecked messages correlated to a contact before communicating with the contact are provided. The check for unchecked messages may be performed across a plurality of communication modalities. If one or more unchecked messages are found, then the user is alerted that there may be unchecked messages. The user may then have the option to check the unchecked messages before contacting the contact.
US09021021B2 Mobile network reporting and usage analytics system and method aggregated using a distributed traffic optimization system
Mobile network reporting and usage analytics system and method are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method generating a report for a network operator, which may be implemented on a system, including tracking optimization efficiency for traffic in a wireless network, generating the report to be provided to the network operator based on the optimization efficiency and performing functions related to traffic optimization and management in the wireless network effectuating in traffic alleviation in the wireless network measured by the optimization frequency. The optimization efficiency can include efficiency information associated with different mobile applications and user-related information in a wireless network.
US09021020B1 Application recognition based on media analysis
A processing device receives, from a user device, image information associated with an image, the image information providing an indication of an application installed on the user device or a second electronic device. The processing device determines a descriptor associated with the application based on analyzing the image information. The processing device compares the descriptor to one or more stored image descriptors associated with each of a plurality of known applications. Based at least in part on the comparing, the processing device determines identifying information associated with the application. The processing device sends the identifying information to the user device.
US09021018B2 Method and system for supporting the selection of communication peers in an overlay network
A method for supporting the selection of communication peers in an overlay network, wherein a multitude of communication peers participate in the overlay network by providing certain pieces of information, and wherein at least one peer-to-peer server—tracker—is provided that maintains a database of the participating communication peers and the information possessed by them, wherein the tracker, upon receiving a query regarding a specific piece of information from a communication peer—requesting client—, answers the query by providing the requesting client a list that includes a subset of all communication peers possessing the requested piece of information, includes providing a network entity located such that it receives messages directed from the requesting client to the tracker, wherein the network entity stamps topological location information of the requesting client into any of the messages directed from the requesting client to the tracker. Furthermore, a corresponding system is disclosed.
US09021017B2 Configuring a plurality of diverse devices/services from an adaptive configuration control hyper-server apparatus
When each new device or service is installed into a network, a hyper-server reads a configuration description provided by the new device or service and adapts to provide a user interface for configuring its capabilities. A first server gathers descriptions of available commands and parameters from many diverse devices and services. A second server presents an administrator or operator with a control panel for one or many client devices. The panel presentation changes with respect to the devices or services selected. The hyper-server registers the capabilities of each device or service and transfers the commands and parameter settings to the appropriate device or service under configuration control.
US09021015B2 Method and system for publishing virtual applications to a web server
A method and system for publishing virtual applications on the Internet. The method includes obtaining a list of applications associated with a publisher from a server computing device and displaying the list to a user via a user interface. Next, a selection by the user of one of the applications is received from the user interface. A new virtualized version of the selected application is built. The virtualized version includes at least one application file that at least partially implements the new virtualized version of the selected application. Then, the application file is uploaded to the server computing device. An application address is received from the server computing device and a link to the application address is displayed to the user via the user interface. The virtualized version of the application is available at the application address for download and execution over a network (e.g., the Internet).
US09021014B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing home subscriber server (HSS) proxy
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a home subscriber server (HSS) proxy are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for providing a home subscriber server proxy. The method includes, at a node separate from a home subscriber server in a telecommunications network, receiving, from a requesting network entity, a request for information maintained at a home subscriber server, the information being associated with a subscriber, and, in response to receiving the request for information maintained at a home subscriber server, providing the information associated with the subscriber to the requesting network entity on behalf of the home subscriber server.
US09021012B2 Method and system for dynamic application layer gateways
A method and system are disclosed for providing functionality on a network. A mobile agent moves from a first node to a target node and, at the target node, performs as an application layer gateway.
US09021004B2 Execution unit with inline pseudorandom number generator
A circuit arrangement and method couple a hardware-based pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) to an execution unit in such a manner that pseudorandom numbers generated by the PRNG may be selectively output to the execution unit for use as an operand during the execution of instructions by the execution unit. A PRNG may be coupled to an input of an operand multiplexer that outputs to an operand input of an execution unit so that operands provided by instructions supplied to the execution unit are selectively overridden with pseudorandom numbers generated by the PRNG. Furthermore, overridden operands provided by instructions supplied to the execution unit may be used as seed values for the PRNG.
US09021000B2 High speed and low power circuit structure for barrel shifter
A barrel shifter uses a sign magnitude to 2's complement converter to generate decoder signals for its cascaded multiplexer selectors. The sign input receives the shift direction and the magnitude input receives the shift amount. The sign magnitude to 2's complement converter computes an output result as a 2's complement of the shift amount using the shift direction as a sign input, assigns a first portion (most significant bit half) of the output result to a first decoder signal, and assigns a second portion (least significant bit half) of the output result to a second decoder signal. This encoding scheme allows the decoder circuits to be relatively simple, for example, 3-to-8 decoders for an implementation adapted to shift a 64-bit operand value rather than the 4-to-9 decoder required in a conventional barrel shifter, leading to faster operation, less area, and reduced power consumption.
US09020998B2 Efficient computation of driving signals for devices with non-linear response curves
Apparatus comprising an input connected to receive an input signal, a lookup table comprising a plurality of input entries and first and second output entries for each input entry. The look up table receives the input signal and returns a lower input entry, an upper input entry, the second output entry for the lower input entry, and the first output entry for the upper input entry. A first subtractor subtracts the lower input entry from the input signal to produce a first difference. A second subtractor subtracts the input signal from the upper input entry to produce a second difference. First and second multipliers multiply the first and second differences by the first output entry for the upper input entry and the second output entry for the lower input entry, respectively, to produce first and second products. An adder adds the first and second products to produce an output signal.
US09020995B2 Hybrid relational, directory, and content query facility
A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database can include defining a first table in a relational database including a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field. A second table in the relational database including a plurality of entries can be defined. Each of the plurality of entries in the second table can specify an additional value for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table. Responsive to a query, a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries in the first table can be presented.
US09020993B2 Download management of discardable files
A request is received to store a file in a storage device, wherein the storage device deems the file discardable. The file is marked as a discardable file. A controller determines a download condition associated with the request to store the discardable file in the storage device and determines whether to delay a download to the storage device of the discardable file based on the determined download condition. The controller manages the download of the discardable file to the storage device based on the determination of whether to delay the download of the discardable file to the storage device. The controller manages the storage of the downloaded discardable file in the storage device based on the marking of the file as a discardable file.
US09020992B1 Systems and methods for facilitating file archiving
A computer-implemented method may include establishing a proxy file system that facilitates file archiving for a primary file system that does not support file archiving. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a request to archive a file stored in a primary file system and copying the file to an archive file system such that a reference to the file is created in the proxy file system. The computer-implemented method may further include replacing the file in the primary file system with a symbolic link that identifies the reference in the proxy file system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09020991B2 System and method for analyzing available space in data blocks
A system and method is provided for determining an available space in one or more data blocks. A physical data storage area associated with one or more portions of a database may be determined. An available space in each data block of one or more data blocks in the physical data storage area may be determined. A number of new data rows that can be added to each data block may also be determined.
US09020990B2 Stored data reverification management system and method
A system and method are provided for verifying data copies and reverifying the copies over the life span of media according to a verification policy. Characteristics of media and use of media are tracked to provide metrics which may be used to dynamically reevaluate and reassign verification policies to optimize media usage. Copies that fail verification operations may be repaired by repeating a storage operation for recent copies or by substituting a close temporal copy of the failed copy.
US09020989B2 Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US09020987B1 Managing updating of metadata of file systems
A method is used in managing updating of metadata of file systems. Changes in metadata of a file of a file system are stored in a journal upon receiving an I/O request for the file of the file system. The I/O request results in update of metadata of the file of the file system. The journal includes metadata transactions upon the file system. Changes to metadata of the file are stored in a volatile memory of a data storage system upon receiving subsequent I/O requests resulting in update of metadata of the file of the file system. Metadata of the file of the file system is updated with information derived from metadata changes stored in the journal.
US09020985B2 System and method for managing directories for a database system having an in-memory database
A method and system for automatically and transparently managing a directory in a database system to preferentially use of objects in an in-memory database instead of copies of the objects in disk-based databases, in order to speed up application response times. The methods and systems selectively add or update LDAP entries to leverage advantage of the database objects in the in-memory database, so that the LDAP entries point to the in-memory database instead of disk-based databases.
US09020979B2 Rich database metadata model that captures application relationships, mappings, constraints, and complex data structures
The capturing of rich database metadata includes: capturing partitioned column metadata of a database as mappings defined by a plurality of constraint statements; defining non-standard user-defined types of the database according to a schema; defining physical representations of columns of the database according to the schema; and storing the defined mappings, the defined user-defined types, and the defined physical representations of columns to a catalog of the database. Application enumerated data values in the database may also be defined according to the XML schema and stored to the catalog of the database. In this manner, the database management system may manage application constraints, user-defined types, and physical representations of data for applications referencing the same database using the metadata information stored in the catalog of the database.
US09020975B2 Handheld electronic device with assisted text entry using existing message thread, and associated method
A method of facilitating the entry of text into a new message generated by a messaging application of a handheld electronic device is provided that includes receiving a command to reply to or forward a received message that is included within a message thread, scanning the message thread, identifying a plurality of words in the message thread, generating one or more word lists that include the identified words, and displaying the one or more word lists. The method further includes receiving a selection of a selected one of the words from the one or more word lists, and entering the selected one of the words into the new message. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device that implements the described method.
US09020973B2 User interface model driven data access control
According to one general aspect, a method of retrieving data entities from a backend data device may include maintaining a data model of data entities employed by a user interface. The data model may include a hierarchical relationship between a leading data entity and at least one child data entity. The method may also include authorizing, with an authorization device, when retrieving the leading data entity. The method may include instructing the authorization device that data retrievals of subsequent data entities are to be authorized based upon the authorization of the leading data entity. The method may also include retrieving at least one child data entity of the leading data entity without providing additional authorization credentials.
US09020971B2 Populating entity fields based on hierarchy partial resolution
Certain implementations may include systems and methods for populating entity fields based on hierarchy partial resolution. According to an example implementation, a method is provided that may include identifying one or more first matching records in a hierarchical database, where matching records include one or more fields having an associated first matching field value that at least partially matches a received portion of a first query term. The method may include outputting, for display, one or more first matching field values of the one or more first matching records and receiving a second indication input signifying a selection of one of the one or more first matching field values.
US09020968B2 System and method for using image data in connection with configuring a universal controlling device
Data indicative of topography of an object of interest is received at a recognition system having an associated database in which is stored topography data for a plurality of reference objects each of which is cross-referenced to configuration information for a universal controlling device. The reference system uses the received data and the topography data for the plurality of reference objects to discern one or more reference objects as being a match for the object of interest. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the one or more reference objects discerned by the recognition system as being a match for the object of interest is then used to configure the universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances.
US09020967B2 Semantically representing a target entity using a semantic object
A data construct called a semcard is a semantic (meaning-based) software object including semantic meta-tags and meta-data that describes a target object or thing. A target object can be any type of digital or physical entity or identifier, or it can be tacit knowledge, such as ideas, concepts, processes or other data existing in a user's mind, provided that the user represents this knowledge in the semcard. A semcard embodies information about its own structure—rules, history, state, policies and goals regarding automation, display, access permissions, sharing and other operations of the semcard and any optional target object. It can also represent a semantic link between two semcards, or a semantically typed link or a standard Web hyperlink between a semcard and its referent target. A collection of semcards represents a knowledge network; single semcards, and knowledge networks, can be browsed, shared, searched, disseminated, manipulated, displayed, organized, and stored.
US09020964B1 Generation of fingerprints for multimedia content based on vectors and histograms
Surrogate heuristic identification is described, including receiving data associated with content, evaluating the content to identify one or more data structures associated with the content, processing the one or more data structures to generate a fingerprint, wherein the fingerprint is hashed to provide a reference identifier, and sending the reference identifier to a client file and a service file.
US09020962B2 Interest expansion using a taxonomy
Disclosed are methods for inferring interests of a user based on declared interests of the user. Text for which a user has expressed interest, e.g. “liked” is evaluated to identify at least one principal concept. A principal article for the principal concept is located in a taxonomy and the link structure of the taxonomy analyzed to identify candidate articles related to the principal article. The candidate articles are scored according to a plurality of metrics and these scored are weighted and combined for a final score. Candidate articles are selected for the score and recommendations are generated and recommendations generated based on the concepts of the selected candidate articles.
US09020959B2 Contextual support for publish-subscribe systems
A method for providing contextual support for a publish-subscribe system includes the steps of receiving a user-defined objective of subscription relating to a topic provided from a subscriber to the publish-subscribe system, and determining one or more topics related to the subscriber provided objective of subscription. The method also includes the steps of filtering through a plurality of feeds related to the subscriber provided objective of subscription fed to the publish-subscribe system from one or more feed sources to provide a filtered list of feeds, aggregating through the filtered list of feeds to provide an aggregated list of feeds, and inferencing through the aggregated list of feeds to determine one or more of the plurality feeds that are relevant to the subscriber provided objective of subscription.
US09020957B1 Systems and methods for enhancing social networking content
A computer-implemented method for enhancing social networking content may include 1) identifying social networking content accessed from a social networking site, 2) parsing the social networking content to identify at least one content item that is potentially referenced in at least one of a plurality of social networking sites, 3) searching the plurality of social networking sites for an additional content item that relates to the content item, and 4) enhancing the social networking content with the additional content item. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09020952B2 Methods and systems for providing unique signatures
Presented are systems and methods for creating a set of signatures including acquiring a data set and converting the data set into a plurality of data matrices. The system determines a prime number and determines a plurality of primitive roots to the prime number. The system calculates a template matrix using a first and second primitive root, of the plurality of primitive roots, and selects a data matrix property of interest. The system calculates a first hash function for each of the data matrices to create a first signature for each data matrix such that a main set of signatures is formed, wherein the first hash function is calculated using said property of interest, the prime number, and the template matrix. The system generates a main set of signatures based on the first hash functions, wherein the main set of signatures comprises a first signature for each data matrix.
US09020950B2 System and method for generating, updating, and using meaningful tags
A system and method for generating tag glossaries and use thereof is provided. A set of tags is accessed. Each tag is associated with a glossary that includes one or more terms and definitions for the terms. A new tag is generated and a new glossary is generated for the new tag based on the glossaries associated with the set of tags. The tag glossaries can be used to provide context for documents associated with the tags, to determine appropriate tags for untagged documents, to help in search for other documents, and to build indices for documents or collections of documents.
US09020945B1 User categorization system and method
A user categorization system and method is disclosed. The user categorization system and method relies on server data to discover which users are consuming the finite resources of the server and in what proportions. Users are categorized according to their consumption of resources. The user categorization system and method further ascribes a relative business value to each user group to facilitate the allocation of resources among groups. In an example embodiment, users of the server resources use the SAS programming language and the server resources execute SAS applications that support the SAS programming language. The user categorization system and method connects an executed computer program to a business-defined classification of applicability to purpose. The system and method employs a double level of abstraction to link specific programming styles, first to a general solution case (“design pattern”), and then to link the general solution idiomatically to the business case.
US09020944B2 Systems and methods for organizing documented processes
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for applying Business Process Management (BPM) to enterprises having business processes documented in multiple representations. Embodiments of the invention reconcile and organize documented information about processes into groups that convey inter-process similarity. The discovered knowledge can be used by embodiments of the invention for many applications to find process clusters that significantly boost performance.
US09020940B2 Method and device for modifying meta data of media objects
A method for handling meta data of media objects, comprising creating a media object at a mobile electronic device, obtaining at least one rule defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical area, determining positional data relating to the current geographical position of said mobile electronic device, applying said at least one rule to said positional data to derive positional meta data if said positional data relate to said at least one geographical area, deriving positional meta data from said determined positional data if said determined positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, and associating said positional meta data with said media object. An electronic device capable of performing the method is also provided.
US09020936B2 Using categorical metadata to rank search results
A system that facilitates ranking search results returned by a search engine in response to receipt of a query is described herein. The system includes a receiver component that receives categorical metadata pertaining to an item and categorical metadata pertaining to the query and a computation component that computes at least one of a document feature pertaining to the item, a query feature pertaining to the query, or a document-query feature pertaining to the item and the query based at least in part upon one or more of the categorical metadata pertaining to the item or the categorical metadata pertaining to the query. The system also includes a ranker component that selectively places the item in a particular location in a sequence of items based at least in part upon the at least one of the document feature, the query feature, or the document-query feature.
US09020934B2 Method, an arrangement and a computer program product for analysing a biological or medical sample
An aspect of the present invention is a computer executable method for characterizing, e.g. for diagnostic purposes, utilizing a reference database, a query sample tissue based on the gene expression data of the tissue. The method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of calculating an expression match score (EM-score) indicating the likelihood of having the gene expression level observed in the query sample in each of the tissue categories of the reference database, calculating for the genes of the sample tissue, using e.g. the EM-score, tissue specificity score (TS-score), that expresses how uniquely a gene identifies the query sample as belonging to a certain tissue category, calculating, utilizing e.g. the TS-score, overall similarity of the sample tissue in relation to a tissue category of the reference database, and storing at least some resulting characterization data to a memory device or outputting the data to an output device of a computer. An arrangement and a computer program product are also disclosed.
US09020932B2 Generation of multi-faceted search results in response to query
Aspects retrieve, organize and display different classifications of sets of search results in different, respective tabbed sheets that are nested on top of one another in a web-based interface dashboard. A text string search query is classified into constituent primary search terms that are likely to return satisfactory search results as indicated by retrieved search history data as a function of search resources and language classification rules associated with the user identity indicia. Secondary search terms related to the primary search terms and including synonyms and antonyms are determined as substitutes for the primary search terms in response to search history indicating follow-up searches immediately subsequent to searches of the primary search terms at less than a specified threshold of frequency. The set of peripheral knowledge article results is generated by searching knowledge article resources for background information on the primary search terms or the secondary search terms.
US09020931B2 System and method for enhancing search experience of a user of a communication device
Embodiments of the present invention may enable a communication device to search for multiple results from a database by using a single search query. The communication device may include a display screen, a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may include a database and an instruction set. The database may store contact information of one or more entities. Further, the instruction set may include instructions executable by the processor to scan a query received from a user to recognize special characters and wild cards in the query. Further, the instructions may divide the query into multiple sub-queries based on the use of the special characters in the query. Furthermore, the instructions may execute and display results of the sub-queries in a user friendly manner.
US09020929B2 Method and system for tracking performance by breaking down a query
A database monitor tracks performance statistics and information about the execution of different SQL statements. In particular, the monitor tracks information about the individual instructions that comprise a complex query. The performance statistics and information from these individual elements provide insight into a query's performance and may show why a query's performance is below expectations.
US09020928B2 Method and apparatus for processing streaming data using programmable logic
Methods and apparatuses for processing streaming data using programmable logic are disclosed. With an exemplary embodiment, a programmable logic device can be used to sort streaming data and provide a processor with access to the sorted data. With another exemplary embodiment, an Internet search engine can include a programmable logic device to perform match operations in response to search queries for web pages. With another exemplary embodiment, a programmable logic device is configured to perform match operations on streaming data while a processor is freed to perform other tasks.
US09020927B1 Determining resource quality based on resource competition
Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining resource quality based on resource competition. In an aspect, a method comprises: for each of a plurality of resource locators: generating first value for the resource locator that indicates, for a plurality of first sets of search results that each include the resource locator, a number of occurrences of other resource locators that were impressed and not selected when the resource locator was selected; generating a second value for the resource locator that indicates, for a plurality of second sets of search results that each include the resource locator, a number of occurrences of other resource locators that were selected when the resource locator was impressed and not selected; and generating, based on a difference between the first value and the second value, an adjustment factor for the resource locator for adjusting a score associated with the resource locator during a search operation.
US09020924B2 Suggesting and refining user input based on original user input
Systems and methods to generate modified/refined user inputs based on the original user input, such as a search query, are disclosed. The method may be implemented for Roman-based and/or non-Roman based language such as Chinese. The method may generally include receiving an original user input and identifying core terms therein, determining potential alternative inputs by replacing core term(s) in the original input with another term according to a similarity matrix and/or substituting a word sequence in the original input with another word sequence according to an expansion/contraction table where one word sequence is a substring of the other, computing likelihood of each potential alternative input, and selecting most likely alternative inputs according to a predetermined criteria, e.g., likelihood of the alternative input being at least that of the original input. A cache containing pre-computed original user inputs and corresponding alternative inputs may be provided.
US09020921B2 Storage tape analytics user interface providing library analysis and monitoring alerts
A method of accessing tape storage analytics data from tape libraries. The method includes generating user interfaces on client devices. Each user interface includes a first screen displaying graphics or analysis tables based on the tape storage analytics data. The method includes receiving user input selecting the displayed graphics or an item within a cell of the analysis table and modifying the user interface to display a second screen, which presents a subset of the tape storage analytics data corresponding to operation of at least one of one or more tape libraries or library components (e.g., robots and elevators), tape drives, and tape media within the tape libraries or, alternatively, activities involving any of a combination of these components. The receiving and modifying steps are repeated to navigate between data corresponding to a tape library, a tape drive, and media and to operations involving these and other tape library components.
US09020920B1 Identifying information resources for contact center agents based on analytics
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a pattern for communications conducted between agents at a contact center and contact parties. In particular embodiments, the pattern is based on a utilization of one or more information resources by the agents during the communications. Depending on the embodiment, the communications may comprise one or more of telephone calls, text messages, emails, and Web chats. In addition, in various embodiments, a particular information resource from among the one or more information resources is identified based on the pattern and is associated with a keyphrase found in at least two of the communications. Accordingly, as a result of the association, the particular information resource is made available to at least one agent at the contact center during a time the agent is fielding a subsequent communication in which the keyphrase is detected.
