Document Document Title
US07779648B2 Heat exchanger with enhanced air distribution
A complete refrigeration system (CRS) including at least one heat exchanger which is designed to occupy an irregular volume to reduce the overall profile of the CRS. The heat exchanger may be a condenser or an evaporator, and includes a substantially solid body made of a thermally conductive metal, plastic, or other material. A plurality of fluid and refrigerant passageways are defined substantially within the solid body for conducing fluid and refrigerant, respectively, through the solid body and facilitating the transfer of heat between the fluid and refrigerant. Also disclosed is a method wherein the spatial orientation of each passageway is optimized with respect to all of the other passageways and the walls of the solid body by determining the relative distance of each passageway from all of the other passageways and the walls of the solid body at a plurality of points along each passageway, followed by adjusting the spatial orientation of the passageway accordingly.
US07779646B2 Refrigerating device with cooling of circulating air
The invention relates to a housing that encloses an inner chamber, a cold air pipe that extends in a wall of the housing separated from the inner chamber by an insulating layer, and a transition piece that connects one end of the cold air pipe to an air inlet of the inner chamber. The transition piece includes a guide wall that extends from one end of the insulating layer to an edge of the air inlet adjacent to the one end of the insulating layer, connecting a wall of the cold air pipe that is adjacent to the insulating layer to the adjacent edge of the air inlet in a continuous manner.
US07779640B2 Low vibration cryocooler
Disclosed are a low vibration cryocooler and a method of reducing vibration in a cryocooler. The cryocooler can be a Stirling class cryocooler includes at least one motor that drives a mass, the motor having a main drive winding and a separate trim winding. A motor controller outputs a main drive signal that is coupled to the main drive winding and a separate vibration reducing signal that is coupled to the trim winding.
US07779638B2 Localized microelectronic cooling apparatuses and associated methods and systems
Apparatuses and associated methods and systems to provide localized cooling to a microelectronic device are generally described. In this regard, according to one example embodiment, a microelectronic cooling apparatus comprising a microelectronic device thermally coupled to one or more thermally conductive pin(s) provides cooling to one or more hot spot(s) of the microelectronic device.
US07779637B2 Heat shield
A heat shield is provided on a supporting structure with a number of heat shield elements, which are fixed to a large area of the supporting structure leaving gaps between adjacent heat shield elements, a number of securing elements with which the heat shield elements are fixed to the supporting structure and which have a grip section engaging in the heat shield elements and a cooling system for cooling the securing elements, the cooling system being designed such that cooling fluid can be supplied directly to the grip sections of the securing elements.
US07779636B2 Lean direct injection atomizer for gas turbine engines
A lean direct injection fuel nozzle for a gas turbine is disclosed which includes a radially outer main fuel delivery system including a main inner air swirler defined in part by a main inner air passage having a radially inner wall with a diverging downstream surface, an intermediate air swirler radially inward of the main inner air swirler for providing a cooling air flow along the downstream surface of the radially inner wall of the main inner air passage, and a radially inner pilot fuel delivery system radially inward of the intermediate air swirler.
US07779629B2 Pressure accumulating apparatus
Rotational force from a driving device 11 is transmitted to an eccentric cam 32 through a rotating rod 31, and the eccentric cam 32 causes a piston 22 and a piston rod 25 to move up and down in a reciprocating manner by its rotation. Atmospheric air is inspired into a first chamber R1 in a cylinder 21 upon the descent of the piston 22. Upon the rise of the piston 22, the air in the first chamber R1 is compressed, and the compressed high-pressure air is discharged to an accumulator 12 through a discharge valve 25. The accumulator communicates with a second chamber R2 in the cylinder 21. When the air pressure in the accumulator 12 increases, this high-pressure air pushes the piston 22 to cancel the contact between the piston rod 26 and the eccentric cam 32, whereby the power transmission from a power transmission device 30 to a pressure conversion mechanism 20 is cut off.
US07779624B2 Joint for an engine exhaust system component
The present disclosure relates to an access joint for an engine exhaust system. The access joint includes first and second exhaust conduits each having a conduit body and a flange unitary with the conduit body. The flanges have first surfaces that face toward one another and second surfaces that face away from one another. The joint also includes a clamp having a channel that receives the flanges and that compresses the flanges toward one another when the clamp is tightened.
US07779619B2 Air fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
An air fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine can improve accuracy in catalyst degradation diagnosis. The apparatus includes a first air fuel ratio feedback control section that adjusts the air fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to an engine in accordance with an output of an upstream air fuel ratio sensor and a predetermined control constant thereby to make the air fuel ratio periodically oscillate in rich and lean directions, an average air fuel ratio oscillation section that operates the control constant based on an amount of oxygen occlusion of a catalyst so that an average air fuel ratio obtained by averaging the periodically oscillating air fuel ratio is caused to oscillate in the rich and lean directions, and a catalyst degradation diagnosis section that diagnoses catalyst degradation based on correlation between the oscillation of the average air fuel ratio and an output of the downstream oxygen sensor.
US07779617B2 Sliding pulley drive mechanism in cutting platform of lawn mower
A sliding pulley drive mechanism in cutting platform of lawn mower is disclosed. The drive mechanism includes an engine for the fixed to a chassis; a cutting platform connected to, and capable of moving up and down in relation to the chassis; cutting platform drive belts fitted over the output shaft of the engine, an external spline shaft is fixed to the output shaft of the engine, and a belt pulley with an internal spline is mounted on an external spline shaft. Through a spline mechanism, the belt pulley on the engine can slide up or down on the output shaft of the engine as the elevation of the cutting platform is adjusted, so that the cutting platform drive belts are kept in the same plane, and therefore the belt service lifespan is elongated.
US07779616B2 Vehicle with electric hybrid powering of external loads and engine-off capability
A vehicle includes a power unit mechanically couplable with one or more primary loads, including a propulsion load. At least one electrical storage device has an electrical output which is couplable with at least one external load over a drive period of time. Each external load is distinct from the one or more primary loads. A generator is mechanically couplable with the power unit and electrically couplable with the at least one electrical storage device. The generator has an electrical charging output to the at least one electrical storage device. At least one electrical processing circuit is configured for selectively coupling the at least one electrical storage device with one or more external loads. The at least one electrical processing circuit is also configured for selectively coupling the generator with the at least one electrical storage device over a charging period of time. The charging output and the charging period of time are dependent upon the electrical output from the at least one electrical storage device and the drive period of time.
US07779609B2 Method of filling a device
A syringe and a reconstitution syringe are provided for the delivery of controlled doses of any of numerous different sterile substances, such as vaccines, medicaments, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetics, and food products. A plunger of the syringe defines a resealable stopper frictionally and slidably received within a hollow syringe body for dispensing the medicament or other substance through a dispensing tip of the syringe upon movement of the plunger. The resealable stopper defines a heat-sealable portion to allow the stopper to be penetrated by a needle or other filling device to fill the syringe with a medicament or other substance, and in turn allow the hole remaining upon withdrawal of the needle to be heat sealed by transmission of laser energy thereon. The plunger assembly further defines a plurality of cam-like members that each engage and cooperate with a respective helical path of steps formed on the inner wall of the syringe body to provide stepwise movement of the plunger and, in turn, precise metering of the substance dispensed therefrom. A reconstitution syringe defines within a syringe body plural compartments, wherein each compartment stores a respective component of a multi-component medicament or other preparation. An elastomeric plug is coupled to the plunger and connected between the two compartments to prevent intermixing of the components. Upon moving the plunger, the plug is released to thereby place the compartments in fluid communication with each other, and to facilitate intermixing of the components upon shaking the syringe.
US07779604B2 Device for inserting twist lock container safety fittings
A device for inserting and removing securing fittings for twist-lock containers includes a support plate for containers, which is provided with a pneumatically or hydraulically driven screwing mechanism with a slot gripper for each expected position of a securing fitting for the twist-lock container.
US07779599B2 Articulating work platform support system, work platform system, and methods of use thereof
The invention includes a work platform and support system that includes a hub and joist configuration, wherein the hubs and joists are capable of articulation, or pivoting. One method of installation allows for sections of new work platform system to be extended from an existing suspended work platform system. The system is also capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least four times the maximum intended load applied to it.
US07779596B2 Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and method for production thereof
The invention relates to a locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′) which have a body (30), a lower balancing layer (34) and an upper surface layer (32). A strip (6) is integrally formed with the body (30) of the floorboard (1) and extends under an adjoining floorboard (1′). The strip (6) has a locking element (8), which engages a looking groove (14) in the underside of the adjoining floorboard (1′) and forms a horizontal joint. A tongue (38) and a tongue groove (36) form a vertical joint between upper and lower plane-parallel contact surfaces (43, 45) and are designed in such manner that the lower contact surfaces (45) are on a level between the upper side of the locking element (8) and a plane containing the underside (3) of the floorboard. The invention also relates to a floorboard having such a locking system, a floor made of such floorboards, as well as a method for making such a locking system.
US07779594B2 Siding panel with insulated backing panel
A siding panel of a siding assembly has a nailing hem and a first upwardly opening channel connected to the nailing hem. A downwardly opening channel is connected to the first channel. An upper portion of an upper course forms a portion of the downwardly opening channel. An upper shoulder extends inwardly and upwardly from the upper course to an upper edge of a lower course. A lower shoulder extends inwardly and upwardly from a lower edge of the lower course. A planar member extending upwardly from the lower shoulder, the lower shoulder and a portion of the lower course form a second upwardly opening channel. A rib of an insulating panel is received in the first downwardly opening channel. A projection is received by the second upwardly opening channel. A shoulder abuts the upper shoulder of the siding panel.
US07779591B2 Tiles with bottom-side extensions and method for installation
Apparatus and processes that include tiles having an extending member that is disposed within a concavity on the bottom side of the tile and that extends a distance therefrom. The extending member may additionally be coupled to an anchor member disposed within the concavity on the bottom side of the tile. The extending member is set within a substrate such that it is held fast, thereby improving the bonding of the tile to the substrate.
US07779589B2 Post anchor/adapter system
A post anchor/anchor adapter system is unitary cast or machined steel or the like. An anchor/adaptor alone is driven alone into a hole cut in in-place concrete. The system includes an anchor extension tube for driving into soft soil. The inventive anchor/adaptor has a body in the form of an elongate square tube having radius-curved corners vertically driven into a round receiving hole, forming creases and a secure anchor. The tube has an upper female portion for a post and a lower female portion for an extender and is divided by a horizontal plug wall integral with the tube structure. The lower female portion of the anchor/adapter tapers outward towards its lower open end allowing for an interference fit with the driven tube acting as an anchor. The female portion upper end has crescent-shaped tabs defining a disk sized to plug the drilled hole.
US07779584B2 Curtain wall system
A curtain wall system having a framing of mullions and transoms. The mullions have a mullion body portion and a mullion nose portion and spaced notches in the mullion body portion. The penetrating transom have a transom body portion and a transom nose portion. The transom nose portion has extensions extending beyond opposed ends of the transom body portion received in the notches of the mullion body portions whereby the framing portion is formed for sealing receiving a panel to form an air barrier, with a gap being defined between the extensions of the transoms and the mullion nose portions. Pressure plates are connected to the mullions and transoms to form a sash with the framing portion so as to secure the panels within the sash. A seal member blocks each gap to form a pressurized cavity with the sash about the glass panel.
US07779583B2 Muntin clip
A muntin clip has a bar support adapted to be connected to a muntin bar end and a base member adapted to be connected to a spacer frame. The bar support has a plurality of flexible support members attached thereto, which are adapted to contact the opposed interior walls of the muntin bar end and deform in response to such contact. The base member has latching structure adapted to be connected to the spacer frame. The base member further has an abutment member adapted to be engaged by an ejector pin to facilitate removal of the muntin clip from a mold.
US07779581B2 Replaceable wet-set tactile warning surface unit and method of installation and replacement
A replaceable, wet-set tactile warning surface unit having a body defining an upper surface and a lower surface, the body defining a series of raised projections on its upper surface, and defining a plurality of spaced through-holes from the top to the bottom surface, in which the raised projections are spaced from one another and the through-holes are located between projections. An anchor member such as a threaded insert is coupled to the bottom surface of the unit member directly below each of the through-holes by fasteners such as bolts that pass through the through-holes.
US07779579B2 Packaging system for a modular enclosure
A modular enclosure may include a number of interlocking components, such as panels, that may be interconnected to form sidewalls, roof and/or floor. In particular, the modular enclosure may consist of a shed and the shed may be packaged within a container. For example, the shed may constructed from a number of outer wall panels and corner panels. The corner panels preferably include a living hinge that allows the corner panel to be moved between a generally planar position and an angled position. Advantageously, the wall panels and the corner panels may be capable of being stacked within the container to facilitate packaging of the shed when the corner panels are in the generally planar position.
US07779576B2 Burrowing pest extermination device
The invention is BURROWING PEST CONTROL DEVICE, while mixing together oxygen and a flammable gas and injecting it into an underground burrow. The device includes the feature of being operated from a remote position, a vortex injection of the gases, and a device for generating a shockwave to propagate combustion throughout the stream of mixed gases.
US07779572B2 Bipod device for use with a firearm
Bipods bipods and mounting devices for attaching to and supporting firearms, more specifically, bipods which allow independent tension-adjustable movement around two axes. For example, the bipod assembly can be tension-adjusted with a first cam lock for cant movement and can be tension-adjusted with a second cam lock for pivotal movement. Accordingly, independently tension-adjustable and lockable pivot and cam adjustments are provided by this bipod assembly.
US07779568B2 Adjustable LED sign mounting system
An adaptable mounting system for mounting an LED display panel on an existing support structure for a billboard is provided, where the support structure including a plurality of posts having brackets arranged to support the billboard. The adaptable mounting system includes a lower arm and upper arms, each arm having a first end and a second end and one or more notches supported on the brackets of the existing support structure; a yoke coupled to the arms proximate the first end and configured for attachment to the LED display panel; and a brace coupled to one of the upper arms proximate the second end and coupled to the yoke of an arm beneath the one of the upper arms.
US07779565B2 Ironing appliance comprising identification means for identifying the fabric type of articles to be ironed
An ironing appliance (1) comprises an ironing device such as a steam iron and an ironing board (11) for supporting articles (2) to be ironed. In the ironing board (11), Radio Frequency Identification readers (41) are arranged, which serve for identifying the fabric type of the articles (2) to be ironed, which are provided with a tag (45) containing this information. The ironing board (11) has a heater (16) for heating the articles to be ironed, and is also adapted to supplying steam to these articles. In an ironing process of a given article, the characteristics of the supply of steam and the temperature of the heater (16) are determined on the basis of the information obtained from the tag (45) of the article by the readers (41). Due to the fact that the readers (41) are arranged in the ironing board (11), the identification process and the process of determining appropriate ironing settings take place in a fast and accurate manner.
US07779564B2 Boiler system for use with a steaming device
A steam ironing system (2) comprises a steam iron (10) and a boiler system (25) having a boiler (30) for generating steam, wherein the steam iron (10) and the boiler (30) are connected to each other through a steam hose (35). During operation of the boiler system (25), scale is formed in the boiler (30). For the purpose of removing the scale from the boiler (30), a rinsing process is performed on the boiler system (25) at regular intervals. During the rinsing process, a rinse valve (38) connected to a water outlet (37) positioned at a bottom of the boiler (30) is opened, and water is discharged from the boiler (30) to a rinse container (55). In the process, scale particles are carried along with the flow of water. Preferably, pressure is built up inside the boiler (30) prior to opening the rinse valve (38), so that the water is forcibly ejected from the boiler (30), whereby the effectiveness of the rinsing process is enhanced.
US07779562B1 Loader implement universal mount
A universal mount bracket that provides two pairs of adapter plates, one pair for each side of the front end loader. Each adapter plate can be adjusted laterally to match the width of virtually any size loader arm produced, and then be adjusted to the overall width of the loader (distance between the left and right loader arms). Once each pair of adapter plates have been matched to the loader arms (left and right), the equipment implement must then be centered and secured in place to prevent any lateral displacement of the unit while the implement is in use.
US07779560B2 Cleat protector shoe cover
A cleat protector shoe cover. The cleat protector shoe cover has an upper portion formed of either engagements or an elastic material and having a shoe opening formed in a top thereof. The cleat protector shoe cover is stretchable and engages with a cleated shoe to prevent the cleats from being damaged or damaging a floor surface by providing seating areas.
US07779558B2 Shock absorbing device for shoe sole
A shock absorbing device for a shoe sole according to the present invention comprises: an outer sole 2; a midsole M that is disposed above the outer sole 2; and a deformation element 3 disposed between the outer sole 2 and the midsole M. The deformation element 3 is joined to the bottom surface of the midsole M and is joined to the upper surface of the outer sole 2. The deformation element has a tubular part 30 in a flat tubular form, and Young's modulus of a material constituting the tubular part 30 is greater than both that of a material constituting the midsole M and that of a material constituting the outer sole 2. The tubular part has a lower portion that is curved so as to be convex downwards and thereby undergoes bending deformation due to a shock at landing.
US07779555B2 Locking engine reservoir dipstick module
A flexible locking dipstick module useful with a motor vehicle including an oil reservoir. A dipstick is disposed within a housing which has one end thereof affixed to the oil reservoir and extends therefrom to a location within the engine compartment of a motor vehicle. The end of the module disposed within the engine compartment includes a quick disconnect locking coupling providing for ready installation and removal of the dipstick. The coupling further provides protection against blow out of the dipstick in the event of inordinate build up of pressure within the oil reservoir. Further, one portion of the outboard coupling may be employed as a liquid-tight closure for a dipstick entry opening in the oil reservoir during removal and/or storage of the engine.
US07779550B2 Micrometer-based measuring system and method of using same
A measuring system (100) for flatness degree measurement includes a measuring instrument (10) and a processing device (20). The measuring instrument has a base (12), a guide column (14), a sliding member (16), a digital micrometer (18) and a holding member (19). The guide column is vertically attached to the base. The sliding member is moveably attached to the guide column. The digital micrometer is firmly fastened to the sliding member. The holding member is configured for fixing a workpiece (40) and has a reference-standard surface formed thereon. The processing device electronically connects with the digital micrometer. The processing device receives a plurality of measured values from the digital micrometer and displays a testing result after processing the measured values.
US07779549B2 Horizontal-arm coordinate measuring machine
A coordinate measuring machine comprising a base provided with guides parallel to a first X axis, a first carriage mobile on the guides along the X axis and provided with an upright, a second carriage carried by the upright and mobile along a second vertical Z axis, and a horizontal-arm carried by the second carriage and axially mobile along a third horizontal Y axis perpendicular to the X axis; a counterweight, fastened to the second carriage by means of a belt, is mobile along the Z axis within the upright and is provided with wheels in contact with side walls of the upright.
US07779548B2 Coordinate measuring machine with rotatable grip
A portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM) can have one or more rotatable grip assemblies to provide a locations for an operator to grasp the PCMM. A rotatable grip assembly can include a rotatable sleeve, a grip portion disposed over the sleeve, and one or more retaining rings to prevent the rotatable grip from axially sliding along one or more members of an articulated arm PCMM. A PCMM can include two rotatable grips to allow an operator to grasp the PCMM with both hands for positioning and repositioning operations. One rotatable grip can be positioned on an arm member most distant the PCMM base, and another rotatable grip can be positioned on a housing at least partially encasing an articulating joint assembly coupled to the arm member most distant the PCMM base. Other numbers of and locations of rotatable grip assemblies can be used in PCMMs.
US07779545B2 Spirit level
The invention concerns a spirit level (10) including a base body (11), e.g., in the form of a hollow profile, as well as a bubble level vial (12), formed of a vial body (14) with enclosed cavity (16), preferably of barrel shape, the vial being secured in the base body by means of a holder (28). The cavity contains a liquid (18) with gas bubble (20) floating therein and the vial body has end face regions (32, 36) running transversely to the lengthwise axis of the cavity. In order to achieve a high contrast between the end of the bubble and the liquid, it is proposed that the vial body (14) be joined to the holder (28) by an intimate material connection in the at least one end face region (32, 36) and that the holder and/or the intimate material connection be contrast intensifying in the region of the at least one end face region.
US07779544B2 Method and device for adjusting the steering wheel of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a method and a device for adjusting the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. The aim of the invention is to enable an automatic adjustment of the steering wheel in the steering clearance center by ‘stabilizing’ or carrying out a steering hysteresis measurement, and the subsequent adjustment of the steering wheel, in a simple, rapid and cost-effective manner. To this end, the invention relates to a method for adjusting the steering wheel of a motor vehicle in the steering wheel clearance center, the method being characterized by the following steps: the floating plates of the vehicle geometry test bed, on which the front wheels of the motor vehicle are arranged, are rotated when the wheels are stopped in order to cause the rotation of steering wheel; the steering wheel angle is determined according to the triggered steering wheel movement; and the steering wheel clearance center is adjusted. The invention shows that reproducible rotations of the steering wheel can be triggered by the floating plates of the vehicle geometry test bed, enabling an automatic adjustment of the steering wheel in the steering wheel clearance center to be carried out rapidly and easily.
US07779537B2 Method of manufacturing RF ablation probe with unibody electrode element
An ablation probe and method of manufacturing the ablation probe are provided. The probe comprises a probe shaft and a unibody electrode element. The unibody electrode element comprises a common electrode base located at the distal end of the shaft, and a plurality of electrode tines distally extending from the electrode base. The electrode element may be created by forming divisions (such as slits or slots) from a first end of an electrically conductive elongate member towards an opposing second end of the elongate member. Alternatively, the divisions can be formed from a first end of an electrically conductive sheet towards an opposing second end of the sheet, and then bent or rolled to form the elongate member. In either case, the common electrode base can either be separately mounted to a probe shaft, or the probe shaft can be formed from the elongate member, in which case, the electrode base will be integrated with the probe shaft as a unibody structure. The electrode tines can be optionally shaped, e.g., to proximally evert.
US07779536B2 Apparatus for wire coil lead placement in machinery for producing dynamo electric machine components
Apparatus for forming wire coil leads that depart from wire coils inserted into a dynamo-electric machine component is provided. A plurality of wire coils may be received on an insertion tool. A wire lead may be anchored at a location on the insertion tool. A wire coil corresponding to the wire lead may encircle the location in a plane of the insertion tool. None of the plurality of wire coils preferably surmounts a first portion of the wire lead anchored at the location. In some embodiments, a template for winding the wire coils may be provided that has a seat portion on the underside of the template. The seat portion may receive a wire lead such that the lead is aligned with the anchoring location on the insertion tool.
US07779533B2 Electronic article surveillance marker
A fabrication process produces markers for a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system. The marker includes a magnetomechanical element comprising one or more resonator strips of magnetostrictive amorphous metal alloy; a housing having a cavity sized and shaped to accommodate the resonator strips for free mechanical vibration therewithin; and a non-deactivatable bias magnet adapted to magnetically bias the magnetomechanical element. The process employs adaptive control of the cut length of the resonator strips, correction of the length being based on deviation of the actual marker resonant frequency from a preselected, target marker frequency. Use of adaptive, feedback control advantageously results in a much tighter distribution of actual resonant frequencies. Also provided is a web-fed press for continuously producing such markers with adaptive control of the resonator strip length.
US07779532B2 Manufacturing method of hybrid permanent magnet type electric rotating machine
A manufacturing method of a hybrid permanent magnet type electric rotating machine including a stator that is constructed by winding excitation coils around respective main poles. A rotor is constructed by fixing a first rotor unit, which consists of a pair of rotor cores and a magnetic material sandwiched between the rotor cores, and a second rotor unit, which has the same construction as the first rotor unit, to a rotation shaft. The rotor is assembled to the stator to form an assembled body. The magnet material of the first rotor unit is magnetized in the axial direction by a magnetizing flux passing through a half of the assembled body in the axial direction. The magnet material of the second rotor unit is magnetized in the axial direction in an opposite polarity by a magnetizing flux passing through the remaining half of the assembled body in the axial direction.
US07779526B2 Method for the production of a collecting line for detecting and locating an agent discharging into the environment of the collecting line in case of leakage
A method for producing a collecting line, and a collecting line produced according to the method is provided for detecting and locating an agent discharging into the environment of the collecting line in case of leakage. Such a collecting line has a carrier pipe, the wall of which is equipped with openings that are sealed by an elastic material that is permeable for the agent. Accordingly, a hose made of the permeable elastic material, the inside diameter of which is smaller than the outside diameter of the carrier pipe, is elastically expanded by creating a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the hose. The carrier pipe is inserted into the radially expanded hose, and the radially expanded hose is attached to the outside surface of the carrier pipe by reducing the pressure difference.
US07779524B2 Short-flanged sheet material forming and joining
An apparatus and method is described to form and join a short flange on a periphery of a sheet material supported in a nest (30). The apparatus includes a positional pressure forming steel (PPFS) assembly (50) located on the end of a robotic arm (42). The PPFS assembly (50) includes a hub (52) slidably supported in a cylinder (56). At least one tool steel (70, 70′, 70″) is located on an extension (68, 68′) from the hub (52). A biasing element (58) interposed between the cylinder (56) and the hub (52) enables precise control of the forming pressure by defining a tool path control program which maintains a relative relationship between the PPFS assembly (50) and the nest (30).
US07779518B1 Clasp for ornamental objects
A clasp apparatus to releaseably hold an ornamental object. That ornamental object may have a spherical shape or an irregular shape.
US07779509B2 Sliding hinge
A sliding hinge is mounted between a cover and a base of an electronic device and has a stationary leaf, a moving leaf, a resilient device, a main linkage and a secondary linkage. The stationary leaf is connected to the base. The moving leaf is connected to the cover and is mounted slidably on the stationary leaf. The resilient device is mounted pivotally on the stationary leaf. The main linkage is mounted pivotally on the stationary leaf and is connected pivotally to the moving leaf and the resilient device. The secondary linkage is mounted pivotally on the stationary leaf and is connected pivotally to the moving leaf. The cover is moved to slide relative to the base by the moving leaf and the main and secondary linkages. Furthermore, the resilient device keeps the cover closed or fully opened without external forces.
US07779505B2 Wet/dry vacuum cleaner
A wet/dry canister vacuum cleaner has a base assembly, a recovery tank, and a solution tank. A hose interface adapted to mount a vacuum hose is pivotally mounted on the base assembly for selective fluid communication with the inlet to the recovery tank. The hose interface is moveable between a position in which the hose interface is coupled with the recovery tank and a suction source in fluid communication with the recovery tank can draw fluid through the hose interface and the recovery tank, and a second position, in which the hose interface is removed from the recovery tank and the recovery tank can be removed from the vacuum cleaner without having to disconnect the vacuum hose from the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner can further comprise a diverter assembly for switching between dry and wet mode cleaning, where the diverter assembly forms an inlet to the recovery tank.
US07779503B2 Quick release paint roller
A quick-release paint roller having a roller cover that can be removed from a frame without requiring the user to apply a force directly to the roller cover. The frame includes a pair of arms having base portions received in a hand grip. The arms diverge outwardly to form a Y-shaped frame, wherein distal ends of the arms have mounting cones configured to receive opposing ends of the tube-shaped roller cover in a rotatable manner with respect to the frame. The paint roller has a roller capture mechanism that pivots the arms between a roller-capture position in which the roller cover is captured between the arms and a roller-release position in which the roller cover is decoupled from the arms. A roller-release button is configured to actuate the capture mechanism to pivot the arms between their roller-capture positions and their roller-release positions.
US07779500B1 Adapter with multiple attachments for reciprocating handheld power tools
A construction worker may adapt a reciprocating handheld power saw to multiple additional applications including brushing, scraping, sanding, and polishing. A simple adapter is attached to the power tool in place of a saw blade. Multiple attachments for the various applications are easily press-fit onto the adapter.
US07779494B2 Bed having fixed length foot deck
A bed is provided having a decreased length foot deck to allow the bed to be converted to a chair bed and lowered close to the floor even when the foot deck is in a substantially vertical position. In one embodiment, the bed has a frame assembly, a deck supported on the frame assembly, and a mattress supported on the deck. The deck has a length extending from a head end of the head section to a foot end of the foot section when the deck is in a substantially horizontal position. The mattress has head, seat and foot mattress portions corresponding, respectively, to the head, seat and foot sections of the deck. The mattress has a length extending from a head end of the mattress to a foot end of the mattress when the mattress is in a substantially horizontal position. The length of the mattress is greater than the length of the deck, such that in one embodiment the mattress has a foot end that overhangs and is cantilevered from the edge of the foot deck section.
US07779490B2 Babysitter with bottom frame
A bouncing cradle comprises a base frame (10) intended to rest on an underlay, a backrest (20), a pivot mounting (12) arranged for the backrest and carried by the base frame, an arm (22) fixedly connected to the backrest and situated under the backrest as well as at a distance from the pivot mounting, and an adjustment fitting (40) for setting different angles of inclination of the backrest in relation to the base frame, the base frame comprising an essentially plane support yoke (84), the branch ends of which are attached to a support plate (16). The support plate (16) consists of an injection-moulded piece of plastic having integrated tubular sleeves (85) that receive the mutually parallel ends of the yoke branches, and that the sleeves (85) are situated at a distance above the support surface of the support plate (16) facing the underlay.
US07779488B2 Swimming goggles
Swimming goggles includes lens units each made of transparent hard material, lens frame units each made of hard material and gasket units each made of soft and elastic material. Each of the gasket units is formed along an outer peripheral surface thereof with a convex rib.
US07779486B2 Garment with underarm externally accessible breast pockets and method of use
A garment with underarm externally accessible breast pockets and method of use. An upper body garment is disclosed having garment sleeves attached to a garment trunk, and a pocket mouth disposed under each garment sleeve. A pocket is attached to the garment trunk at each pocket mouth. A passenger positioned behind a driver wearing the upper body garment may insert hands and arms through the pocket mouths and into the pockets for warmth, security, and or intimacy enhancement. The pockets may terminate in conventional pocket shape, mitten shape, or glove shape, which latter two embodiments permit gripping of thumb lobes, major lobes, and/or finger lobes between the passenger thumbs and fingers, thus increasing passenger security. In another embodiment, non-slip material may be attached inside the pockets for increased passenger security. A method of use is disclosed wherein a passenger seated behind a driver inserts hands and arms into the pockets.
US07779485B2 Garment with deployable hood and method for using same
A garment, and methods of using the garment, including a main body portion, a collar attached to the main body portion, and a hood attached to the main body portion adjacent to the collar. The collar includes first and second flaps that define a collar pocket. The hood is moveable between a non-deployed position where it is received within the collar pocket and a deployed position where it is not received within the collar pocket.
US07779484B2 Rapid intervention rescue harness
Rescue harness devices are designed for incorporation into protective coats of firefighter or other types of first responders such that when deployed, the rescue harness forms a closed loop that cinches around an upper torso region under the armpits of an individual donning the protective coat, to thereby positively secure the individual and pull directly on the individual's body.
US07779483B2 Absorbent finger cover
An absorbent protective finger cover to be worn by aestheticians to protect the surface of their skin while performing facial extractions. The finger cover includes an inner sheath of protective elastomer material and an outer sheath of absorbent material attached to the inner protective sheath. An additional tip piece of absorbent material is disposed at a finger tip portion of the finger cover between the protective sheath and absorbent sheath to provide additional absorbency for body fluids released during the facial extraction.
US07784105B2 Device authentication system
An authenticating device generates authentication base data and verification data. The authenticating device embeds the verification data in the authentication base data to generate authentication data. The authenticating device transmits the authentication data to a device to be authenticated. In the device to be authenticated, the verification data is extracted from the transmitted authentication data, and verification reply data is generated on the basis of the extracted verification data. The device to be authenticated generates reply base data, and embeds the verification reply data in the reply base data to generate authentication reply data. The device to be authenticated transmits the authentication reply data to the authenticating device. The authenticating device extracts the verification reply data from the transmitted authentication reply data. The authenticating device compares the original verification data and the extracted verification reply data to decide whether or not the device to be authenticated is genuine.
US07784101B2 Identifying dependencies of an application upon a given security context
A technique for identifying dependencies of an application upon a given security context includes monitoring security checks generated by the application. The security checks requiring elevated rights are identified and the state of execution of the application corresponding to the identified security checks may be logged. The security checks requiring elevated rights may be identified by monitoring access checks, monitoring privilege checks, checking user/group identifiers against a list of known identifiers associated with elevated rights, or the like.
US07784100B2 System and method for home network content protection and copy management
A private home entertainment system including plural playback devices can receive discrete content that can be played by any appropriate publicly available devices. The home system can convert the discrete content to content that is bound to the private network using, e.g., cryptographic keys. The bound content can be freely copied and played among the devices in the private network but cannot be played outside the private network. Should the user elect to convert bound content back to discrete content to permit playing the content outside the network, all bound copies in the network are destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.
US07784099B2 System for intrusion detection and vulnerability assessment in a computer network using simulation and machine learning
The present invention provides a system and method for predicting and preventing unauthorized intrusion in a computer configuration. Preferably, the invention comprises a communication network to which at least two computing devices connect, wherein at least one of the computing devices is operable to receive data transmitted by the other computing device. The invention further comprises a database that is accessible over the network and operable to store information related to the network. A vulnerability assessment component is provided that is operable to execute a command over the communication network, and a data monitoring utility operates to monitor data transmitted over the communication network as the vulnerability assessment component executes commands. Also, an intrusion detection component is included that is operable to provide a simulated copy of the network, to generate a first data transmission on the simulated copy of the network that represents a second data transmission on the communication network, and to compare the first data transmission with a second data transmission. The vulnerability assessment component preferably interfaces with the intrusion detection component to define rules associated with the first and second data transmissions, to store the rules in the database, and to retrieve the rules from the database in order to predict and prevent unauthorized intrusion in the computer configuration.
US07784098B1 Snapshot and restore technique for computer system recovery
A computer system operation registers as an event when an operation potentially characteristic of malware occurs. Events are scored and when a threshold is reached indicative of a possible malware infection a restore point is created. Many restore points are created. When a user decides to restore the system because of the presence of malware a malware report is retrieved. The malware report describes characteristics of a particular piece of malware. The malware report is compared to the restore point logs that had been created earlier. Any number of malware reports are compared to the restore point logs. A restore point log that shares many of the same system changes or other effects also present in a malware report is likely to be an indication of the beginning of a malware infection. The matched restore point log is recommended to the user as the best restore point.
US07784097B1 Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems
Systems and methods for correlating and distributing intrusion alert information among collaborating computer systems are provided. These systems and methods provide an alert correlator and an alert distributor that enable early signs of an attack to be detected and rapidly disseminated to collaborating systems. The alert correlator utilizes data structures to correlate alert detections and provide a mechanism through which threat information can be revealed to other collaborating systems. The alert distributor uses an efficient technique to group collaborating systems and then pass data between certain members of those groups according to a schedule. In this way data can be routinely distributed without generating excess traffic loads.
US07784095B2 Virtual private network using dynamic physical adapter emulation
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to provide secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. A VPN connection is established to a remote gateway via a network adapter using a Firmware on a platform. An event is generated to notify an operating system (OS) network driver through a bus interface port. A request from the OS network driver is responded to provide network information.
US07784094B2 Stateful packet content matching mechanisms
Methods and apparatus for performing content inspection across packet boundaries using stateful packet content matching mechanisms. Pattern data structures are employed to facilitate string search algorithm machines. Incoming packets are classified to flows, and stored in corresponding flow queues. Flow table entries are used to identify the pattern data structure for a given flow. During content inspection, the algorithm machine updates state information to identify partial or full matches. When a partial match is detected towards the end of an earlier packet state information in the flow table is updated to reflect the state such that content inspection of a following packet begins at that state. As a result, content inspection across packet boundaries is supported. The techniques may further be employed in a packet processing context pipeline stage.
US07784092B2 System and method of locating identity providers in a data network
A distributed computer system is disclosed and includes a plurality of identity provider servers and a plurality of service provider servers coupled to a data network. Further, an identity provider locator server is coupled to the data network. In response to a request from one of the plurality of service provider servers, the identity provider locator server can provide an identifier of at least one of the plurality of identity provider servers. The identity provider locator server can include a memory that stores a list of active identity provider servers for a particular end-user having access to the data network. Further, one or more of the plurality of identity provider servers is able to add or remove itself from the list of active identity provider servers.
US07784090B2 Systems and methods for dispensing postage stamps
Postage stamps are dispensed by receiving payment from a customer for a postage value at a point of sale terminal. The point of sale terminal requests and receives an authorization key from an authorization system. The authorization key is provided to the customer. Thereafter, the customer provides the authorization key to a postage dispensing machine, which provides postage stamps equivalent to the postage value.
US07784086B2 Method for secure packet identification
Methods and apparatus to limit access to a secure personal network are provided. The method includes receiving an Internet protocol (IP) packet of a device including a confirmation value associated with the SPN. The method compares the confirmation value to a predetermined confirmation value and allows access to the SPN when the confirmation value matches the predetermined confirmation value. The IP packet is dropped otherwise. The confirmation value and the predetermined confirmation value are generated by an algorithm including a pseudorandom number generator, a hash function and a one-time password.
US07784082B1 Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US07784081B2 Television program guide with a digital storage device and a secondary storage device
An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to select a program for recording onto the digital storage device. The program guide may then provide the user a list of programs that includes at least one listing for a recorded program. The user may select a recorded program listing and the program guide will transfer the corresponding program from the digital storage device to a secondary storage device.
US07784080B2 Wireless video surveillance system and method with single click-select actions
A surveillance system and method performing actions and interacting with a base system including at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, and, optionally a remote server computer (RSC), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; activities and functions within the system and methods of set-up and operation capable of being performed via single click-select interaction or one-click action by the at least one user through a user interface or directly on components in the base system (ICD(s), DIR, and/or RSC), which correspond to underlying preprogrammed actions or steps performed automatically by the system following the single click-select action of the user, thereby providing a secure surveillance system having wireless communication for monitoring a target environment with single click-select actions by the user.
US07784073B2 Information storage medium including device-aspect-ratio information, method and apparatus therefor
An information storage medium includes video data and a markup document to play back the video data in an interactive mode. The markup document includes device-aspect-ratio information which is referred to for displaying of the markup document.
US07784066B2 Automatic disc eject device for a disc-loading tray of an optical disc drive
An automatic disc eject device for a disc-loading tray of an optical disc drive comprises: a disc-loading frame, a movable disc-loading piece and a pivot. The movable disc-loading piece is connected to the disc-loading frame by a pivot to form a disc-loading tray. When ejecting the disc, the movable disc-loading piece rotates downward about the pivot to allow the optical disc to fall by gravity without having to take the disc out of the disc-loading tray manually. Therefore, the automatic disc eject device can improve the disc-burning efficiency and speed, reduce the labor consumption and improve the productivity.
US07784065B2 Interface for consistent program interaction with auxiliary computing devices
Described is a system and method including an auxiliary display platform having an interface (API) set that provides a way for client applications running on a main computer system to interact with various types of auxiliary displays, irrespective of differences between various device implementations. Interaction includes displaying content and notifications provided by the application, and returning events to the application. In one implementation the API set comprises a set of COM objects that register and perform configuration checks of a client application, send content and notifications to attached devices, and return events from the attached devices. The application may send data to an endpoint corresponding to a communication destination (e.g., a particular auxiliary device application) and a contract (e.g., a format) for the data. The platform and API set thus provide an abstraction layer for applications to provide information independent of any particular auxiliary device implementation.
US07784059B2 Stateless asynchronous message transmission
In one embodiment of this invention, a computer system performs a method for stateless asynchronous message transmission. The method involves a first software application instantiating a listener communication thread for communication with a process of a second software application. The method involves receiving an event notification from a sender communication thread, then suspending the sender communication thread in the second process while the second process continues running. The method involves storing a thread identifier of the suspended sender communication thread and the memory address of an event message within the event notification. The method involves writing information to the suspended sender communication thread during the suspension of the sender communication thread to change values that are provided to the second software application. Lastly, the method involves resuming the sender communication thread subsequent to writing the information, thereby instructing the second process of the second application to process the written information.
US07784057B2 Single-stack model for high performance parallelism
A method and apparatus are provided for operating a processor. The method comprising the steps of providing a single call stack for execution of a plurality of tasks that operate on the processor, parallelly operating the plurality of tasks and allowing a context switch from a first task to a second task of the plurality of tasks, but only when operation of the first task is blocked.
US07784056B2 Method and apparatus for scheduling grid jobs
A method and apparatus for scheduling execution of a grid project in accordance with multiple dimensions of dynamic load factors. The present invention provides a mechanism for determining grid node availability based on both processor load and network traffic loads on the nodes in a grid of computing devices. This availability information is used to determine scheduling of the running of grid projects.
US07784055B2 Method and apparatus for routing data to a load balanced server using MPLS packet labels
A method of routing data to a load-balanced server through a network having one or more load-balancing nodes is disclosed, comprising receiving a label value; storing the label value in a load balancing mapping at a load-balancing node in a network, wherein the load balancing mapping associates the label with a packet flow and with interface identifying information; and forwarding subsequent packets of the flow to a selected load-balancing server. The forwarding route is defined by the load-balancing mapping and without hop-by-hop routing decisions. The first server response packet is switched hop-by-hop and the label is stored at each node traversed by the response packets, with a flow identifier and interface identifiers. For other request and response packets, nodes fast-switch the packets based on the label mappings; thus, packet flows are rapidly routed from the client to the same server without time-consuming hop-by-hop routing or repeated load-balancing decisions.
US07784052B2 Terminal with means of protection against malfunctions of certain java applications
A terminal comprising resources, a terminal for downloading an application program, wherein the application program is stored in the terminal, and wherein the terminal further comprises a device layer for detecting if the application program activates at least one function endangering at least one resource of the terminal. The device layer determines if the number of activations during a predetermined time period is greater than a predetermined value, and the terminal deletes the application program from the terminal in this case.
US07784049B1 System and method for providing a plurality of virtual computing environments that efficiently use data in the virtual environments
This invention is a system and method related to providing a plurality of different virtual computing environments in a data storage environment. A system and method that includes configuring the server as a virtual machine server including a plurality of virtual machines and a virtual kernel. A plurality of logical units are assigned to virtual machines. The logical volumes are available to the virtual machine server through a mirroring operation. The logical volumes are associated with metadata to create a plurality of different virtual computing environments.
US07784048B2 Mobile communication terminal and application control method
A mobile communication terminal comprises: a download portion which downloads an application program from an outside WWW server, and secures a data region for reference parameters to which the application program refers at the time of execution; a control signal receiving portion which receives a control signal containing the reference parameters to which the application program refers, and a parameter saving portion which saves the reference parameters contained in the control signal to the data region.
US07784044B2 Patching of in-use functions on a running computer system
A system and method for automatically updating software components on a running computer system without requiring any interruption of service. A software module is hotpatched by loading a patch into memory and modifying an instruction in the original module to jump to the patch. A coldpatching technique places a coldpatch version of the module on disk for subsequent loading by processes, after hotpatching occurred. The coldpatch has the entry points to its functions at the same relative locations within the module as the hotpatch, which facilitates subsequent hotpatching. A hotpatch and coldpatch are automatically generated by deriving differences between changed and original binary files, and establishing the point to insert the jump. Validation is performed to ensure that the hotpatch is applied to the correct version, and that the coldpatch is replacing the correct version. Version management is also provided to control the number of patches via support rules.
US07784043B2 Method and system for automated code-source indexing in Java Virtual Machine environment
A method and system for class loading in a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment. Specifically, the system includes a code-source index and a mapper. The code-source index is associated with at least one class loader in a class loader tree in the JVM environment. The code-source index includes a plurality of parameters for cross-referencing packages in the at least one class loader to code-sources. The system also includes a mapper for referencing the code-source index. That is, the mapper maps a package associated with a class to one or more associated code-sources that potentially can access the class in the class loader tree.
US07784042B1 Data reordering for improved cache operation
Techniques for reordering the data section of a computer program are provided for improving the run-time performance of the program. A computer program that comprises a data section and a code section is compiled. After the computer program has been compiled, the data section of the computer program is reordered based at least on annotation information that is included in a plurality of object files that represent the object code of the program. A specific binary file that is a specific executable version of the computer program is generated. The specific binary file includes the data section of the computer program that has been reordered. The data section of the computer program may be reordered during the linking of the plurality of the object files. Alternatively, the data section may be reordered after the computer program has been linked into a first binary file by rewriting the first binary file into the specific binary file.
US07784039B2 Compiler, compilation method, and compilation program
A compile converts a program having a multiple execution paths so as to expand a basic block on a specific execution path while maintaining the program integrity. The complier generates new basic blocks B103 and B104. The basic block B104 is composed of (i) statements generated by replacing replacement target variables in a partial source program (basic blocks B1-B7) on a hot path 200, and (ii) a branch instruction that includes a branch condition for executing the hot path, generated by modifying a branch instruction on the hot path 200. The basic block B103 is composed of statements for restoring restoration target variables out of the replacement target variables. The source program is then converted to execute, subsequently to the basic block B104, the basic block B103 if the branch instruction in the basic block B103 is true, and to execute the basic block B1 if false.