US09020913B2 Real-time interactive authorization for enterprise search
Techniques for providing at least one user access to one or more documents in a collaborative computing environment in accordance with a search engine are provided. The user is presented with search results, wherein the search results comprise at least one document comprising at least one portion to which the user has no access. A request from the user for access to the at least one document is received. A supervising entity is then notified of the user request to access the at least one document. An instruction from the supervising entity is then received. In accordance with the received instruction, the user is granted access to the at least one document.
US09020911B2 Name search using multiple bitmap distributions
Provided are a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for matching names. For a first bitmap distribution, it is determined whether a first bitmap signature of a query name and a second bitmap signature of a target name have a number of character n-grams overlapping that meet or exceed a threshold to generate a first preliminary value. For a second bitmap distribution that is different from the first bitmap distribution, it is determined whether a third bitmap signature of the query name and a fourth bitmap signature of the target name have a number of character n-grams overlapping that meet or exceed a threshold to generate a second preliminary value. The first preliminary value and the second preliminary value are combined, and, if the combination results in a value of true, it is determined that the query name and the target name are to be further processed.
US09020904B2 Methods, systems and products for generating web pages
Methods, systems, and products generate web pages using elidable links to additional content. When a link is selected in a web page, elision is used to automatically remove a URL and its associated content from the web page, thus reducing previously visited material. When a user selects an elision-enabled link, the link is not displayed during subsequent displaying of the same web page.
US09020902B1 Reducing head and tail duplication in stored data
Techniques are described for managing data storage and retrieval, such as by generating a hash value for a beginning and/or ending portion of a new data group to be stored, attempting to match each generated hash value to a plurality of hash values associated with other existing data groups that are already stored, and comparing the new data group and an identified existing data group to determine any identical extended initial or final portion of the two data groups. The new data group may then be stored as the portion unique to the new data group, along with a reference to the existing identical extended portion of the existing data group. The new stored data group may be later retrieved using the unique portion of the data group, along with the existing extended portions corresponding to other stored data groups for any stored references.
US09020901B2 Balancing database workloads through migration
A method for balancing database workloads among a plurality of database servers includes when a new server is available, selecting a set of master and slave databases to be migrated to the new server; and migrating the selected databases to result in a balanced new workload among all servers while minimizing migration cost; and during operation, if workload unbalance is detected in real time from a workload change in a certain database, iteratively selecting one database at a time to migrate to a different server to balance the workload.
US09020898B2 Systems and methods for performing data replication
Performing data management operations on replicated data in a computer network. Log entries are generated for data management operations of an application executing on a source system. Consistency point entries are used to indicate a time of a known good, or recoverable, state of the application. A destination system is configured to process a copy of the log and consistency point entries to replicate data in a replication volume, the replicated data being a copy of the application data on the source system. When the replicated data represents a known good state of the application, as determined by the consistency point entries, the destination system(s) may perform a storage operation (e.g., snapshot, backup) to copy the replicated data and to logically associate the copied data with a time information (e.g., time stamp) indicative of the source system time when the application was in the known good state.
US09020896B1 Systems and methods for simplifying data restoration using resource types
A computer-implemented method for simplifying data restoration using resource types. The method may include (1) receiving a request from a user to perform a data restoration operation, (2) providing a graphical user interface that presents to the user a plurality of resource types that can be restored by the user, (3) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a resource type that the user desires to restore, (4) presenting, to the user via the graphical user interface, at least one backup set associated with the identified resource type from which the user may restore data, (5) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a backup set that the user desires to restore, and (6) restoring data from the identified backup set. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09020895B1 Disaster recovery for virtual machines across primary and secondary sites
A processing system stores a backup of virtual machine data on a storage device in a primary network storage system. A virtual machine running on a primary host machine, which is coupled to the primary network storage system, generates the virtual machine data. A replication software module replicates the backup of the virtual machine data from the primary network storage system to a secondary network storage system. In the event of a failure on the first network storage system, disaster recovery services module restores the virtual machine data from the secondary network storage system to cause the virtual machine to run on a secondary host machine coupled to the secondary network storage system, wherein the disaster recovery services module is coupled to the primary host machine and the secondary host machine over a network.
US09020894B2 Service version modification of a high-availability system
In one embodiment, an operating system kernel and/or one or more processes of a high-availability system are modified while the system is operating and providing high-availability service. In accomplishing this, one embodiment uses a second virtual machine to operate a second operating system kernel including a second set of processes in the standby mode, which receive state information from corresponding process(es) in the active mode. Individually, the operating system kernel and processes within the second set of processes may be a same or different version of their counterpart in a first virtual machine and its processes which are being replaced. When the second set of processes have acquired sufficient state information to perform the standby role, the operation of the first virtual machine is typically ceased as the version modified second virtual machine is performing the version modified functionality of the first virtual machine.
US09020890B2 Smart archiving and data previewing for mobile devices
Techniques for providing data preview before recalling large data files are disclosed. In one aspect, a data file is made accessible while being offline by converting the data file from a native format to a preview format, storing the data file in the preview format in a primary storage that is locally available and moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary storage. When a viewing request is received for the data file, the data file in the preview format is displayed to fulfill the viewing request.
US09020887B2 Managing the status of documents in a distributed storage system
Managing the status of documents in a distributed storage system is disclosed. Upon determining that a first version exists and a second version having a predecessor version identifier exists, the predecessor version identifier is used to determine that the second version is related to the first version. Based upon the existence of the related second version, the status of the first version is updated.
US09020885B2 Systems and methods for collaboration shared state management
A system and method comprising, sharing information between a plurality of participants in a collaboration; and exposing a set of functions that enable a participant in the plurality of participants to share the information, the set of functions comprising: first functions to facilitate establishing a context in which to interact with the plurality of participants; and second functions to facilitate storing and retrieving values from a shared state, wherein the shared state is accessible within the context.
US09020883B2 System and method to provide BPEL support for correlation aggregation
A system and method are disclosed for providing BPEL support for correlation aggregation. The system can comprise a business process engine, executing on one or more application servers organized in a cluster. The system can comprise a database including a table which stores records relating to message groups and business process instances. When a message is received by the business process engine, the business process engine can determine an identity associated with the message, and check the database to determine if there is an entry associated with the identity. If there is no entry associated with the identity, then the business process engine can instantiate a first business process instance associated with the identity, and if there is an entry associated with the identity, then the business process engine can route the message to a business process instance associated with the identity.
US09020880B2 Complex configuration processing using configuration sub-models
A configuration model dividing and configuration sub-model inference processing system and procedure addresses the issue of configuration model and query complexity by breaking a configuration problem down into a set of smaller problems, solving them individually and recombining the results into a single result that is equivalent to a conventional inference procedure. In one embodiment, a configuration model is divided into configuration sub-models that can respectively be processed using existing data processing resources. A sub-model inference procedure provides a way to scale queries to larger and more complicated configuration models. Thus, the configuration model dividing and configuration sub-model processing system and inference procedure allows processing by a data processing system of configuration models and queries whose collective complexity exceeds the complexity of otherwise unprocessable conventional, consolidated configuration models and queries.
US09020868B2 Distributed analytics method for creating, modifying, and deploying software pneurons to acquire, review, analyze targeted data
A method and system for the integration of disparate data stored within an Information Technology infrastructure of a company is provided. The system and method enables holistic, real time control of data discovery, retrieval and analysis. The system combines data mining, retrieval and analytics at the source of the data, thereby solving traditional problems with disparate and distributed data, systems, business processes and analytics across an organization. The system enables a user to configure and target data, then apply rules, workflows and analytics from one central source. This process is accomplished by distributing functions in the form of software pneurons against the existing infrastructure for maximum processing while preserving a robust and extendable suite of definitions. The system uses the existing application, network and hardware assets and enables connection to the native data, maps only the data fields that need to be mapped to carry out the desired analysis, runs the analysis and then returns the data to a central location to be assembled, analyzed, organized and/or reported.
US09020865B2 Method for summarizing event-related texts to answer search queries
A method and apparatus for receiving training data that comprise a plurality of event-and-time-specific texts that are contextually related to a plurality of events; iteratively processing the training data to generate a modified network model that defines a plurality of states; receiving additional data that comprise a plurality of additional event-and-time-specific texts that are contextually related to a particular event; processing the additional data by applying the modified network model to the additional data to identify, within the plurality of additional event-and-time specific texts, a particular set of texts that belong to a particular state of the plurality of states; identifying, within the particular set of texts, one or more texts that are most representative of all texts in the particular set of texts that belong to the particular state; wherein the method is performed by one or more special-purpose computing devices.
US09020859B2 Fraud prevention for transactions
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and include a method for fraud prevention. A method includes receiving registration information for a user, including identities of the user and an authenticating device and a payment source identifier, and storing the registration information. A payment authorization request relating to a transaction purported to be by the user and including the payment source identifier is received. Using the payment source identifier, the identity of the user and the authenticating device is retrieved. A communication is provided to the user including transaction information. The message is delivered to the user at the authenticating device. The method also includes receiving (and subsequently forwarding) either a payment authorization or a payment repudiation responsive to the communication from the user by way of the authenticating device.
US09020858B2 Presence-of-card code for offline payment processing system
Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
US09020853B2 Smart card loading transactions using wireless telecommunications network
Smart card transactions allow consumers to load value onto and make purchases using smart cards with a mobile telephone handset over the telecommunications network. To load the smart card, the handset receives a request to load value. The handset generates a funds request message and sends the message to a funds issuer computer that debits a user account. Next, the handset authenticates the smart card and receives a response message including approval to load. The handset validates the response and loads the value onto the smart card. For payment, the handset sends an order request message to the merchant server computer, and in return receives a purchase instruction message. The handset processes the message locally, and sends a draw request message to a payment server computer. The payment server computer sends an approval to debit the smart card. The handset validates the approval and debits the smart card.
US09020850B1 Method and system for implementing effective governance of transactions between trading partners
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to receiving a first independent log from a first trading partner wherein the first independent log comprises at least one request log entry associated with a transaction wherein the request log entry comprises at least a request identifier; receiving a second independent log from a second trading partner wherein the second independent log comprises at least one reply log entry associated with the transaction between the first trading partner and the second trading partner, wherein the reply log entry comprises at least a reply identifier; matching the at least one request log entry and the at least one reply log entry based on one or more of the request identifier and the reply identifier at a third party interface; identifying non-matching log entries at the third party interface; and forwarding the non-matching log entries.
US09020847B2 Information processing apparatus, ordering system, and order management method
An information processing apparatus connected via a data communication channel to an electronic apparatus and a management apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes an apparatus status reception unit configured to receive, from the electronic apparatus, apparatus status information including error identifiers indicating errors detected at the electronic apparatus; an ordering unit configured to place error support orders corresponding to the error identifiers in the received apparatus status information to the management apparatus and to receive order results from the management server in response to the error support orders; and a message transmission unit configured to send a message indicating order status of the error support orders to the electronic apparatus based on the received order results and thereby request the electronic apparatus to display the order status.
US09020845B2 System and method for enhanced shopping, preference, profile and survey data input and gathering
Systems and methods, implemented with computing devices, enable a human operator to input in software environments degrees of preference for a plurality of products, items or services, in a single swipe or gesture, and values for a plurality of fields of data in a single swipe or gesture. The user performs gestures in software environments, through the interface of a computing device, to move and reposition objects representing products, items or services relative to a rating scale having a predetermined range of preference values, to indicate a degree of preference for each product, item or service. A plurality of objects may be moved and rated in a single gesture. Rating scales may be embedded in virtual environments. Methods included enable a user to input values for a plurality of data fields in a single swipe or gesture, at least in part by selecting or moving objects within a software environment.
US09020839B1 Method, medium, and system for customizing content based on social network information
Systems and methods are disclosed that use social networking profiles of users to generate personalized content of display pages. The personalized content may be generated using profile data retrieved via an application program interface of a social networking system, and may be presented on the display pages of a distinct system, such as a site that hosts an electronic catalog of items. The personalized content may include features that allow a user to indicate a like or preference for an item and that can be customized based on, e.g., the extent of the user's social network or the influence the user has over other potential users of the catalog system. Systems and methods are also disclosed that use the social networking profiles to generate personalized messages that can be posted to social network contacts of the user to provide information about items for which the contacts may be interested.
US09020838B2 Augmented reality for assisting consumer transactions
A portable device which assists shoppers. The device identifies items of merchandise, and retrieves information about the items from a remote location. The items can be identified based on their labels, by image recognition, by their location, by the shopper, or by other approaches. This additional or enhanced information about the items can then be overlaid on the real-time display of the portable device, such that the shopper has access to said information and can associate it easily to the relevant items.
US09020834B2 System and method to control on-demand marketing campaigns and personalized trajectories in hyper-local domains
A method of providing targeted communications within a hyper-local domain from a first user to a second user, the method including receiving a communication from a first device, the first communication related to the hyper-local domain, receiving an input from a second device, comparing the input to the communication, and transmitting the communication to the second device, a third device, or combinations thereof, based on the comparing of the input to the communication.
US09020833B2 Method and apparatus for social network updates by activity recognition
A method and apparatus for engaging consumers in the performance of predetermined action. The method comprises the steps of determining performance of a predetermined action, broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action, and providing incentive based upon the broadcasting. The predetermined action may include comprises consuming a consumable item. The broadcasting may be performed via a social networking site, and wherein the broadcasting further may include transmitting a video of the performance of the predetermined action. The incentive may comprise a monetary incentive to the performer of the action, to one or more peers of the performer of the action viewing the broadcast, or to one or more peers of the performer of the action upon performance of the predetermined action by the one or more peers.
US09020832B2 Systems and methods for analytic data gathering from image providers at an event or geographic location
The invention relates to a system and method of gathering and analyzing data from device operators aiming their image capture devices and thereby creating a line of sight to an object of interest, for example through the process of obtaining photographs, videos or other digital images of an event or geographical location, where the real-time or embedded location, compass heading, and time data from each of a plurality of image providers are communicated from the plurality of image-capture devices to one or more servers for statistical analysis of the proportionate amount of providers focusing on each image target or sub-target at the event or location.
US09020829B2 Quality of service aware scheduling for composite web service workflows
A method of assigning web service requests to service providers includes searching for an optimal assignment from all possible assignments using a genetic algorithm (GA) that represents possible assignments as chromosomes, and converging towards an assignment of web service request to service providers that maximizes overall business value for all workflows to the service providers. An adaptive mutation scheme is used to introduce mutation into populations of chromosomes. The mutation scheme includes a mutation rate that increases when chromosomes under evaluation fail to improve its workload against the metric over a certain number of generations.
US09020825B1 Voice gestures
A voice gesture is determined from characteristics of an audio signal based on sound uttered by a user. The voice gesture may represent a command or parameters or a command, and may be context sensitive. Upon determining a command and parameters of the command based on the received voice gesture, the command is executed in accordance with the determined parameters. The command may modify any number of attributes within an environment including, but limited to, an image projected within the environment.
US09020824B1 Using natural language processing to generate dynamic content
Apparatus and method for using natural language processing (NLP) to generate dynamic content, such as but not limited to an audio/visual (A/V) presentation. In accordance with some embodiments, a language analysis module is adapted to analyze a data signal received into a memory. The data signal is generated responsive to an input sequence expressed in a natural language format by a user of a network accessible device. A database of informational segments is stored in a memory, and a compositing engine is adapted to generate an on-the-fly presentation from selected segments in the database and to transmit the presentation as a unique display sequence for the user responsive to the input text sequence.
US09020823B2 Apparatus, system and method for voice dialogue activation and/or conduct
An apparatus, a system and a method for voice dialogue activation and/or conduct. The apparatus for voice dialogue activation and/or conduct has a voice recognition unit, a speaker recognition unit and a decision-maker unit. The decision-maker unit is designed to activate a result action on the basis of results from the voice and speaker recognition units.
US09020819B2 Recognition dictionary system and recognition dictionary system updating method
A recognition dictionary system includes a variant term accumulation unit, a variant frequency analysis unit, and a recognition dictionary update unit. The variant term accumulation unit is configured to accumulate and store a first variant term that has a meaning equivalent to a base term stored in a recognition dictionary and has first character string information that is different from character string information of the base term. The variant frequency analysis unit is configured to analyze an occurrence frequency of the first variant term accumulated and stored in the variant term accumulation unit and to determine the first variant term as a principal variant term when the occurrence frequency is higher than a first prescribed value. The recognition dictionary update unit is configured to update the recognition dictionary to register the principal variant term in the recognition dictionary as being associated with the base term.
US09020818B2 Format based speech reconstruction from noisy signals
Implementations of systems, method and devices described herein enable enhancing the intelligibility of a target voice signal included in a noisy audible signal received by a hearing aid device or the like. In particular, in some implementations, systems, methods and devices are operable to generate a machine readable formant based codebook. In some implementations, the method includes determining whether or not a candidate codebook tuple includes a sufficient amount of new information to warrant either adding the candidate codebook tuple to the codebook or using at least a portion of the candidate codebook tuple to update an existing codebook tuple. Additionally and/or alternatively, in some implementations systems, methods and devices are operable to reconstruct a target voice signal by detecting formants in an audible signal, using the detected formants to select codebook tuples, and using the formant information in the selected codebook tuples to reconstruct the target voice signal.
US09020817B2 Using speech to text for detecting commercials and aligning edited episodes with transcripts
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for using speech to text for detecting commercials and aligning edited episodes with transcripts. A method includes, receiving an original video or audio having a transcript, receiving an edited video or audio of the original video or audio, applying a speech-to-text process to the received original video or audio having a transcript, applying a speech-to-text process to the received edited video or audio, and applying an alignment to determine locations of the edits.
US09020816B2 Hidden markov model for speech processing with training method
A method, system and apparatus are shown for identifying non-language speech sounds in a speech or audio signal. An audio signal is segmented and feature vectors are extracted from the segments of the audio signal. The segment is classified using a hidden Markov model (HMM) that has been trained on sequences of these feature vectors. Post-processing components can be utilized to enhance classification. An embodiment is described in which the hidden Markov model is used to classify a segment as a language speech sound or one of a variety of non-language speech sounds. Another embodiment is described in which the hidden Markov model is trained using discriminative learning.
US09020813B2 Speech enhancement system and method
A speech enhancement system improves speech conversion within an encoder and decoder. The system includes a first device that converts sound waves into operational signals. A second device selects a template that represents an expected signal model. The selected template models speech characteristics of the operational signals through a speech codebook that is further accessed in a communication channel.
US09020811B2 Method and system for converting text files searchable text and for processing the searchable text
A system and method for processing audio text files includes a content repository storing audio text files. A text transformer linguistically analyzes the audio text files within a content of multiple lexicons to form edited text results and creates a reflection repository having reflection files therein corresponding to the audio text files from the edited text results. A search engine searches the reflection files and a user device displays a first reflection file from the reflection files or a first audio text file from the audio files in response to searching.
US09020810B2 Latent semantic analysis for application in a question answer system
A system and method that improves obtaining similarity measure between concepts based on Latent Semantic Analysis by taking onto account graph structure derived from the knowledge bases by using a vector propagation algorithm, in the context domain, such as a medical domain. Concepts contained in a corpus of documents are expressed in a graph wherein each node is a concept and edges between node express relation between concepts weighted by the number of semantic relations determined from the corpus. A vector of neighbors is created and assigned to each concept, thereby providing an improved similarity measure between documents, i.e., corpus and query against corpus.
US09020808B2 Document summarization using noun and sentence ranking
Systems and methods are provided for summarization of electronic text documents. Nouns and sentences are identified in a text document, and the most-prevalent nouns are further identified based on frequency. The sentences in the document are scored based on assigning points based on cumulative presence or absence of each of the most-prevalent nouns. A tag cloud consisting of the most-prevalent nouns is displayed together with the highest-scoring sentences, thereby providing context for the nouns in the tag cloud.
US09020803B2 Confidence-rated transcription and translation
A method, system, and computer program product for creating confidence-rated transcription and translation are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An input is provided in a first form to a set of transcription applications. A set of transcriptions is received. A first and a second set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second transcription, respectively. The confidence-rated first transcription and the confidence-rated second transcription are combined and provided to a set of translation applications. A set of translations is received. A third and a fourth set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second translation, respectively. The confidence-rated first and second translations are combined and presented.
US09020800B2 Method and apparatus for controlling energy services based on market data
Apparatus, systems, computer readable media and methods for controlling power realized by energy service equipment based on market data are disclosed. A method simulates execution of control models, as simulation results; selects one of the control models during a first period; and controls operation of the energy services equipment in a second period, using the selected control model. According to an exemplary apparatus, each control model is based on a set of changing market data and controls operation of energy service equipment. A system controls power realized from different energy service equipment using market data. The system includes a model processor that simulates execution of model sets using market data to generate a simulation result; a model selector that selects a model of each set based on simulation results; and a processor that controls operation of the different energy service equipment using the selected model of each respective model set.
US09020797B2 Integrated circuit simulation using analog power domain in analog block mixed signal
A method is provided that comprises a circuit design that includes multiple design blocks; a power intent specification file that defines a power domain within the circuit design and that identifies design instances within the power domain and that defines a control function to selectively transition the defined power domain between multiple respective power supply values; using a digital simulator to simulate operation of the digital representation while using an analog simulator to simulate operation of the analog representation; wherein simulating the digital representation includes transitioning the defined power domain between supply values from among the multiple respective supply values; wherein simulating the analog representation includes periodically storing in a storage location a power supply value currently in use during digital simulation of the digital representation; and wherein simulating the analog representation includes using the stored currently in use power supply value to supply voltage to the analog representation.