US07784034B1 System, method and computer program product for hooking a COM interface
A hooking system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, a component object model (COM) interface is hooked. To this end, a function may be performed based on the hooking.
US07784033B2 JDBC monitoring and diagnostics enhancements
Applications can interact with a database using a JDBC subsystem. The JDBC subsystem includes a connection pool with multiple connections, and parses database requests to produce statements to be sent to a database management system (DBMS). A previously parsed statement can be stored in a prepared statement cache. A profiling component can be used to maintain profile information concerning the connection pool and the prepared statement cache.
US07784032B2 Information processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, if a nonvolatile memory which stores format information of an HDD, a CD/DVD, an FDD and a USB storage device, and the USB storage device are connected, the drive letter of the USB storage device is virtually assigned as FDD or HDD on the basis of the format information.
US07784025B2 Mechanism for using processlets to model service processes
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for using read-only process components to model service processes. User input is received indicating an attempt to establish a connection from a selected read-only process component to a previously selected read-only process component. Responsive to receiving the user input, verification is performed as to whether the connection is a valid connection. In response to all connections being valid, a service model is built using the set of read-only process components and executable code is generated for the service process based on the service model.
US07784023B2 Program creating system, program creating program, and program creating module
An accepting unit (110) accepts various parameters required to create a program from a setting apparatus (500) through a network. A producing unit (112) loads a model of a program code from a model storing unit (128) on the basis of the parameters and replaces a part of the program code with the parameters to produce a source code. An instructing unit (120) detects that the producing unit (112) produces the source code to start a compiling unit (114). The compiling unit (114) compiles the source code produced by the producing unit (112) to create a research program. In this manner, a research program can be automatically created without advanced special knowledge.
US07784022B2 Mapping a new user interface onto an existing integrated interface
A method, system, computer readable medium containing instructions to execute a method for an intermediary, such as a controller, to interact between the interface of an older application and a newly programmed User Interface in order to take advantage of existing transactional logic while still allowing a user to interface with a new User Interface.
US07784019B1 Yield based retargeting for semiconductor design flow
A method for modifying an integrated circuit design layout is presented and can include placing a plurality of target points in the proximity of a polygon representing a portion of the integrated circuit design; modifying the target point placement for some or all of the placed target points; fitting a curve to the target points; and redefining the portion of the integrated circuit as a contour defined by the fitted curve to modify the design layout. In some applications the modified design layout can be used as a target for an optical proximity correction algorithm or for other purposes.
US07784017B2 Lithography simulation method, photomask manufacturing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and recording medium
A lithography simulation method includes obtaining a mask transmission function from a mask layout, obtaining an optical image of the mask layout by using the mask transmission function, obtaining a function which is filtered by applying a predetermined function filter to the mask transmission function, and correcting the optical image by using the filtered function.
US07784015B2 Method for generating a mask layout and constructing an integrated circuit
Methods are disclosed for the layout and manufacture of microelectronic circuits. The methods employ the monitoring of the placement of macros within circuit layouts for design rule compliance. Upon detection of noncompliance, the macros associated with noncompliance are adapted to bring the layout within the design rules. In a preferred embodiment of the invention monitoring the relative positions of macros includes identifying instances of coinciding macro (x, y) coordinates. Adapting noncompliant macros further includes steps for maintaining minimum (x, y) distances between adjacent macro corners.
US07784014B1 Generation of a specification of a network packet processor
A method is provided for generating a hardware description language (HDL) specification of a network packet processor from a textual language specification of the processing of network packets by the processor. The processor includes a look-ahead stage, an operation stage, an insert/remove stage, and an interleave stage. The textual language specification identifies the ports of the processor. The textual language specification includes formats for the type or types of the incoming and outgoing network packets. Each format includes the fields of the type of network packet. The textual language specification includes a procedure for each input port and for each type of incoming network packet received at the input port. Each procedure includes one or more actions for modifying the fields of a type of network packet as a function of state data and/or the fields of the type of network packet.
US07784013B2 Method for the definition of a library of application-domain-specific logic cells
The present invention provides in one aspect a method of defining a logic cell library composed of complex functions and simple functions, with some of the complex functions obtained from identifying logic function patterns. In another aspect the present invention provides a method of designing a representation of an integrated circuit that uses complex functions and simple functions, with the complex functions including a plurality of non-standard complex Boolean logic functions that are determined to collectively provide for logic pattern minimization.
US07784011B2 Reflecting pin swap of PLD performed in package design in circuit design and PLD design
An FPGA-information managing unit retrieves FPGA information, such as pin assignment information and attribute information, that is created by an FPGA-designing CAD apparatus. A library creating unit creates a symbol library by using the FPGA information. A pin-swap processing unit retrieves pin swap information from a package-designing CAD apparatus, and reflect the pin swap in the symbol library, the FPGA information, a circuit diagram, and a constrained condition. A change-history storing unit stores therein a change history of the FPGA information. A history output unit outputs information for notifying the pin swap to the FPGA-designing CAD apparatus 10 based on the change history stored in the change-history storing unit.
US07784008B1 Performance visualization system
A visualization displays user designs and performance information at different levels of detail. Related register bits are combined into a metaregister and displayed as a graph node. The set of paths and associated combinatorial logic between two or more metaregisters are collapsed into a metapath and displayed as a graph connection. The set of paths associated with a metapath can be selectively revealed in response to user input. Metapaths can be annotated with performance information of its associated paths, such as timing, area, and power consumption information. The annotated performance information can represent performance information of one or more paths or aggregate attributes of the set of paths. Paths associated with control signals and finite state machines can be identified and displayed as separate graph connections.
US07784004B1 Skew lots for IC oscillators and other analog circuits
Integrated circuits, key components in thousands of products, frequently include thousands and even millions of microscopic transistors and other electrical components. Because of difficulties and costs of fabricating these circuits, circuit designers sometimes ask fabricators to produce skew lots for testing and predicting manufacturing yield. However, conventional skew lots for CMOS circuits, which are based on increasing or decreasing transistor transconductance, are not very useful in testing certain types of analog circuits, such as oscillators. Accordingly, the present inventors developed a new type of skew lot, based on increasing or decreasing gate-to-source capacitance of transistors, or more generally a transistor characteristic other than transconductance. This new type of skew lot is particularly suitable for simulating, testing, and/or making yield predictions for oscillators and other CMOS analog circuits.
US07784002B2 Systems for using relative positioning in structures with dynamic ranges
Systems for using relative positioning of items or components in a structure with dynamic ranges, such as an elastic I/O bus design for an Integrated Circuit (IC), are disclosed. Embodiments may include a user-defined type module having user-defined types representing relative instance positions within a structure. Embodiments may also include a translation helper module to receive information associated with a hierarchy and to return location information associated with the hierarchy and a translation module to translate between a specific location and a relative position of the instance based on one or more user-defined types and location information returned from the translation helper module to generate a list of translated results. Further embodiments of the translation module may include a relative position determiner to translate specific locations to relative positions and may also include a specific location determiner to translate relative positions to specific locations.
US07783999B2 Electrical parameter extraction for integrated circuit design
A system, method, and computer readable medium for generating a parameterized and characterized pattern library for use in extracting parasitics from an integrated circuit design is provided. In an embodiment, a layout of an interconnect pattern is provided. A process simulation may be performed on the interconnect pattern. In a further embodiment, the interconnect pattern is dissected into a plurality of segments taking into account OPC rules. A parasitic resistance and/or parasitic capacitance associated with the interconnect pattern may be determined by a physical model and/or field solver.
US07783998B2 Method and system for prototyping electronic devices with multi-configuration CHIP carriers
A solution for prototyping electronic devices is proposed. The solution uses a carrier which allows mounting the desired components with different configurations. In order to achieve this result, for some of these components, such as discrete capacitors, the carrier includes more contacts than the corresponding terminals. In this way, each capacitor may be mounted in multiple positions (such as a working one based on the manufacturing standards, an advanced one with gaps between the components below the corresponding safety margins, and as control one with larger gaps). As a result, it is possible to assemble different prototypes by using a single type of carrier, thereby substantially reducing the cost of the process.
US07783994B2 Method for providing secure and trusted ASICs using 3D integration
A system and a method for providing secure and trusted application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) using three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) integration. The method includes fabricating a plurality of sub-circuits and assembling an overall 3D ASIC device from the plurality of sub-circuits. Each sub-circuit includes a plurality of input-output (IO) pads, is fabricated with a orientation point that indicates a compass orientation of the sub-circuit, and is rotationally symmetrical. The assembling includes determining the designed sub-circuit integration order, determining the designed orientation for each sub-circuit, stacking each sub-circuit per the determined integration order, and orienting each sub-circuit per the determined orientation, and wherein function and operation of the overall 3D ASIC device is determinable only from the assembled 3D ASIC stack and not the sub-circuits. The fabricating may be performed at one or more un-trusted facilities and the assembling may be performed at a trusted facility remote from the fabricating facilities.
US07783989B2 Apparatus and method for managing layout of a window
An apparatus and method for managing the layout of a window is provided. The apparatus includes a display unit that displays the window on a screen; the screen is divided into a plurality of display areas; a pointer-position-checking unit that checks the coordinate position of a pointer moved by a user and determines the one display area corresponding to the position of the checked pointer; and a window-size-adjusting unit that moves the window to the one display area where the pointer is positioned and adjusts the size of the window in proportion to the size of the one display area.
US07783988B2 Method and apparatus for scheduling appointments for single location entries
A method for scheduling an appointment using a scheduling software system, includes receiving appointment information entered into appointment scheduling fields of the scheduling software system, the appointment scheduling fields including a location field and a time zone field, updating a user's calendar entries based on the appointment information, causing a search engine to look up a suggested time zone associated with the appointment information entered into the location field and comparing the appointment information entered into the time zone field with the suggested time zone.
US07783985B2 Systems and methods for transferring data between computing devices
Systems and methods for extending the drag-and-drop data transfer mechanism to the remote access environment are described. The extension allows the end-user to select data located on the remote host or the local viewer, drag the selected data to a window on the host or viewer, and drop the selected data in the window. In response, the data is transferred via a network connecting the viewer and the host without any further input from the end-user.
US07783984B2 Voice XML web console
The invention provides a method and apparatus, including computer program products, for interfacing communication between a warehouse management system and a portable device, the device being adapted for processing voice XML data, the method comprising: receiving, from the warehouse management system, GUI screen data comprising visual content; generating voice XML data one the basis of the visual content, the voice XML data comprising at least one portion which is representative of voice information; and transmitting the generated voice XML data to the device.
US07783981B2 Computer peripheral product and method of branding utility software associated with same
A method of customizing the branding of utility software associated with a customized computer peripheral device. The customized peripheral device includes brand data stored in memory. The utility software includes a branding module that reads the brand data from the peripheral device during installation upon a computer and customizes the utility software based upon the brand data. The brand data may include the custom branding information or may provide a brand identifier that permits the branding module to obtain the correct custom branding information from a remote server.
US07783975B2 Content display system for sharing content between display apparatuses
A content display system for sharing contents between display apparatuses is provided. The content display system for displaying content, includes a first local interface module connected to a storage device storing the content, a first device interface module receiving a message requesting for the content stored in the storage device, a first display apparatus including a first device agent module extracting the requested content from the storage device through the first local interface module and transmitting the extracted content through the first device interface module, a second device agent module generating the message, a second device interface module transmitting the generated message to the first display apparatus and receiving the extracted content, a content processing module converting the received content into content having an output format suitable for display, and a second display apparatus including a display module outputting the converted content.
US07783972B2 Ensured workflow system and method for editing a consolidated file
An ensured workflow system for editing a consolidated file, such as a portable document formatted (PDF) file, which may be in the form of a plug-in application that communicates with a host application through an application program interface. The system comprises means for storing identifying information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the system, and means for storing edit information relating to each editing session. The edit information includes at least a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, and any comments entered by the user relating to the session. The system may also comprise means for storing native application information identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created and/or means for storing a preflight profile to be used for preflighting the document and means for preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile.
US07783966B2 System and method for performing processing, such as spreadsheet processing
A system for performing a calculation processing for each cell in a sheet by setting a calculation formula to calculate values for the cell. The system includes: an input data selection unit for sequentially selecting, in response to association of a or a plurality of cells in a sheet having a plurality of input data recorded therein with a first cell, the plurality of input data as values for the first cell; a calculation unit for performing, in response to selection of the respective input data as values for the first cell, calculations of a calculation formula set in a cell other than the first cell and referring to the first cell; and a data output unit for outputting calculation results of the calculation formula obtained by the calculation unit for each of the input data as values of a or a plurality of second cells.
US07783965B1 Managing links in a collection of documents
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques for managing links in a collection of documents. A plurality of links are identified in a collection of one or more documents. A visual representation of the identified links is displayed to a user. Each link has an associated source and destination. The source represents a location in the collection of documents from which the link points. The destination represents a location to which the link points. The visual representation includes information describing the sources and destinations for each of the identified links. Two or more of the links are simultaneously selectable for modification in response to user input in the visual representation.
US07783964B2 Redundant 3-wire communication system and method
A redundant communication system and method for providing data communication between a first computing node and a second computing node. A transmitter is provided as part of the first computing node. A receiver is provided as part of the second computing node. A first signal line carries a first data signal. The first signal line electrically couples the transmitter with the receiver. A second signal line carries a second data signal redundant to the first signal. The second signal line electrically couples the transmitter with the receiver. The receiver evaluates the first data signal to determine the presence of an error and the second node uses the second data signal if an error is detected in the first data signal.
US07783962B2 Iterative decoding receiver reducing complexity of partial sphere decoding in spatial multiplexing system and method thereof
The present invention relates to an iterative decoding receiver for reducing complexity of a partial sphere decoding operation in a spatial multiplexing system, and a method thereof. In the present invention, an iterative detection and decoding (IDD) method using a cost function-based iterative partial sphere decoding method and a soft cancellation-based iterative partial sphere decoding method is used to correct an initial estimation error. In a channel encoding spatial multiplexing system, since the iterative decoding receiver using decoding algorithms including a BCJR algorithm, an MPA, and a VA performs an SISO sphere decoding operation providing an optimum detection solution, the iterative decoding receiver may detect transmission symbols at a whole dimension by detecting the transmission symbols at a partial dimension, and therefore the complexity of the SISO sphere decoding operation may be greatly reduced.
US07783958B1 Broadband satellite system for the simultaneous reception of multiple channels using shared iterative decoder
Multiple channels of received data are processed by a multiple channel demodulation and error correction decoding engine. The statistical uncertainty of processing channels with an iterative decoder are averaged across all the channels to reduce the total processing power required of the decoding engine compared to processing each channel with a separate engine. A set of input buffers holds blocks of data for each channel needing decoding. A quality measure is computed on each input block to set the priority and iteration allocation of decoding in the common decoder. The input RF signal is digitized by a broadband tuner that processes some or all of the channels to feed the multiple channel demodulator and decoder. Multiple decoded video data streams are output.
US07783957B2 Apparatus for implementing enhanced vertical ECC storage in a dynamic random access memory
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced vertical ECC storage in a dynamic random access memory. A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is split into a plurality of groups. Each group resides inside a DRAM row address strobe (RAS) page so that multiple locations inside a group can be accessed without incurring an additional RAS access penalty. Each group is logically split into a plurality of segments for storing data with at least one segment for storing ECC for the data segments. For a write operation, data are written in a data segment and then ECC for the data are written in an ECC segment. For a read operation, ECC are read from an ECC segment, then data are read from the data segment.
US07783955B2 Method for implementing error-correction codes in flash memory
The present invention teaches a method and device for implementing error-correction code (ECC) in flash memory. The present invention discloses methods which utilize a modified ECC algorithm, and a flash memory device which incorporates these methods.
US07783947B2 Controller applying stimulus data while continuously receiving serial stimulus data
An emulator for emulating operations of data processing circuitry normally connected to and cooperable with a peripheral circuit includes serial scanning circuitry connectable to the peripheral circuit. The serial scanning circuitry provides to and receives from the peripheral circuit signals which would normally be provided and received by the data processing circuitry. The serial scanning circuitry is connectable to an emulation controller for transferring serial data between the emulation controller and the emulator. The serial scanning circuitry includes a first state machine having plural states controlling the transfer of serial data. The emulator further includes control circuitry connected to the serial scanning circuitry and connectable to the emulation controller. The control circuitry, when connected to the emulation controller, effects the providing and receiving of signals and the transferring of serial data between the emulation controller and the emulator continuously without interruption while the first state machine remains in one state.
US07783944B2 Semiconductor memory device and method thereof
A semiconductor memory device and method thereof are provided. The example semiconductor memory device may include a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, an expected data generating unit receiving a plurality of initial expected data through at least one address pad during a memory operation and generating a plurality of expected data based on the plurality of initial expected data, the at least one address pad being separate from a data input/output pad and a parallel bit test circuit generating test result data based on a plurality of read data and the plurality of expected data.
US07783936B1 Memory arbitration technique for turbo decoding
A technique for resolving access contention in a parallel turbo decoder is described. The technique includes associating a plurality of buffer memories with the subdecoders so that accesses to banks of a shared interleaver memory can be rescheduled. Accesses can be rescheduled to prevent simultaneous accesses to a single bank of the shared interleaver memory based on an interleaver pattern.
US07783933B2 Identifying failure in a tree network of a parallel computer
Methods, parallel computers, and products are provided for identifying failure in a tree network of a parallel computer. The parallel computer includes one or more processing sets including an I/O node and a plurality of compute nodes. For each processing set embodiments include selecting a set of test compute nodes, the test compute nodes being a subset of the compute nodes of the processing set; measuring the performance of the I/O node of the processing set; measuring the performance of the selected set of test compute nodes; calculating a current test value in dependence upon the measured performance of the I/O node of the processing set, the measured performance of the set of test compute nodes, and a predetermined value for I/O node performance; and comparing the current test value with a predetermined tree performance threshold. If the current test value is below the predetermined tree performance threshold, embodiments include selecting another set of test compute nodes. If the current test value is not below the predetermined tree performance threshold, embodiments include selecting from the test compute nodes one or more potential problem nodes and testing individually potential problem nodes and links to potential problem nodes.
US07783928B2 Description of activities in software products
A method for describing activities in software products is provided. The method provides for identifying a plurality of activities in a software product that are of interest, defining an event structure to describe each identified activity as an event, associating each identified activity with one or more problem determination technologies, executing the software product, and responsive to detecting one of the plurality of identified activities during execution of the software product, creating one or more event records for the one detected activity based on the defined event structure, initiating the one or more problem determination technologies associated with the one detected activity, and passing the one or more event records to each of the one or more problem determination technologies.
US07783925B2 Receiving control, data, and control segments of communication scan packets
A system and method for improved performance and optimization of data exchanges over a communications link is described, including a method for communicating data that includes transmitting a first control segment of a message from a first system to a second system (the first control segment including control information that selects an active communications protocol from a plurality of communications protocols); sequencing at least part of the first and second systems through a series of states that control the active communications protocol based upon the control information in the first control segment; and exchanging a data segment of the message (after the first control segment) between the first system and the second system. The series of states represents inert sequences to the remaining communications protocols of the plurality of communications protocols that were not selected as active.
US07783923B2 Stored memory recovery system
Various embodiments of systems and methods for preserving saved memory states to which a computer system can be restored are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods intercept write operations to protected memory locations and redirect them to alternate memory locations. Embodiments of the systems and methods include creation of a table for each memory state. Certain embodiments additionally include a recovery capability, by which the protected memory in the computer system is capable of being restored or recovered to a recovery point that represents a saved memory state. Further embodiments relate to systems and methods for preventing protected memory locations from being overwritten that utilize a plurality of memory state values.
US07783920B2 Recovery routine masking and barriers to support phased recovery development
A method, computer program product, and data processing system for providing optional exception recovery features in operating system kernel code are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a segment of mainline code may designate a recovery routine for that segment by calling a kernel service provided for that purpose. The kernel service pushes the address of the designated recovery routine, context, and re-entry point information corresponding to the segment to a recovery stack. An additional “footprint” region is also allocated on the recovery stack and used to store other state information needed for recovery. A mask value or barrier count value is also stored on the recovery stack to allow recovery to be disabled for non-recoverable routines.
US07783918B2 Data protection method of storage device
A data protection method of a storage device is provided. In the method, a system management interrupt program orders a hardware control unit to obtain a type and an address message of an error in a block in a first storage device, and stores the type and address message in a second storage device. An interrupt service routine (ISR) reads the type and address message of the error from the second storage device. The ISR orders an operating system to search for a block that may be accessed normally and not damaged in the first storage device, and sets the block as a reserved block. The ISR transmits the address message of the error to the OS, such that the OS copies the data in the block having the error to the reserved block, thereby increasing the available capacity of the storage device and improving the reliability of the computer.
US07783916B2 Optical disc apparatus and data complementation method
A data complementation method including a defective-data confirmation step of confirming if there is address information of defective data, a complementation-data confirmation step of confirming if complementation data is recorded, a complementation-data transmission request step of requesting a recovery server to transmit the complementation data, a complementation-data acquisition step of acquiring the complementation data through a communication network, and a complementation-data record step of recording the complementation data.
US07783915B2 Automation system and a method and input/output assembly therefore
Disclosed is an automation system (1) for executing safety-relevant automation functions. Said automation system (1) comprises one or several control componentries (10) and one or several input/output componentries (30, 30′,50) that are connected thereto. The control componentry (10) is provided with standard program parts (11, 12) and fail-safe program parts (13, 14) to communicate with the connected input/output componentries (30, 30′,50) via corresponding standard bus protocols (S) and fail-safe bus protocols (F). At least one of the input-output componentries (30) is controlled by both the standard program parts (11, 12) via the communicated standard bus protocol (S) and the fail-safe program parts (13, 14) via the communicated fail-safe bus protocol (F), said fail-safe bus protocol (F) having greater priority for said input/output componentry (30) than the standard bus protocol (S).
US07783913B2 Facilitating recovery in a coordinated timing network
Recovery is provided in a timing network. A configuration is defined for that network, and in that configuration, an active primary server is identified that provides a clock source for the network. Additionally, an alternate server is identified that can perform the role of the active primary server, should the active primary server fail. In response to a failure of the primary server, the alternate server detects the failure and performs takeover of the primary server.
US07783912B2 Sequencing control circuit
A sequencing control circuit includes a chip (30), a first control circuit (10), a second control circuit (20), and a lagging voltage terminal (700). The chip is connected to a first voltage terminal (100) and a second voltage terminal (300). The first control circuit is connected to the chip. The second control circuit is connected to a signal terminal (600) of an electronic component. The lagging voltage terminal is connected to the first control circuit for providing a signal posterior to a signal from the first voltage terminal. When the lagging voltage terminal and the signal terminal both input a high level signal, the output terminal of the first control circuit and the second control circuit both output a high level signal, thereby ensuring that the signal from the second voltage terminal is posterior to the signal from the first voltage terminal being input to the chip.
US07783909B2 Method, computing system, and computer program for reducing power consumption of a computing system by relocating jobs and deactivating idle servers
In a computing system where multiple servers are connected through a network and one or more jobs are run, a power reduction facility of a supervisory server relocates jobs according to predetermined conditions, thereby reducing the amount of power consumed by the computing system. For relocating the jobs, the power reduction facility obtains server-related information such as the power properties of the servers constituting the computing system and job-related information such as performance requirements for the jobs which are run in the computing system, and searches for one or more jobs to be relocated and destination servers, based on these server-related information and job-related information, to the extent that the performance requirements for each job are fulfilled. Based on the search results, the jobs are relocated to the destination servers, and servers on which no job is running, in consequence of the relocation, are powered off.
US07783908B2 Method and device to wake-up nodes in a serial data bus
A method of communication comprising sending communication signals switched between dominant and recessive values at clock intervals in frames over a serial data bus from at least one of a plurality of sending nodes to a plurality of receiving nodes. The receiving nodes have an operational state and a standby state in which the current consumption of the node is reduced compared to the operational state. The receiving nodes include wake-up trigger means for triggering transition from the standby state to the operational state in response to the communication signals. The frames of the transmitted signals include an identifier field during which the communication signal alternates between the dominant and recessive values in successive clock intervals with at least one significant occurrence during which the communication signal remains at one of the dominant and recessive values during at least two successive clock intervals, and the trigger means is selectively responsive to the position of the occurrence within the identifier field for triggering the transition from the standby state to the operational state.
US07783906B2 Maximum power usage setting for computing device
A maximum power usage setting for a computing device is based on one or more of: a user-specified setting corresponding to how often a frequency of a processor of the computing device is likely to have to be decreased to reduce power usage by the computing device; an average frequency of the processor during a previous period in which the computing device was operated; a minimum frequency of the processor during the previous period; a maximum power that the computing device used during the previous period; and, a nominal frequency of the processor. When the computing device starts to use more power than the maximum power usage setting, the power used by the computing device is reduced so as not to exceed the setting, such as by decreasing the frequency at which the processor operates.
US07783898B2 Encryption/decryption of stored data using non-accessible, unique encryption key
Encryption and decryption of data stored from a computing system to a storage medium is disclosed wherein the processing employs a non-accessible encryption key that is unique to the computing system. The unique encryption key can be embedded in non-removable hardware of the computing system or generated, e.g., from identification numbers ascertained from non-removable hardware of the computing system. Processing includes establishing the unique encryption key, encrypting data using the unique encryption key and storing the encrypted data to the storage medium without storing the unique encryption key on the storage medium. The storage medium can comprise any non-removable or removable storage medium, including for example a computer hard drive, floppy diskette, or recordable compact disk.
US07783896B2 System and method for management of plaintext data in a mobile data processing device
A handheld data processing device includes stored data that is intended to be kept secure from unauthorized access. The handheld data processing device includes applications that store such secure data and which make use of plain text data corresponding to the secure data. An identifier is defined to be associated with defined plain text data. When the handheld data processing device is placed in a locked or secure state, code executable on the device is able to search for plain text identifiers. Code executable on the device is consequently able to display to the user whether plain text data is stored on the device or not.
US07783893B2 Secure biometric authentication scheme
A method of secure biometric authentication is disclosed that shuffles arrays of biometric data in a sequence determined by user's secret input. The user is authenticated by comparing arrays of biometric data shuffled on the client side with the arrays of biometric data stored on the server side and shuffled in the very same sequence. Additional layer of security is provided by second shuffling in accordance with a number generated on the server and transmitted to the client after encoding with the user's public key/string retained on the server during enrollment. Real biometric data and sequences of shuffling are neither stored not transmitted anywhere; therefore, the privacy of the user is guaranteed. Security of the data transmitted to the server is not relevant because an attacker does not know the user's private key which is repeatedly recreated on the client from the real biometric data of the user.
US07783892B2 System and methods for assignation and use of media content subscription service privileges
This invention describes a system and methods for media content subscription service distribution; typical services include cable television, premium content channels, pay-per-view, XM radio, and online mp3 services. Subscribers use portable electronic devices to store digital certificates certifying the subscriber's privileges and an assigned public key. The devices can communicate with specially enabled televisions, radios, computers, or other media presentation apparatuses. These, in turn, can communicate with central databases owned by the provider, for verification purposes. Methods of the invention describe media content subscription service privilege issuing and use. The invention additionally describes methods for protecting media content transmitted to users with a variety of encryption schemes. The invention also comprises methods for subscribed users to bestow a subset of their privileges to a number of secondary users, with appropriate permission from the media content subscription service provider.
US07783889B2 Methods and apparatus for generating signatures
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for media monitoring are disclosed. In particular, the example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture generate digital spectral signatures for use in identifying media information. Initially, a frame of media samples is obtained. A first frequency component having a first spectral power and a second frequency component having a second spectral power are identified by performing a spectral transform operation on the frame of media samples. A descriptor of the first frame of media samples is determined based on a comparison of the first spectral power and the second spectral power. A first signature is then generated based on the descriptor.
US07783888B2 Watermarking in an audiovisual product
An audiovisual product (400) is recorded with a set of watermark characters (421, 701) as video or audio objects. A sequence of the watermark characters (421, 701) is selected and reproduced upon playback to uniquely identify a particular playback instance. Ideally, a user identity code is received upon playback amongst a predetermined set of user identity codes, and the sequence of watermark characters (421, 701) is selected and replayed according to the received user identity code. The sequence of watermark characters (421, 701) allows the user identity code to be traced should the audio and/or visual output of the audiovisual product (400) be recorded such as with a video cassette recorder (VCR).
US07783887B2 Method and apparatus for providing television services using an authenticating television receiver device
A smart chip protection system contains a unique public/private identity key pair and uses a separate public/private signature key pair. The internally stored identity private key can not be read outside the chip. An issuing entity generates a descriptor containing the identity public key, attribute data, and a digital signature of the two, using a signature private key known only to the issuer. The authenticity of the descriptor is verified by decrypting the signature using the signature public key, and comparing the result to source data. An object's identity can be verified by requesting the smart chip to perform a data transformation using its identity private key, and performing the complement using the public key. An exemplary embodiment is a television receiver system which verifies identity of an embedded smart chip and entitlement to receive television service.
US07783886B2 Multi-level boot hierarchy for software development on an integrated circuit
A method of enabling software development for an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit being configured to run a boot program that prevents unverified software from subsequently being loaded onto, or run by, the integrated circuit, the method including the step of loading an intermediate program onto the integrated circuit, the intermediate program being customized for a particular one or more of a plurality of potential integrated circuits that, when run on the processor, enables loading or running of code on only the particular one or more integrated circuits.
US07783879B2 Method and device relating to security in a radio communication network
A method of joining a first device to a radio communications network controlled by a second device without contemporaneous user input of a secret at the second device, including: storing in the second device a secret generated at the second device; making the stored secret available in the first device; and creating in the first device and in the second device, using the secret, a secret key for use in securing communication between the first and second devices.
US07783877B2 Boot-switching apparatus and method for multiprocessor and multi-memory system
A boot-switching apparatus suitable for a system having a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories and a method thereof are provided. While booting the system, a single timer is used for counting down a time-out and it is determined whether a disabling signal sent by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is received during the countdown. If the disabling signal is not received and the time-out is up, whether the processors operate normally is further detected and a plurality of detection signals is obtained. Next, whether each of the detection signals matches its corresponding enabling signal is determined. If the two do not match, the corresponding processor is disabled. If all of them match, the memories are switched. Accordingly, the problem of misjudgment in the prior art can be resolved and the system can be led to select normal processor and memory for executing its booting.
US07783871B2 Method to remove stale branch predictions for an instruction prior to execution within a microprocessor
According to one embodiment a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes a microprocessor and a chipset coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor removes stale branch instructions prior to the execution of a first cache line by finding existing branch prediction data for the first cache line.
US07783870B2 Branch target address cache
A processor includes an execution unit and instruction sequencing logic that fetches instructions from a memory system for execution. The instruction sequencing logic includes branch logic that outputs predicted branch target addresses for use as instruction fetch addresses. The branch logic includes a level one branch target address cache (BTAC) and a level two BTAC each having a respective plurality of entries each associating at least a tag with a predicted branch target address. The branch logic accesses the level one and level two BTACs in parallel with a tag portion of a first instruction fetch address to obtain a first predicted branch target address from the level one BTAC for use as a second instruction fetch address in a first processor clock cycle and a second predicted branch target address from the level two BTAC for use as a third instruction fetch address in a later second processor clock cycle.
US07783869B2 Accessing branch predictions ahead of instruction fetching
A data processing apparatus is disclosed that comprises: a processor for processing a stream of decoded instructions; a prefetch unit for fetching instructions within a stream of instructions from a memory prior to sending said stream of instructions to said processor; branch prediction logic operable to predict a behaviour of a branch instruction; a branch target cache for storing predetermined information about branch operations executed by said processor, said predetermined information comprising: identification data for an instruction specifying a branch operation and data relating to whether said branch is taken or not; wherein said data processing apparatus is operable to access said branch target cache and to determine if there is data corresponding to instructions within said stream of instructions stored within said branch target cache and if there is to output said data; said data processing apparatus further comprising: a data store operable to store data indicative of a behaviour of a branch instruction; and said data processing apparatus is operable over a period of time to access predetermined information corresponding to more instructions within said branch target cache than instructions it prefetches from said memory such that said accesses to said branch target cache develop an advance in said instruction stream with respect to accesses to said memory; and said prefetch unit is operable to access said data store and to determine if there is data corresponding to an instruction within said data store that indicates that said instruction specifies a branch operation that will be taken and will cause a change in instruction flow.
US07783866B2 Method and apparatus for executing instrumentation code using processor instructions
A computer implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for processing instructions. A determination is made as to whether an instruction is a start instrumentation instruction in response to identifying the instruction for execution while executing the instructions using a normal set of processor resources in a processor. Subsequent instructions are executed using an alternate set of processor resources until an end instrumentation instruction is encountered.
US07783860B2 Load misaligned vector with permute and mask insert
Embodiments of the invention provide logic within the store data path between a processor and a memory array. The logic may be configured to misalign vector data as it is stored to memory. By misaligning vector data as it is stored to memory, memory bandwidth may be maximized while processing bandwidth required to store vector data misaligned is minimized. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention provide logic within the load data path which allows vector data which is stored misaligned to be aligned as it is loaded into a vector register. By aligning misaligned vector data as it is loaded into a vector register, memory bandwidth may be maximized while processing bandwidth required to align misaligned vector data may be minimized.
US07783850B2 Method and apparatus for master volume access during volume copy
A method and device for performing a volume copy is provided. The volume copy method allows access to both the Volume Copy Source and Volume Copy Target while the volume copy process is occurring. This allows a system administrator to initiate a volume copy without worrying that host access to the Volume Copy Source and Volume Copy Target will be interrupted.
US07783847B2 Method and system for reallocating blocks in a storage pool
A method for reallocating blocks in a storage pool involves copying multiple source blocks to multiple replacement blocks, where the source blocks are stored on a source disk in the storage pool, and where the replacement blocks are stored on one or more replacement disks in the storage pool, and generating an indirection object, where the indirection object includes a mapping of locations of the source blocks to locations of the replacement blocks.
US07783845B2 Structures for the management of erase operations in non-volatile memories
The present invention presents a number of improvements for managing erase processes in non-volatile memory. Such memory systems typically manage the memory by logically organize the basic unit of physical erase (erase block) into composite logical groupings (meta-blocks or logical group), where an erase block generally consists of a number of sectors. When an erase command is received, the specified sectors are checked against the memory system's control data. If the specified sectors span any full logical grouping, the full logical groupings can each be treated as a whole and erased according to one process (such as performing a true, physical erase), while other sectors are “logically” erased at the sector level by standard techniques.
US07783838B1 Maintaining coherency of derived data in a computer system
A computer system has secondary data that is derived from primary data, such as entries in a TLB being derived from entries in a page table. When an actor changes the primary data, a producer indicates the change in a set data structure, such as a data array, in memory that is shared by the producer and a consumer. There may be multiple producers and multiple consumers and each producer/consumer pair has a separate channel. At coherency events, at which incoherencies between the primary data and the secondary data should be removed, consumers read the channels to determine the changes, and update the secondary data accordingly. The system may be a multiprocessor virtual computer system, the actor may be a guest operating system, and the producers and consumers may be subsystems within a virtual machine monitor, wherein each subsystem exports a separate virtual central processing unit.
US07783837B2 System and storage medium for memory management
Systems and a storage medium for memory management are provided. A system includes a tag controlled buffer in communication with a memory device, including multiple pages divided into individually addressable lines. The tag controlled buffer includes a prefetch buffer with at least one of the individually addressable lines from the memory device and a tag cache in communication with the prefetch buffer. The tag cache includes at least one tag associated with one of the pages in the memory device. Each tag includes a reference history field and a pointer to a line in the prefetch buffer that is from the associated page. The reference history field includes information about how the lines from the associated page have been accessed in the past and is utilized to determine which lines in the associated page should be added to the prefetch buffer when the tag is added to the tag cache.
US07783832B2 System and method for fault tolerant controller for network raid
A fault-tolerant and efficient way of deducing a set of inconsistent stripes for a network RAID protocol, wherein clients forward input/output (I/O) to a particular controller device called the coordinator, which executes RAID logic and which sends out device IOs to the relevant storage devices. If the coordinator fails then a new coordinator reconstructs its state from the storage devices.
US07783827B2 Data processor having a memory controller with cache memory
The data processor enhances the bus throughput or data throughput of an external memory, when there are frequent continuous reads with a smaller data size than the data bus width of the external memory. The data processor includes a memory control unit being capable of controlling in response to a clock an external memory having plural banks that are individually independently controllable, plural buses connected to the memory control unit, and circuit modules capable of commanding memory accesses, which are provided in correspondence with each of the buses. The memory control unit contains bank caches each corresponding to the banks of the external memory. Thereby, the data processor enhances the bus throughput or data throughput of the external memory, since the data processor stores the data read out from the external memory temporarily in the bank caches and to use the stored data without invalidating them, when performing a continuous data read with a smaller data size than the data bus width of the external memory.
US07783825B2 Nonvolatile memory system and management method for nonvolatile memory
A nonvolatile memory system includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The controller is configured to manage the nonvolatile memory based on management information. The management information of the controller includes a basic table for collectively managing a plurality of blocks and differential information between the blocks. The controller is operable to manage the blocks collectively with the basic table and manage different portions of the blocks within the collected range using the differential information.
US07783823B2 Hardware device data buffer
One embodiment includes a system comprising a processor configured to read and write data packets via a data bus to and from at least one additional hardware device. The system also comprises a data buffer configured to store a plurality of consecutive related flits associated with at least one of the data packets in one of a plurality of addressable locations of the data buffer. The system further comprises a pointer memory configured to store a respective pointer associated with each of the plurality of addressable locations of the data buffer.
US07783820B2 Packet-switched split computer having disassociated peripheral controller and plural data buses
A network interface is described in which a single computer bus is split over a long distance into two or more intercommunicating buses. On one bus, processing and applications are provided and on the other remote bus, peripheral and local controllers are provided. The buses communicate through a series of: bridge, a first communications controller, a second communications controller, and bridge. Between the communications controllers, a communication path provides long distance communication via a packet-switched network.
US07783817B2 Method and apparatus for conditional broadcast of barrier operations
A weakly-ordered processing system implements an execution synchronization bus transaction, or “memory barrier” bus transaction, to enforce strongly-ordered data transfer bus transactions. A slave device that ensures global observability may “opt out” of the memory barrier protocol. In various embodiments, the opt-out decision may be made dynamically by each slave device asserting a signal, may be set system-wide during a Power-On Self Test (POST) by polling the slave devices and setting corresponding bits in a global observability register, or it may be hardwired by system designers so that only slave devices capable of performing out-of-order data transfer operations participate in the memory barrier protocol.
US07783816B2 Computer capable of automatic bandwidth configuration according to I/O expansion card type
A computer capable of automatic bandwidth configuration according to I/O expansion card (e.g., PCI-Express expansion card) type is provided. A motherboard of the computer includes an I/O expansion slot, a chipset, and a configuration setting circuit. When the I/O expansion slot supports different types of I/O expansion cards having multiple interface card slot combinations, a corresponding bandwidth configuration message is generated on the I/O expansion card. The bandwidth configuration message is used to indicate the type of the I/O expansion card that is being used and thereby control the configuration setting circuit to adjust the bandwidth configuration in the chipset.
US07783815B1 High latency interface between hardware components
A hard disk controller comprises a first circuit that transmits a first signal to control data transfer between the hard disk controller and a read/write channel. A second circuit transmits or receives data under control of the first signal. A third circuit transmits a second signal to control data transfer between a storage media and the read/write channel. A mode circuit transmits mode data under control of the second signal. A read channel circuit comprises a data circuit and a first circuit that receives a first signal that controls the transfer of data to and from the data circuit. A second circuit transmits or receives data under control of the first signal. A mode circuit receives mode data under control of a second signal. Data is transferred to and from the input/output circuit in accordance with the second signal.
US07783812B2 Extended serial bus architecture and method
The present invention is directed to a serial bus extension that provides for a new class of 1394 devices called versaphy devices. A versaphy device has a static (permanent or semi-permanent) address or versaphy label. In addition, the versaphy device has a new register structure called a versaphy register. The versaphy register may contain the versaphy label. The versaphy register can be written to by non-local devices such a controller. New simple versaphy packets are defined to facilitate communication between a versaphy device and a controller. The versaphy device can transmit unsolicited responses. These features reduce the complexity necessary for a device to connect to a 1394 bus and, therefore, reduce the cost of these devices.
US07783810B2 Apparatus and method of processing information
An information processing apparatus is provided. Plural processors respectively execute separate operating systems to process data that has been received from a network. The apparatus includes receiving device that receives the data in predetermined units from the network and analyzing device that analyzes identification data added to the data received by the receiving device. The apparatus also includes maintaining device which maintains a table that relates the identification data to information on identification of an interrupt register in each of the processors that execute the operating systems. The apparatus further includes interrupting device that allows interrupt processing to any of the processors to occur by writing the data received with the receiving device into the interrupt register that is related to the identification data, which is identified on the based of the table maintained by the maintaining device, analyzed by the analyzing device.
US07783809B2 Virtualization of pin functionality in a point-to-point interface
Architectures and techniques that allow legacy pin functionality to be replaced with a “virtual wire” that may communicate information that would otherwise be communicated by a wired interface. A message may be passed between a system controller and a processor that includes a virtual wire value and a virtual wire change indicator. The virtual wire value may include a signal corresponding to one or more pins that have been eliminated from the physical interface and the virtual wire change value may include an indication of whether the virtual wire value has changed. The combination of the virtual wire value and the virtual wire change indicator may allow multiple physical pins to be replaced by message values.
US07783802B1 Serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) switch that toggles with power control to hard disk drive while avolding interruption to system
An embodiment of the present invention includes a switch employed in a system having two hosts and a device and for coupling two or more host ports to a device. The switch includes a power signal control circuit generating a power signal for use by the device in receiving power for operability thereto, the power signal control circuit responsive to detection of inoperability of the device and in response thereto, toggling the power signal to the device while avoiding interruption to the system.
US07783801B2 KVM console cable and multi-computer system using the same
The invention provides KVM console cables, comprising a video connector, a first console connector, a second console connector, a third console connector, a combined connector, and a transmission line. The video connector is utilized to connect to a video monitor. The first, second, and third console connectors are utilized to connect to a first console device, a second console device and third console device, respectively. The combined connector is utilized to connect to a KVM switch. The video connector and the first, second and third console connectors are connected to the combined connector by the transmission line.
US07783799B1 Remotely controllable switch and testing methods using same
Apparatus, methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for remotely controlling the connection between a host computer and a multitude of connected devices. One apparatus described herein includes a multiplexer that has a host port for connection to a host computer, device ports for connection to the devices, and control lines. The multiplexer is operative to connect a device port to the host port based upon the status of the control lines. The apparatus further includes a controller connected to the multiplexer. The controller has an input interface and is operative to receive control data on the input interface that identifies a device port on the apparatus that should be connected to the host port. In response to receiving such control data, the controller is operative to place signals on the control lines that cause the multiplexer to connect the identified device port to the host port. The device port that is connected to the host port can be remotely selected by transmitting the appropriate data to the input interface of the controller.
US07783794B2 Remote USB access method
An improved remote USB access method allows a local host to access USB devices on a remote host in a manner that reduces network traffic in certain situations. When the local host copies a file from a USB device A to a USB device B both located on the remote host, the operation is initially handled in a conventional manner by which data is transferred from device A to the local host over the network, and then from the local host to device B over the network. The remote host is provided with an ability to detect such an operation as a special case where the data transfer from the local host to device A is unnecessary. Thus, the remote host copies the data from device A to device B, and notifies the local host to stop the network data transfer from the local host to device B.
US07783793B2 Handling DMA operations during a page copy
A memory controller provides page copy logic that assures data coherency when a DMA operation to a page occurs during the copying of the page by the memory controller. The page copy logic compares the page index of the DMA operation to a copy address pointer that indicates the location currently being copied. If the page index of the DMA operation is less than the copy address pointer, the portion of the page that would be written to by the DMA operation has already been copied, so the DMA operation is performed to the physical address of the new page. If the page index of the DMA operation is greater than the copy address pointer, the portion of the page that would be written to by the DMA operation has not yet been copied, so the DMA operation is performed to the physical address of the old page.
US07783790B2 Method for configuring field devices
The disclosure relates to a method for configuring field devices in a process automation system wherein the field devices are connected to other automation components by means of a field bus. In order to minimize the load placed on the field bus, a copy of the current configuration of each field device is stored in a configuration tool, the appropriate set of configuration and parameter data is transmitted to each field device during initial start-up and modifications in relation to the previous copy of the configuration and parameter data are transmitted to the respective field device.
US07783781B1 Adaptive compression
A method, system, and apparatus are directed towards compression of content over a network. The content may include content length information, such as within a header. In one embodiment, a portion of the content may be compressed to approximately fill a buffer of a predefined size. If there remains additional uncompressed content, a new content length may be determined based in part on the length of the compressed content and the remaining uncompressed content. The buffered content and the new content length may then be forwarded in response to the request. The remaining uncompressed content may be split into predefined blocks using identity compression. Identity compression may then be applied to the remaining uncompressed content which is then forwarded to a destination in response to the request.