US09020795B2 Multiple-entity scenario simulation incorporating human interaction
Mechanisms for incorporating a human into an automated multiple-entity scenario simulation are disclosed. A Petri-net message processor function (PMPF) receives a first Petri-net message from a source activity node function (ANF). The Petri-net message includes a simulation activity identifier that identifies a first simulation activity. The PMPF routes the first Petri-net message to a first ANF based on the simulation activity identifier. The first ANF receives the first Petri-net message and provides a message to a user based on the first Petri-net message. A response is received from the user. A second Petri-net message is generated based on the response and is communicated to a destination ANF to trigger a second simulation activity by the destination ANF.
US09020791B2 Process for designing and manufacturing an ignition system for an internal combustion engine
The present invention provides a process for designing and manufacturing an ignition system for an internal combustion engine. The process can include performing a plurality of simulations that include simulating an electrical circuit with a spark initiating device for igniting the fuel mixture within an internal combustion chamber, an electrical breakdown proximate to the spark initiating device, a plasma arc and an afterglow regime.
US09020788B2 Patient-adapted and improved articular implants, designs and related guide tools
Methods and devices are disclosed relating improved articular models, implant components, and related guide tools and procedures. In addition, methods and devices are disclosed relating articular models, implant components, and/or related guide tools and procedures that include one or more features derived from patient-data, for example, images of the patient's joint. The data can be used to create a model for analyzing a patient's joint and to devise and evaluate a course of corrective action. The data also can be used to create patient-adapted implant components and related tools and procedures.
US09020782B2 Adaptive vibration control for ski
A method and apparatus for controlling of ski vibration consisting an accelerator/actuator sub-system attached to the ski and a adaptive vibration control application residing in the user smart-phone and communicating with the accelerometer/actuator sub-system over Bluetooth radio interface is disclosed. The adaptive vibration control application extracts vibration frequencies and amplitudes from signal received from an accelerometer, separates such frequencies according to their types—bending or torsional, and after thresholding and scaling by the ski calibration parameters and by the user desired ski response, apply such signal to the control loop and consequently to the actuators to provide vibration dampening force. In one embodiment, such actuators are attached to the ski, while in another embodiment such actuators are embedded into the ski.
US09020775B2 Apparatus for measuring the shape and area of a ship block
Provided is an apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block, which may accurately recognize a piling location of a ship block by measuring a shape and area of the ship block piled up in a yard. The apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block includes a direction angle sensor, a range finder, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and a block shape and area measuring system. The block shape and area measuring system includes a block shape and area measuring server, a vector calculating module, a coordinate calculating module, a shape and area extraction module and a memory module.
US09020773B2 Calibrating breathalyzer
The calibrating breathalyzer comprises an alcohol sensor, a non-volatile memory, a processing unit or processor, a display and a housing to house these components. The processing unit can calibrate the breathalyzer using the user's body as a simulator based on the user's metabolism rate, type and amount of alcohol consumed by the user. The processing unit determines a sample time to receive a breath sample from the user based on a time to a predetermined calibration point from the drinking start time calculated using the user's metabolism rate and the determined maximum alcohol level. The BAC % measurement based on the user's breath sample at the sample time is used as a reference point in calibrating the breathalyzer.
US09020772B2 Aircraft structure testing device of the wire cutter type
A detection wire cutter including a conducting wire mechanically secured to a structure that is to be monitored. This wire is electrically powered at one end and at another end feeds back an electrical voltage corresponding to the power supplied, provided that the structure that is to be monitored has not undergone unacceptable mechanical damage. As an improvement, two arrays of wires extending over flat supports in two directions in space are proposed. Each array is powered by a distinct network electrical supply. The two networks extend in layers, with parallel wire portions. The position of a crack does not impede the passage of current between certain terminals, but certain other terminals will no longer receive any current because the crack has broken a network supply general connection between the connection of one wire and that of another.
US09020771B1 Devices and methods for testing the energy measurement accuracy, billing accuracy, functional performance and safety of electric vehicle charging stations
Testing of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) is performed using a device operable in either or both an active mode and a passive mode. In an active mode, the device provides or is connected with a programmable load capable of emulating the load of an electrical vehicle (EV). In passive mode, the load is an EV with the device being arranged in series between the EVCS and EV. In either case, energy delivery from the EVCS to the load is monitored by the device to determine energy measurement and billing accuracy of the EVCS. This enables a comparison to be made between a measured value of energy delivered and a metered value of energy delivered as given by the EVCS. Other measurements and safety tests may also be performed by the device.
US09020770B2 Estimating component power usage from aggregate power usage
A system, and computer program product for estimating component power usage using aggregate power usage data are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A power estimation model is received, the model correlating a factor of the component with an aggregate power consumption of a set of components during a period, the component being a member of the set of components, the component being a hardware device operating in the data processing environment and consuming electrical power, the factor being a characteristic of the component related to the consumption of the electrical power in the component. A value of the factor at a determined time is received. The value of the factor is applied to the power estimation model to generate an estimate of electrical power consumed by the component. The estimate is output as the estimated power usage of the component when the factor attains the value.
US09020758B2 Method and device for generating intersection guidance information
A device for generating intersection guidance information, which includes: a route setting unit configured to receive a route up to a destination; a candidate area detecting unit configured to search for a turning point on the searched route, and detect a surrounding area of the searched turning point as a candidate area; a candidate POI area detecting unit configured to detect a POI area as a candidate POI area, at least a portion of the POI area being included in the candidate area; a guidance POI area selecting unit configured to calculate distance between the candidate POI area and the turning point, search a candidate POI area whose distance calculated is shortest, and select the searched candidate POI area as a guidance POI area.
US09020756B2 Method and apparatus for processing satellite positioning system signals
Method and apparatus for processing a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal is described. In one example, a timing reference related to a SPS time of day is obtained from a wireless communication signal received by a mobile receiver. A bias in a local clock of the mobile receiver with respect to a frame timing of a repeating code broadcast by the satellite is compensated for in response to the timing reference. An expected code delay window is obtained for the SPS signal at the mobile receiver. The SPS signal is correlated with a reference code within the expected code delay window. In another example, an expected code delay window is obtained at the mobile receiver. The mobile receiver selects a sampling resolution in response to a size of the expected code delay window. The SPS signal is sampled at the selected sampling resolution and then correlated with a reference code.
US09020755B1 AD-HOC differential GPS referencing using parked vehicles
A method of determining a position of a moving vehicle. A global position is detected by a global positioning device of at least one parked vehicle in a vicinity of the moving vehicle. The global position is determined as a function of signals broadcast by a plurality of satellites. Errors associated with the broadcast signals are determined. A correction error that provides a solution for eliminating the errors associated with the broadcast signals is determined. The correction error is transmitted to the moving vehicle. The correction error is applied to a received global positioning signal received by the moving vehicle. A global position of the moving vehicle is determined as a function of the correction error. The determined global position of the moving vehicle is applied in a vehicle application.
US09020754B2 Vehicle arrival prediction
A method and apparatus for predicting the arrival time of a transit vehicle at a transit stop of a transit route is presented. The arrival time is predicted using historical location information of a plurality of vehicles that have previously traveled the route, location information of several of the most recent vehicles that have arrived at the stop, and current location information of a particular vehicle currently traveling the route. Values such as average arrival times and arrival time errors or variances are determined from the historical and recent location data. These values are used with the current location information to predict the arrival time of the particular vehicle.
US09020750B2 Drive assist device, and vehicle using drive assist device
A drive assist device includes a light source that irradiates a detection target with light, a first lens having a first area through which the irradiated light from the light source passes, a second lens having a second area through which reflected light reflected from the detection target passes, and a light receiving element that receives the reflected light that passes the second lens. The first area and the second area are arranged to be in align with each other, in width direction of the drive assist device.
US09020749B2 Host-vehicle risk acquisition device and method
A host-vehicle risk acquisition device includes a host-vehicle path acquisition portion that acquires a path of a host-vehicle, and an obstacle path acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of paths of an obstacle existing around the host-vehicle. A collision risk acquisition portion acquires an actual collision risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle when the host-vehicle is in a travel state based on the path of the host-vehicle and the plurality of paths of the obstacle. An offset risk acquisition portion acquires an offset risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle in an offset travel state, which is offset from the travel state of the host-vehicle.
US09020746B2 Vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus and information processing method
An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus capable of specifying the position of another vehicle with high accuracy using information related to the distance between another vehicle and an intersection point. The vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus includes: a map information storage unit (11) that stores map information including position information of a road and an intersection point; an inter-vehicle communication unit (4) that acquires various kinds of information using inter-vehicle communication with another vehicle; an another-vehicle GPS information acquiring unit (13) that acquires GPS information related to the position of another vehicle and acquires first reference intersection point distance information related to a distance between another vehicle and a first reference intersection point which is recognized by another vehicle as an intersection point that is in front of another vehicle and is closest to another vehicle, through the inter-vehicle communication unit (4); and an another-vehicle position specifying unit (16) that specifies the position of another vehicle on the basis of the GPS information, the map information, and the first reference intersection point distance information.
US09020743B2 Methods and apparatus for predicting a driver destination
A computer implemented trip-planning method includes accessing one or more destination elements of a matrix of driver information, the accessing based at least in part on a trip start time and day of week. Each accessed element has a probability associated therewith, indicating the likelihood of the element being the destination at which a vehicle trip will end, based at least the start time and day of week. The method also includes selecting, from the one or more elements, a destination having the highest probability of being the destination at which the vehicle trip will end. Further, the method includes utilizing the selected destination as an end destination for the purposes of trip planning.
US09020742B2 Wireless vehicle detection system and associated methods having enhanced response time
Embodiments of the invention include a wireless vehicle detection systems and associated methods with extended range and battery life. The wireless vehicle detection system can include a plurality of sensor pods in communication with an access point without repeaters. Embodiments of the sensor pod can include a vehicle detector controller adapted to determine the presence of vehicles and a communication controller connected to the vehicle detector and adapted to transmit data 300 feet or more to an access point, which in turns communicates with the base station. To extend the battery life of the sensor pod, the sensor pod can be adapted to detect received communication signal strength and adjust transmitting power based upon said strength to thereby conserve power. Embodiments of the sensor pod can also include a battery connected in parallel to an HLC capacitor to further extend the life of the battery.
US09020740B2 Fluid pump speed control
A system includes a sump, a pump having a steady-state speed, a fluid component that receives the fluid from the fluid pump, and a controller. The controller detects a soak condition of the system in which the pump load is low as fluid is moved into vacated fluid passages. The steady-state speed of the pump is temporarily increased by adding a calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration. The controller reduces the pump speed to the steady-state speed after the calibrated duration has elapsed. A method includes detecting the soak condition and temporarily increasing the steady-state speed via the controller by adding the calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration, when the soak condition is detected. A control system includes a processor and storage medium having instructions embodying the method, with detection of the soak condition provided via measurement of fluid temperature.
US09020739B2 Control device for internal combustion engine having an external exhaust gas recirculation system
Disclosed is a control device for an internal combustion engine that is used with an internal combustion engine having an EGR catalyst and an EGR valve in an EGR path for connecting an exhaust path to an intake path, and capable of preventing the purification performance of the EGR catalyst from being degraded during EGR stoppage and purifying exhaust gas in a preferred manner upon EGR resumption. When EGR is stopped with the EGR valve closed, the control device judges whether an EGR path air-fuel ratio is richer than a threshold value. If the EGR path air-fuel ratio is judged to be richer than the threshold value, the control device sets a target air-fuel ratio for the internal combustion engine to be leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
US09020737B2 Control apparatus for internal combustion engine including engine stop control
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection portion that carries out fuel injection for the internal combustion engine, a recirculation portion that recirculates to an intake system evaporative gas of injected fuel that has been mixed with lubricating oil for the internal combustion engine, a parameter acquisition portion that acquires a fuel mixture parameter corresponding to an amount of fuel that has been mixed with the lubricating oil, an engine stop portion that performs engine stop control to temporarily stop the internal combustion engine when a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled, and a stop condition correction portion that corrects a stop condition of the engine stop control on the basis of at least the fuel mixture parameter.
US09020736B2 Fault diagnosis apparatus for airflow meter
Disclosed is a fault diagnosis apparatus for an airflow meter for determining that the airflow meter has a fault when a divergence ratio, i.e., a divergence value of an estimated intake-air quantity with respect to an actual intake-air quantity obtained by the airflow meter is greater than a fault-determination reference value determined based on a rotation speed of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus determines that the airflow meter is normal when the engine speed is higher than or equal to a predetermined speed under a specific condition that the divergence value is less than or equal to the reference value, and also maintains a current determination result when the engine speed is less than the predetermined speed under the specific condition, thereby determining, based on the engine speed, whether the airflow meter is normal or the current determination result is maintained, and thus improving the fault-diagnosis accuracy.
US09020734B2 Method, apparatus, signals and media, for selecting operating conditions of a genset
An apparatus for selecting operating conditions of a genset, the apparatus including a processor circuit configured to select a set of operating points from a plurality of operating points of the genset each comprising an engine speed in a generator electrical output value and a plurality of cost values associated with operating the genset at respective operating points such that the sum of the cost values associated with the operating points in said set is minimized and such that the engine speed increases or decreases monotonically with monotonically increasing or decreasing electrical power output values.
US09020733B2 Vehicle data acquisition for transportation management
A data acquisition device includes a wired module configured to provide a wired connection to a vehicle for gathering vehicle data from the vehicle during operation of the vehicle. The data acquisition device is configured to be mounted inside the vehicle. The data acquisition device further includes short-range wireless communication module configured to wirelessly send the vehicle data in real-time to a portable wireless data transfer and display device in close proximity to the data acquisition device during operation of the vehicle.
US09020732B2 Vehicle and powertrain control based on rearward approaching object
A vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect a rearward approaching object and at least one controller configured to cause the vehicle to accelerate in response to the sensor detecting a rearward approaching object while the vehicle is moving forward.
US09020731B2 Control apparatus for electric motor, electrically-powered vehicle including the control apparatus, and method for controlling electric motor
A PI calculation unit of a rectangular-wave voltage control unit calculates a control deviation by performing a PI calculation on a torque deviation relative to a torque command value, and outputs a voltage phase of a rectangular-wave voltage in accordance with the control deviation. A rate-of-change limiter imposes a restriction on the rate of change of the voltage phase. Here, the rate-of-change limiter lessens the restriction on the rate of change of the voltage phase, when the rate of change of the rotational speed of an electric motor is larger than a predetermined value representing an abrupt change of the rotational speed of the electric motor.
US09020729B2 Integrated trailer brake control system and method using a learned relationship
A trailer brake control method for a vehicle towing a trailer. The method may include determining a number (N) of vehicle operating points during a first braking event when the vehicle is not towing the trailer by determining N brake operating points; determining an acceleration operating point for each of the N brake operating points; and determining a first relationship between brake pressure and vehicle acceleration based on the N vehicle operating points. The method also includes determining a number (M) of vehicle operating points during a second braking event when the vehicle is towing the trailer; determining a current brake operating point; and determining a trailer brake command signal based on at least the first relationship, the M vehicle operating points, and the current brake operating point.
US09020726B2 Vehicle torque management
A torque management system and method is described by which the torque provided by an engine can be controlled based on a mass of the vehicle and, if available, instantaneous and/or predictive slope information. Also, in some modes of operation, torque can be controlled based on speed limit information for upcoming road segments to be traveled by a vehicle. In addition to controlling the maximum allowable torque, optionally the minimum allowable torque can also be controlled to prevent inadvertent decelerations of the vehicle. A driver/operator can optionally override the torque control and the history of override requests can optionally be used to adjust overrides of the system. A plurality of torque control approach sub-methods can be made available with the appropriate sub-mode being selected depending, for example, upon the extent of the available information.
US09020725B2 Brake control system and method for motor vehicles
A brake control system and method for motor vehicles is provided with an electronic control unit, by which, when the motor vehicle is stationary, a parking brake function can be activated manually or automatically. Its deactivation occurs upon reaching a predefined release condition. In the presence of a release condition the brake pressure, which was built up for the parking brake function, is released in a time offset manner at least in relation to the axles of the vehicle by way of the control unit.
US09020724B2 Electric braking device for vehicles
An electric braking device for a vehicle. The device includes: front wheel and/or rear wheel braking modules that are not powered when the vehicle is in a standby state; at least one on-board computer; at least one user control module which, upon a user's request, delivers a power supply control signal to control the power supply to the braking modules and braking control signals to activate the braking modules when the modules are powered; and a mechanism for cutting the power supply to the braking modules once the vehicle has zero speed and the wheels are immobilized under action of the braking modules. The device can reduce the power consumption of vehicles.
US09020723B2 Driving force distribution controller and four-wheel drive vehicle
A driving force distribution controller comprises: a control device determining the value of torque which must be transmitted to a rear wheel; and a driving force transmission device transmitting torque corresponding to the torque value determined by the control device to the rear wheel. The control device reduces a torque value calculated based on an opening degree of an accelerator and a rotational speed difference when the rotational speed of an engine is lower than a first threshold value but higher than a second threshold value.
US09020722B1 Control of power-on downshift in a vehicle with an oncoming binary clutch
A vehicle includes a transmission having a plurality of clutches, including an oncoming binary clutch and an off-going clutch. The oncoming binary clutch is a binary device and the off-going clutch is a non-binary device. An internal combustion engine is operatively connected to the transmission and configured to generate an engine torque based on an input torque request. A controller is operatively connected to the transmission and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for controlling a power-on downshift with the off-going clutch and the oncoming binary clutch. The controller is configured to generate a first pressure command at below a threshold pressure to at least partially pressurize the oncoming binary clutch and initiate a clutch slip for the off-going clutch. Among other steps, the controller is configured to determine if synchronization is met.
US09020719B2 Clutch control system
The clutch control system includes a motor in a liquid pressure modulator for engagement/disengagement of a clutch, a clutch control unit for controlling the operation of the motor, vehicle condition detection means which detects at least that an engine is in working and which detects the running speed of the vehicle, and neutral detection means for detecting the neutral state of a transmission. As controlled states of the clutch, there are set a first control state in which the clutch is in a partially engaged state or an engaged state, and a second control state in which the clutch is disengaged. When the engine being working and the vehicle speed being in excess of a predetermined value is detected and the neutral state is detected, in the first control state, transition to the second control state is effected and the clutch is disengaged.
US09020715B2 Distributed hierarchical control system for a tandem axle drive system
A hierarchical control system for a tandem axle assembly for a vehicle is provided. The hierarchical control system includes a vehicle level controller, an actuator, a shift controller, and a sensor. The shift controller is capable of placing the tandem axle assembly in at least a first operating condition and a second operating condition using the actuator. In response to the sensor and an operating condition of at least one of the power source and the transmission of the vehicle, the shift controller adjusts a manner of placing the tandem axle assembly in at least one of the first operating condition and the second operating condition. The hierarchical control system facilitates performing a shifting procedure in an automatic manner or as desired by an operator of the vehicle without excessively increasing a cost and a complexity of the tandem axle assembly.
US09020712B2 Vehicle control device
In order to enable a transmission to reliably perform a switching to a parking range thereof, a vehicle control device includes a shift-by-wire device which switches a shift range of a transmission mounted on a vehicle in accordance with a request by an electric signal, an acceptance unit which accepts a request for switching to a parking range of the transmission, a detection unit which detects that switching to the parking range of the transmission has been settled, and a braking device which generates a braking force when the acceptance unit accepts a request for switching to the parking range of the transmission, from the time of acceptance of the request for switching until the detection unit detects settlement of the switching to the parking range.
US09020709B2 Excavation control system
An excavation control system includes a working unit, hydraulic cylinders, a prospective speed obtaining part, a relative speed obtaining part, a speed limit selecting part and a hydraulic cylinder controlling part. The prospective speed obtaining part obtains first and second prospective speeds depending on first and second intervals between first and second monitoring points of the bucket and a designed surface, respectively. The relative speed obtaining part obtains first and second relative speeds of the first and second monitoring points relative to the designed surface, respectively. The speed limit selecting part selects one of the first and second prospective speeds as a speed limit based on relative relations between the first and second relative speeds and the first and second prospective speeds, respectively. The hydraulic cylinder controlling part limits a relative speed of one of the first and second monitoring points to the speed limit.
US09020704B2 Electronic control apparatus
An electronic control apparatus includes a control unit, a plurality of power supply units for supplying the control unit with power, and a power supply fault detector unit for detecting a fault in the plurality of power supply units. The control unit operates in a normal mode on electric power supplied from the plurality of power supply units when none of the plurality of power supply units is faulty.
US09020698B2 Suspension system
A suspension system for a traveling vehicle body is disclosed. The system includes a suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) for varying a reference position of a suspension stroke of the suspension mechanism (100), and a controller (35) configured to calculate an intermediate value from a maximal value corresponding to the maximal position of the suspension stroke and a minimal value corresponding to the minimal position of the suspension stroke, and to control the suspension reference position varying mechanism such that, when the calculated intermediate values deviates from a set target range, the intermediate value is displaced toward the target range. The controller (35) increases a control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is low, and reduces the control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is high.
US09020697B2 Vehicle-based multimode discovery
Methods and systems for a device discovery daemon that bases access of a communication device to an on board vehicle network on device location are provided.