US07783779B1 Storage multipath management in a virtual computer system
A virtual computer system, including one or more virtual machines (VMs), is connected to a redundant data storage system having multiple paths for routing data between the computer system and the data storage system. The VMs are supported by a kernel, which includes a resource manager for allocating system resources among the VMs, including data storage space and data storage bandwidth. A storage path manager (SPM) is integrated into the kernel for routing data between the computer system and the data storage system, including providing functions such as failovers and failbacks, as well as load distribution. Integrating the SPM into the kernel improves the kernel's ability to manage the VMs and to provide SAN resources to the VMs. For example, the SPM may enhance the isolation between multiple VMs by routing their respective data over different data paths. Also, the SPM may improve the allocation of system resources by coordinating with the resource manager.
US07783777B1 Peer-to-peer content sharing/distribution networks
Embodiments of a peer-to-peer-based content sharing/distribution network (CDN). In embodiments, some peers are content publishers while other peers are content consumers. When a consumer peer gets content from a content publisher, the consumer peer may become a content publisher that may be accessed by other peers. If a peer desires a particular content, the peer may get the content from a nearby content publisher, saving access to a central server. The more a content is in demand, the more likely it is to be replicated, and hence more likely to be found by consumer peers on nearby content publisher peers. If a content publisher peer does not have all of a requested content, the requesting peer may be redirected to another content publisher peer to obtain the missing content. Embodiments may be implemented in peer-to-peer networks implemented according to a peer-to-peer platform.
US07783774B2 Audiovisual distribution system for playing an audiovisual piece among a plurality of audiovisual devices connected to a central server through a network
An audiovisual distribution system includes a central server and a plurality of audiovisual units. Each unit includes structure for interactively communicating with the user for selecting a piece or a menu, a payment device, a computer network card, and a permanent semiconductor memory containing a multitask operating system comprising at least a hard disc access management task. The order for performing a selected piece is processed as a hard disc sequential access task. The hard disc is declared as a peripheral corresponding to the network card of the unit, enabling a request to be sent through the network to the server for processing.
US07783772B2 Session description message extensions
Session description message extensions include information describing a multimedia presentation or a single media presentation. The session description message is typically sent from one device to another device to which the multimedia or single media presentation will be streamed. Several extensions are described that extend the information that can be included in the session description message.
US07783765B2 System and method for providing distributed access control to secured documents
A system and method for providing distributed access control are disclosed. A number of local servers are employed to operate largely on behalf of a central server responsible for centralized access control management. Such a distributed fashion ensures the dependability, reliability and scalability of the access control management undertaking by the central server. According to one embodiment, a distributed access control system that restricts access to secured items can include at least a central server having a server module that provides overall access control, and a plurality of local servers. Each of the local servers can include a local module that provides local access control. The access control, performed by the central server or the local servers, operates to permit or deny access requests to the secured items by requestors.
US07783764B2 Multi-protocol network registration and address resolution
The functionality of a C12.22 application layer is overlaid on an IP-based infrastructure, by employing an IP DNS server as the registration host for both IP- and C12.22-based communications. Communication can occur at either the IP layer or the C12.22 application layer. At the IP layer, a host application can interrogate network nodes. To extend this service to C12.22 communications, C12.22 registration and resolve services are implemented on the DNS server. Similar to the manner in which an IP-based service uses a native, IP-based DNS resolve request, a C12.22 host can utilize a C12.22 resolution request against the C12.22-enabled DNS server for C12.22 application-layer interrogation of endpoints
US07783761B2 Scheme for dynamically connecting I/O devices through network
A scheme for dynamically connecting I/O devices through a network is disclosed. It enables separating I/O devices from a host system unit and connecting them to the host system unit through a network. In one preferred embodiment, provided in the host side is a converter that encapsulates an I/O command into one or more data link frames so that the frames containing the I/O command are sent through the network. Also provided in the device side is a counter-converter that retrieves the I/O command from the data link frames received through LAN. The network may be either a wired or wireless network.
US07783754B2 Adaptive, application-aware selection of differentiated network services
Methods, apparatuses and systems that dynamically adjust the selection of differentiated network services for selected classes of traffic in response to changing network conditions or application performance levels. In one implementation, the present invention allows for a differentiated network services scheme that adapts to existing network conditions and, in one implementation, selects higher, generally more expensive classes of differentiated network service for certain data flows when the performance of selected applications degrades below a threshold level. The present invention, in one implementation, allows for bandwidth cost savings without sacrificing application performance.
US07783752B2 Automated role based usage determination for software system
A usage data collection and evaluation mechanism may collect usage information from various sources and summarize the usage information to determine a role for a system. The role and usage information may be transmitted to a centralized server for aggregation and analysis. The collection and transmission of usage data may be governed by and conform to a privacy agreement and may be collected when an end user agrees to such collection. Role determination may be performed using data collected from a single device, multiple devices, or from a network monitoring system. The usage data collection and evaluation mechanism may determine an installed role base and any changes in the installed role base since a previous report.
US07783749B2 Method for monitoring and providing information over a peer to peer network
A pseudonode for deployment on a peer to peer network. The pseudonode is programmed for monitoring the peer to peer network to receive search requests therefrom, optionally comparing each said received search with said list of data objects, and to respond to such requests. The response may include advertising; the advertising may be selected in response to the request. The invention also provides a method for monitoring search requests for selected objects by nodes on a peer to peer network. The method further includes interposing the pseudonodes on the network in which it is configured to provide at least one IP address and optionally at least one client ID. The pseudonode has at least one stored object corresponding to a request object stored at said pseudonode; and monitors the network to detect requests matching at least one of the stored objects and acquires a unique ID generated by any network node requesting the object matching that stored object on the pseudonode, and responding to substantially each node representing an acquired ID.
US07783744B2 Facilitating root cause analysis for abnormal behavior of systems in a networked environment
To facilitate gathering of information required for root cause analysis associated with the abnormal behavior of an attribute (“problem attribute”), a user can specify causation attributes associated with the problem attribute. When the abnormal behavior is detected for the problem attribute, the causation attributes are automatically polled and stored in a database. The user can later examine the values of the causation attributes to determine if there is a causal relationship to the abnormal behavior of the problem attribute.
US07783743B1 Methods and apparatus for processing electronic mail-related data
A system processes data related to an electronic mail database by identifying a set of electronic mail databases within a mail domain of an organization and receiving a data collection policy identifying metrics to collect from the set of electronic mail databases. The system executes the data collection policy against at least a portion of the set of electronic mail databases to collect mail summary data containing values for the metrics for mail data stored within the electronic mail database. The system provides the mail summary data to a mail report generator to allow the mail report generator to produce a mail report based on the mail summary data.
US07783742B2 Dynamic process recovery in a distributed environment
Methods for providing dynamic process recovery that supports recovery of event driven services. The present invention addresses situations where a service-hosting process fails as well as all of the services which were running in that process. To recover from this scenario, the present invention restarts the services from a last known good state. The present invention also provides for situations where a process is shut down in a controlled manner, but the services running within it are still able to drive. Here again, the services are restarted in a secondary process. The recovery modal described here, therefore, advantageously addresses a problem in the design of a distributed event-driven environment.
US07783740B2 Embedded network traffic analyzer
The present invention provides a system and method for interfacing to a network. The system includes a network interface comprising an embedded network traffic analyzer (NTA) capable of network traffic analyzer filter and capture capabilities. The NTA also includes an artificial intelligence component that facilitates diagnosing and/or prognosing state and/or health of the network (and/or components thereof).
US07783738B2 Method and apparatus for inexpensively monitoring and controlling remotely distributed appliances
A method and associated apparatus are described that enables unattended, remotely distributed appliances, such as vending machines, utility meters, thermostats and kitchen appliances (ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) to be connected inexpensively to each other and to a centrally located server. The apparatus 1) uses relatively simple “personality” modules to adapt the apparatus to the application in combination with a sophisticated core module that provides the intelligence needed to process data locally, to format that data and to transfer it to a remote server and 2) uses existing Internet-based communication links, thereby avoiding the costly proprietary links used with current state-of-the-art solutions.
US07783734B2 Satellite communications system for providing global, high quality movement of very large data files
A system for providing communication services between geographically disbursed source and destination terminals includes at least one airborne or spaceborne wireless communication device, such as a satellite. The wireless communication device is configured to store and forward large data files of at least an aggregated 10 gigabytes. The wireless communication device includes a wireless transceiver for communicating with the source and destination terminals over at least one high bandwidth channel. A mass data storage device stores the large data files for a predetermined period of time that is greater than approximately two minutes. At least one processor is coupled among the mass data storage and wireless transceiver. The processor is configured to control receipt of a large data file from the source terminal and to transmit it to the destination terminal as the wireless communication device nears the destination terminal.
US07783732B2 Home adaptive transceiver for home networking communication system
A self calibrating network comprises a first node and a second node. The first node transmits a calibration data packet. The second node receives the calibration data packet and determines a calibration value for the second node to optimize the transfer of data from the first node to the second node.
US07783731B2 Firmware cache coherence
Firmware cache coherence is described. In embodiment(s), a remote management service can establish a client session with a client device and provide an address that redirects the client device to a firmware download service when the client device initiates a session request with the remote management service. The firmware download service can cache the executable program code, and then initiate a download of the executable program code to the client device when the client device initiates a download request for the executable program code.
US07783729B1 Transmitting mobile device data
Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for transmitting mobile device data. A method includes querying a first mobile device for data residing on the first mobile device; wirelessly transmitting, to a computer system, a specification of the data residing on the first mobile device; determining suitability of data for a second mobile device; and receiving, at the second mobile device, a specification of data for the second mobile device that is based on the specification of the data residing on the first mobile device. Another method includes wirelessly receiving, at a computer system, a specification of data residing on the first mobile device; and wirelessly transmitting, to the second mobile device, a specification of data for the second mobile device that is based on the specification of the data residing on the first mobile device.
US07783723B2 Systems and methods for submitting data from a WML-based browser
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for communications between a client and server, both of which support a markup language, such as the Wireless Markup Language (WML). In one exemplary embodiment, the system, method, and apparatus may include generating, at a server, a WML deck, the WML deck including one or more first cards, the first cards having one or more first parameters; and generating, at a server, one or more second cards, the second cards having one or more second parameters, the second parameters determined to include a single instance of the first parameters to limit any duplicate first parameters.
US07783721B2 Method and code module for adding function to a web page
A computer network (20) includes a first processor (22) for maintaining a Web page (34) having an embedded first code module (36) and accessible through a Web address (38). A second processor (24) supports a Web browser (52) for downloading the Web page (34) and executing the first code module (36). When executed, the first code module (36) issues a first command (93) to retrieve a second code module (90) from a server system (26). The server system (26) includes a database (68) having a service response (162, 176, 186) associated with the Web address (38). A processor (62) assembles the second code module (90) having the service response (162, 176, 186). When the second code module is retrieved, the first code module (36) issues a second command (106) to initiate execution of the second code module (90) to provide added function to the Web page (34).
US07783719B2 Method of and system for crediting an online publisher in an affiliate marketing relationship
A method of crediting an online publisher when a user uses the online publisher to access an online advertiser using a web browser is disclosed. The online publisher displays a tracked advertisement on the user's browser, the tracked advertisement being identifiable by a publisher tracked advertisement identifier, with the online advertiser being associated with an advertising network that is hosted on an advertising network server. The online advertiser is identifiable by an advertising network identifier and an associated advertising network tracking integration code. The method comprises receiving a request from the user to access the advertising network server, directing the user to the advertising network server, setting a tracking cookie on the visitor's web browser, the tracking cookie including the publisher tracked advertisement identifier and a timestamp, redirecting the visitor's browser to a controlling server, setting a master cookie on the visitor's browser, the master cookie including the advertising network identifier and a timestamp on the user's browser, redirecting the visitor's browser to the online advertiser, allowing the user to conclude a transaction with the online advertiser, launching a confirmation page comprising a master pixel tracking integration code comprising at least one variable for the concluded transaction, sending the master pixel tracking integration code to the controlling server, checking the user's web browser for a previously set master cookie and, if the cookie is found, writing the transaction into the controlling server, crediting the advertising network specified in the cookie, and triggering the display of the advertising network tracking integration code.
US07783712B2 System and method for bi-directional synchronized conversion of electronic mail data
A portable storage device is connected to a first computer and the email data is synchronized between the first computer and the device. The portable storage device can then be connected to a second computer that has an email program that is incompatible with the first computer's email program. The second computer is personalized with the email data retrieved from the portable device. The user is allowed to use the second computer to send or receive emails and otherwise alter the email data. Upon logging out of the second computer, any changes made thereon can be recorded to the portable storage device. The device can then be re-connected to the first computer and the data can once again be re-synchronized. The universal format database enables bidirectional synchronization and conversion of email data between multiple incompatible format email programs.
US07783706B1 Filtering and managing electronic mail
Filtering and managing electronic mail is accommodated by allowing a user to designate an approved subject line phrase whose presence allows an incoming message to bypass certain message filtering operations. E-mail messages sent to the user are examined to determine whether their subject line includes the approved phrase. When the phrase is present in the message subject line, delivery of the message to the user is accommodated according to the settings prescribed by the user. E-mail management is also accommodated by allowing a user to download a message from a mail server to an e-mail client and subsequently restore the message onto the mail server as though it had not yet been downloaded.
US07783705B2 Frame transfer method and node in Ethernet
A node to relay the Ethernet frame provided with means to insert, in the relay process of the frame, two or more VLAN tags into the frame at a time and to remove the inserted VLAN tags wherein a TTL area to show the frame survival time is provided in the VLAN tag to be inserted to the frame so that whether the survival time has been elapsed or not is checked by the value in the TTL area and the frame after elapse of the survival time is discarded without being relayed.
US07783704B2 System and apparatus for geographically distributed VoIP conference service with enhanced QoS
The present invention is directed to a system, including apparatus and architecture, and method for providing scheduled and ad hoc voice over IP conference services having enhanced quality and reliability. The system uses an overlay network of geographically distributed conference servers working simultaneously and collaboratively to host a given conference session. Multiple conference servers simultaneously and collaboratively perform the necessary audio mixing. The voice routing path is established and controlled within the overlay network and supports conference services across different conference service providers.
US07783703B2 Shared home media platform to support multi-user control
A system for and method of enabling people to share a common application context for media presentation and playback is described herein. The presentation results from input from a set of active participants where the input includes a set of media types such as music, artwork, visualizations, photographs and text messages. The participants use personal devices to couple to the system and utilize the application.
US07783696B2 Aggregating service processors as a cluster
Service processors within a system are self-clustered. The system can also include an operating system or other software code, a management console, or both. The operating system communicates with the cluster of service processors, where the service processors are self-clustered or otherwise, such as through a memory shared by at least all the service processors. The operating system therefore need not be aware which of the service processors performs a given function. The console communicates with the cluster of service processors, where the service processors are self-clustered or otherwise, through any service processor of the cluster. The console therefore also need not be aware that the service processors have been clustered to perform functionality for the console.
US07783690B2 Electronic circuit for implementing a permutation operation
A crossbar (20) circuit with multiplexer (22A, 22B) circuits implemented in a polygonal form on a chip. The crossbar can be used for implementing a permutation of input bits (24A, 24B) controlled by a bit vector (25). Horizontal and vertical wiring lengths in the crossbar (20) are reduced by stacking the operand latches (24A, 24B, 25) and horizontal or vertical multiplexers (22A, 22B). This implementation decreases the latency of the crossbar and avoids latches to store intermediated results, thus reducing area and power consumption.
US07783689B2 On-site search engine for the World Wide Web
Providing updates to a computing device having a search engine capable of searching a local data store having an index with data related to a plurality of sites located on a wide area network. A first index builder capable of accessing sites on a wide area network is provided. The first index builder retrieves and analyzes data from the sites to create index data related to the sites. The method further includes communicating index data to the locally stored database for incrementally updating the index. A computing device capable of accessing a local data storage device is also provided. The device includes an index stored on the storage device including information related to data stored on the wide area network, a search engine capable of searching the index to retrieve information in response to a query, and a display.
US07783687B2 Map data product and map data processor
A data product that can be read into a computer or a map data processing apparatus contains map data that includes map-related information related to a map. The map data includes: a structure achieved by dividing the map into a plurality of mesh-like subdivisions and dividing the map-related information into units corresponding to the individual subdivisions; and a structure in which the map-related information is managed in units of subdivision sets each containing a plurality of adjacent subdivisions and the map-related information is used in the map data processing apparatus in units of the individual subdivision sets.
US07783684B2 Efficient, robust file handle invalidation
The present invention provides a technique for efficiently generating and validating external file handles at a storage operating system of a filer. According to one aspect of the technique, the storage operating system associates a unique internal file handle with each file or directory stored in the filer. This unique internal file handle is used to generate a corresponding external file handle. Unlike previous approaches, the internal file handles' representations do not change depending on the location of their corresponding files or directories, e.g., on-disk or in-core, within the filer, thereby simplifying file management within the filer. According to another aspect of the inventive technique, the filer executes a file-handle validation procedure to determine whether an external file handle received with a file access request has become invalid (or “stale”) as a result of an NVRAM failure in the filer. The file-handle validation procedure enables the filer to efficiently determine the validity of the external file handle without having to perform conventional time-consuming and processing-intensive operations. Advantageously, the inventive technique is preferably only applied to generation and validation of external file handles configured in accordance with a stateless file-system protocol, such as the NFS protocol. In this way, there is no overhead added to the filer's storage operating system for generating and validating external file handles configured in accordance with stateful file-system protocols.
US07783681B1 Method and system for pre-marking objects for concurrent garbage collection
A method and system for providing an efficient and concurrent garbage collection and mutator execution in a computer system includes identifying an object required by an application running on a mutator during a garbage collection cycle. The identified object is pre-marked by a garbage collector as a non-recyclable object during a pre-marking phase. One or more barriers to be executed by the mutator are then activated. The barriers enable the garbage collector to complete the garbage collection cycle by marking objects essential to the mutator so that unmarked objects may be recycled. The garbage collector is executed concurrently with the mutator so that the garbage collector can dynamically compute a set of recyclable objects in memory at the end of a garbage collection cycle.
US07783679B2 Efficient processing of time series data
A system receiving time series data will store the data in a first format suited for quick writing. That data will subsequently be converted from the first format to a second format better suited than the first format for compact storage and queries. Over time, the data in the second format can be aggregated and/or down sampled. In one embodiment, the first format includes a set of blocks of information, with each block of information storing data for a set of metrics during a time period. The second format includes a header, a set of blocks of data and a footer. Each bock of data in the second format stores information for a metric over multiple time periods. The footer includes pointers to each block of data.
US07783677B2 Tracking file system namespace changes during transactions
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to tracking file system namespace changes during transactions. In aspects, a filter monitors operations that may affect a tracked portion of a transactional file system's namespace. When an operation that affects the tracked portion is received, a data structure is modified to track the changes. Nodes within the data structure are marked to indicate whether they can be seen inside or outside of the transaction. If the transaction commits or rolls back, nodes within the data structure are deleted and made visible as appropriate.
US07783675B2 Data cells, and a system and method for accessing data in a data cell
A method and system is presented for storing data in data cells containing only a single element of data. Each data cell includes four components: an Entity Instance identifier (“O”), an Entity Type identifier (“E”) an Attribute Type identifier (“A”), and an Attribute Value (“V”). Groups of cells with identical O and E values constitute a cell set. Every cell contains a unique combination of O, E, A, and V. Relationships between cell sets are established by creating two synapse cells. The first synapse cell has O and E values of the first cell set, and has A and V values equal to the E and O value, respectively, of the second cell. The second synapse cell has O and E values of the second cell, and has as its A and V values the E and O value, respectively, of the first cell.
US07783674B2 Application and method for transferring information between platforms
A method and apparatus for relocating application programs, settings, menus, files and documents from a source computer to a target computer. The method and apparatus function properly regardless of whether the source and target computers have the same hardware or operating system. The method includes scanning the source and target machines for all applications programs, settings, menus, files, and documents in order to create a relocation strategy. The relocation strategy is created in view of pre-programmed selection rules or selection rules created by the user. The strategy is then implemented by copying, replacing or merging data from the source machine to the target machine.
US07783673B2 Computer-based system and method for detecting risks
A system detecting emerging risks in various systems and relating a detected risk to its relative impact on a system or product. A server receives and stores risk information from geographically distributed computerized data sources via a communication network. The risk information includes an identification and rating of a specific risk, and information associating the specific risk with a geographical area. Utilizing the risk information and area attributes, such as correlation factors and spreading patterns, a specific risk emerging in a first geographical area and spreading to one or more second geographical areas is detected. Emerging risks can be detected in geographical areas for which no risk information has been received, allowing to set up, maintain, and operate a risk detection system with a simplified technical infrastructure since it is not necessary to measure, transmit, and store risk indicators for all geographical areas for which emerging risks are detected.
US07783671B2 Deletion and compaction using versioned nodes
An information management system includes a database comprising a B-Tree data structure. The B-Tree includes a plurality of nodes associated with disk blocks, handles stored in the nodes, and version numbers attached to each of the handles and disk blocks. In addition, a method is provided that can include initially assigning version numbers to disk blocks, wherein the disk blocks are associated with nodes in a B-Tree data structure, and then performing an allocate operation whereby a handle identifying a disk block is returned along with the disk block's version number.
US07783669B2 Data flow management in generating profile models used in optical metrology
To manage data flow in generating profile models for use in optical metrology, a project data object is created. A first profile model data object is created. The first profile model data object corresponds to a first profile model defined using profile parameters. A version number is associated with the first profile model data object. The first profile model data object is linked with the project data object. At least a second profile model data object is created. The second profile model data object corresponds to a second profile model defined using profile parameters. The first and second profile models are different. Another version number is associated with the second profile model data object. The second profile model data object is linked with the project data object. The project data object, the first profile model data object, and the second profile model data object are stored. The version numbers associated with the first profile model data object and the second profile model data object are stored. The link between the first profile model data object and the project data object is stored. The link between the second profile model data object and the project data object is stored.
US07783668B2 Search system and method
A search system and method are provided that uses taxonomies, entities, facets, and ontologies to provide a user with a more comprehensive set of search results in response to a query. The search system has an indexing engine that performs one or more indexing steps that permit the search engine to return a comprehensive set of search results. For example, the indexing engine may index a document according to a set of synsets so that the search engine may use the synsets, during retrieval of results to a query, to return a more comprehensive set of search results.
US07783663B2 Dynamic path partitioning to multipath storage devices
A mechanism is provided for balancing I/O among available paths connected to a device. The mechanism partitions paths so a device can use all or only a subset of available paths to a device, depending on the load of I/O for other devices that are sharing the paths. The partitioning of paths is dynamic, readjusting as I/O loads change for the devices.