US09020696B2 Event data recorder having traffic monitoring and warning function within safe range
An event data recorder providing traffic monitoring and warning functions within a safe range is revealed. The event data recorder includes a main body, a plurality of image capture units for capturing an image outside the vehicle and generating an image signal, a vehicle signal capture unit capturing a vehicle signal and sending the vehicle signal into the main body, a sound capture unit that records engine and environmental sounds to generate a sound signal, a storage unit for storage of data. The main body performs data processing and image recognition according to the image and vehicle signals to generate a control signal and check whether the unsafe driving behavior occurred. If the unsafe driving behavior occurred, a warning signal is transmitted to the warning unit to warn the driver. Thus the driving safety is enhanced and the driver's responsibility for accidents is determined.
US09020695B2 In-vehicle device, control method thereof, and remote control system
An input/output limitation information storage unit stores input/output limitation information in which limitation processing for limiting operation input to the application and display output from the application is prescribed by associating the limitation processing with the application. A determination unit acquires a vehicle state of a vehicle, and determines the limitation processing to be applied to the operation input to the application and the display output from the application on the basis of the application running on the terminal device, the vehicle state, and the input/output limitation information. The limitation unit performs the limitation processing determined by the determination unit for the operation input detected by the input control unit and transmitted to the communication control unit, and the display output received by the communication control unit and transmitted to the output control unit.
US09020688B2 Customized message protocol in mining vehicle operations
A communication system in a mining environment customizes messages and responses to both conserve radio bandwidth and to accommodate different communication terminal types in use. Messages to a loader with a communication terminal having a four line display and four keys may be tailored to the capabilities of the terminal, while a similar message to a foreman terminal with a full keyboard or a tablet touch screen display may include both more detail and a richer set of responses. To save bandwidth, common messages and responses can be pre-loaded onto the communication terminals so that many messages and responses can be transmitted using only the message identifier.
US09020686B2 Control apparatus for vehicular electric component
A sensor control apparatus connected to a gas sensor includes a microcomputer containing a ROM (first storage section), and an EEPROM (second storage section) independently of the ROM. The ROM stores an anomaly diagnosis program containing at least one type of anomaly determination process. The EEPROM stores one or more flags set so as to represent whether the corresponding anomaly determination process is valid or invalid. The states of the one or more flags can be readily changed from an externally connected PC. A CPU executes a series of processing steps of the anomaly determination processes, and then obtains a determination result thereof when the CPU determines that the anomaly determination process is valid, with reference to the one or more flags.
US09020685B2 Method of measuring contact failure and contact failure measuring device
In the disclosed method of measuring contact failure and contact failure measuring device, the magnitude of the excessive response fluctuation of the inductive magnetic field around a harness under measurement when an external force is applied to a terminal fitting part of the harness is detected by a magnetic sensor, and the result is displayed as an index of the quality of the contact state of the terminal fitting part.
US09020684B2 Method, system and computer programme product for monitoring the function of a safety monitoring system of a control unit
A computer-implemented method for monitoring the function of a safety monitoring system of a control unit of an actuator system of a motor vehicle, wherein it is checked by the function monitoring whether the safety monitoring is performed faultlessly, wherein the safety monitoring is carried out by a first monitoring entity and the function monitoring is carried out by a second monitoring entity, wherein the first monitoring entity sends a result of the safety monitoring as an information item to the second monitoring entity at defined time intervals, wherein the first monitoring entity and the second monitoring entity are free of a common interface, wherein the information item is received by the second monitoring entity by utilizing an interface between the second monitoring entity and the control unit, and wherein the information item is coded in a format which cannot be interpreted by the control unit.
US09020681B2 Display of navigation limits on an onboard display element of a vehicle
A method of displaying navigation limits for a planned travel route of a vehicle is presented here. The method calculates estimated navigation limits for the vehicle using an onboard subsystem of the vehicle, where the estimated navigation limits represent self-assessed navigation accuracy of the vehicle relative to the planned travel route. Contracted navigation limits are acquired for the vehicle, where the contracted navigation limits represent specified navigation accuracy of the vehicle, relative to the planned travel route, as mandated by a third party navigation controller. A navigation display is rendered on an onboard display element such that it includes graphical representations of the planned travel route, at least one of the estimated navigation limits, and at least one of the contracted navigation limits.
US09020678B2 Drive control device for a hybrid vehicle
A drive control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a differential device including four rotary elements; and an engine, first and second electric motors and an output rotary member which are respectively connected to the four rotary elements. One of the four rotary elements is constituted by a rotary component of a first differential mechanism and a rotary component of a second differential mechanism selectively connected through a clutch, and one of the rotary components is selectively fixed to a stationary member through a brake. The drive control device comprises a mode selecting operation device selecting an acceleration drive mode oriented to vehicle acceleration and a fuel efficiency drive mode oriented to fuel efficiency. When the acceleration drive mode is selected at the start of the vehicle, the vehicle starts in motor running or engine running in which a drive force is generated by operating the first electric motor and the second electric motor while when the fuel efficiency drive mode associated with a requirement for fuel efficiency is selected, the vehicle starts in motor running or engine running in which a drive force is generated by operating the first electric motor or the second electric motor. The drive control device has a first motor drive mode in which the second electric motor is used for running with the brake placed in an engaged state; a first engine drive mode in which the first electric motor is caused to generate a reaction torque while the second electric motor is caused to generate a drive force with the brake placed in an engaged state; a second motor drive mode in which the first electric motor and the second electric motor are used for running with the brake and the clutch placed in an engaged state; and a second engine drive mode in which the first electric motor and the second electric motor are caused to generate a reaction torque with the clutch placed in an engaged state. When the fuel efficiency drive mode is selected and the motor running is requested, the first motor drive mode is selected. When the fuel efficiency drive mode is selected and the engine running is requested, the first engine drive mode is selected. When the acceleration drive mode is selected and the motor running is requested, the second motor drive mode is selected. When the acceleration drive mode is selected and the engine running is requested, the second engine drive mode is selected.
US09020677B2 Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle
A control apparatus for a vehicle including a second clutch capable of switching between input and output shafts connecting state in which a motor-generation is connected. The control apparatus drives the wheels by the motor-generation so a torque transmitted to the wheels does not fluctuate in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when is in the output shaft connecting state of the second clutch, and synchronizes the input and output shafts at the gear shift by the motor-generation in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when the second clutch state is in the input shaft connecting state. The second clutch state is switched to the output shaft connecting state when a drive power to the vehicle is equal or less than a value. The second clutch state is switched to the input shaft connecting state when the drive power is greater than the value.
US09020676B2 Method and system for controlling drive torque of vehicle
A method and a system that control a drive torque of a vehicle in which there is a change in a torque of a predetermined magnitude when drive power of the vehicle enters a zone in which a predetermined maximum output is generated to allow a driver to feel that the drive power of the vehicle enters the maximum output zone during traveling. The method may include calculating, by a controller, a drive request torque of a vehicle and calculating drive power displayed on a drive power gauge of an instrument cluster based on the calculated drive request torque. In addition, the method may include adding, by the controller, a predetermined additional torque to the drive request torque when the calculated drive power displayed on the drive power gauge enters a predetermined zone of the drive power gauge.
US09020671B2 Vehicle control using an estimated outside air temperature
A vehicle includes a vehicle system, an outside air temperature (OAT) sensor, a clock, and a controller. The controller includes recorded garage temperatures and actual OAT profiles. At the key-on event, a controller-executed method includes recording an initial temperature reading from the OAT sensor and corresponding time of day from the clock. The controller determines whether the vehicle is in a garage using the profile of recorded temperatures and the time of day, and estimates an OAT for the corresponding time of day when the vehicle is in the garage. An operation of the vehicle system is controlled using the estimated OAT before the vehicle leaves the garage. The system may be a navigation system, and the operation may be modification of a calculated electric vehicle range. The system may be an HVAC or other system in another embodiment.
US09020669B2 Hybrid vehicle driver coach
An apparatus includes a deceleration definition module that interprets a target deceleration rate, a deceleration detection module that identifies a vehicle deceleration event, and a deceleration quality module that identifies a deceleration improvement opportunity in response to the target deceleration rate and the vehicle deceleration event. The apparatus further includes an operator feedback module that provides a specific operator guidance in response to the deceleration improvement opportunity.
US09020665B1 Winds aloft symbology presentation system, device, and method
A present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for presenting winds aloft symbology on an aircraft display unit are disclosed. Symbology image data representative of a plurality of sets of winds aloft symbologies may be generated as a function of flight plan data and weather data; flight plan data representative flight plan comprised of a plurality of waypoints may be received along with weather data representative of winds aloft data corresponding to each waypoint. Each set of winds aloft symbologies may be comprised of winds aloft symbology corresponding to each waypoint of the flight plan at a single altitude and symbolize winds aloft at that altitude. When provided to a display unit, each set of winds aloft symbologies represented in the symbology image data may be presented in a series of increasing or decreasing altitudes, where the series is presented sequentially or simultaneously.
US09020659B2 Dynamometer vehicle operating mode control
A vehicle and a method of controlling a dynamometer mode operation of a vehicle that includes requesting the dynamometer mode; monitoring for at least one non-dynamometer vehicle operating condition; if at least one of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, prohibiting dynamometer mode; and if none of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, operating the vehicle in dynamometer mode.
US09020657B2 Method for automated VIN acquisition and close proximity VIN verification
A new method for transmitting and receiving automated Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) and used for the verification of Vehicle Identification Numbers within close proximity of one or more vehicles simultaneously. Provides a new method for real time, on scene vehicle to vehicle information which are located within close proximity to each other for the purpose of transmitting and receiving Vehicle Identification Numbers, vehicle license plate information and owner information during vehicle to vehicle crashes, vehicle to pedestrian crashes, locating stolen vehicles, missing vehicles, crashed vehicles and stranded vehicles. The new inventive method comprises of Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) equipped vehicles for transmitting the vehicles 17 digit VIN and comprises of Computer Modem equipped vehicles or persons for receiving the vehicles 17 digit VIN.
US09020653B2 System and method for associating a load demand with a variable power generation
Systems and methods for associating a load demand with a variable power generation are described. A method of providing power from a renewable resource includes receiving a signal including an output capability value for a renewable variable power generation module. An input power demand value is calculated for a load demand module based on the output capability value of the received signal. A customer load is controlled on a power transmission and distribution grid based on the calculated input power demand value.
US09020651B2 Utilization start interval prediction device and utilization start interval prediction method
A prediction device for predicting a prediction interval being a time interval predicted with a high possibility of appliance utilization starts includes: an evaluation unit calculating, using utilization interval history data, an evaluation value for determining a prediction scheme for each appliance; a determination unit, based on the evaluation value at least for each appliance, determining at least one of a first and a second prediction scheme as the scheme of the prediction interval for the appliance, the first prediction scheme using a property that the appliance is utilized in a predetermined cycle, and the second prediction scheme using a property that the utilization of a second appliance being the appliance is started in a period from a start or an end of utilization of a first appliance being another appliance to a passage of a predetermined time; a prediction unit predicting a prediction interval according to the determined scheme.
US09020649B2 Method for real-time power management of a grid-tied microgrid to extend storage lifetime and reduce cost of energy
A management framework is disclosed that achieves maximum energy storage device lifetime based on energy storage device life estimation and the price of energy.
US09020640B2 Magnetic-anchored robotic system
A surgical system includes a manipulator, an implantable actuator and a controller. The manipulator includes a plurality of integrated sensor/actuators. The sensors of the sensor/actuators are adapted to detect movement about a plurality of axes of movement. The implantable actuator includes a plurality of joints providing a plurality of axes of movement. The controller is configured to receive information from the plurality of sensor/actuators that indicates movement of the manipulator about the plurality of axes and to cause the joints of the actuator to move along corresponding axes of movement. Each sensor/actuator of the manipulator detects movement about an axis of movement corresponding to a similar one of the joints of the actuator.
US09020639B2 Multimodal dynamic robotic systems
Robotic systems according to the invention include a frame or body with two or more wheels rotatably mounted on the frame or body and a motor for independently driving each wheel. A system controller generates a signal for actuating each motor based on information provided by one or more sensors in communication with the system controller for generating feedback signals for providing reactive actuation of the motors for generating one or more functions selected from the group consisting of forward motion, backward motion, climbing, hopping, balancing, throwing and catching. A power source is included for providing power to operate the drive motors, system controller and the one or more sensors.
US09020632B2 Storage, retrieval and sortation system
A material handling systems provides efficient storage, retrieval and sortation of articles, utilizing a plurality of carts capable of traveling under storage areas with a three dimensional warehouse system and on multiple levels. The carts may convey items from storage to a goods to operator user interface. The carts may function as decoupled sortation units capable of providing sortation at multiple mobile sortation locations, providing vertical sortation. Carts may include conveying surfaces, and sort articles from between carts. Carts may transport more than one article and a plurality of carts may transport a single article.
US09020628B2 Method and system for eliminating external piercing in NC cutting of nested parts
This invention pertains to machinery and methods for cutting a workpiece utilizing a cutting tool at least two parts having prescribed shapes from a metal plate comprising the steps of: identifying each of the parts by one or more contour lines; cutting a workpiece along one of the identifying contour lines into one of the parts; creating at least one path diversion, wherein the diversion has an associated bounded region or opportunity; cutting the workpiece along a contour line associated with the opportunity; resuming the cutting of the part along the identifying contour line with minimal damage to the part being cut; finishing the cutting of the part and then moving the cutting tool to the opportunity and hence to an associated adjacent identifying contour line and then repeating the process until all parts have been manufactured.
US09020623B2 Methods and apparatus to provide an infrared signal
Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide an infrared signal are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an infrared provider to receive a first signal from a first device. The first signal is analog and representative of a command. The example infrared provider is to linearly manipulate the first signal in analog form, wherein the manipulated signal remains analog. The example infrared provider is to relay the manipulated signal to a second device. The relayed manipulated signal is representative of the command and is indistinguishable from the first signal.
US09020622B2 Audio monitoring system and method of use
A method includes receiving audible sound signals such as the cries of a baby via a microphone of a monitor, and processing the signals to identify whether a predetermined acoustic signature is present. An alert may be generated when the predetermined acoustic signature is present. An information data signal such as a discrete data packet quantifies how closely the sounds match the predetermined signature, and is transmitted to a remote device. The server may aggregate these data packets over time and calculate a variance between the aggregated data packets and a baseline. A report may be generated describing the sound signals and variance. A monitoring system having the monitor and a server are also disclosed.
US09020621B1 Network based media enhancement function based on an identifier
A network based processing element for processing audio information improves the understanding of speech or music for intended listeners based on an identifier. The processing involves performing a media enhancement function, where a parameter affecting the utilization or performance aspects of the media enhancement function are dependent upon the identifier. A “media enhancement server” (MES) is included, whereby the audio of a telephone call, video call, multimedia program or other stream to be heard by a specific listener is processed using a personalized audio enhancement parameter to enhance the audio signal such that the listener will enjoy a benefit, such as better comprehension of the information, reduced listening effort, and more listening comfort during the call. The personalized parameters are stored and retrieved based upon the identifier, and used within the MES. The audio portion of the call or stream could be speech, music, or a combination.
US09020620B2 Recording apparatus and method for a storage medium exchange during recording
Recording devices are often used to record discussions, conferences, meetings and the like. The recorded information is reviewed or processed afterwards for example in order to prepare minutes or notes. The known state of the art proposes to use devices comprising two receptacles for tapes. But this solution adds cost to the recording devices, which will not be accepted from all potential buyers as only a small number of the buyers will actually use this functionality. A recording apparatus (1) for recording of audio signals is proposed comprising an external interface (6) for an exchangeable storage medium (7) and an intermediate memory device (5), whereby the recording apparatus (1) is realized to use the intermediate memory device (5) and the storage medium (7) for storing the audio signals, whereby the recording apparatus (1) is realized for an interruption-free storage of the audio-signals during a storage medium (7) exchange, wherein a first storage medium is exchanged by a second storage medium, whereby during the storage medium (7) exchange the audio signals are stored on the intermediate memory device (5) and whereby the audio signals stored on the intermediate memory device (5) are transferred to the second storage medium.
US09020613B2 Method and apparatus for robotically assisted cochlear implant surgery
A novel sensing system and methods for preventing damage to the cochlea during cochlear implant surgery are disclosed, using optical sensing to determine the distance of a stylet or the end of the implant itself from the interior wall of the scalar tympani. A variety of feedback methods are proposed to enable the surgeon to perform the procedure safely without damage to the basilar membrane or other delicate anatomic structures. Although a number of embodiments are disclosed, one preferred embodiment comprises a robotically manipulated end-effector.
US09020611B2 Leadless cardiac pacemaker with anti-unscrewing feature
A leadless cardiac pacemaker comprises a housing, a plurality of electrodes coupled to an outer surface of the housing, and a pulse delivery system hermetically contained within the housing and electrically coupled to the electrode plurality, the pulse delivery system configured for sourcing energy internal to the housing, generating and delivering electrical pulses to the electrode plurality. The pacemaker further comprises an anti-unscrewing feature disposed on either a fixation device of the pacemaker or on the housing itself. The anti-unscrewing feature can be configured to prevent the fixation device from disengaging the wall of the heart.
US09020610B2 Electrode system with shunt electrode
Electrode systems that may be used with implantable medical devices such as a pacemaker, in addition to one or more conventional electrodes, include a shunt electrode. Under ordinary conditions, the shunt electrode has very little effect upon the operation of the electrode system. When high frequency current is delivered to the electrode system, however, the electrode system shunts a large share of the high frequency current to the shunt electrode. The shunt electrode, which includes a conducting material surrounded by an insulating layer, dissipates heat that may be caused by the high frequency current.
US09020602B2 External device for communicating with an implantable medical device having data telemetry and charging integrated in a single housing
An improved embodiment of an external device for an implantable medical device system is described herein, where the external device has both circuitry for charging the implantable medical device and circuitry for telemetering data to and from the medical implant contained within a single housing. The external device in one embodiment includes orthogonal radiators in which both the radiators are used for data transfer, and in which at least one of the radiators is used for power transfer. Having charging and data telemetry circuitry fully integrated within a single external device conveniences both patient and clinician.
US09020600B2 Magnetic control of eyelid position
Methods, devices, and kits comprising a magnetic system for automation of blinking, or to provide temporary or permanent assistance with opening or closure of the eyelids to treat disorders of the eyelids, including lagophthalmos and ptosis.
US09020599B2 Combination therapy including peripheral nerve field stimulation
Delivery of peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) in combination with one or more other therapies is described. The other therapy delivered in combination with PNFS may be, for example, a different type of neurostimulation, such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS), or a drug. PNFS and the other therapy may be delivered simultaneously, in an alternating fashion, according to a schedule, and/or selectively, e.g., in response to a request received from a patient or clinician. A combination therapy that includes PNFS may be able to more completely address complex or multifocal pain than would be possible through delivery of either PNFS or other therapies alone. Further, the combination of PNFS with one or more other therapies may reduce the likelihood that neural accommodation will impair the perceived effectiveness PNFS or the other therapies.
US09020597B2 Device and implantation system for electrical stimulation of biological systems
The present specification discloses devices and methodologies for the treatment of GERD. Individuals with GERD may be treated by implanting a stimulation device within the patient's lower esophageal sphincter and applying electrical stimulation to the patient's lower esophageal sphincter, in accordance with certain predefined protocols. The presently disclosed devices have a simplified design because they do not require sensing systems capable of sensing when a person is engaged in a wet swallow, have improved energy storage requirements, enable improved LES function while concurrently delivering additional health benefits, and enable improved LES function post stimulation termination.
US09020594B2 Posture-induced changes to physiological parameters
Methods and devices for analyzing posture-induced changes to physiological parameters of a patient (e.g., ejection time, heart rate, etc.) to provide an assessment of one or more conditions of the patient.
US09020584B2 Method for the detection of subcutanous cardiac signals and a cardiac device for use in detecting subcutaneous cardiac signals
A cardiac device and method for detecting QRS signals within a composite heart signal of a body including providing at least two input heart signals via at least two separate input channels, wherein each of the at least two input heart signals is recorded by pairs of sensing electrodes that have one electrode in common and provided coincidental in time. The cardiac device and method include generating estimated signals from the input heart signals, combining the input heart signals and the estimated signals to a combined input stream (SECG), and detecting the QRS signal by comparing the combined input stream (SECG) to an adaptive detection threshold (ATHR) which adapts throughout time.
US09020583B2 Patient signal analysis and characterization
Disclosed herein is a framework for facilitating patient signal analysis. In accordance with one aspect, at least one region of interest within a cycle of a waveform of patient signal data is identified. The identified region of interest may be segmented into portions using amplitude percentage categories. A sequential morphological data series may be generated by compiling time intervals of the segmented portions. One or more sequential signal parameters may be calculated based on the sequential morphological data series. A report may then be generated based at least in part on the one or more sequential signal parameters.
US09020575B2 Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method
A apparatus includes an acquisition unit to acquire magnetic resonance data in every data group, a unit to control the acquisition unit to collect the data for one or a plurality of data groups during a collection period which is set based on a starting time phase of a cardiac cycle of the subject, a unit to determine the data among the data acquired by the acquisition unit as ineffective data if at least a part of it is related to a data group acquired during an ineffective period, and as effective data if all of it is related to a data group acquired during a period other than the ineffective period, the ineffective period being set based on an ending time point of the cardiac cycle in which the data is acquired, and a unit to reconstruct an image regarding the subject by using the effective data.