US07783661B2 Method and apparatus for optimizing queries in a logically partitioned computer system
A database query optimizer for a computer system having dynamically configurable logical partitions generates an optimized query strategy which is dependent on a logical partition configuration. When the query is executed, the configuration of the logical partition in which the query is executed is compared to the logical partition configuration for which the query was optimized. If the configurations are different, a new query can be automatically generated. Optimizing database queries to the current system configuration of a dynamic, logically partitioned system potentially offers greater efficiency in the execution of database queries for complex, logically partitioned systems.
US07783658B1 Multi-entity ontology weighting systems and methods
Systems and methods are provided for multi-entity ontology weighting. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for identifying one or more target entities. The method receives an input data set. The input data set includes a plurality of tokens that reflect the one or more target entities. The method determines which of the plurality of tokens are labels, identifies a plurality of candidate entities that are related to each of the labels, assigns a weight to each of the plurality of candidate entities based on a frequency of each of the plurality of candidate entities, and ranks, for each of the labels, the plurality of candidate entities according to the assigned weights. The method then outputs, for each of the labels, the one of the plurality of candidate entities for that label that has been assigned a highest weight value.
US07783653B1 Fast seek in streaming media
When a user selects to seek to a point in a non-indexed media file, a search starts for the beginning of the frame. Using a search algorithm, the bytes surrounding the selection point are examined to find data equal to a known frame beginning indicator. Once such a byte is found, a subsequent test is performed on the next byte to determine if it contains a valid frame length. The system examines the byte at this length to determine if it contains a value that points to the frame beginning indicator under examination. If such a pointer does exist, the system concludes that the byte with the value equal to a known frame beginning indicator is likely the byte beginning the frame. Additional tests may be performed on the bytes surrounding this frame to increase the confidence level that it is, in fact, a valid complete frame.
US07783650B2 Method and apparatus for creating a lineage of a data field in a data flow system
A method and apparatus for creating a lineage for a data field is disclosed. The method may include creating a unique identifier for a data field. Also, a record of the origin of data is created when the data is inserted into the data field; however this is not required. The record of the origin of data is associated with the unique identifier for the data field. The lineage for a data field may be viewed. In so doing, the transformations to the data field may be shown.
US07783641B2 Taxonometric personal digital media organization
Network-based and client-based operating environments implement computerized systems and techniques for organizing and discovering digital media objects originating from personal digital media sources. The association between a user-selected computer-usable descriptor and a particular digital media object serves as a semantic medium for exchange of information about the digital media object via a network, independent of whether the digital media object is registered with an established digital content sharing service. A user-selected computer-usable descriptor is part of one or more collections of such descriptors that are organized into published data structures having data elements corresponding to particular real-world meanings. Leveraging the consistent associations of computer-usable descriptors with the subject matter of personal digital media content within digital media objects enables the widespread and efficient computerized discovery of relevant digital media objects.
US07783640B2 Document summarization
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with automatically summarizing a document are described. One method embodiment includes computing term scores for members of a set of terms in a document to be summarized and computing sentence scores for sentences in a set of sentences in the document. The method embodiment also includes computing a set of entries for a term-sentence matrix that relates terms to sentences. The method embodiment also includes computing a dominant topic for the document and simultaneously ranking the set of terms and the set of sentences based on the dominant topic. The method embodiment provides a summarization item(s) selected from the set of terms and/or the set of sentences.
US07783638B2 Search and query operations in a dynamic composition of help information for an aggregation of applications
The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for supporting search and query operations in a composite help view for an aggregation of applications. The system can include an application aggregator configured to aggregate individual applications into a single aggregated view. The system further can include a help system configured to render a help system view having composite help documentation formed from at least two help documents, each of the help documents corresponding to one of the individual applications. Help invoking logic can be coupled to the help system and disposed in the single aggregated view. A search and query tool also can be coupled to the help system through a search and query interface. Finally, an index can be coupled to the search and query tool. The index can include keywords disposed in the help documents and title information for individual applications corresponding to the help documents.
US07783637B2 Label system-translation of text and multi-language support at runtime and design
A method stores and uses labels in a business solution software program having multiple languages. Instead of having a single resource file for each language, the information related to the labels is stored in a database. Each label is assigned its own unique identifier in a label ID structure, that also contains information related to how the label is used in the system. The text for the label is stored in a separate label text structure. The label text structure contains the text of the label in all of the available languages. When a new label is written the developer can search the current labels to find a label that matches the intended use. If a match is found for the desired text the label is duplicated to the new label. If no match is found a new label must be generated.
US07783634B2 Device, a program and a system for managing electronic documents
A device for recording positions within an electronic document and capable of recreating those recorded positions afterwards even if the electronic document has been changed to some extent. An index data creation unit in an information terminal creates index information for a page to display from the electronic document, and records it along with time information in an index database. When a time is specified, the index data search unit searches the index database for index information recorded near that time, and identifies the page position of that electronic document from the searched index information. A data display unit displays the beginning of the electronic document at the identified position. The information terminal is capable of managing information by linking electronic data from handwritten information written on paper with a digital pen, with the display page the electronic document by utilizing a stroke set database and a pen data processor.
US07783631B2 Systems and methods for managing multiple user accounts
A user's prior searching and browsing activities are recorded for subsequent use. A user may examine the user's prior searching and browsing activities in a number of different ways, including indications of the user's prior activities related to advertisements. A set of search results may be modified in accordance with the user's historical activities. The user's activities may be examined to identify a set of preferred locations. The user's set of activities may be shared with one or more other users. The set of preferred locations presented to the user may be enhanced to include the preferred locations of one or more other users. A user's browsing activities may be monitored from one or more different client devices or client application. A user's browsing volume may be graphically displayed.
US07783629B2 Training a ranking component
A query and a factoid type selection are received from a user. An index of passages, indexed based on factoids, is accessed and passages that are related to the query, and that have the selected factoid type, are retrieved. The retrieved passages are ranked and provided to the user based on a calculated score, in rank order.
US07783623B2 System and method for recommending songs
A system and method, operable by a processor running on a computing device and stored on a tangible computer readable medium, the system and method creating continuous, fixed duration, fixed size, or other such playlists for use on an individual listener's portable music player, as a programming guide for an Internet radio station, or the like. Information can be drawn from a number of recommendation sources to help generate such playlists based on a dictionary of terms. Recommendation sources are sources available via the internet or other published information that identify the order in which songs are presented or played, and which may be aggregated and processed into song sequence data that allows the instant system and method to utilize the experience, effort and musical expertise of others to generate a continuous playlist. Exemplary recommendation sources include, but are not limited to, published Disc Jockey (“DJ”) playlists, radio (terrestrial, satellite or internet) station websites from which playlists can be extracted or derived, individual listener playlists, or the like.
US07783620B1 Relevancy scoring using query structure and data structure for federated search
Determining a relevancy ranking score is disclosed. A query is received that includes one or more constraints. One of the one or more constraints includes an operator. A search result based on the query is received. The relevancy ranking score for the received search result is determined based at least in part on the operator associated with the one or more constraints of the query.
US07783616B2 System and method for managing objects and resources with access rights embedded in nodes within a hierarchical tree structure
A system and method for controlling access to data within a hierarchically organized document, such as an XML document. Elements may have their access rights specified, for example as a variable in an XML tag. If not specified within an element of the document, access rights are inherited from its nearest ancestor. Specified access rights may refer to a collection of entitlement expressions, which describe with arbitrarily fine granularity which users and user types may access the data.
US07783615B1 Apparatus and method for building a file system index
An improved policy enforcement architecture includes several components that improve the performance of policy enforcement in a hierarchical storage environment. A File System Query instruction permits a richer set of queries to be expressed by a policy engine, thereby permitting more complex policies to be implemented with ease. The File System result is generated at the file server, and only files of interest are forwarded to the policy engine. The file system query advantageously may be applied against a pre-generated index having one more characterizing attributes to further reduce the processing required to retrieve policy data. An Index Build instruction, added to a programming interface, allows a policy engine generate the characterizing indices in advance of use. Index maintenance techniques maintain consistency between the index and the file system to ensure that the policy can be enforced using accurate file information.
US07783612B2 Creation of optimized terrain databases
Systems and methods for generating an optimized terrain database identify several regions, including test regions that are established from the identified regions. A first set of terrain data is received for a first test region. The first set of terrain data is compared to a second set of terrain data to determine a set of quality attributes. The quality attributes are used to determine a safety margin for the first test region. The safety margin is applied to other regions having the same or similar characteristics to the first test region. Safety margins are either generated for or applied to all other regions. All regions are then compiled into an area-wide terrain database, up to and including a worldwide database.
US07783610B2 Distributed database system providing data and space management methodology
A distributed database system providing data and space management methodology. In a distributed system consisting a plurality of servers sharing access to data pages, a method for setting a timestamp indicating when modifications to data pages are made in a non-regressing fashion includes steps of: maintaining a local sequence at each server and an allocation page timestamp on an allocation page; upon allocation of a data page, applying a timestamp to the data page which is greater than the allocation page timestamp; upon modification of a given data page at a particular server, setting the timestamp on the given data page to the greater of the local sequence at the particular server and an existing timestamp already on the given data page; and when data pages are deallocated, adjusting the allocation page timestamp to a value greater than the timestamp value on any deallocated data page.
US07783605B2 Calculating cluster availability
An availability metric is obtained for groups of databases or other computer resources by capturing related stop and start events which are set. Event data, including the stop and start events, can be communicated from agents associated with the databases to a central manager. An availability monitoring server periodically queries the central manager to obtain the stop and start events, and analyzes the event data to determine time periods in which the databases are unavailable. The availability metric can be determined based on a ratio of: (a) a sum of the downtimes of the databases in a given time period and (b) a product of the total number of databases and the time period, e.g., expressed in units of database-minutes. The availability metric can be determined separately for separate clusters of databases and used to provide a service level agreement.
US07783603B2 Backing store re-initialization method and apparatus
A method, device, and system are provided for re-initializing a backing store in a data storage system. More specifically, when all snapshots associated with a specified backing store are either being deleted or are marked for deletion the backing store is re-initialized rather than deleting each snapshot independently. The re-initialization of the backing store provides for a quicker way to delete all snapshots than could previously be achieved when each snapshot was deleted independently.
US07783599B2 Active data push delivery
A system that pushes active data to a client receives a first request for a page that includes active data from the client. The active data includes a component and a corresponding model for a data source of the component. The system determines if the model is active and if so, instantiates an encoder that corresponds to the component. The system queries the model for the active data and renders a user interface representation of the data. The system then returns a response to the request with the user interface representation.
US07783592B2 Indicating recent content publication activity by a user
Collecting and distributing information related to recent content publication activity of an instant messaging (IM) user provides other users in a network with timely, relevant information about people known to the user or within the same social network. A user participating in a social network can quickly and efficiently perceive new information related to other users (referred to as co-users) in a social network by reviewing the co-users' recent content publication activity. A user may be made able to do so without requiring the co-user to send a communication directly to the user regarding the new facts or new content, and also without requiring the user to actively browse or request information about the co-user.
US07783590B2 Task selection apparatus and task selection assistance method
The present invention provides a task selection assistance apparatus, and a task selection assistance method, which enable burdens on a user to be alleviated in selecting a task for solving a problem. A domain candidate determining portion 210 determines domain candidates to be presented to the user from among domains stored in a task model DB 102, and a domain candidate transmitting portion 201 transmits the domain candidates to a portable terminal 101. A user selected domain obtaining portion 203 obtains a domain, which has been selected by the user, from the portable terminal 101, and the task candidate determining portion 211 determines task candidates to be presented to the user from among tasks stored in the task model DB 102 based on the domain selected by the user.
US07783589B2 Inverted index processing
Systems and methods for improving indexing are described. In one exemplary method, a 2-level table is used to improve performance when searching an index. A first table contains a subset of more frequently occurring terms and a second and larger table contains terms that occur rarely, with the first table optimized for updating and the second table optimized for searching. The second table is searched only when a search of the first table is unsuccessful. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US07783586B2 System and method for deriving a hierarchical event based database optimized for analysis of biological systems
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for inferring a probability of a first inference absent from a database at which a query regarding the inference is received. Each datum of the database is conformed to the dimensions of the database. Each datum of the plurality of data has associated metadata and an associated key. The associated metadata includes data regarding cohorts associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding hierarchies associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding a corresponding source of the datum, and data regarding probabilities associated with integrity, reliability, and importance of each associated datum. The query is used as a frame of reference for the search. The database returns a probability of the correctness of the first inference based on the query and on the data.
US07783584B1 Controllable oscillator blocks
The present invention mimics certain behaviors of a human brain using at least one frequency controllable oscillator block that has multiple operating frequency regions, such that some of the regions tend to lock on to a frequency, while other regions do not have any locking tendencies. A stimulation using at least one stimulation signal based on information input to the system may alter the regions and determine a stable final frequency after a brief processing interval. A control system may process the final frequency to provide system information. A controllable oscillator block may have at least one basin of attraction that corresponds with a stable region of the stimulation signal. Additionally, the controllable oscillator block may function outside of a basin of attraction that corresponds with a non-stable region of the stimulation signal.
US07783576B2 Secure distribution of digital data
A secure digital data distribution system (100) for preventing unauthorized access to digital data. The system utilizes an identification system module (116) embedded in a digital storage media (114) to grant authorization to media players (118). Prior to reading the digital data recorded on the media (114), an identification system interrogator (122) reads authorization data from the identification system module (116) to determine whether the media player (118) is authorized to read the media (114). If the authorization data matches the media player's unique identifier, authorization is granted and the media player (118) commences to read the media (114).
US07783575B2 Method and apparatus for connecting a network of electronic signs
A method and apparatus allows owners of electronic signs, such as retailers, real estate owners, other space owners, and content providers, such as advertisers, entertainment producers, event promoters, visual artists, and the general community to participate in an open content network, in which electronic signs are universally uniquely identified and then added to a network in a distributed fashion, after which content is selectively downloaded to the electronic signs. The times at which the content is presented are determined collaboratively by the owners of the electronic signs and the content providers. A mechanism that verifies whether the content is actually presented on the electronic signs is also disclosed.
US07783573B2 Performance optimized smartcard transaction management
Methods and apparatuses are provided for use with smartcards or other like shared computing resources. By selectively granting exclusive use to a requesting entity for a period of time, performance is improved by reducing unnecessary redundant overhead data, communication, storage and/or processing for an applicable series of transactions associated with a granted access request operation.
US07783570B2 Cash transaction verification and crediting apparatus
To enable the payment of charges, for example those for mobile telephones, with cash there is provided an automated terminal for receiving payments including an input for currency notes, an acceptor for such currency notes and an input for information on an account for charges to which payment is required together with a control arrangement to record said account information and the value of acceptable currency notes fed in, to relate said information to said value as payment to said account and to hold said related information and value and acceptable currency notes available for retrieval. In this way a user need not have a bank account to make a payment to an account with a service provider.
US07783566B2 Consolidated payment account system and method
The present invention provides a system and method for providing and/or facilitating complete on-line payment services while protecting the privacy of the transaction participants. The comprehensive payment service is based upon a consolidated account used to store value acquired through on-line transactions. The invention provides private payment numbers for protecting the identities of the participants and includes processes for authenticating participants, authorizing transactions, and settling payments. Thus, the present invention enables merchants to effectively accept non-standard forms of payment without changing their current payment infrastructures and enables the provision of value for purchases at any network merchant using any source of value.
US07783564B2 Compliance control in a card based program
An analysis system processes financial transactions data for compliance with a payment program, such that the processing involves receiving data relating to a set of financial transactions that have been authorized by a payment processing system, and determining if one or more of the authorized financial transactions will be subjected to further processing, wherein the further processing operates on the received data and identifies authorized financial transactions that may be out of compliance with transaction rules of the payment program.
US07783563B2 Systems and methods for identifying payor location based on transaction data
Systems and methods are described for building, maintaining, and using a repository of information about payors of second-party checks presented at a check-cashing entity for cashing. In various embodiments, the repository comprises stored information useful for determining the location of a payor of a second-party check. In one embodiment, information from the check that identifies an account on which the check is drawn, such as magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line information from a paycheck, is used to access a repository of employer location information. In one embodiment, the payor location information is used to determine a proximity between the payor location and the check cashing entity location. In one embodiment, when a check is presented for which stored payor location information is not available, identifying information about the payor and/or the payor location is requested and is added to the repository.
US07783561B1 Automated synchronization of orders represented in multiple markets
An market process internal to a platform is configured to operate with a market external to the platform. Generally, the market process first attempts to reflect an order related action at the external market, and if successful, internally commits the order related action. In some situations, such as when trading becomes fast or when the external market expects to have control over all orders posted thereat, the market acts as a router for orders received from trading processing on the platform. When the external market elects to return to the try-commit operational protocol, the order file of the market process is resynchronized with the order file of the external market.
US07783555B2 Auction with interest rate bidding
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for declining auction with interest rate bidding. According to one embodiment, an interest rate may be set for a transacted financial instrument, and information regarding the financial instrument and an interest rate at which the financial instrument is offered are published via a computer network. Offers from respective bidders to transact the financial instrument may be received, via the computer network, being expressed as offered interest rates at which the bidders are willing to transact the financial instrument. On the termination of a bid receiving process, whether at least one of the offers satisfies transaction criteria, as defined by a seller of the financial instrument, may be determined. If it is determined that at least one of the offers satisfies the transaction criteria, then at least one of the offers may be identified as an accepted offer.
US07783554B1 System and method for bid archive and retrieval
Systems and methods for securely archiving detailed bid information for later use in change order negotiation, conflict resolution, or other matters is presented. A bid containing detailed information is received at a central archive server. Upon receipt of the bid, the server timestamps and encrypts the bid. A decryption key is provided to the party who submitted the bid. The encrypted bid is then stored in a data storage area for later use. The archived bid can be compressed to optimize data storage. Upon a request by the party who submitted the bid, the bid is retrieved from data storage, decompressed if necessary, and decrypted with a key provided by the requesting party. The detailed bid information can then be used to resolve disputes, negotiate change orders, or otherwise.
US07783552B2 Method and system for representing financial information in a gaming environment
An apparatus, method and data structure for procuring and analyzing information, regarding the financial markets and a system to execute financial transactions using Internet-based front end graphics that resembles casino games and betting games. The system provides a comprehensive combination of financial information and transactions in a format that facilitates known and new casino/betting like front end graphics.
US07783550B1 Single premium immediate annuity with adjustable payment
A fluctuating annuity payment is determined and generated, and that annuity payment is subsequently fixable. The fluctuating annuity payment may be based on an interest rate, such as the market yield of a 1-year U.S. Treasury adjusted to constant maturity, for example. The fluctuating annuity payment may be determined on a certain date, or periodically, for example. The annuity payment, while fluctuating, may have a predetermined floor or minimum threshold amount that is does not pay less than. At some point, a request may be received to fix the payment, and the fluctuating annuity payment is converted to a fixed annuity payment. The fixed annuity payment may be based on a long term interest rate, for example. After receiving a request to fix the annuity payment, a payment schedule may be determined based on the value of the remaining payments that are to be made.
US07783549B1 Transaction processing system and method
A system for processing securities transactions includes a client module to obtain transaction data corresponding to a plurality of heterogeneous financial products from at least one external operational system, a transaction engine that processes the transaction data from the client module to convert and normalize the transaction data, and stores the converted transaction data as a series of temporal events in a transaction database, and a data access module to provide access to the converted transaction data stored in the transaction database.
US07783547B1 System and method for determining hedge strategy stock market forecasts
The invention is a system and method for recording, generating and presenting hedge strategy stock market forecasts based upon the collective input of individuals in an investment community. Input gathered from individuals in the investment community is aggregated and processed into consensus hedge strategy forecasts. A randomly generated pair of stock tickers is presented to a user. The user casts a vote by selecting the stock that the user thinks will outperform the other one over a specified period of time. The system records the resulting hedge strategy forecast, which is comprised of a long stock position for the stock chosen and a short stock position for the stock not chosen. The system tabulates input from multiple individuals to calculate consensus forecasts.
US07783546B2 Automated financial instrument exchange apparatus and systems
Deal information associated with a bond exchange is determined, the deal information including information associated with a plurality of eligible financial instruments and at least one new financial instrument. In addition, offer information is received from a plurality of remote client devices via a communication network. An exchange allocation is then automatically calculated based on the deal information and the offer information. Moreover, target information associated with at least one financial instrument may be determined and used to calculate the exchange allocation.
US07783545B2 Automated coaching for a financial modeling and counseling system
The present invention relates to an automated coaching system for financial modeling and counseling system. The automated coaching system enables the user to analyze the user's investment portfolio and dispense context sensitive automated advice to the user based on the user inputted financial data, preferences and financial goals. The automated coaching provides its advice to the user in syntactically correct natural language coaching strings and is able to configure and recommend solutions and financial products, specific to the user's situation. Furthermore, the automated coaching system can analyses the impact of the recommended product on the user's financial model.
US07783541B1 System and method for allocating fees associated with an electronic transaction
A system and method for determining and allocating fees arising from or otherwise associated with an electronic transaction, particularly the processing of a purchase or other financial transaction, wherein the fees or portions thereof are allocated to various parties.
US07783539B2 Derivative currency-exchange transactions
Methods are provided for executing a money transfer from a first party to a second party. Customer instructions are received at a host system to stage the money transfer. The instructions include specification of an amount of money to be transferred, specification of a first currency in which the funds are to be provided by the first party, specification of a second currency different from the first currency in which the funds are to be received by the second party, and specification of a trigger currency exchange rate. Confirmation is received that the funds have been collected from the first party. A currency exchange rate between the first currency and the second currency is monitored. It is determined whether the monitored currency exchange rate is at least as favorable for the first party as the trigger currency exchange rate.
US07783535B2 Video game apparatus and information storage medium for video game
A video game apparatus includes a CPU that detects a program control code included in a land object in the vicinity of a player object, and then, the CPU determines a kind of the land object. If the land object is “hole”, the CPU executes a “hole operation” subroutine. Similarly, if the land object is “wall”, “door” or “ladder”, the CPU performs “wall operation”, “door operation” or “ladder” subroutine.
US07783534B2 Optimal method, system, and storage medium for resolving demand and supply imbalances
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for resolving demand and supply imbalances. The method comprises identifying at least one excess component inventory liability or constraint in supply capability for an end product by matching current buying patterns for the end product against inventory liability and supply capability based on a previous demand forecast. Where excess component inventory liability exists the method refocuses the excess component inventory liability by determining alternative end products that use components identified in the excess component inventory liability; and executes sales activities for enticing sales of the alternative end products. Where constrained supply capability exists, the method determines alternative end products that are functionally equivalent to those identified in the constrained supply capability; and executes sales activities for enticing sales of functionally equivalent alternative end products.
US07783533B1 System and method for entity selection optimization
Selecting one or more entities from a plurality of candidate entities subject to one or more constraints is accomplished by establishing upper and lower profit-margin boundary values and determining an optimal profit-margin value within the boundary values using an iterative process. The iterative process includes one or more iterations of: setting a current profit-margin candidate based on a current upper profit-margin boundary value and a current lower profit-margin boundary value, determining whether the current profit-margin candidate value satisfies the constraint(s), adjusting the current upper or lower profit-margin boundary value based on the current profit-margin candidate value, and determining whether to use the current profit-margin candidate value as the optimal profit-margin value based the current upper profit-margin boundary value and the current lower profit-margin boundary value. The respective quantity for each of the candidate entities is then calculated based on the optimal profit-margin value.
US07783531B2 Container management method and container management system
A container stock management technique in a hospital and a culture center is provided. A stock management device (1) manages both transfer (outgoing transfer) of cells sampled at the hospital to the culture center, and transfer (incoming transfer) of the cells cultured from the sampled cells at the culture center, to that hospital, with one working code. The ID of containers used individually for the outgoing transfer and the incoming transfer are made to correspond to an identical working code. The optimum transfer route including the procurement of containers is determined by examining the container stock in each of the hospital and the culture center.
US07783529B2 Market clearability in combinatorial auctions and exchanges
A method of determining a winning allocation in an auction or exchange includes receiving at least one buy bid that includes a price-quantity demand curve and/or receiving at least one sell bid that includes a price-quantity supply curve. The received curves are utilized to determine clearing prices therefor that maximize a clearing surplus. A winning allocation is determined based on the clearing prices.
US07783527B2 Systems of influencing shoppers at the first moment of truth in a retail establishment
Provided herein are systems and methods for influencing shoppers while they consider making purchasing decisions in a retail establishment. Specifically, the systems and methods for influencing shoppers may occur during a shopper's first moment of truth by transmitting through a communication network one or more influential messages to a handheld wireless electronic device or intelligent shopping cart, which is in close proximity to a shopper during a shopping trip throughout a retail establishment.
US07783526B1 Unregistered auction device and method utilizing phone service plans
Embodiments of the disclosed technology, by way of a bidirectional transceiver, allow a user of a handheld device with phone and/or data service to place a bid in an auction for an item, whereby the user is charged for the bid, and both a phone service provider and auction provider receive at least a part of the proceeds. In this manner, unregistered (previously unknown to the auction provider) bids may be placed, with security on the part of the auction provider that the bid will be honored.
US07783525B2 Methods for selecting, ordering and purchasing glass products
A system, apparatus and method for facilitating the selection, purchasing and ordering glass products, which is informative to guide a novice user in selecting a glass product, even where the glass is comprised of glass panels of more than one manufacturer, the present invention providing an apparatus with a processor which is controlled by software to facilitate a selection process which integrates the comparison of glass products and their properties, as well as, including particular properties of particular components of a glass product, the apparatus can work with a user input device, such as a keyboard or mouse, and is programmed to display graphics associated with selections and potential selections for glass products. The system and method providing selection menus for display on a display device and an animation graphic associated with a selection presented to the user. The system, apparatus, and method integrates the glass product selection information which the user chooses, and preferably the invention makes selections for the user, based on the user's previous choices and specified target performances to present to the user potential glass products.
US07783520B2 Methods of accessing information for listing a product on a network based auction service
A method is provided of accessing product information for listing a product on a network-based auction service. The method includes selecting via a user interface the product from stored product information and electronically sending to the auction information about the selected product. The selected product is to be listed on the auction and the stored product information includes a data structure. A computer readable medium is provided that includes instructions adapted to execute a method of accessing product information for listing a product on a network-based auction service.
US07783519B2 Fixed eyebolt inventory control method
An eyebolt inventory control method in which a plurality of eyebolt bodies are provided. The eyebolt bodies all have about the same nominal dimensions and they include a skirt member that is reinforced by radially projecting diametrically extending ribs. The skirts are provided with striking faces so that they can be tightened and loosened by striking them with a hammer. A fixed lifting eye projects from one side of the skirt, and a mounting stud projects from the opposite side. The mounting stud is double threaded with one thread being adapted to mate with a threaded bore in the body of the eyebolt assembly, and the other thread being matched to a threaded bore in a load. The same eyebolt body can be employed with a plurality of different mounting studs, which simplifies inventorying eyebolt assemblies to meet all of the different threaded bores that may occur in different loads. Only the mounting studs need to bear threads that match the threads in the loads. When two different orders are accepted an eyebolt body is selected for each order, and mounting studs are selected to match the threads in the intended loads. Either eyebolt body may be assembled to either mounting stud.
US07783516B2 Method for automatically determining a fare for the use of chargeable means of transport conveying persons
Disclosed is a method for automatically determining a fare for utilizing chargeable means of transport conveying persons. According to said method, a credit which is established in a currency that is valid in a first currency zone and is used for automatically deducting the fare when utilizing a means of transport is allocated to a user terminal, a factor for converting the first currency into a second currency that is valid in a second currency zone is defined as soon as the user terminal is utilized in a second currency zone, and fares are automatically determined in the second currency, are converted into the first currency using the defined conversion factor, and are deducted from the credit established in the first currency as long as the user terminal is not utilized in another currency zone.
US07783514B2 Method, apparatus and article for displaying targeted content on web pages by predicting the group membership of individual visitors
A method, apparatus and article for displaying targeted content on web pages by predicting the group membership of individual visitors based on data items relating to a web browser request for a web page. The method includes applying the data items to a set of transfer functions to obtain a series of confidence factors relating to a plurality of predefined visitor groups, selecting one of the plurality of visitor groups based on the series of confidence factors, selecting content targeted to the selected group, and delivering the selected targeted content to the web browser for display. Data items are extracted from a header accompanying the web browser request. These include browser type and version, operating system, referring URL and IP address. These data items are supplemented with data items derived from the data items present in the header, such as location, time of day, day of week, and industry cycles.
US07783512B2 Method of evaluating learning rate of recommender systems
A recommender system is analyzed to determine various performance characteristics, such as a learning rate for new items, or a learning rate for new subscriber tastes. Comparisons of different recommenders are presented to assist consumers and marketers in selecting appropriate e-commerce sites for purchasing, advertising, etc.
US07783511B2 System and method for planning a tour of activities
A method and system for managing scheduled events facilitates the planning of a tour of activities. Customer information and appointment information is received. A tour of activities is planned based on the customer information, the appointment information, and planning drivers. A status is generated for the tour of activities, a particular activity, or a particular customer, and a summary is generated.
US07783510B1 Computer storage capacity forecasting system using cluster-based seasonality analysis
A methodology for automatic a priori data pattern analysis is provided. Described methods allow consistent and objective determination of outliers; trend; seasonality; and level shifts; and the production of better models and more accurate forecasts. In addition, a two-step way to automatically determine seasonality and locate possible events in the data set is described. Decomposition of data into seasonal, trend and level components; detection of outliers and level-shift events in the time series based on statistical analysis of the time series; detection of seasonality based on statistical analysis of clusters of data, known as cluster-based seasonality analysis, or CBSA; evaluation of the goodness of fit of a model to data, using the existing goodness of fit indicator, R2; and seasonality analysis, using a sequence of cluster-based seasonality analysis (CBSA) and Fourier analysis are described.
US07783509B1 Determining that a change has occured in response to detecting a burst of activity
A time series of data values representing occurrences of events at plural time points is received. Durations between successive events are computed, and a burst of activity based on the computed durations is detected. It is determined that a change has occurred in response to detecting the burst of activity.
US07783505B2 System and method for computerized insurance rating
The invention relates generally to a computer system and method for integrating insurance policy underwriting. In one aspect, it integrates an older legacy insurance policy generating system to on-line rating systems where users access the system through browsers. The computer system to perform the process of dynamically rating includes generating an input XML file of risk information that is sent to a web service and calculated in a calculation engine. The processed data is retrieved by the web service and transmitted as an XML file to a user interface that parses the rating information and displays the data.
US07783504B1 System and method for managing payments for health care services
A health care claim payment system and method receives a claim for a health care service provided to a participant in a benefits plan. The claim is received by a payment services system, and a portion of the claim is payable by the participant. The payment services system remits the portion of the claim payable by the participant on behalf of the participant so that payment can be remitted to the provider in a single payment and accepts risk of delinquency and/or non-payment by the participant. In one example, the health care provider receives payment for the participant portion and employer portion of the claim within 30 days of issuing a health care service.
US07783503B2 Medical support system
A medical support system and method for performing at least one medical support process relating to diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition and that includes or employs medical records relating to patients and medical support databases including medical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. A medical support process includes one or more process phases, which may include a data phase, a diagnostic phase and a therapy/treatment recommendation phase. Each process phase includes one or more process operations wherein each of the process operations of a process phase includes one or more process forms providing interfaces between a user and the process operations. Each process form includes fields for passing user inputs to the process operations and for displaying the results of the process operations to the user and the support processes are responsive to user inputs, the medical records and the guidelines to execute an interactive dialogue between the medical support process and the user to provide guidance to the user in performing the medical support process according to the guidelines and dependent upon the user inputs and the medical record.
US07783502B2 Apparatus and method for constructing formularies
An system for constructing formularies is disclosed. The system includes a central computer system and at least one additional computer. The central computer system compiles a list of various pharmaceutical products and sort them into different categories. Formularies are then created by selecting individual products or categories of products that will be covered. When prescription claims are received, coverage is either accepted or denied based on whether the products in the prescription claims are covered by the formulary.
US07783500B2 Personnel risk management system and methods
A method and system for providing expatriate risk management are disclosed. The method includes receiving intelligence from at least one intelligence source, receiving asset information, and generating a risk assessment report based on the intelligence and an employee profile.
US07783496B2 Encoding device and decoding device
An encoding device (200) includes an MDCT unit (202) that transforms an input signal in a time domain into a frequency spectrum including a lower frequency spectrum, a BWE encoding unit (204) that generates extension data which specifies a higher frequency spectrum at a higher frequency than the lower frequency spectrum, and an encoded data stream generating unit (205) that encodes to output the lower frequency spectrum obtained by the MDCT unit (202) and the extension data obtained by the BWE encoding unit (204). The BWE encoding unit (204) generates as the extension data (i) a first parameter which specifies a lower subband which is to be copied as the higher frequency spectrum from among a plurality of the lower subbands which form the lower frequency spectrum obtained by the MDCT unit (202) and (ii) a second parameter which specifies a gain of the lower subband after being copied.
US07783495B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-channel audio signal using virtual source location information
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding a multi-channel audio signal. The apparatus for encoding a multi-channel audio signal includes a frame converter for converting the multi-channel audio signal into a framed audio signal; means for downmixing the framed audio signal; means for encoding the downmixed audio signal; a source location information estimator for estimating source location information from the framed multi-channel audio signal; means for quantizing the estimated source location information; and means for multiplexing the encoded audio signal and the quantized source location information, to generate an encoded multi-channel audio signal.
US07783490B2 User speech interfaces for interactive media guidance applications
A user speech interface for interactive media guidance applications, such as television program guides, guides for audio services, guides for video-on-demand (VOD) services, guides for personal video recorders (PVRs), or other suitable guidance applications is provided. Voice commands may be received from a user and guidance activities may be performed in response to the voice commands.
US07783487B2 Information processing terminal and communication system
There is provided a mobile phone that detects bio-information on the user and makes information communications reflecting the detected bio-information. The mobile phone (1) includes sensors (18) that detect bio-information data. The bio-information data detected by the sensors (18) are sent to a sensor data analyzer (19) in which psychology corresponding to the detected bio-information data is analyzed based on bio-information data stored in a psychology memory (20) and psychology of the user. The sensor data analyzer (19) extracts characteristic signal patterns from the bio-information data detected by the sensors (18) and analyzes psychology corresponding to the extracted signal patterns. The psychology includes, for example, “pleased and delightful”, “discouraged”, “excited”, etc. and these states of mind are stored in association with bio-information data in the psychology memory (20). When the bio-information data are detected by the sensors (18), psychology most matching the bio-information data is selectively read out of the psychology memory (20).
US07783485B2 Systems and methods for determining the determinizability of finite-state automata and transducers
Finite-state transducers and weighted finite-state automata may not be determinizable. The twins property can be used to characterize the determinizability of such devices. For a weighted finite-state automaton or transducer, that weighted finite-state automaton or transducer and its inverse are intersected or composed, respectively. The resulting device is checked to determine if it has the cycle-identity property. If not, the original weighted finite-state automaton or transducer is not determinizable. For a weighted or unweighted finite-state transducer, that device is checked to determine if it is functional. If not, that device is not determinizable. That device is then composed with its inverse. The composed device is checked to determine if every edge in the composed device having a cycle-accessible end state meets at least one of a number of conditions. If so, the original device has the twins property. If the original device has the twins property, then it is determinizable.
US07783479B2 System for generating a wideband signal from a received narrowband signal
A system for use in providing a wideband signal from a received narrowband signal is set forth. The system comprises an extracted narrowband feature vector that corresponds to at least one characteristic of the narrowband signal. A narrowband codebook having one or more narrowband codebook index vectors is also employed, where each narrowband codebook index vector is associated with one or more corresponding narrowband codebook parameters. An analyzer is provided to correlate the extracted narrowband feature vector with an entry in the narrowband codebook. More particularly, the analyzer is responsive to the extracted narrowband feature vector to identify the narrowband codebook feature index vector that best matches the extracted narrowband feature vector. A signal mapper is provided to execute a mapping function of the extracted narrowband feature vector and/or the narrowband codebook index vector identified by the analyzer. In executing the mapping function, the signal mapper uses mapping parameters that correspond to the narrowband codebook entry associated with the narrowband codebook index vector identified by the analyzer. The signal mapper generates at least one estimated wideband feature vector through execution of the mapping function. The estimated wideband feature vector is used by a signal generator to generate a wideband signal that corresponds to an extended bandwidth version of the received narrowband signal.
US07783478B2 Two stage frequency subband decomposition
A method for multifunctional processing of signals in frequency subbands performs subband decomposition and signal processing in two stages. A fullband signal is first splitted, with downsampling, into wide frequency subband (WFS) signals. Processing algorithms not requiring a high frequency resolution but benefiting from downsampling (such as subband acoustic echo cancellation), are applied to the WFS signals by wide subband processing blocks. Processed WFS signals are splitted, preferably without downsampling, into groups of narrow frequency subband (NFS) signals. The NFS signals are processed using processing algorithms (noise suppression, etc.) requiring a higher resolution. Processed NFS signals are synthesized into processed WFS signals, which are recombined into an output signal. Two-stage processing makes it possible to optimize signal processing, while keeping computational costs at low level and avoiding undesirable time delays. Preferred embodiments of the inventions are intended for use as an echo canceller/noise suppressor in voice communication terminals.
US07783475B2 Menu-based, speech actuated system with speak-ahead capability
An interactive voice response system has speak-ahead capabilities similar to type-ahead IVR systems by determining multi-level grammars for responses. Preferably, an existing IVR application is processed automatically to generate a multi-level grammar database that can then be used in recognizing multi-level responses by a user.
US07783474B2 System and method for generating a phrase pronunciation
A system and method for a speech recognition technology that allows language models to be customized through the addition of special pronunciations for components of phrases, which are added to the factory language models during customization. It allows components of a phrase to have different pronunciations inside customer-added phrases than are specified for those isolated components in the factory language models.
US07783471B2 Communication device for emulating a behavior of a navigation device
The invention provides a communication device for emulating a behavior of a navigation device in response to executing a device firmware program installed on the navigation device. The communication device comprises a provider for providing information relating to the device firmware program, a determiner for determining whether a current firmware program installed on the communication device corresponds to the device firmware program installed on the navigation device and a processor for executing the current firmware program on the communication device in order to emulate the behavior of the navigation device if the current firmware program corresponds to the device firmware.
US07783469B2 Methods and computer program products for benchmarking multiple collaborative services provided by enterprise software
A simulated collaborative mix workload for determining the performance of enterprise software includes a combination of mail, instant messaging, electronic meetings, documents, and electronic learning. The workload is generated by executing a team spaces path, documents path, learning path, messaging path, web conference path, or various combinations thereof. The team spaces path generates a simulated discussion with team members and generates a search query for locating a forum within the team space. The documents path generates a library search to locate, open, and read the document, and generates a simulated chat about the document. The learning path launches a simulated course and assessment activity. The messaging path reads a simulated email, attaches a document thereto, and sends the email. The web conference path generates a web conference attended by a plurality of simulated users. At least one of the workload tasks is performed more than once.
US07783467B2 Method for digital system modeling by using higher software simulator
A digital system design method uses a higher programming language. In order to realize a digital system, an algorithm is verified based on a program written by the higher programming language and a program is programmed considering the higher programming language-hardware characteristics before the program is written in the lower programming language, and thus conversion into the lower programming language may be easily performed.
US07783466B2 IC chip parameter modeling
A method and system are disclosed for preserving measured temperature and geometric behavior of a hardware model while adjusting the model to match specified target values. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring a characteristic of an integrated circuit (IC) chip at a plurality of temperatures; modeling to form a hardware model for the characteristic versus temperature based on the measuring; obtaining a known first target value of the characteristic for at least one temperature in the hardware model; determining a plurality of second target values for the characteristic for a corresponding plurality of temperatures in the hardware model; and modeling to form a target model for the characteristic based on the first known target value and the plurality of second target values.
US07783463B2 Computer networks for providing a test environment
A computer network for providing a test environment is disclosed. The computer network may include at least one simulated network for simulating at least a portion of the infrastructure of a production network. The computer network may further include a network simulation module in communication with the simulated network for simulating at least one parameter of the production network, and a plurality of client simulation computers in communication with the simulated network via the network simulation module. Each client simulation computer may be configured to replicate at least one of a hardware configuration and a software configuration of a production network client.
US07783462B2 Reservoir evaluation methods
Described herein are methods of evaluating reservoirs. At least one of the methods includes providing a three dimensional reservoir framework having a plurality of cells; assigning one or more constant reservoir property values to some or all of the cells to provide a first three dimensional reservoir model; updating the first three dimensional reservoir model by populating some or all of the cells with one or more variable reservoir property values to provide a second three dimensional reservoir model; and updating the second three dimensional reservoir model by populating some or all of the cells with one or more reservoir property values derived from seismic data to provide a third three dimensional reservoir model. Other methods are also described.
US07783457B2 Sensor localization using lateral inhibition
A system including multiple devices that each have a sensor and are each configured to communicate with other devices. The system further includes a controller configured to provide command information that specifies a mode of operation of the devices. In a first mode of operation, the devices transmit communication signals and a given device modifies a strength of its communication signal from an initial strength to a final strength based on communication signals it receives from one or more other devices. And in a second mode of operation, the devices transmit communication signals and the given device dynamically adjusts a strength of its communication signal based communication signals it receives from one or more other devices and on measurements performed by the sensor in the given device.
US07783456B2 Wave detection device, method, program, and recording medium
It is possible to detect a reception signal at a high speed. A wave detection device includes: a first signal output unit for outputting a first signal s[n] which is a sum of a digital input signal subjected to A/D conversion and an output from a feedback signal output section; a second signal output unit for outputting a second signal s[n−1] which is the first signal s[n] delayed by one sampling timing; and a feedback signal output section for subjecting the second signal s[n−1] to a predetermined calculation. When n=N−1, a frequency region conversion section reads out the first signal s[N−1] and the second signal s[N−2] from registers and subjects them to a predetermined calculation, thereby obtaining the input signal subjected to DFT. Since the wave detection device has a simple configuration, it is possible to rapidly detect the reception signal which is an input signal of the wave detection device.
US07783455B1 Methods and systems for analyzing process equipment processing variations using sensor data
The present invention is generally directed to various methods and systems for isolating process equipment using sensor data. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes providing at least two processing tools wherein the tools produce different process results when performing a target process operation, acquiring support facility data using a plurality of sensors, and analyzing the acquired support facility data to determine a cause for the processing tools producing different process results.
US07783454B2 Portable apparatus with performance monitoring and audio entertainment features
A portable apparatus (10) providing both substantially automated performance monitoring and audio entertainment features. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus (10) broadly comprises a portable housing (12); an attachment mechanism (14); a GPS component (16); a heart rate monitor component (17); an audio component (18); a user interface (20); a processor (26); and a power supply (30). The housing (12) may include a headset (1112a) wherein the GPS component (16) is located, and a second housing component (1112b) wherein the processor (26) is located, wherein the GPS component (16) communicates with the processor (26) in a wireless manner. The apparatus (10) is adapted to determine a number of laps or a distance, to provide an elapsed time, and to determine a speed.
US07783452B2 Signal measurement apparatus and test apparatus
A signal measuring apparatus that measures a first input signal and a second input signal is provided, including a first measuring section that measures the first input signal at a plurality of strobe timings arranged in each cycle of a measurement cycle, a second measuring section that measures the second input signal at a plurality of strobe timings arranged in each cycle of a measurement cycle, a phase difference calculating section that calculates phase differences between the first input signal and the second input signal in each measurement cycle based on measurement results from the first measuring section and the second measuring section, and a distribution generating section that generates distribution information of the phase differences calculated in each measurement cycle by the phase difference calculating section.
US07783448B2 Sensor processing method
A pressure sensor and method wherein a resonant pressure transducer has a frequency F which changed depending on the applied pressure P and the temperature T. A temperature sensor measures the temperature T. A memory includes stored therein data points corresponding to the sensor's frequency F at difference applied pressures and temperatures. A processor is configured to generate several polynomials from the data points and calculate Pμ at Tμ when the transducer frequency is Fμ.
US07783445B2 Method of path planning
A method for planning the trajectory of an apparatus, such as an articulating probe head, mounted on a coordinate positioning apparatus, such as a CMM. It is determined whether for a given trajectory, the angular velocity or acceleration of the apparatus about a rotational axis of the apparatus will exceed a predetermined threshold. If so, parameters are adjusted so that the angular velocity or acceleration do not exceed the threshold.
US07783439B2 Signal generator device and data eye scan system
A signal generator device for generating at least one periodic signal for use in a data eye scan system. The signal generator comprises a clock input, at least one output and at least one signal generator coupled with the clock input and with the output. The signal generator is at least one token ring with a predetermined number of positions and is operable to propagate at least one token in the ring by moving the token from its current position to a following position dependent on a clock signal from the clock input. The signal generator further comprises a predetermined number of signal value units that each represent a respective predetermined signal value of a predetermined signal waveform and are operable to provide the signal value at an output of the signal generator dependent on a current position of the at least one token in the token ring.