US09020574B2 Lead for an active implantable medical device with a chip for electrode multiplexing
A lead for active implantable medical devices comprising a chip, notably for electrode multiplexing. The lead (10) includes an insulating supporting tube (20) interposed in a flexible elongated tube, with a central bore (22) coaxial with the lumen of the lead. The supporting tube comprises on its surface at least one crossing conductive strip (28) extending in the axial direction. A chip (18) on a flexible substrate is disposed with a bent or curved conformation in a receptacle of the supporting tube isolated from the conductive strip. An electrode, e.g., for cardiac sensing/pacing, (16) on the supporting tube (20) is electrically connected to an outer conductive pad (24) of the chip. The conductive strip is connected (i) at each end (28b), face to face to a conductive connection (12), housed in the sheath, and (ii) in a central region (28a), to an inner conductive pad (26) of the chip.
US09020571B2 Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal includes a body having at least one predetermined flexible portion, a display provided in the body to output image information, an actuator provided in the body to transform a shape of the body from an original shape to a transformed shape and a controller configured to control the actuator to transform the shape of the body when a preset condition is satisfied.
US09020566B2 Vehicle on-board unit and mobile device linkage system
A system to link a mobile device with a vehicle on-board unit includes an interface section that allows communication between the mobile device and the on-board unit, a linkage determining section that, on the basis of information obtained by the interface section, determines whether or not the mobile device and the on-board unit are linked together, a vehicle travel determining section that determines whether or not the vehicle is in motion, an application start control section that starts a launcher application provided on the mobile device, the launcher application being configured to restrict use of a registered application of the mobile device while the vehicle is in motion, and an illumination control section that causes a screen of a display section of the mobile device turn off when the launcher application is started.
US09020564B2 Self-configuring small scale base station
A self-configuring mobile telecommunication base station is disclosed. A communication interface is configured to connect to an access network other than a mobile telecommunication network with which the base station is associated. A processor coupled to the communication interface is configured to establish a connection, at least in part via the access network, to an element associated with the mobile telecommunication network; receive via the access network an initialization data; and use the initialization data to configure the base station to provide access to mobile telecommunication services at least in part using a resource determined based at least in part on the initialization data.
US09020563B2 Mini base station connectable with internet and terminal
A mini base station connectable with the Internet including a frequency recognition unit to recognize a frequency band of an external signal transmitted from a cellular base station; and an operation frequency determination unit to determine an operation frequency band according to interference generated with the cellular base station based on the recognized frequency band of the external signal.
US09020562B2 Methods and apparatus for device applet management on smart cards
Methods and apparatus for device applet management on smart cards. A method includes detecting access to a smart card; reading a directory structure from the smart card that identifies one or more platform types, and for each platform type identifies corresponding device applets; determining from the directory structure one or more device applets associated with a selected platform type; and providing access to the one or more device applets. The apparatus comprises a processor for detecting access to a smart card, for reading a directory structure from the smart card that identifies one or more platform types, and for each platform type identifies corresponding device applets, for determining from the directory structure one or more device applets associated with a selected platform type, and for providing access to the one or more device applets.
US09020560B2 Method and device for managing contact card of mobile terminal
A method and a device are disclosed for managing a contact card of a mobile terminal, belonging to the mobile terminal field. The method includes: for every other preset period of time, extracting a communication event of a specific contact from a communication record of a mobile terminal; counting the number of the communication event of the specific contact according to a type of the communication event; and associating the specific contact with the communication event, so as to simultaneously display the number of the communication event of the contact when displaying the contact. A statistical result is displayed in a mobile phone contact card book, intuitively displaying a latest contact state, so that it is convenient for the user to process and maintain interpersonal communications, thereby enhancing and promoting communication and life for people.
US09020558B2 Wireless communication system, communication method, and base station
It is provided a wireless communication system comprising a terminal device and a base station. The terminal device includes a plurality of wireless transmitters, an antenna coupled to each of the wireless transmitters, and a controller generating a signal to be transmitted from the antenna. The base station includes a plurality of wireless receivers, an antenna coupled to each of the wireless receivers, and a controller. The terminal device holds a predetermined upper limit of power consumption. The base station changes at least one of a MIMO multiplexing number, a modulation system, and a coding rate so that communication is performed according to a communication system that can communicate at allowable transmission power of the terminal device in case where power consumption of the terminal device exceeds the upper limit upon performing the MIMO transmission at maximum transmission power according to the wireless standard.
US09020552B1 Background scan process for wireless devices
An apparatus includes a first wireless interface that includes a first antenna and a second wireless interface that includes a second antenna. The apparatus is configured to, in a first mode, exchange data with a first wireless access point using both the first wireless interface and the second wireless interface. The apparatus is configured to, in a second mode, (i) exchange data with the first wireless access point using the first wireless interface but not the second wireless interface, and (ii) scan for a second wireless access point using the second wireless interface.
US09020549B2 Configuration of pilot signals by network for enabling comp
Example embodiments described herein are directed to systems and methods by which a group of base stations (BS) can configure pilot signals in time and time-frequency, using interference management resources (IMR) and/or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resources, so that the user equipment (UE) such as mobiles and laptops can measure certain possible channel quality indicators (CQI) that correspond to specific channel and interference conditions that can arise during actual data submission. Using these values, example embodiments utilize an interpolation algorithm by which the group of base stations can estimate other possible CQI corresponding to a different set of channel and interference conditions.
US09020547B2 Method for synchronizing U-APSD trigger frames
A wireless LAN is comprised of a number of wired infrastructure devices, including at least one access point able to support a number of wireless communication devices configured to operate in the U-APSD mode. The wireless communications devices periodically contending for the wireless medium to transmit trigger messages to the access point and the access point responding by transmitting at least one frame of information. The wireless communications devices operate to synchronize the transmission of their trigger messages such that the possibility that the messages collide with one another is minimized.
US09020543B2 Method, base station and user equipment for reducing a cognitive pilot channel bandwidth
The invention relates to a method for reducing a Cognitive Pilot Channel (CPC) bandwidth used for transmitting lists of information to a plurality of meshes of a geographical area comprising at least one base station (4) covering n meshes to allow a User Equipment camping on a given mesh among said plurality of meshes to select an operator and/or an access technology and/or a communication frequency available in said given mesh.According to the invention, for a given mesh #i (i=2 to n), the base station transmits to said mesh #i an identifier of a predetermined reference mesh and the difference between the list of information intended for said given mesh and the list of information intended for said reference mesh.
US09020540B2 Method and apparatus for triggering and synchronizing machine type communication devices
Methods and apparatus for triggering and synchronizing a machine type communication (MTC) device are described. MTC devices may operate in a time controlled mode, where the MTC device attaches to a network at specified intervals to report to a network. The time controlled mode may include two time controlled cycles, a reporting cycle and a control cycle. Methods are also described for communicating the reporting and control cycles between the MTC device and the network or MTC server. These cycles may be communicated on an application layer, by an MTC server using an MTCsp interface or via MTC configuration. In addition, triggering cycles may be sent via the Non-Access-Stratum (NAS) layer by extending discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles or by allowing a network to send the cycles over a broadcast channel by defining new System information block (SIB) information.
US09020538B1 System and method for displaying surf information to a user
This disclosure relates to a system configured to display current surf information to a user on a device worn by the user, track physical surfing activity of the user across multiple surf sessions, and/or alert the user when current surf conditions match previously highly rated surf conditions and/or any user selected criteria based on surf/weather forecast data. The system may comprise a first device (a watch) worn by the user, a second device (the user's smartphone) associated with the user but physically separate and unconnected from the first device, external resources, and/or other components.
US09020531B1 Method and system for determining cell-sector location parameters based on neighbor status
Location information may be provided for a mobile station based on the serving area that is currently serving the mobile station. The location information may include a representative location (e.g., a centroid location of the serving area) and an uncertainty (e.g., a distance between the representative location and a boundary of the serving area). The representative location and uncertainty for a serving area may depend on the status of at least one neighboring area. For example, the effective size of a serving area may become larger when a neighboring area is heavily loaded or out of service. In an embodiment, a location server receives a request to locate a mobile station, selects a representative location and uncertainty for the serving area that is serving the mobile station based on the status of at least one neighboring area, and reports the representative location and uncertainty in response to the request.
US09020530B2 Location tracking of mobile phone using GPS function
A system, method, service and mobile device are disclosed for providing a location of the mobile device. The invention utilizes a mobile phone with a global positioning system (GPS) module which is located in a wireless network. A third party device is able to submit a location query to a mobile telephone service operator (MTSO). This location query includes the mobile phone's telephone number. Using the telephone number, the MTSO determines the base station with which the mobile phone is associated. The location query is then forwarded to the mobile phone via the base station. The mobile phone collects the GPS data from the GPS module and forwards the GPS data to the base station. The base station converts the GPS data to location information and forwards the location information to the third party device via the MTSO.
US09020526B1 Extensible tracking system
A system and method for an extensible tracking system. A set of autonomous tags detect their location such as via GPS and broadcast their location to other nearby tags. Using separate communication technology, each tag can also communicate with an associated user device such as a smart phone. The user device(s) provide a user interface for queries into the system. The broadcasts among all tracking devices insures no reliance on a single tracking device, and associating tags with a respective set of user devices eliminates reliance on a central system for tracking to locations of all tags.
US09020525B2 Method and system for mobile reference signature generation
A method and an apparatus for generating reference signatures in a cellular wireless communications system are provided. A first signature is obtained for a mobile communication unit at a first location. The first signature comprises first location information, a first timestamp, and radio frequency measurement information, but lacks identification information. The first signature is compared to signatures in a database, to identify a second signature having location information and a timestamp corresponding to the first location information and first timestamp. A reference signature is created by combining at least part of the first signature, such as the radio frequency information, with the second signature. The first signature is from an anonymized call. The second signature may be from an application operational on the communication unit, or from a social media website, and may comprise identification information for the communication unit or user.
US09020522B2 Method and system for optimizing uploading of location data for location based services
A mobile device may be operable to collect location data for a RF node and cache the collected location data in the mobile device. Resources that may be utilized for improving the uploading of the cached location data to a location server may be determined by the mobile device. The cached location data may be communicated, to the location server for updating a location database, by the mobile device utilizing the determined resources. The mobile device may determine and utilize an opportunistic transport based on a data usage and/or an access. The mobile device may store a subset of the location database locally for comparing with the cached location data for redundancy. The compared location data may be transmitted by the mobile device to the location server for updating the location database if the compared location data are not redundant data.
US09020516B2 Wireless communication system, base station device, mobile station device, and communication method
A reference signal specific to each base station device and a reference signal specific to each mobile station device are not mixed within one OFDM symbol of a resource block, and OFDM symbols including the reference signal specific to each mobile station device are arranged at regular intervals on a time axis. By using such a signal arrangement pattern, it is possible to overcome the problems in Non-Patent Document 1 mentioned above caused by mixing a reference signal specific to each base station device and a reference signal specific to each mobile station device in one OFDM symbol. Thus, it becomes possible to prevent the reference signal specific to each base station device and the reference signal specific to each mobile station device from being mixed within one OFDM symbol of a resource block.
US09020515B2 Communication system of performing uplink communication and downlink communication using overlapping radio resource
A communication system performs an uplink communication and a downlink communication using respective radio resources that at least partially overlap each other in both time and frequency, which may cause interference to occur in at least one downlink terminal due to at least one uplink terminal. The at least one uplink terminal and the at least one downlink terminal may process the interference according to a rate split scheme, an interference control scheme, and the like. Interference occurring between at least one transmit antenna and at least one receive antenna of a base station may be processed according to an echo cancellation scheme and the like.
US09020514B2 Multi-cell network including communication device scheduling outer cell frequency resource and method for same
A communication device, base station, terminal, and method for a multi-cell network include a scheduler configured to generate outer cell scheduling information by scheduling outer cell frequency resources for outer terminals in outer cells of a plurality of cells, and a scheduling information provider configured to provide the outer cell scheduling information to the plurality of cells.
US09020513B2 Mobile communication system, radio base station apparatus, cell area cooperative control method and program
A mobile communication system comprises: a first radio base station apparatus transmitting, after recovering from a service halt state and before starting to execute a stepwise cell area expansion, a notification including an instruction for a cell area reduction corresponding to the cell area expansion to a neighboring second radio base station apparatus; and a second radio base station apparatus reducing a cell area that has been expanded during the service halt state of the first radio base station apparatus, in accordance with the instruction for a cell area reduction included in the notification transmitted from the first radio base station apparatus.
US09020509B1 Dynamic Qrxlevmin and Sintrasearch values to optimize intra- and inter-frequency handovers in LTE
A method and system are provided for dynamically changing Qrxlevmin and Sintrasearch values in a LTE network. An eNodeB sets the Qrxlevmin and Sintrasearch values for each mobile device. The Qrxlevmin value and Sintrasearch value are changed based on RF conditions and a velocity of the mobile device. A lower Qrxlevmin value coupled with a higher Sintrasearch value increases a search period to locate better performing neighboring cells and reduces the chance of handing down from the LTE network to a non-LTE network.
US09020507B2 Radio access technology multiplexing
A method of operating a network element of a wireless communication network is provided, wherein the network element is capable of communicating with a user equipment via at least two different communication technologies. The method includes communicating data between the user equipment and the network element by using a first communication technology and communicating the data between the network element and a further network element by using a second communication technology different from the first communication technology.
US09020506B2 Base station controller, base station and communication method
A base station controller that manages a plurality of cells includes a receiving part configured to receive, from another base station controller that manages a cell sharing a communication area with each of the plurality of cells, identification information of a cell group to which a cell formed by a base station of connection destination candidate of a mobile station connected to a base station under control of the another base station controller belongs, and a control part configured to exercise control to transmit a message requesting connection to the mobile station to each base station forming the cells contained in the cell group.
US09020504B1 Conditioning registration in a radio access network on detecting coverage of other radio access network
A method and corresponding apparatus to help avoid a scenario where a wireless communication device registers within a first radio access network (RAN) but then fails to transition from that first RAN to engage in a communication on a second RAN. When a WCD detects coverage of the first RAN, the WCD may condition its registration with the first RAN on the WCD also being within coverage of the second RAN.
US09020492B2 Mobile communication system, communication control apparatus, communication control method and wireless base station
A mobile communication system including: a first wireless base station; a second wireless base station located within a service area of the first wireless base station and configured to have a service area smaller than the service area of the first wireless base station; a wireless terminal configured to couple to the first or second wireless base stations; and a communication control apparatus; wherein the communication control apparatus controls adjustment of communication parameters of the first wireless base station, instructs the second wireless base station whose communication parameters have been changed to measure a wireless quality of the first wireless base station when changes to the communication parameters of the first wireless base station have occurred, obtains the wireless quality measured by the second wireless base station, and determines whether the communication parameters of the first wireless base station were adjusted based on the wireless quality.
US09020491B2 Sharing applications/media between car and phone (hydroid)
Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to generate a vehicle communication system. The vehicle communication system can determine which devices are within the vehicle. From this determination, the vehicle communication system may create a universal bus and hotspot where applications, data, multimedia information, and resources can be shared both with the vehicle and with the other devices in the vehicle.
US09020483B1 Setting voice and data priority using a registration message
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for setting voice and data priority using a registration message. According to some embodiments, a processor that executes a voice and data priority application can determine a class of device associated with a communication device, a capability indicator that indicates if the communication device is capable of transmitting data communications and if the communication device is capable of transmitting voice communications, and a priority indicator that indicates if data communications are to be prioritized over voice communications for the communication device. The processor also can generate a voice and data priority indicator that indicates the class of device, the capability indicator, and the priority indicator, and save the voice and data priority indicator at a memory associated with the communication device. The communication device can be configured to generate a registration message that includes the voice and data indicator when registering with a network.
US09020482B2 Preventing driver distraction
In some embodiments, a processor-implemented method for disabling at least one text application on a mobile device may comprise: processing an image captured in a vehicle by a mobile device to identify a seat belt in the image; determining a slope of the seat belt relative to a horizon, wherein the horizon is determined using information pertaining to a position and an orientation of the mobile device relative to a frame of reference at a time when the image was captured; determining a speed of the mobile device; and disabling at least one text application on a mobile device based, on the slope of the seat belt and the speed of the mobile device.
US09020474B2 System and method for wireless network management
A system and method for wireless network management, for managing wireless access technology and available resources of plural wireless networks. The wireless network management system includes: an information interaction module for collecting wireless network relevant information; a service discovery module for discovering service demands of the wireless networks to generate a set of service demand networks; and an analysis and decision module for determining a new wireless network configuration by merging networks and/or partitioning a network group, wherein the information interaction module is also used for distributing the new wireless network configuration to the wireless networks to allow these to carry out system reconfiguration. With the system and method, cooperative and competitive relationships between wireless networks can be adjusted to enable the networks to adapt to dynamic change of user distribution and resource demands thereof more flexibly and quickly, thereby achieving effective utilization of resources.
US09020464B2 Counter-based limitation of subscriber charging inaccuracy
Disclosed techniques limit or reduce the amount of data for which a subscriber may be charged that may not actually be received at the subscriber's mobile device. A counter may be started when a node has data to be delivered to a mobile device. The node may send the data through a radio access network for delivery to the mobile device and record an amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes while running the counter, until the counter reaches a predetermined value. When the counter reaches the predetermined value, if no traffic channel has been set up with the mobile device, the node will stop recording the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.
US09020461B2 System and method for providing radio communication in a land mobile radio system
The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing radio communication at a scene, such as a fire or security scene, in an LMR system. The scene may include responder radios located within a building structure and a commander radio stationed outside, wherein the commander radio is in communication with the responder radios. Users operating the commander radio and responder radios cooperate by performing different, yet related, tasks at the scene. Therefore, the commander radio may be assigned a first set of features for communicating with responder radios, and responder radios may be assigned a second set of features for communicating with the commander radio. Some features of the system may include: locking one or more radio keys or radio knob settings, transmitting or receiving evacuation alerts, automatic switching between analog and digital communication, providing audible RSSI, indicating communication status of the radio, and providing out of range notification.
US09020459B2 Power saving receiver circuits, systems and processes
An electronic circuit includes a receiver circuit (BSP) operable to perform coherent summations having a coherent summations time interval, and a power control circuit (2130) coupled to said receiver circuit (BSP) and operable to impress a power controlling duty cycle (TON, TOFF) on the receiver circuit (BSP) inside the coherent summations time interval. Other circuits, devices, systems, methods of operation and processes of manufacture are also disclosed.
US09020455B1 Power control system for a receiver chain in a transceiver
A transceiver may include an antenna tuning control system operably associated with an antenna tuner to control the current power levels of the transmission signal and the receive signal. The antenna tuner control system may receive transmit power control (TPC) information, which was transmitted to the transceiver from a base station on the receive signal. The TPC information may be utilized to change the current power level of the transmission signal to a desired transmission power level. In addition, the antenna tuner control system may generate receive power control (RPC) information. The RPC information may be utilized to change the current power level of the receive signal to a desired receive power level. The antenna tuner control system is operable to adjust the pass band in accordance with the TPC information and the RPC information.
US09020452B2 Envelope power supply calibration of a multi-mode radio frequency power amplifier
The present disclosure relates to envelope power supply calibration of a multi-mode RF power amplifier (PA) to ensure adequate headroom when operating using one of multiple communications modes. The communications modes may include multiple modulation modes, a half-duplex mode, a full-duplex mode, or any combination thereof. As such, each communications mode may have specific peak-to-average power and linearity requirements for the multi-mode RF PA. As a result, each communications mode may have corresponding envelope power supply headroom requirements. The calibration may include determining a saturation operating constraint based on calibration data obtained during saturated operation of the multi-mode RF PA. During operation of the multi-mode RF PA, the envelope power supply may be restricted to provide a minimum allowable magnitude based on an RF signal level of the multi-mode RF PA, the communications mode, and the saturation operating constraint to provide adequate headroom.
US09020447B2 Electronic devices, methods, and computer program products for making a change to an antenna element based on a power level of a transmission power amplifier
A method of operating an electronic device includes providing a plurality of antenna elements, determining that a change is to be made to at least one of the plurality of antenna elements, and scheduling the change to the at least one of the plurality of antenna elements during a time interval that a transmission power amplifier has a power level below a threshold. The change to the at least one of the plurality of antenna elements may also be made responsive to a reduction to the power level of the transmission power amplifier below the threshold.
US09020444B2 Closed-loop multiple-input-multiple-output scheme for wireless communication based on hierarchical feedback
The present invention provides methods implemented in a base station having a plurality of antennas and one or more user terminals. One embodiment of the method includes receiving feedback from at least one user in response to transmitting a first frame to said at least one user. The first frame is formed by pre-coding at least one symbol using at least one first code word selected from at least one first code book associated with the at least one user. The method also includes transmitting at least one second frame to the user(s). The second frame(s) are pre-coded using at least one second codeword selected from at least one second codebook. The second codebook(s) determined based on the feedback and the first codeword(s).
US09020441B2 Signal transfer time measurement apparatus
A signal transfer time measurement apparatus measures a transfer time of a signal transmitted from a base station and returned via a terminal to the base station. The signal transfer time measurement apparatus includes a signal processor that divides the signal into a plurality of frequency bands and transmits the signal in the plurality of frequency bands.
US09020439B1 Reducing calibration testing time
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method directed towards applying an average radio calibration result obtained from one or more units of a manufacturing order to another unit of the manufacturing order and performing a verification test on the other unit to determine whether the other unit is calibrated to a pre-determined specification. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09020438B2 Data transmission method and system
The present invention provides a data transmission method and system, where the method is used in a system architecture adopting a virtual heterogeneous network, where a macro base station covering a macro-cell and a pico base station covering a pico-cell share the same station address. The method includes the following step: sending control information and data information to user terminals in the macro-cell and the pico-cell according to location information of the user terminals so that the user terminals obtain the data information according to the control information. The system includes a sending module. The present invention implements joint scheduling of resources between a macro base station and a pico base station, reduces interference between cells, and maximally improves an overall data rate.
US09020435B2 System and method for automated pairing between remote control and controllable device
In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with remote control of media devices. In embodiments, a remote control and a content player may be configured to facilitate a secured pairing process. The remote control may be configured to send non-secured signals (such as through an IR transmitter) as well as send and receive secured signals (such as via Bluetooth™ using an RF transceiver). The remote control, in response to being turned on or asked to pair, may send a pairing request to the player that includes an identifier for the remote control and which identifies the remote control as an eligible pairing device without requiring separate entry of a security code by a user. The remote control and player may then perform a pairing process without requiring additional action on the part of a user. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09020431B2 Methods and apparatus to obtain transaction information
Methods and apparatus to obtain transaction information are described. One example method includes conducting a transaction using a proximity-based communication link, storing information related to the transaction in a database of a mobile device, identifying a service based on the information, querying the service from the mobile device, wherein the query is based on the information, and obtaining detail of the transaction from the service based on the information. Other implementations are possible.
US09020430B2 Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products for energy management of short-range communication modules in mobile terminal devices
The methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products provide for sensing a magnetic field, emitted by a short-range communication source, to activate short-range communication modules in a mobile terminal. In addition to sensing the magnetic field, the terminal may rely on other parameters, such as operational state of the terminal, contextual information and the like, to determine if the short-range communication module should be activated. As such, the invention reduces the overall power consumption of the terminal by limiting the active state of the short-range communication module. By conserving power the mobile terminal is capable of operating for longer periods of time without requiring charging or replacement of the power supply.
US09020429B2 Media data sharing between media processing devices
A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.
US09020427B2 Point of sale device and method for operating same
A point of sale device including an LCD display, a contactless payment antenna arranged in propinquity to the LCD display, LCD control circuitry and contactless communication circuitry associated with the contactless payment antenna, the LCD control circuitry and the contactless communication circuitry operating at least partially in time coordination with each other in order to prevent interference therebetween.
US09020426B2 Wireless communications system providing wireless message data delivery through intermediary wireless communications device and related methods
A wireless communications system may include a plurality of wireless communications devices (WCDs). A source WCD from among the plurality of WCDs may be configured to designate message data for at least one target WCD from among the plurality of WCDs, where the message data has a security restriction associated therewith. At least one intermediary WCD from among the plurality of WCDs may be configured to wirelessly receive the message data from the source WCD when in proximity thereto, and with restricted access to the message data based upon the security restriction. The at least one target WCD may be configured to wirelessly receive the message data from the at least one intermediary WCD when in proximity thereto and with less access restriction to the message data than the at least one intermediary WCD.
US09020425B2 Communication devices having controlled impedances
A NFC communications enabled device has a data store to store data, an inductive coupler to couple inductively with the magnetic field of a radio frequency signal and a signal supplier to supply a radio frequency signal to the inductive coupler. A modulator modulates a radio frequency signal in accordance with data and a demodulator extracts data from a modulated radio frequency signal inductively coupled to the coupler. A controller enables the NFC communications enabled device both to initiate near field radio frequency communication with another near field RF communicator and to respond to near field radio frequency communication initiated by another near field RF communicator. The inductive coupler has an antenna and a variable impedance element. The controller is configured to control the variable impedance element to control a magnetic field strength associated with a radio frequency signal supplied by the signal supplier.
US09020424B2 NFC device combining components of antenna driver and shunt regulator
Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to produce smaller, more compact antenna drivers at a reduced cost. Systems and methods for integrating components of an antenna driver with components of a shunt regulator and clamp are provided. By combining these components according to embodiments of the present disclosure, transistor count in an antenna driver can be reduced. This integrated device advantageously allows antenna driver functionality, regulator functionality, and clamp control functionality to be provided at a reduced manufacturing cost and with reduced real estate.
US09020423B2 Method and system for managing multiple applications in near field communication
A method and system for handling a plurality of applications in a Near Field Communication (NFC) device is provided. The method is performed at a NFC Controller (NFCC). The method includes storing a source host identity (ID), a destination host ID and a link ID associated with each application from one or more applications. The method also includes managing the one or more applications simultaneously based on the source host ID, the destination host ID and the link ID stored in the NFCC.
US09020422B2 Directional communication technique for systems with stations having multiple antennas or multiple antenna subassemblies
A system includes a plurality of stations capable of communicating with each other. A station of the system may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies. The station is operable to activate one or more of the subassemblies to determine a direction of a first incoming signal, and to then activate another one or more of the subassemblies to receive a second incoming signal from substantially the same direction. Alternatively, the station may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies and operable to activate each of the subassemblies for a respective interval to service at least one respective transmitting station covered by the activated subassembly during the interval.
US09020418B2 Methods and apparatus related to a repeater
In one general aspect, a repeater can include an input terminal configured to be coupled to a first portion of a MIPI signal path. The MIPI signal path being a unidirectional path between a receiver and a transmitter, the input terminal configured to receive a set of signals from the receiver via the MIPI signal path. The repeater can include an output terminal configured to be coupled to a second portion of the MIPI signal path, the first portion of the MIPI signal path and the second portion of the MIPI signal path having a combined distance greater than 30 centimeters.
US09020414B2 Optimizing operation of a radio program
Exemplary embodiments provide for optimizing operation of a radio program operated by a host process. Aspects include analyzing the contextual information received from the plurality of client devices participating in the radio program and enabling enable the host process to manage the participation of the plurality of client devices based at least in part on the contextual information.
US09020411B2 Toner recovery device and image forming apparatus having the toner recovery device
A toner recovery device includes a toner recovery container that recovers toner; and a toner conveying shaft member that is provided inside the toner recovery container and conveys toner in a axial direction of the toner conveying shaft member by the rotation around a rotational axis of the toner conveying shaft member and that has a spiral groove formed around the rotational axis and an outer peripheral surface whose distance from the rotational axis is variable.
US09020405B2 Bias member for the doctor blade of the developer unit in an imaging Device
A doctor blade assembly for the developer unit of an electrophotographic imaging system. The doctor blade assembly includes a blade member having a first longitudinal edge for contacting a developer roll of an imaging system; a bracket member operatively connected to the blade member; and at least one bias member having a first end portion along a first longitudinal end portion of the bracket member and a second end portion contacting a distal portion of the blade member so as to present a force thereon. The force presented by the bias member serves as a counterforce to at least partly offset a force presented on the doctor blade and developer roll by a seal member of the developer unit.
US09020404B2 Developing unit containing multiple supply rollers and image forming apparatus using the same
A developing unit includes a toner storage portion for containing toner and a development portion for containing the toner supplied from the toner storage portion. The development portion includes a developing roller for supplying the toner to a photosensitive body, a supply roller and an auxiliary supply roller. The supply roller and the auxiliary supply roller rotate while facing each other to supply the toner to the developing roller. In the developing unit, an inequality that |D−(R1+R2)|≦1.0 mm is satisfied, where a distance between the centers of the auxiliary supply roller and the supply roller in a region where the auxiliary supply roller and the supply roller face each other is D, a radius of the supply roller is R1, and a radius of the auxiliary supply roller is R2.
US09020403B2 Developing device
A developing device includes a developing sleeve for carrying a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, a magnet for carrying the developer on the sleeve, and a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the sleeve. Magnetic poles of the magnet are disposed so that a circumferential direction component of a magnetic force acting on a magnetic carrier of the developer contacting at least a part of an upstream regulating surface of the regulating member with respect to the direction of rotation of the sleeve is opposite from the direction of the rotation.
US09020400B2 Image forming apparatus for forming a measurement image
An image forming apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to irradiate a measurement image with light, and measure the light reflected from the measurement image, a white reference plate disposed in a position opposite to the measurement unit, a correction unit configured to correct a measurement result of the measurement image, based on a measurement result of the white reference plate acquired by the measurement unit, and a temperature detection unit configured to detect temperature in a vicinity of the measurement unit, wherein the correction unit corrects, in a case where a difference between a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit and a temperature shown when previously measuring the white reference plate is less than a predetermined value, a measurement result of the measurement image using a previous measurement result of the white reference plate without measuring the white reference plate with the measurement unit.
US09020398B2 Developing cartridge including developing gear cover
A developing cartridge includes: a housing having first and second sidewalls through which respective end portions of a developing roller shaft are rotatably inserted; a developing gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which is fixed to the end portion of the developing roller shaft; a transmission gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which transmits driving force to the developing gear; a first cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the transmission gear; and a second cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the developing gear from an outer side in the axis line direction. The second cover member is formed separately from the first cover member and is arranged side by side with the first cover member outside of the first sidewall.
US09020393B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a housing having an opening; a drawer member to support photosensitive drums disposed to have intervals therebetween to be parallel with each other and to be movable in an arrangement direction of the photosensitive drums such that the drawer member moves between an attached position where the drawer member is attached in the housing and a drawn position where the drawer member is drawn to an outside of the housing; and a presser member that is provided in the housing and is configured to press the drawer member toward one side in an axial direction each photosensitive drum, wherein the presser member presses a downstream end part of the drawer member defined in a moving direction of the drawer member, at a position overlapping with the photosensitive drums in the arrangement direction, in a state where the drawer member is at the attached position.
US09020387B2 Photosensitive drum and image forming apparatus having the same
A photosensitive drum has a drum sleeve and a pair of drum flanges. At least one of the pair of drum flanges each has a flange part, a retaining part, and a linking part. The flange part is fitted to the drum sleeve. The retaining part, which is located inward of the flange part in the axial direction of the drum sleeve, pivotably supports a shaft that rotates the photosensitive drum. Openings are formed between the flange part and the retaining part in a direction intersecting the axial direction. An air flow enters the interior of the photosensitive drum from the openings.
US09020386B2 Image forming apparatus with blow-off port facing bottom portion of the image scanning section
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a housing, an image scanning section, an airflow generation section, a guiding air path, and a blow-off port. The image forming section forms an image on a sheet. The housing accommodates the image forming section therein. The image scanning section has a bottom portion and is disposed above the housing. The airflow generation section generates an airflow inside the housing. The guiding air path guides the airflow upward inside the housing. The blow-off port is communicated with the guiding air path and arranged so as to face the bottom portion of the image scanning section.
US09020377B2 Image forming with abnormity detection
An image forming apparatus which includes a color detection unit that emits a light to a color material and a reference plate on a printing material and detects the reflected light and corrects an amount of the color material upon image forming based on a detection result, comprises: a storage unit that stores, in advance, the detection result of each of the color material and the reference plate detected; and a blot detection unit that estimates the detection result for the reference plate based on a relationship between a stored reference value of each of the color material and the reference plate and the detection result of the color material, and if a difference between the estimated detection result and the detection result of the reference plate is larger than a predetermined value, detects presence of a blot.
US09020373B2 Informing a user of an environmental load from an image forming apparatus based at least in part on a probability of a paper jam
A computer performs the following processing: calculating a probability that a machine fails in work applied to a printed matter; calculating, as a production environmental load value, a value including a printing environmental load value, a paper environmental load value, a product of the probability and a re-printing environmental load value, and a product of the probability and the paper environmental load value, the printing environmental load value representing a degree of load put on the environment resulting from printing onto paper used for the printed matter, the paper environment load value representing a degree of load put on an environment resulting from production of the paper, the re-printing environmental load value representing a degree of load put on the environment until the printing unit has conducted printing again since the machine failed in the work; and displaying the production environmental load value on the display.
US09020372B2 Image forming apparatus capable of reducing recovery printing time
An image forming apparatus capable of properly reducing recovery printing time, while reducing abrasion and deterioration of image bearing members. As an image formation mode determining method, a first method is selected before a print job is interrupted e.g. a jam, whereas for recovery printing, one of the first method and a second method is selected. In the first method, if an image to be formed is a color image, an image formation mode is set to an all-contact mode having an intermediate transfer belt brought into contact with all of photosensitive members, and if the image is a monochrome image, the mode is set to a partial-contact mode having the belt brought into contact only with a photosensitive member for black toner. In the second method, the mode is set to the all-contact mode for all pages on which image formation is to be performed.
US09020371B2 Printing
An embodiment of this disclosure involves printing color outputs on sheets, reading the color outputs and adjusting a calibration parameter.
US09020370B2 Image forming apparatus capable of determining type of cartridge mounted therein based on detection of a detection portion of the cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes: a cartridge; a drive source; a detection unit; and a control device. The cartridge includes a movable member provided with a detected portion and configured to move by a predetermined moving amount. The drive source generates a rotation as a drive force and transmits the drive force to the movable member. The drive source includes a rotation amount detection unit that detects a rotation amount of the drive source and outputs a first detection result. The detection unit detects the detected portion and outputs a second detection result. The control device executes: a calculation process configured to calculate the rotation amount of the drive source during a time period of detecting the detected portion based on the first detection result and the second detection result; and a cartridge type determination process configured to determine a type of the cartridge based on the calculated rotation amount.
US09020366B2 Polarization multiplexing optical receiving device and polarization multiplexing optical receiving method
Provided are a polarization multiplexing optical receiving device and a polarization multiplexing optical receiving method with which a mismatch of optical intensity between polarized signals accumulated in an optical transmission path of an optical receiving system can be compensated with high precision, and a high-quality polarized optical signal can be received.A polarization multiplexing optical receiving device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor optical element for adjusting the optical signal intensity of each of a TE mode and a TM mode of a polarization-multiplexed optical signal; a polarization beam splitter for spectrally separating the polarization-multiplexed optical signal into the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal; and a control circuit for calculating the optical intensity ratio between the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal, which have had the optical signal intensity thereof adjusted by the semiconductor optical element and which have been spectrally separated by the polarization beam splitter, and for performing feedback control of the semiconductor optical element so that the calculated optical intensity ratio reaches a desired value.
US09020361B2 Optical signal transmitter, and bias voltage control method
An optical signal transmitter of the present invention includes: two phase modulating portions; a phase shifter which displaces carrier phases of two output lights from the phase modulating portions by π/2; a multiplexing portion which multiplexes two signal lights, carrier phases of the two signal lights being made orthogonal to each other by the phase shifter; a drive signal electrode portion which supplies a differential data signal to each of four paths of interference optical waveguides, each of the two phase modulating portions having the interference optical waveguides, the differential data signal having an amplitude which is equal to a half-wave voltage Vπ of the two phase modulating portions; a drive amplifier which amplifies the differential data signal to be supplied to each of the four paths of the interference optical waveguides; a data bias electrode portion which supplies a total of four data bias voltages to two arms, each of the two phase modulating portions having the two arms; an orthogonal bias electrode portion which supplies an orthogonal bias voltage to the phase shifter; a data bias power supply portion that adjusts delay times in the two phase modulating portions by applying the data bias voltages to the data bias electrode portion; an orthogonal bias power supply portion that adjusts a delay amount relative to a light output from at least one of the two phase modulating portions by applying the orthogonal bias voltage to the orthogonal bias electrode portion; a dither signal adding portion that adds a dither signal to at most three of the four data bias voltages; a dither detecting portion which detects a wave that is n-times a dither component from an output of the multiplexing portion (where n is an integer equal to or greater than one); and an orthogonal bias control portion which feeds back a detection result of the dither detecting portion to the orthogonal bias power supply portion. The orthogonal bias power supply portion adjusts the delay amount relative to the light output from at least one of the two phase modulating portions by controlling the orthogonal bias voltage to be applied to the orthogonal bias electrode portion based on feedback from the orthogonal bias control portion.
US09020360B2 Techniques for single sideband suppressed carrier (SSBSC) optical signals that scale to bandwidths over 20 gigahertz
A method and apparatus includes an optical source for a single order single-sideband suppressed-carrier optical signal with a bandwidth that scales from over 1 gigaHertz to greater than 20 gigaHertz. In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a stable laser source configured to output an optical carrier signal at a carrier frequency. The apparatus includes a radio frequency electrical source configured to output an electrical radio frequency signal with a radio frequency bandwidth less than one octave. The apparatus also includes an optical modulator configured to output an optical signal with the optical carrier signal modulated by the radio frequency signal in a plurality of orders of optical frequency sidebands. The apparatus further includes an optical filter configured to pass one single order optical frequency sideband of the optical signal.
US09020356B2 Polarization multiplexed short distance connection
A network device may include a polarizing multiplexing transmitter, a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber, and a polarizing demultiplexing receiver. The polarizing multiplexing transmitter may generate an optical signal, split the optical signal into a first and a second split optical signal, and modulate the split optical signals based on electrical signals to form first and second modulated optical signals. The polarizing multiplexing transmitter may polarization multiplex the first and second modulated optical signals to form a polarization multiplexed signal and transmit the polarization multiplexed signal via the PM fiber to the polarizing demultiplexing receiver. The polarizing demultiplexing receiver may polarization demultiplex the polarization multiplexed signal to form the first and second modulated optical signals and directly detect the first and the second split optical signal from the first and second modulated optical signals. The polarizing demultiplexing receiver may convert the first and the second split optical signal to the electrical signals.
US09020354B2 Apparatus, systems and methods for compensating infrared noise in an electronic system
Remote control signal detection systems and methods are operable to compensate detected infrared energy to identify an infrared energy communication signal emitted by a remote control. An exemplary embodiment detects first infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is absent in the first infrared energy; determines compensation based on the first infrared energy; detects second infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is present in the second infrared energy; and compensates the second infrared energy based on the determined compensation.
US09020350B2 Optical spectrum recovery
The invention is directed to systems and methods for re-arranging optical spectrum utilization so that unallocated portions of the spectrum may be made contiguous. Rearrangement of optical spectrum is accomplished by moving a channel from its initial spectral location to a targeted spectral location by reserving additional spectrum for that channel that at least includes the targeted spectral location, shifting the channel to the targeted location and then collapsing the reserved spectrum around the targeted location to cover the minimal required spectrum for the channel allocation of the channel. In some cases, a secondary channel can be used as an alternate source to carry user traffic while the first channel is shifted to the targeted location.
US09020349B2 Arrangement at a remote node, a remote node, a central office and respective methods therein for supervision of a wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network
An arrangement at a Remote Node, a Remote Node, a Central Office, a WDM-PON and a method in an arrangement at a Remote Node, and a method in a Central Office are provided for supervision of the WDM-PON. The arrangement comprises at least one filter connected to the feeder fiber links and adapted to separate a data signal and an original OTDR signal received on either of the feeder fiber links. Further, the arrangement comprises a first splitter adapted to receive, from the at least one filter, the original OTDR signal, to split the original OTDR signal into a plurality of OTDR sub-signals and to output, to an N*M AWG, the plurality of OTDR sub-signals. The at least one filter is further adapted to output the original OTDR signal to the first splitter and to output the data signal to the AWG, thereby enabling supervision of the WDM-PON.
US09020342B2 Transmission control apparatus improved in transmission efficiency of downstream data
In a transmission control apparatus, connected communication devices are detected to find round trip time of transmission to each of the detected communication devices, and the order of each communication device is determined on the basis of the round trip time of transmission to that communication device depending upon the distance thereto. On the basis of the round trip times of transmission to, and the orders of, the communication devices, transmission wait times are determined for delaying transmission of control signals from the communication devices to notify the communication devices of the transmission wait times. When starting communication with the communication devices, timer start signals prompting the communication devices to start counting the transmission wait time are transmitted to the communication devices.
US09020340B2 Optical packet switching system
An optical packet switching system includes a plurality of network elements for transmitting and receiving optical packet signals. Each network element includes an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) acquiring unit for acquiring the OSNR of each optical packet signal, an average value calculating unit for calculating the average value of the OSNRs of optical packet signals received within a predetermined time duration for each of the plurality of source network elements, and a difference information transmitter for calculating the difference between the calculated average value of the OSNRs and a target value of the OSNRs and then transmitting the difference to a network element corresponding to the difference. A source network element that has received the difference information adjusts the characteristics of an optical packet signal to be transmitted in a manner such that the difference is reduced.
US09020337B2 Receiver and failure detection method for receiver
A local oscillation light source outputs locally-oscillated light. An light receiving unit phase-separates an input optical signal by making the optical signal interfere with the locally-oscillated light and outputs an analog electric signal corresponding to the phase-separated optical signal. An analog-to-digital converting unit converts the analog electric signal into a digital signal. A processing unit performs digital signal processing by using the digital signal. A failure detection unit determines whether or not the optical signal is being input to the light receiving unit, or detects a failure in the light receiving unit, the analog-to-digital converting unit or the processing unit based on light intensity of the optical signal, whether or not the analog electric signal can be generated in the light receiving unit, and an amplitude of the analog electric signal output from the light receiving unit.
US09020335B2 Camera hold fast accessory clip
An accessory clip is shown which can be used to provide an attachment point for an associated strap for carrying an object by the strap. The accessory clip has a base with an inner planar surface and an outer planar surface separated by a thickness which forms a sidewall for the clip. A bail element is attached to the sidewall and can move relative to the clip base. A carrying strap can be attached to the bail element. The accessory clip has a threaded shaft which extends outwardly from the base inner planar surface. The threaded shaft has a thru bore provided therein which transverses the threaded shaft at a generally right angle thereto, the thru bore being filled with a resilient plastic material which protrudes slightly at either of two opposite ends of the thru bore. The resilient plastic material helps to secure the threaded shaft within a mating threaded receptacle of an object to be carried.
US09020334B1 Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an anti-shake system provided with a guide portion which guides a movable frame, supporting a front lens element, to linearly move and rotate about a rotational axis, in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the front lens element, relative to a base member, which supports a reflector element; and first and second actuators which generate driving forces to move the movable frame in two mutually-intersecting directions. The distance from the rotational axis of the guide portion to the point of intersection of first and second planes, which respectively pass through centers of the first and second actuators and extend in the two mutually-intersecting directions, is greater than a distance from the rotational axis of the guide portion to the optical axis of the front lens element.
US09020328B2 Image processing device, image processing method, and program
The image processing device includes an image data input unit for receiving data of moving images and still images; an image grouping unit for classifying the moving images and the still images into groups; an image analyzer for analyzing the moving images and the still images classified by group, and obtaining analysis information of the images, and information on relationship between the moving images and the still images; a frame image extractor for extracting frame images from the moving images according to at least one of the analysis information and the relationship information; a layout determining unit for determining a layout of the still images and the frame images according to at least one of the analysis information and the relationship information; and an image arranging unit for arranging the still images and the frame images according to the layout.
US09020327B2 Method and system for altering the presentation of recorded content
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for altering a presentation of recorded content. More specifically, embodiments provide an accurate and efficient mechanism for suppressing advertisements by using downloaded templates to identify advertisements before suppression for a duration indicated by information downloaded about the advertisement, where the suppression is effectuated by controlling a display, set-top box or personal video recorder using remote-control functionality. In one embodiment, a digital signal representing the recorded content is accessed. Thereafter, a plurality of templates are received and stored, wherein each template represents a known portion of the recorded content. The digital signal is then compared against a portion of the plurality of stored templates. Upon a match, a control signal operable to alter a component of a presentation of the recorded content is generated.
US09020326B2 System and method for content-based navigation of live and recorded TV and video programs
A system, method and computer-readable medium are presented for providing real-time content-based navigation of live video programming. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a live video program, generating an index to the received live video program by extracting images and/or text from the video program, recording the live video program, presenting at least a portion of data associated with the generated index to a user, receiving user input regarding a portion of the recorded video program to which the user desires to navigate and playing back the recorded video program starting at the navigated portion identified by the user input.
US09020322B2 Optical module connector system and method
A connector cover includes a body having a lower recessed portion configured to receive a portion of a reflecting connector of a type that retains the ends of optical fibers therein and has a reflector that redirects or turns the optical signals. The body has an upper housing portion that covers the reflector when the reflecting connector is received in the lower recessed portion of the body. The body also has a pair of arms extending from a forward end of the body. Each arm has a distal end with an arm distal end engagement. The arms are configured to engage a portion of an optical transceiver module.
US09020318B2 Optical connector organizer
A conductor packaging assembly for packaging a plurality of conductors is provided. The assembly includes a housing and a plurality of connectors organized in the housing. The housing includes a first half and a second half hingedly attached with each other at one ends thereof and configured to removably attach with each other at their other ends to allow an open and closed position of the housing. Further, an inner strip is attached to the first half and/or the second half, a connector organizer is removably attached to the inner strip, and the connector organizer includes a plurality of connector mounting portions for removably attaching the plurality of connectors to the plurality of connector mounting portions.
US09020313B2 Optical cable
An optical cable includes an optical fiber ribbon core wire provided with an optical fiber having a core and a cladding that surrounds the core, a sheath that surrounds the optical fiber ribbon core wire, and a braid arranged inside the sheath. The braid is formed to include wires woven with each other. In the optical cable, the wire that forms the braid is pushed into the sheath so that the sheath is integrated with the braid.
US09020312B2 Connecting channel
Provided is a connecting channel that has manufacturing tolerance, can suppress light loses, improves reliability of the connecting channel, and connects an optical device and an optical waveguide. The connecting channel includes first silicon layer (3) that has rib-shaped part (3′) extending in a longitudinal direction of the connecting channel, and second silicon layer (6) that is stacked on first silicon layer (3) to partially overlap rib-shaped part 3′, and extends in the longitudinal direction. Second silicon layer (6) has tapered part (W) tapered toward one end in the longitudinal direction, and is located away from an upper portion of rib-shaped part (3′) at an end surface of one end in the longitudinal direction.
US09020310B2 Optical waveguide and arrayed waveguide grating
An optical waveguide provided with a slab waveguide, which has a plurality of phase gratings arranged at a distance from each other in a direction substantially parallel to a light propagation direction and diffracting propagated light and a plurality of interference regions arranged alternately to the plurality of phase gratings in the direction substantially parallel to the light propagation direction and interfering the light diffracted by the plurality of phase gratings, and an arrayed waveguide whose end is connected to an end of the slab waveguide at a position of a constructive interference portion of a self-image formed by the plurality of phase gratings as an integrated phase grating.
US09020307B2 Optical waveguide device and module
In a waveguide device, unnecessary optical power is appropriately terminated. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the waveguide device has a termination structure filled with a light blocking material to terminate light from a waveguide end. In the termination structure, a cladding and a core are removed to form a groove on an optical waveguide. The groove is filled with a material (light blocking material) that attenuates the intensity of light. Thus, light input to the termination structure is attenuated by the light blocking material, suppressing crosstalk which possibly effects on other optical devices. Thus, such a termination structure can restrain crosstalk occurred in optical devices integrated in the same substrate and can also suppress crosstalk which possibly effects on any other optical device connected directly to the substrate.
US09020305B2 Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.
US09020302B2 Method for producing super-resolution images and nonlinear digital filter for implementing same
A method and a digital filter, for use with photo and video images, includes using a camera or video camera equipped with sensors and an electronic shutter to capture a plurality of frames of low resolution and producing one frame of high resolution. A plurality of frames are exposed. Initial images are in the form of a continuous sequence of frames with high-speed capture. The frequency of the frames is inversely proportional to the magnitude of that part of the light-sensitive region of the sensor that is being scanned. The initial images are aligned and an enhanced image is produced. The enhanced image is filtered using a nonlinear filter which includes a neural network that is pretrained using a test image including radial and sinusoidal test charts, as well as reference points.
US09020299B2 Hybrid image format
Hybrid image format techniques are described in which multiple resolution images are concatenated to a standard bitmap image to create a hybrid image file. The hybrid image file is created through combining a relatively low resolution image with the additional images in a multi-frame format having higher resolution. The hybrid image file may contain data detectable to signal that higher resolution images are available in the hybrid image file. A hybrid aware application may be configured to detect and output a higher resolution image from the hybrid image file based on detection of the data. A legacy application that is not configured to detect the data may be unaware of higher resolution images contained in the hybrid image file, and accordingly outputs the relatively low resolution image.
US09020295B1 Image glyph enhancement
Embodiments of methods, systems and storage media associated with enhancing glyphs in a scanned image are disclosed herein. Based on properties of a glyph, one or more stroke kernels representing the glyph may be identified or generated. The stroke kernels may be compared to both the glyph and one another, and one or more preferred stroke kernels may be identified. The preferred stroke kernels may be stored and applied to the glyph to enhance the glyph.
US09020294B2 Spatiotemporal metrics for rate distortion optimization
Spatial and temporal metrics are computed for a picture or regions within a picture to determine the impact of coding and quantization on the quality of an encoded picture. Prediction mode decisions and quantization optimization algorithms are used to create a compressed bit stream that minimizes coding artifacts. Pre-processing techniques are also used to suppress coding artifacts that reduce picture quality.
US09020290B2 Reduce extrapolate
A method for removing boundary distortion includes receiving a one-dimensional input signal and determining whether the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements. If the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements, an extrapolation operation is performed on one of a first or second boundary of the one-dimensional input signal. The extrapolation operation produces one additional data element. The method may further include performing a mirroring operation on the signal data resulting from the extrapolation operation to produce a mirrored signal, and performing a transform operation the mirrored signal.
US09020286B2 Apparatus for dividing image data and encoding and decoding image data in parallel, and operating method of the same
An apparatus and a method for dividing image data into partition slices and encoding and decoding the image data based on a correlation between macroblocks are provided. The macroblocks may be decoded in parallel and thus, it is possible to improve an overall image quality and processing speed.
US09020281B2 Ghost detection device and imaging device using the same, ghost detection method and ghost removal method
Two imaging optical systems are provided. The two imaging optical systems are configured to have a difference in a ghost appearance condition under the same imaging condition by differentiating at least one of the angle, the resolution, and the variation adjustment in production. In Step S1, images captured by the two imaging optical systems are stored. In Step S2, corresponding positions of each respective portion of a subject between the two imaging optical systems are obtained. In Step S3, images at the corresponding positions are compared with each other for determining a bright portion having a deviation in a luminance value, as a ghost portion. In this configuration, it is possible to accurately detect a ghost generation position on a real-time basis.
US09020274B2 Method of interest point matching for images
A computer implemented method for point matching comprising providing a pair of images captured, selecting first and second sets of interest points from the images; constructing a control network of super points for each set of interest points; assigning a position, with respect to the closest network control point of each control network, to other interest points on the images; locating conjugate points for each other interest point of each set based on its assigned position; and adding the conjugate points to the control network.
US09020268B2 Method and apparatus for annotating multimedia data in a computer-aided manner
Annotation of a sequence of digitized images in multimedia data is aided by a computer analyzing the multimedia data to identify one or more objects and assigning each object to a respective role. The role assignment is determined by processing context information representing a model of the multimedia data.
US09020262B2 Symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation
The present disclosure includes a system and method for symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation. One method for symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation includes approximating a quantity of symbol encoding bits for a number of symbols using a conditional entropy estimation. Dictionary entries are generated from the number of symbols so as to minimize a total bit-stream quantity. The total bit-stream quantity includes at least the approximated quantity of symbol encoding bits and a quantity of dictionary entries encoding bits. The symbols are encoded using the dictionary entries as a reference.
US09020261B2 Video segmentation using statistical pixel modeling
A method for segmenting video data into foreground and background portions utilizes statistical modeling of the pixels. A statistical model of the background is built for each pixel, and each pixel in an incoming video frame is compared with the background statistical model for that pixel. Pixels are determined to be foreground or background based on the comparisons. The method for segmenting video data may be further incorporated into a method for implementing an intelligent video surveillance system. The method for segmenting video data may be implemented in hardware.
US09020258B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing system configured to convert color tone in image
An image processing apparatus includes a first image output device and a second image output device outputting first and second output data from original image data, a color space fixing device for determining a color space for color tone conversion, a color space conversion device, a color component mapping device for generating color component mapping data containing correspondences between pixels in the image data, a color tone conversion parameter fixing device for generating color tone conversion parameters from corresponding pixels in the image data, and a color tone conversion device for converting the image data using the conversion parameters.
US09020257B2 Transforming a digital image from a low dynamic range (LDR) image to a high dynamic range (HDR) image
The invention provides a method for transforming an image from a Low Dynamic Range (LDR) image obtained with a given camera to a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image, the method comprising: obtaining the exposure-pixel response curve (21) for said given camera converting the LDR image to HSB color space arrays (22), said HSB color space arrays including a Hue array, a Saturation array and a Brightness array; and determining a Radiance array (23, 24) by inverse mapping each pixel in said Brightness array using the inverse of the exposure-pixel response curve (f−1).
US09020255B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes an emphasis map creation module configured to create an emphasis map indicating an emphasis region of image data and an emphasis level of the emphasis region, and an image processor configured to perform a first conversion of a tone of image data of the emphasis region into a first tone and a second conversion of a tone of image data of another region into a second tone, in accordance with the emphasis map created by the emphasis map creation module.
US09020252B2 Image recognition method and image recognition system
An image recognition method and an image recognition system can be applied to fetal ultrasound images. The image recognition method includes: (a) adjusting the image with a filter operator to decrease noise and to homogenize an image expression level of the pixel units within an individual object structure; (b) analyzing the image by a statistic information function, determining a foreground object pixel unit and a background pixel unit according to a max information entropy state of the statistic information function; and (c) searching by a profile setting value and recognizing a target object image among the foreground object pixel unit. The image recognition method can not only increase the efficiency of identifying the object of interests within the image and measuring the object of interests, but also improve the precision of measurements of the object of interests.
US09020246B2 Systems and methods for visual object matching
Systems and methods for improving visual object recognition by analyzing query images are disclosed. In one example, a visual object recognition module may determine query images matching objects of a training corpus utilized by the module. Matched query images may be added to the training corpus as training images of a matched object to expand the recognition of the object by the module. In another example, relevant candidate image corpora from a pool of image data may be automatically selected by matching the candidate image corpora against user query images. Selected image corpora may be added to a training corpus to improve recognition coverage. In yet another example, objects unknown to a visual object recognition module may be discovered by clustering query images. Clusters of similar query images may be annotated and added into a training corpus to improve recognition coverage.
US09020245B2 Training device, training system and method
A training device comprises a first regenerating unit regenerates at least one of an image and a voice for training during the training courses which lead the user to train the operation of an input device, an operation accepting unit accepts the user operation for at least one of the image and the voice for training from a simulated user interface which simulates a user interface of the input device during training, a second regenerating unit regenerates at least one of the image and the voice for training when the training is ended, and a normal operation instructing unit instructs a normal operation to the user by outputting at least one of the image and the voice of the normal operation of the user, which show at least one of the image and the voice for training, which is synchronous with the regeneration of the second regenerating unit.
US09020242B2 Method and system for stereo correspondence
A method and system for stereo correspondence. The method for stereo correspondence includes a matching cost computation step, a cost aggregation step, a disparity computation step, and a disparity optimization step. The matching cost computation step acquires a left disparity space image and a right disparity space image by using horizontal gradients and vertical gradients of intensities of all component channels of every pixel in a left image and a right image. Utilizing the invention, accurate disparity maps may be acquired quickly.
US09020240B2 Method and surveying system for noncontact coordinate measurement on an object surface
Noncontact coordinate measurement. With a 3D image recording unit, a first three-dimensional image of a first area section of the object surface is electronically recorded in a first position and first orientation, the first three-dimensional image being composed of a multiplicity of first pixels, with which in each case a piece of depth information is coordinated. First 3D image coordinates in an image coordinate system are coordinated with the first pixels. The first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit in the object coordinate system are determined by a measuring apparatus coupled to the object coordinate system by means of an optical reference stereocamera measuring system. First 3D object coordinates in the object coordinate system are coordinated with the first pixels from the knowledge of the first 3D image coordinates and of the first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit.
US09020238B2 Stereoscopic image generation method and stereoscopic image generation system
A stereoscopic image generation method and a stereoscopic image generation system that can generate, from an original image, a stereoscopic image that allows the viewer to perceive a natural stereoscopic effect are provided. The method includes a characteristic information acquisition step of acquiring characteristic information for each of pixels, a depth information generation step of generating depth information for each of the pixels on the basis of the characteristic information, and a stereoscopic image generation step of generating a stereoscopic image on the basis of the pieces of depth information.
US09020237B2 Method for optimizing observed image classification criterion and image classification apparatus
A first object is to use both ADC (automatic defect classification) and MDC (manual defect classification) and reduce the amount of MDC operation. A second object is to prevent a DOI (defect of interest) from being missed.The first object is achieved by displaying judgment information on a screen. The judgment information is necessary when part of the classification is performed by ADC and part of the classification is performed by MDC and used to judge which classification is used, ADC or MDC. In the display operation, ADC classification results and MDC classification results are also displayed in the form of matrix. Further, a missed DOI rate is calculated for each classification threshold used in the defect classification and displayed on the screen.
US09020235B2 Systems and methods for viewing and analyzing anatomical structures
Systems and methods for supporting a diagnostic workflow from a computer system are disclosed herein. In accordance with one implementation, a set of pre-identified anatomical landmarks associated with one or more structures of interest within one or more medical images are presented to a user. In response to a user input selecting at least one or more regions of interest including one or more of the pre-identified anatomical landmarks, the user is automatically navigated to the selected region of interest. In another implementation, a second user input selecting one or more measurement tools is received. An evaluation may be automatically determined based on one or more of the set of anatomical landmarks in response to the second user input.
US09020232B2 Per vessel, vessel tree modelling with shared contours
A system and method that determines a contour of a model vessel representing a branching structure, wherein the structure contains a branch point at which an upper segment of the structure splits into a first lower segment and a second lower segment, and determines a path of a first model vessel representative of at least part of the upper segment and at least part of the first lower segment, determines a path of a second model vessel, representative of at least part of the upper segment and at least part of the second lower segment, determines the position of a contour branch point; and ensures that for at least one position above the contour branch point a contour of the first model vessel is substantially the same as a contour of the second model vessel.
US09020230B2 Method and apparatus for iterative reconstruction
A method for reconstructing an image of an object that includes a plurality of image elements. The method includes accessing image data associated with a plurality of image elements, and reconstructing an image of the object by optimizing an objective function, where the objective function is optimized by iteratively solving a nested sequence of approximate optimization problems. The algorithm is composed of nested iterative loops, in which an inner loop iteratively optimizes an objective function approximating the outer loop objective function, and an outer loop that utilizes the solution of the inner loop to optimize the original objective function.
US09020226B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program
[Problem] To separate biological patterns more efficiently and effectively.[Solution] An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an image obtaining means for obtaining an image in which a first biological pattern and a second biological pattern having different textures are superimposed; a normalizing means for normalizing density of the image on the basis of an average and a standard deviation of pixel values inside a local region in the image using a parameter in accordance with difference in texture between the first biological pattern and the second biological pattern to thereby separate the first biological pattern and the second biological pattern in the image; and a pattern collating means for collating a known pattern for collation with each of the first biological pattern and the second biological pattern separated by the normalizing means.
US09020221B2 Method and apparatus for automatic cancer diagnosis scoring of tissue samples
Certain aspects of an apparatus and method for automatic ER/PR scoring of tissue samples may include for determining a cancer diagnosis score comprising identifying a positive stained nucleus in a slide image of the tissue sample, identifying a negative stained nucleus in the slide image, computing a proportion score based on number of the positive stained nucleus identified and number of the negative stained nucleus identified and determining the cancer diagnosis score based on the proportion.
US09020215B2 Systems and methods for detecting and visualizing correspondence corridors on two-dimensional and volumetric medical images
A method is provided for detecting a corresponding region of interest in digital medical images, the method including receiving a plurality of digital images including a primary image, at least one of the images being a projective image, identifying anatomical landmarks and structures within each of the images and correlating the images based on the identified anatomical landmarks and structures identifying a location of interest in the primary image, and automatically identifying a region of interest in the rest of the images, the region of interest corresponding to the identified location of interest in the primary image.
US09020214B2 Striped pattern image examination support device, striped pattern image examination support method and program
Provided are a striped pattern image examination support device, method, and program. The device includes: image transformation element for transforming at least one of two striped pattern images so as to cause coordinates of charting points, which are points that correspond across the two striped pattern images, to match in a plurality of pairs of the charting points which are included in the two striped pattern images; intersecting point extraction element for calculating coordinates of intersecting points of stripes in the striped pattern images and line segments each of which connects two of the charting points in the striped pattern images; charting diagram display element for displaying the two striped pattern images after transformation by the image transformation element, and displaying figures representing charting points at positions corresponding to coordinates after the transformations of each of the charting points on the two striped pattern images.
US09020212B2 Automatically determining a name of a person appearing in an image
A computer-implemented method of automatically determining a name of a person appearing in an image includes receiving a collection of web pages containing a plurality of images. For each of the images, a set of names associated with the image is identified based on a text analysis of at least one of the web pages. Face detection and clustering is performed on the plurality of images to generate a plurality of face clusters. For each of the face clusters, a label for the face cluster is identified based on the set of names associated with each image in the face cluster. A name of a first person appearing in at least one of the images is determined based on the identified label for one of the face clusters associated with the first person.
US09020205B2 Methods of multinary inversion for imaging objects with discrete physical properties
A method of multinary inversion for imaging objects with discrete physical properties of the examined medium is described. The model parameters of the target area are parameterized in terms of a multinary function of the physical properties that accepts a finite number of discrete values from the continuum of at least one physical property. The multinary function is chosen such that the derivative of the multinary function with respect to the physical property is a continuous and known function. The imaging is based on solving the optimization problem for parametric functional of the multinary functions describing the target model parameters. The method can be applied for multi-modal imaging, such that at least one physical property representing the physical properties of the examined medium, may be derived to provide a reconstruction or classification of the physical properties of the examined medium.
US09020204B2 Method and an apparatus for image-based navigation
A method and apparatus for determining position and orientation enabling navigation of an object using image data from at least a first and a second 2D image from at least one camera mounted on said object. The method comprises the steps of: correcting images from one or several cameras and from at least a first and a second 2D image for their respective radial distortion and other measurable effects which result in poor image precision; matching 2D image items in and between at least a first and second 2D image; calculating a fundamental matrix by using correlated image points from at least a first and a second 2D image; calculating and extracting estimated first rotation and translation values from the fundamental matrix using single value decomposition (SVD) based on information from at least a first and a second 2D image; iterating more accurate final rotation and translation values by using the LevenBerg-Marquard algorithm and determining the position and orientation of said object.
US09020202B2 Method for finding distance information from a linear sensor array
A method for determining a position using digital pixel data includes receiving pixel data from a position sensor device at a controller, sorting the received pixel data into pixel banks using the controller, identifying a maximum bank, a close bank, and a far bank using the controller, calculating a close to max ratio using a first equation and a max to far ratio using a second equation using the controller, and determining a position based on said close to max ratio and said far to max ratio.
US09020200B2 Geometric pre-correction for automatic license plate recognition
A method for adjusting a license plate that is detected in a captured image includes automatically determining at least one set of correction parameters corresponding to a slant-oriented license plate. The method further includes receiving an input image representing a detected license plate. In response to receiving the input image, the method includes automatically adjusting the input image to obtain a corrected image using the at least one set of correction parameters.
US09020198B2 Dimension-wise spatial layout importance selection: an alternative way to handle object deformation
Systems and methods are disclosed for object detection by receiving an image; segmenting the image; extracting features from the image; and performing a dimension-wise spatial layout selection to pick up dimensions inside a discriminative spatial region for classification.
US09020195B2 Object tracking device, object tracking method, and control program
An object tracking device which tracks a target object in a time-series image including a plurality of frames has a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of a target object in a first frame, the target object being a tracked target, a detailed contour model generation unit that generates a detailed contour model in the first frame, on the basis of the location information, the detailed contour model being formed with a plurality of contour points representing a contour of the target object, and a search location setting unit that sets a plurality of different search locations in a second frame, the second frame being any one of frames following the first frame.
US09020190B2 Attribute-based alert ranking for alert adjudication
Alerts to object behaviors are prioritized for adjudication as a function of relative values of abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attributes. The attributes are determined from feature data extracted from video frame image data. The abandonment attribute indicates a level of likelihood of abandonment of an object. The foregroundness attribute quantifies a level of separation of foreground image data of the object from a background model of the image scene. The staticness attribute quantifies a level of stability of dimensions of a bounding box of the object over time. Alerts are also prioritized according to an importance or relevance value that is learned and generated from the relative abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attribute strengths.
US09020185B2 Systems and methods for non-contact heart rate sensing
An embodiment generally relates to systems and methods for estimating heart rates of individuals using non-contact imaging. A processing module can process multi-spectral video images of individuals and detect skin blobs within different images of the multi-spectral video images. The skin blobs can be converted into time series signals and processed with a band pass filter. Further, the time series signals can be processed to separate pulse signals from unnecessary signals. The heart rate of the individual can be estimated according to the resulting time series signal processing.
US09020184B2 Apparatus and method for rapid and precise application of cosmetics
A method for selectively applying a reflectance modifying agent (RMA) to an area of skin, the method comprising receiving an image of the area of skin, identifying, using the image, a nominated point within the area of skin, determining an actual reflectance of the nominated point, applying an edge protection technique based on the image to generate one or more outputs, determining a desired reflectance of the nominated point based on the one or more outputs, calculating an amount of RMA to be applied based on the output, and determining whether to apply the RMA to the area of skin based on the amount of RMA.
US09020183B2 Tagging images with labels
An image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user is received. A second user is identified from a tag of the image, and information is provided, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user. Additionally, after editing of an image a determination can be made as to whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing. The tag associated with the region is altered if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise the tag associated with the region is left unaltered. Furthermore, the tag can include a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds, and a second portion storing data identifying a person shown in the region.
US09020181B2 Earphone device
An earphone device includes a housing having a driver unit, and a sound guide tube mounted on a front surface of the housing to protrude from the front surface, in which the sound guide tube is disposed at a position deviated from a center position of the housing.
US09020180B2 Microphone display apparatus and a microphone windshield with displays
A microphone apparatus, which includes a microphone comprising at least one display means provided about a head thereof, wherein the display means comprises at least one of a static display for displaying a static communication and an electronically variable display means for displaying electronically variable communication/s. The microphone further comprising a microphone windshield defining a fitment aperture for receiving at least the head of the microphone and at least one display aperture which is positioned such that, in use, at least a portion of the display means is alignable with the display aperture
US09020179B2 Unidirectional condenser microphone and directionality varying member for the same
A unidirectional condenser microphone includes a front acoustic terminal disposed on a forward portion of a microphone case, a rear acoustic terminal disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case, and a directionality varying member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case. The directionality varying member switches between a first position and a second position. The directionality varying member covers the rear acoustic terminal at the first position while the rear acoustic terminal is opened at the second position. The front acoustic terminal is displaced ahead of the front surface of the microphone case, and the directionality varying member is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case.
US09020173B2 Method and apparatus for harvesting energy in a hearing assistance device
The disclosure relates to the use of a MEMS magnetometer or an array of MEMS magnetometers as energy harvesting sensor(s) in a hearing assistance device. The MEMS magnetometer(s) can be located within the existing geometry of a typical balanced-armature receiver currently used in hearing assistance devices.
US09020164B2 Apparatus to mitigate ear pressure on airline flights while preserving awareness of the cabin surroundings
Two ear cups are coupled by a flexible member. Each ear cup includes a speaker mounted on an internal portion thereof and is configured to form an air pressure seal around an ear of a user when the apparatus is placed on the user. The flexible member couples the two ear cups and ijs configured such that, when the apparatus is placed on the user, each ear cup completely covers an associated ear of the user and forms an air pressure seal around the associated ear. A microphone is electrically coupled to the speaker in each ear cup for transmitting ambient sound to the user when the apparatus is placed on the user. An indicator light may be provided which is configured to turn on when the microphone is active. The microphone and/or the indicator light may be mounted on the flexible member or on one of the ear cups.
US09020162B2 Electronic device and external equipment with digital noise cancellation and digital audio path
Electronic devices and accessories are provided that may communicate over wired communications paths. The electronic devices may be portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones or media players and may have audio connectors such as 3.5 mm audio jacks. The accessories may be headsets or other equipment having mating 3.5 mm audio plugs and speakers for playing audio. Microphones may be included in an accessory to gather voice signals and noise cancellation signals. Analog-to-digital converter circuitry in the accessory may digitize the microphone signals. Digital voice signals and voice noise cancellation signals can be transmitted over the communications path and processed by audio digital signal processor circuitry in an electronic device. Digital-to-analog converter circuitry in the accessory may convert digital audio signals to analog speaker signals. Digital noise cancellation signals may use digital noise signals to cancel noise from digital audio signals that have been received from an electronic device.
US09020156B2 Method for reducing the noise emission of a transformer
A method for reducing the noise emission of a transformer, the transformer tank of which is filled with liquid and the tank wall of which vibrates during operation, is provided. The method is characterized by the sequence of the following method steps: detecting natural frequency values of the tank wall for at least one excitation frequency; determining at least one eigenmode for which the vibration of the tank wall is composed at an excitation frequency, from the natural frequency values, wherein areas of large curvature are determined on the tank wall; arranging at least one vibration loading device in at least one of said areas; and controlling the at least one vibration loading device by means of a control device in order to counteract the vibration of the tank wall.
US09020155B2 Electrolarynx
An electrolarynx includes a motor having a locating diaphragm, a bobbin, and a magnetic assembly. The bobbin includes a striker and coil wires wound about a coil cylinder of an electromagnet. The locating diaphragm maintains the position of the bobbin along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The magnetic assembly includes a magnet and a non-magnetic guide disc that sandwiches the magnet to the housing. The magnet and the coil wires drive the striker and, in turn, a contact diaphragm in the cap of the electrolarynx that makes contact with a patient's throat to produce vibrations similar to those produced by the larynx. To avoid “gravitational wear” of the coil wires against a magnetic cup used to center the coil wires, the walls of the cup are made thinner and the magnetic cup may be replaced with a non-magnetic cup or the magnetic cup is removed altogether.
US09020154B2 Multi-element electroacoustical transducing
An acoustic apparatus including circuitry to correct for acoustic cross-coupling of acoustic drivers mounted in a common acoustic enclosure. A plurality of acoustic drivers are mounted in the acoustic enclosure so that motion of each of the acoustic drivers causes motion in each of the other acoustic drivers. A canceller cancels the motion of each of the acoustic drivers caused by motion of each of the other acoustic drivers. A cancellation adjuster cancels the motion of each of the acoustic drivers that may result from the operation of the canceller.
US09020153B2 Automatic detection of loudspeaker characteristics
Disclosed is subject matter that proposes a system and method for a media device to automatically detect the characteristics of an attached speaker. Speakers have many different characteristics, for example, power, impedance, frequency response, etc. With knowledge of the speaker characteristics, audio output can be equalized appropriately, and an amplifier of the media device, for example, can prevent exceeding the maximum power handling capability of the speaker. Described is a device and method for retrieving information about the speaker from a memory that is coupled to the speaker. A media device can read the data from the memory over existing speaker wires. Software and/or hardware in the media device can optimize the output to the attached speaker. Accordingly, the media device can interrogate the speaker directly over speaker wire to obtain the characteristics of the speaker.
US09020152B2 Enabling 3D sound reproduction using a 2D speaker arrangement
The perception of 3D sound positioning can be achieved using a 2D arrangement of speakers positioned around the listener. The disclosed techniques can enable listeners to perceive sounds as coming from above and/or below them, without the need for positioning speakers above and/or below the listener. In some embodiments, elevation information can be included in the X and Y horizontal components of the 2D ambisonics encoding. The X and Y components can be decoded using 2D ambisonics decoding. Suitable filtering may be performed on the decoded sound information to enhance the listener's perception of the elevation information encoded in the X and Y components.
US09020150B2 Differential uncloneable variability-based cryptography
Differential uncloneable variability-based cryptography techniques are provided. The differential cryptography includes a hardware based public physically uncloneable function (PPUF) to perform the cryptography. The PPUF includes a first physically uncloneable function (PUF) and a second physically uncloneable function. An arbiter determines the output of the circuit using the outputs of the first and second PUFs. Cryptography can be performed by simulating the PPUF with selected input. The output of the simulation, along with timing information about a set of inputs from where the corresponding input is randomly selected for simulation, is used by the communicating party that has the integrated circuit with the PPUF to search for an input that produces the output. The input can be configured to be the secret key or a part of the secret key.
US09020147B2 Electronic key registration method, electronic key registration system, and controller
A method for registering first and second electronic keys to a controller of a communication subject through communication with a data center includes acquiring first and second key identification information from the first and second electronic keys with the controller, transmitting communication subject identification information together with both of the first and second key identification information from the controller to the data center, acquiring a first encryption key generation code corresponding to the first electronic key together with a second encryption key generation code corresponding to the second electronic key from the data center with the controller, generating a first key encryption key based on the first encryption key generation code with the controller, generating a second key encryption key based on the second encryption key generation code with the controller, and storing the first and second key encryption keys in the controller.
US09020145B2 MIMO mechanism for strong FEXT mitigation
A digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) configured to couple to a first subscriber line and a second subscriber line, wherein the DSLAM comprises at least one transmitter configured to transmit a first signal onto the first subscriber line in a first time slot, transmit a second signal onto the second subscriber line in the first time slot, wherein the first and second signals are linearly related and are intended for a first customer premise equipment (CPE), transmit a third signal onto the second subscriber line in a second time slot, and transmit a fourth signal onto the first subscriber line in the second time slot, wherein the third and fourth signals are linearly related and are intended for a second CPE.
US09020142B2 System and method for generating forecasts and analysis of contact center behavior for planning purposes
A method of predicting expected performance of a processing center system is accessed. The method includes receiving performance information from a performance monitoring system associated with the processing center system. A computer model of the processing center system is developed based on the performance information. The method further includes generating predictions based on the computer model, and analyzing the predictions to generate performance scenarios for the processing center system.
US09020141B1 Processing an outbound call campaign having multiple abandonment rates
Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting an outbound call campaign that involves multiple abandonment rates. In various embodiments, one or more filters are applied to a call list for an outbound call campaign to identify a first sub-list of telephone numbers with a first applicable abandonment rate and a second sub-list of telephone numbers with a second applicable abandonment rate. In particular embodiments, the first and second sub-lists are apportioned into sets of telephone numbers and a predictive dialer places telephone calls based on a first set for the first sub-list while targeting the first abandonment rate over a first particular period of time and, after placing the first group of calls, places telephone calls based on a first set for the second sub-list while targeting the second abandonment rate over a second particular period of time.
US09020137B2 Matching using agent/caller sensitivity to performance
A method, system and program product, the method comprising: obtaining for calls in one set of calls a respective pattern representing one or multiple different respective data fields; obtaining performance data for the respective patterns of the calls; performance data for agents in a set of agents; determining pattern performance sensitivity to agent performance comprising the pattern performance data correlated to agent performance data; matching a respective one of the agents from the set of agents to one of the calls based at least in part on the performance data for the one agent and on the pattern performance sensitivity to agent performance for the respective call.
US09020131B2 Contact center call back
A method may include receiving a call from a caller and determining whether the call has been queued for at least a predetermined period of time. The method may also include interacting with the customer via an interactive voice response unit, in response to determining that the call has been queued for at least the predetermined period of time, to offer a call back service to the customer. The call back service may include a scheduled call back or an immediate type call back when an agent is available. The method may further include receiving, from the customer and via the interactive voice response unit, an indication that the customer would like a call back and queuing the call back.
US09020123B2 Apparatus and method for managing priority communication
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to obtain billing data associated with a plurality of calls over a Voice Over Internet Protocol network, determine special service calls being made based on the billing data, monitor for the special service calls being associated with at least one of one calling number or one network node, and determine an undesired condition based at least in part on the special service calls being made from the one calling number or through the one network node exceeding a threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09020121B1 Method and apparatus for sharing data between devices
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for sharing data between devices. As an example, a method for exchanging information between a phone and at least one other device includes: obtaining from a remote server a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the phone; establishing a session ID (identifier) between the phone and the other device via first communication channel; and communicating data from the phone to the remote server via a second communication channel along with the session ID, wherein the other device is configured to access the data from the remote server using the session ID.
US09020116B2 System and method for enhanced do-not-disturb
A system and method for incremental do-not-disturb. User input is received to activate the incremental do-not-disturb on a telephone. The incremental do-not-disturb is activated for a time period in response to receiving the user input to activate the incremental do-not-disturb. Incoming calls are diverted during the time period in response to activating the incremental do-not-disturb.
US09020113B2 Method of and a server for establishing communication in a telecommunication system wherein calling party identity is withheld
A method (10) of and a server (60) and telecommunication system (30) for establishing communication (11) from a first party (31) having a first party identity to a second party (32) having a second party identity, wherein said first party identity is withheld for said second party (32). A token or correlation identifier (67) unique for the communication is generated (15), and the token or correlation identifier (67) is associated (16) with the first party identity for establishing a further communication in the telecommunication system (30) between the first party (31) and the second party Calling party (32) based on this token or correlation identifier (67).
US09020112B2 Communication apparatus and communication system
A communication apparatus including: a relaying section which relays phone conversation between a sub-communication apparatus and an external communication apparatus which is in a communicable connection state by the communication controlling portion; a request section which requests, when a transmission command for transmitting transmission data has been transmitted from the sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus, a data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data while maintaining a connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus to the communicable connection state; a receiving section which receives the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus in response to the request of the request section; and a transmitting section which transmits the transmission data received by the receiving section to the external communication apparatus being in the communicable connection state.
US09020109B2 Location aware conferencing system and method
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first request to join a conference from a first user device. The location of the first user device is determined. Based on the location of the first user device, the proximity of the first user device relative to endpoints configured to facilitate the conference is identified. A first one of the endpoints that is more proximate to the first user device than other endpoints is selected for handling the conferences.
US09020099B1 Miniaturized pipe inspection system for measuring corrosion and scale in small pipes
The miniaturized pipe inspection system for measuring corrosion and scale in small pipes utilizes scattered radiation, which is measured by high efficiency solid scintillation gamma detector/spectrometer inserted inside the tube and separated from its bulky photomultiplier tube (PMT) and associated electronics by light pipe or fiber optic cable whose diameter can be very small. The light signal produced in the scintillation material is transmitted through the light pipe to outside the pipe to be inspected, where a PMT and electronic components including gamma ray energy analyzers are located. Gamma spectroscopy combined with gamma counting allows for multiple gamma ray primary and multiple backscattered radiation, thereby yielding high accuracy and high reliability of obtained corrosion, erosion and deposits data.
US09020098B2 Radiation imaging apparatus
A radiation imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a radiation source, a reflective structure where at least three reflective substrates are arranged with an interval and radiations being incident into a plurality of passages whose both sides are put between the reflective substrate are reflected and parallelized by the reflective substrate at both sides of the passage to be emitted from the passage, a radiation detector, and an image construction unit that constructs an image of an object based on an intensity of the radiation which is emitted from each of the passages, transmits the object and is detected by the radiation detector. When one edge of the reflective structure is an inlet of the radiation and the other edge is an outlet of the radiation, a pitch of the reflective substrates at the outlet is larger than a pitch at the inlet.
US09020096B2 Self contained mobile inspection system and method
The inspection methods and systems of the present invention are mobile, rapidly deployable, and capable of scanning a wide variety of receptacles cost-effectively and accurately on uneven surfaces. The present invention is directed toward a portable inspection system for generating an image representation of target objects using a radiation source, comprising a mobile vehicle, a detector array physically attached to a movable boom having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is physically attached to the vehicle. The invention also comprises at least one source of radiation. The radiation source is fixedly attached to the distal end of the boom, wherein the image is generated by introducing the target objects in between the radiation source and the detector array, exposing the objects to radiation, and detecting radiation.
US09020094B2 Method for assisted positioning of an organ on a platform of a medical imaging system
A method for assisted positioning of an organ is provided. An acquisition system comprises a platform underneath which a detector is placed for the acquisition of radiographic medical images, during which a radiation source is moved over different successive positions with respect to the detector, wherein at least one medical image is acquired at each position of the radiation source. The method comprises illuminating the platform with a light source of the acquisition system to assist the positioning of the organ on the platform; and determining, with a drive unit of the acquisition system, a positioning limit on the platform based on the distance separating the platform and a compression paddle used to compress the organ and based on the position of the light source relative to the detector, wherein the positioning limit on the platform is a limit beyond which the organ must not lie.
US09020093B2 Two-dimensional collimator module, X-ray detector, X-ray CT apparatus, and method for assembling two-dimensional collimator module
A two-dimensional collimator module is provided. The two-dimensional collimator module includes first collimator plates arranged in a channel direction, second collimator plates arranged in a slice direction and combined with the first collimator plates to form a lattice, and a first block and a second block that hold the first collimator plates, wherein each of the first collimator plates is formed with slits, each of the second collimator plates is inserted through an associated row of the slits, first plate surfaces of the second collimator plates in the slice direction abut only first wall surfaces of first and second wall surfaces of the slits in the slice direction in a first set of the first collimator plates, and second plate surfaces of the second collimator plates opposite to the first plate surfaces abut only the second wall surfaces of the slits in a second set of first collimator plates.
US09020089B2 Phase-locked loop (PLL)-based frequency synthesizer
This disclosure describes techniques for generating signals that have relatively steep frequency profiles with a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit architecture. In some examples, the techniques for generating signals that have relatively steep frequency profiles may include modulating an amplitude of a forward path signal in a PLL circuit at a location in a forward circuit path of the PLL circuit based on a control signal. The control signal may have an amplitude profile that is determined based on a target frequency profile to be generated by the PLL circuit. Modulating the forward circuit path of the PLL circuit with a signal that is determined based on a target frequency profile may allow a PLL-based frequency synthesizer to generate signals with relatively steep frequency profiles while still maintaining acceptable levels of phase noise.
US09020087B2 All digital burst-mode clock and data recovery (CDR)
The present invention relates to a clock and data recovery (CDR) unit comprising of a bang-bang phase detector to receive data and a recovered clock from a phase selector multiplexer. The phase detector produces a late and an early comparison output. A block (digital filter) receives the late and early input and produces a multiplexer selector control signal. The phase selector multiplexer selects a clock phase as the recovered clock signal using multiplexer selector control signal.
US09020085B1 Method and apparatus for sampling point optimization
A method and apparatus for timing optimization are disclosed, which rely on information gathered from a timing detection circuit to find the optimal sampling point of a data recovery system. In an implementation, a timing shift is optimized based on Gardner detector data. In an example, a Gardner detector, or an early and late extraction portion thereof, is added to the data path, and the data path clock is shifted so that it is centered on the data transition mean. In an implementation, the sampling point of the data path is optimized for better horizontal eye opening using a Gardner detector's output for centering the average crossing point of different paths. In an example embodiment, an apparatus is provided with a second clock recovery that is not completely independent of a first clock recovery.
US09020077B2 Correction of imbalances in a complex intermediate frequency mixer
A complex intermediate frequency mixer (IFM) for frequency translating a received complex intermediate frequency, IF, signal, wherein the received complex IF signal comprises at least two frequency bands located at upper-side and lower-side of 0 Hz, is provided. The complex intermediate frequency mixer comprises a first, second, third and fourth mixer (M1, M2, M3, M4). The complex intermediate frequency mixer further comprises a first, second, third and fourth gain adjusting component (α1, α2, δ2, δ1), connected to a first, second, third and fourth mixer output (M1-out, M2-out, M3-out, M4-out), respectively. Moreover, a first summing unit (S1), connected to a first gain output (α1-out), a fourth gain output (δ1-out) and a third mixer output (M3-out) negated, and second summing unit (S2), connected to the second gain output (α2-out), the third gain output (δ2-out) and the fourth mixer output (M4-out), are configured to output a first baseband complex signal of the received complex IF signal.
US09020074B2 Apparatus and method for antenna diversity reception
An apparatus provides a baseband signal for exploiting receive antenna diversity by means of a digital baseband processor. The apparatus includes a combiner configured to temporally delay a first received signal corresponding to a first receive antenna with respect to a second received signal corresponding to a second receive antenna, and to add the delayed first received signal and the second received signal to obtain a baseband representation of a combined signal at an output of the combiner as the baseband signal for exploiting receive antenna diversity.
US09020073B2 Low intermediate frequency receiver
One embodiment relates to a low intermediate frequency (IF) receiver. The low-IF receiver includes an analog front end that is configured to receive a modulated IQ data signal and provide an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal, where the in-phase signal is phase shifted by approximately 90° relative to the quadrature signal. The low-IF receiver further includes a digital processing block, and a single path that provides only one of the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal to the digital processing block. Other receivers and methods are also disclosed.