US07783438B2 Integrated non-destructive method and device for electrochemical energy system diagnostics
The present invention is an integrated method and apparatus for determining the quality of electrochemical energy storage devices, especially batteries. The invention is based on an integrated usage of electromagnetic and ultrasonic energy to probe of the interior volume of the battery. The first probe is carried out when the battery is at an initial charged state. After the first probe stage, a discharge of the battery being diagnosed is carried out until the test battery is at a small fixed test charge value. Signals from the eddy current probes allow determination of the continuity of the discharge current during the discharge process. After the discharge of the battery, the above described test sequence is repeated.The resultant eddy current signal generated at the initial state of the battery and the gradients of the eddy current signal and of the ultrasonic signal versus the battery capacity is determined. Deviations of these parameters from the corresponding average values preliminary obtained on the training sample set of batteries is calculated. Probability density function binary signals are formed for deviations of parameters used. The batteries being diagnosed are rejected by means of using the obtained binary signals with their probability values and a logical rule set.
US07783435B2 Methods and systems for measuring physical volume
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a volume of liquid product in a manifold set of tanks. The method includes identifying a plurality of book volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks. The method further includes identifying a plurality of measured physical volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks, each measured physical volume being associated with one book volume of the plurality of book volumes. Following collecting the volumes, the method includes determining a variance between each measured physical volume of the plurality of measured volumes and each book volume of the plurality of book volumes and then using those variances to generate an expected variance to each of the plurality of measured physical volumes, the combination of the expected variance and the measured physical volume being the volume of the liquid product in the manifold set of tanks.
US07783428B2 Methods, systems, and software for identifying functional biomolecules
The present invention generally relates to methods of rapidly and efficiently searching biologically-related data space. More specifically, the invention includes methods of identifying bio-molecules with desired properties, or which are most suitable for acquiring such properties, from complex bio-molecule libraries or sets of such libraries. The invention also provides methods of modeling sequence-activity relationships. As many of the methods are computer-implemented, the invention additionally provides digital systems and software for performing these methods.
US07783427B1 Combined runway obstacle detection system and method
An incursion detection system can be utilized with an aircraft. The incursion detection system can be utilized to determine a possible presence of obstacles associated with a runway, taxi-way, or other path of an aircraft. The incursion detection system preferably utilizes a sensor, such as a radar system, and a signal received on a wireless receiver. The wireless receiver can be part of an ADS-B system. A processing device determines a presence of at least one obstacle in a path based upon first data derived from the wireless receiver and/or second data received from the sensor.
US07783421B2 Navigation device, navigation method, navigation program, server device, and navigation information distribution system
A navigation device includes a navigation information storage unit in which navigation information, including the user-provided data, is stored; and a human machine interface unit that outputs the user-provided data and navigation information other than the user-provided data separately on an output device, that displays a warning message, read from the navigation information storage unit, and a screen prompting for an input for selecting whether to perform navigation processing based on the user-provided data when an instruction for performing navigation processing based on the user-provided data is input from an input device, and that causes a control unit, which performs navigation processing, to perform navigation processing based on the user-provided data when an instruction for performing navigation processing based on the user-provided data is input from the input device. In this way, a navigation system where user-provided data and official data are reliably combined can be provided.
US07783420B2 Route guidance systems, methods, and programs
A route guidance systems, methods, and programs detect a current position of a vehicle and search for a route to a destination based on the vehicle position. The systems, methods, and programs set a recommended travel lane based on the searched route and determine whether the vehicle is in a particular lane, the determination based on image data of lane demarcation lines, the image data obtained by a camera attached to the vehicle. When the particular lane cannot be determined, the systems, methods, and programs predict the lane in which the vehicle is driving based on the image data and execute lane guidance based on the predicted driving lane.
US07783418B2 Navigation arrangement based on coordinate fields
An arrangement for navigation to predetermined destinations within a search area, which is divided up by means of a linear system of coordinates into coordinate fields, wherein, by means of automatic positioning at predetermined time intervals, that coordinate field is determined in which the arrangement is situated, wherein a database is provided which contains for each coordinate field a data record with a description of the current coordinate field and a description of the next coordinate field to be located in order to reach the destination, wherein the arrangement displays from the database to a user, who has input one of the predetermined destinations into the arrangement, the description of each new coordinate field as it is reached and the description of the next coordinate field provided for reaching the destination.
US07783417B2 Methods and apparatus for determining a route having an estimated minimum fuel usage for a vehicle
Apparatus, methods, processors and computer readable media for determining a suggested route having an estimated minimum fuel usage for a vehicle based on a estimated fuel efficiency for the vehicle for different speeds of the vehicle and based on estimated speeds for the route. The estimated fuel efficiency for the vehicle is based on aggregated data for the vehicle. Alternatively, the estimated fuel efficiency is based on actual data for the vehicle. In some embodiments, suggested routes are constrained by user route preferences, and real-time route information. Alternatively or additionally, the estimated fuel usage is based on actual driver behavior data.
US07783416B2 Navigation server
A navigation server capable of guiding a mobile subject such as an automobile by a navigation device, while appropriately evaluating the level of safeness of individual link in a disaster occurring area in consideration of the actual disaster condition is provided. According to the navigation server of the present invention, the links included in the disaster occurring area are extracted, and the cost of each of the extracted links is evaluated on the basis of the probe information. There is high probability that the spatial and temporal moving pattern of the automobile (a first mobile subject) represented by the probe information reflects the influence of the disaster. Therefore, the level of the safeness of individual link included in the disaster occurring area may be evaluated as the cost of individual link accurately in consideration of the actual disaster condition and road condition. Further, by transmitting the road traffic information generated on the basis of the cost of individual link to the navigation device, it becomes possible to make the navigation device guide the automobile (a second mobile subject) to avoid the influence of the disaster in consideration of the actual disaster condition and road condition.
US07783415B2 Traffic information processing apparatus
A traffic information processing apparatus for alleviating the problem of discrepancy between a plurality of traffic information which may be acquired from different sources is disclosed. In the case where a plurality of traffic information are acquired, the information are corrected into reference traffic information selected from the plurality of the traffic information. For example, the traffic information processing apparatus acquires first traffic information (VICS information) used for the navigation process and second traffic information (probe traffic information) having a different source from the first traffic information. From the first and second traffic information, the traffic information for a common object is extracted, and based on the difference between them, the correcting information used for correcting the second traffic information is generated. The traffic information on an object not contained in the first traffic information is acquired by correcting the second traffic information on the object using the correcting information.
US07783411B2 Method of controlling fuel injection and ignition of an internal combustion engine, using monitored intake pressure
An engine control method, based on engine intake pressure, is operable to shorten a period from a start of cranking until a sequential fuel injection control is determined. Provisional and final stroke determinations are made for a plurality of cylinders from a synthetic manifold pressure waveform. The provisional stroke determination is made after a crankshaft is rotated 720 degrees after settlement of a crank reference position. The final stroke determination is made when the crankshaft rotates 1440 degrees after the provisional stroke determination. When the provisional stroke determination is made, fuel is injected into the cylinders based on a detected value of the engine intake pressure; and when the stroke determination is finally settled, the fuel injection and ignition of the engine are controlled based on the detected value of the engine intake pressure.
US07783409B2 Airflow estimation method and apparatus for internal combustion engine
A model-based estimation of mass airflow is provided which provides an accurate estimation of mass airflow without introducing undesirable time delays characteristic of filtered mass airflow signals.
US07783408B2 Controller for internal combustion engine
An engine has cylinders respectively connected to branch pipes branched from a main pipe as an intake manifold. Fuel injection valves are attached to branch pipes, respectively. Further, branch pipes are connected to branch pipes branched from an EGR pipe on a downstream side of EGR valve, and exhaust gas introduced from EGR valve is fed to each of branch pipes. ECU detects imbalance of air-fuel ratio among cylinders, based on cylinder-by-cylinder air-fuel ratio detected by air-fuel ratio sensors provided on branch pipes as an exhaust manifold. If there is an imbalance in air-fuel ratio among cylinders, EGR valve is closed and imbalance in air-fuel ratio among cylinders is again detected.
US07783406B2 System for controlling speed of a vehicle
A device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle are provided. The device includes a locational information module for determining location information and speed; a storage module for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route; a processing module configured to receive the location information, retrieve at least one geographic map based on the location information, determine a speed limit based on the location information and compare the speed of the device to the determined speed limit; and a display module for alerting a user if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit. The device, system and method further provide for communicating a subject vehicle's speed to a central server where it can be utilized to analyze traffic congestion patterns or notify selected companies or individuals.
US07783403B2 System and method for preventing vehicular accidents
Vehicle including an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur unless a corrective action is taken based on data obtained prior to the impact and determining whether the potential impact requires activation of a reactive system which controls operation of the vehicle. The anticipatory sensor system includes a receiver for receiving waves or energy and a pattern recognition system for analyzing the received waves or energy, or data representative thereof, to determine that an impact is about to occur if corrective action is not taken and whether the potential impact requires activation of the reactive system. The pattern recognition system ascertains the identity of an object from which the waves or energy have been emitted, reflected or generated, so that the determination whether the impact requires activation of the reactive system is based on identification of the object.
US07783400B1 Smart car ice and snow eliminator
The present invention is an ice and snow elimination system for motor vehicles. The present invention is unique in that its counterintuitive features are activated when the engine is off. The system allows consumers to remotely activate the ice and snow elimination system in Standard Sentry Mode to keep the exterior car surfaces free of ice and snow. Automatic Sentry Mode functions in the same way except that no remote communication device is needed. The Ice Buster feature is used to quickly eliminate a large buildup of ice and snow (for economy cars) or, in mid-priced cars when the driver forgets to activate Standard Sentry Mode. Upon the availability of better conditions such as the onset of warmer weather, the ice and snow elimination system will shut down temporarily to optimize the system. Preferably, the system has three models available, one for luxury vehicles (Automatic Sentry Mode), another for mid-priced vehicles (Standard Sentry Mode), and another for economy vehicles (Ice Buster Feature).
US07783396B2 Hybrid cruising control system
In a conventional hybrid scheme used to mount a rechargeable battery in a motor vehicle, store into the battery the electric power that has been obtained via a regenerative brake, and utilize the power during acceleration of the vehicle, when a temperature rise of the battery due to charging or discharging causes a temperature of the battery to stay outside a defined range, it has been absolutely necessary to stop the battery charge or discharge, and fuel efficiency has decreased. This invention predicts a charge level and temperature of a rechargeable battery from the cruising input/output power requirements calculated from route information and historical records of cruising, prevents a stoppage of the battery by calculating chronological engine output and brake control data for the temperature to stay within a defined range, and hence improves fuel efficiency.
US07783393B2 Enhanced vertical situation display
A vertical situation display system for use in a vehicle such as, for example, an aircraft, is provided. A side view of an intended route of flight may be shown with altitude restrictions, airspace and instrument approach information, a projected flight path and range to airspeed symbol. The system may show terrain, weather, and traffic information along the intended route of flight. The system may be used in conjunction with a navigational display to enhance situational awareness. The system includes a computer, an electronic display device, an electronic entry device, a memory and a database. The database may contain terrain, airspace and flight planning data and may be updatable.
US07783392B2 Traveling apparatus and method of controlling the same
A traveling apparatus is provided with two wheels parallel each of which is driven independently, being controlled to be stable in an anteroposterior direction between the two wheels and traveling. The traveling apparatus includes a mechanism estimating an inclination of a plane where a pitch angular velocity sensor is horizontally installed with respect to a horizontal plane by using a sensor measuring a tilt of a vehicle body in a roll axis direction and a mechanism calculating a correct pitch angle by obtaining a yaw rate mixed in the pitch angular velocity sensor based on the estimated inclination and a turn velocity of the vehicle body and by canceling the yaw rate mixed.
US07783390B2 Method for deferring demand for electrical energy
Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand. An energy control unit includes one or more algorithms for scheduling the control of energy consumption devices on the basis of variables relating to forecast energy supply and demand. Devices for which energy consumption can be scheduled or deferred are activated during periods of cheapest energy usage. Battery storage and alternative energy sources (e.g., photovoltaic cells) are activated to sell energy to the power grid during periods that are determined to correspond to favorable cost conditions.
US07783389B2 Power storage equipment management system
A power storage equipment management system has a power storage equipment, and a management server for managing power information of the power storage equipment. The power storage equipment includes a power receiving unit for obtaining power for charging, a power supplying unit for supplying charged power to a load, an information controller for generating power information by charging and discharging of the power receiving unit or the power supplying unit, and a communication unit for transmitting the power information to the management server. The management server includes an information management unit for determining a consideration with respect to the power information transmitted from the power storage equipment by using consideration information which has been set beforehand.
US07783386B2 Device and method for safeguarding a machine-controlled handling device
An apparatus and method is disclosed for protection of a machine-controlled handling appliance having moving parts, having a safety sensor system for detection of objects in the working area of the handling appliance, having a safety controller which interacts with the handling appliance controller and in the process controls safety-relevant handling appliance functions as a function of signals from the safety sensor system. The safety sensor system has non-contacting proximity sensors so that a safety-relevant part of the working area of the handling appliance is covered by the detection areas of the proximity sensors.
US07783377B2 Substrate loading and unloading apparatus
Substrate loading and unloading apparatus for automated loading and unloading of substrates (S) in a vacuum environment, for example the work region (A) of an electron beam lithography machine, comprises a substrate holder (13) with a substrate support table (17) and locating means (18 to 21) co-operable with the table to cause a supported substrate (S) to be pressed against and thereby located on the table (17). A vacuum vessel (10) defines a loading and unloading chamber (11) with a transfer port (12) which is communicable with the evacuated region (A) of the machine and permits transfer of the holder (13) between the chamber (11) and the region (A) entirely within the vacuum environment. Release means (22, 23; 28 to 33) are present to withhold the co-operation of the table and locating means and to provide a temporary substrate support clear of the table so that substrates can be transferred to and from the table. The temporary support can be provided by support pins (28) which may additionally be rotatable for fine adjustment of the substrate angular position.
US07783376B2 Photogrammetric contrasting light for hole recognition
A system for measuring a hole of a surface may include at least one light emitting member for emitting varied intensity flashes of light towards the hole of the surface. The system may further include a projector for projecting light beams onto the surface. The system may additionally include at least one camera for taking at least one picture of the hole of the surface each time the at least one light emitting member emits a flash of light towards the hole of the surface, and each time the projector projects light beams onto the surface. The system may also include a computer for determining measurements of the hole of the surface utilizing the at least one picture of the hole and Photogrammetry.
US07783374B2 Method and apparatus for performing a site-dependent dual damascene procedure
The present invention includes a method of performing a dual damascene procedure using Site-Dependent (S-D) procedures, the method including receiving a plurality of wafers and associated data by a S-D transfer subsystem coupled to a lithography-related subsystem, determining S-D wafer data for each wafer, establishing a first Dual Damascene processing sequence, determining a first set of S-D processing wafers to be processed, establishing real-time operational states for a plurality of first S-D processing elements in the lithography-related subsystem, transferring a first number of the first set of S-D processing wafers to a first number of the first S-D processing elements in the lithography-related subsystem and delaying other S-D wafers in the first set of S-D processing wafers for a first amount of time.
US07783372B2 Automated throughput control system and method of operating the same
An automated throughput control system and method is provided. By gathering tool specific information of a plurality of process tools on entity level, appropriate throughput related performance characteristics may be calculated with high statistical significance during moderately short time intervals. Moreover, the performance characteristics obtained from tool information may be compared to reference data, for instance provided by dynamic simulation calculations, to identify high, as well as low, performing equipment on the basis of standard process control mechanisms.
US07783360B2 Sensory system
A device for sensing and communicating nerve cell endings and neural signals, the device comprising: at least one neural bridge device; at least one neural bridge switch, wherein each neural bridge switch is an implanted integrated circuit and is connected to at least one neural bridge device; at least one neural bridge gateway; at least one communication means in communication with at least one neural bridge gateway and at least one neural bridge switch; at least one sensory interface integrated circuit in communication with at least one neural bridge switch; at least one transducer in communication with at least one sensory interface integrated circuit; and at least one attachment means in communication with at least one transducer.
US07783359B2 Devices and methods using an implantable pulse generator for brain stimulation
A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface; at least one stimulation electrode disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead; at least one recording electrode, separate from the at least one stimulation electrode, disposed on the lead; and an implantable pulse generator coupled to the at least one stimulation electrode. In some instances, the implantable pulse generator can be implanted into a burr hole in the skull made for insertion of the lead into the brain.
US07783357B2 Dual battery arrangement for an automated external defibrillator
A defibrillator, equipped with a battery power source, is described which is arranged to operate in any one of both a first mode and a second mode, the battery power source comprising at least two voltage sources. The voltage sources are arranged to be connected in parallel to each other when the defibrillator is operating in a first mode, and in series with each other when the defibrillator is operating in a second mode. The invention can be implemented by a battery pack for a defibrillator. This arrangement allows both voltage sources to be drawn down at the same rate which lengthens the overall life of the batteries. A more efficient use of battery power is thereby obtained. The invention ultimately extends the projected life of the batteries and when applied to an automatic external defibrillator increases the shelf life of the defibrillator.
US07783354B2 Method and apparatus for identifying cardiac and non-cardiac oversensing using intracardiac electrograms
A method and apparatus for automatically identifying various types of cardiac and non-cardiac oversensing and automatically performing a corrective action to reduce the likelihood of oversensing is provided. EGM data, including time intervals between sensed and paced events and signal morphologies, are analyzed for patterns indicative of various types of oversensing, including oversensing of far-field R-waves, R-waves, T-waves, or noise associated with electromagnetic interference, non-cardiac myopotentials, a lead fracture, or a poor lead connection. Identification of oversensing and its suspected cause are reported so that corrective action may be taken. The corrective action may include, for example, adjusting sensing parameters such as blanking periods, decay constants, decay delays, threshold values, sensitivity values, electrode configurations and the like.
US07783353B2 Automatic neural stimulation modulation based on activity and circadian rhythm
According to an embodiment of a method for providing neural stimulation, activity is sensed, and neural stimulation is automatically controlled based on the sensed activity. An embodiment determines periods of rest and periods of exercise using the sensed activity, and applies neural stimulation during rest and withdrawing neural stimulation during exercise.
US07783350B2 System and method for promoting intrinsic conduction through atrial timing modification and calculation of timing parameters
An atrial based pacing protocol promotes intrinsic conduction. An entire cardiac cycle is monitored for ventricular activity and permitted to lapse with ventricular activity. Ventricular pacing is available in a cardiac cycle immediately subsequent to such a skipped beat. When monitoring for intrinsic ventricular events, an event is expected within a given window. If no such event is detected, the cardiac cycle in truncated, leading to a shorter cycle that is devoid of ventricular activity. The subsequent cycle has a high likelihood of a ventricular sensed event and a greater than normal AV interval is provided prior to pacing.
US07783348B2 Stimulation device for treating osteoarthritis
A device for providing therapeutic treatment to a body part such as a knee joint to promote healing of the body part, including a signal generator for generating a pulsed electromagnetic field to electromagnetic stimulators based upon a selected treatment mode, a controller for storing the treatment mode and communicating the treatment mode to the signal generator and stimulators, a heat source configured to provide thermal therapy to the body part, and a monitoring element for monitoring the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic stimulators. The device may also include a telemetry component in communication with the monitor for remotely accessing the controller to modify the treatment mode. The device can also be disposable.
US07783344B2 Hydration monitoring
Systems and techniques for monitoring hydration. In one implementation, a method includes measuring an electrical impedance of a region of a subject to generate an impedance measurement result, and wirelessly transmitting the data to a remote apparatus. The probe with which impedance is measured may take the form of a patch adhesively secured to the subject.
US07783342B2 System and method for inferring disease similarity by shape matching of ECG time series
A method for inferring disease similarity by similarity retrieval of electrocardiogram time-series, comprising: acquiring user ECG waveforms correspondingly depicting many cardiac cycles of the heart of many users stored in a database; pre-processing each of the user ECG waveforms through pre-processing steps to isolate sets of single cardiac cycles corresponding to different heart-rates detected for each of the user ECG waveforms, each single cardiac cycle within the many cardiac cycles of the heart of many users corresponds to one single heart-rate detected. acquiring patient ECG waveforms depicting multiple cardiac cycles of the heart of a query patient; pre-processing the patient ECG waveforms through pre-processing steps to isolate sets of single cardiac cycles corresponding to different heart-rates detected for each of the patient ECG waveforms of the query patient, each single cardiac cycle within the multiple cardiac cycles of the heart of the query patient corresponds to one single heart-rate detected.
US07783339B2 Method and system for real-time digital filtering for electrophysiological and hemodynamic amplifers
The present invention includes a method and system for real-time digital filtering for electrophysiological and hemodynamic amplifiers. The invention replaces the analog circuits currently used for signal filtering and conditioning in such systems with digital filters that may be implemented in a software application. The method and system includes digitizing the analog signal collected from the patient prior to performing the signal filtering and conditioning. The method and system also includes removing stimulus artifacts, as well as performing sample rate conversion and scaling on the digital signal. The processed digital signals may be used, displayed, saved and converted to analog signal thru digital-to-analog conversion.
US07783334B2 Garment for measuring physiological signal
Provided is a smart garment for measuring a physiological signal which can improve comfort and convenience of wear and correctly measure a physiological signal. The smart garment for measuring physiological signals includes an electrode which is made of an electro-conductive fabric and detects a physiological signal, a physiological signal transmission line through which the detected physiological signal is transmitted, a physiological signal measuring unit which is connected to the transmission line, receives the physiological signal, and measures information regarding body conditions related to the physiological signal, and a pocket where the physiological signal measuring unit in inserted.
US07783331B2 Sliding mechanism and portable electronic device using the same
A sliding mechanism (100) for use in a portable electronic device (500) is provided. The sliding mechanism includes a first plate (10), a second plate (20), a plurality of limiting structure (17), and a linkage module (30). The second plate is longitudinally slidably connected with the first plate. The plurality of limiting structures is secured on the first plate for delimiting a position of the second plate with respect to the first plate. The linkage module is configured to approximate a collapsible hexagon and is disposed between and connects the first plate and the second plate. The linkage module further includes an elastic unit (34) that is able to semi-automatically drive the linkage module and enable the second plate to slide along the first plate, after the second plate is manually moved a predetermined length with respect to the first plate.
US07783330B2 Control system with wireless address domain to field device address domain translation
A host computer communicates with field devices over a wireless network that includes a gateway and a plurality of wireless nodes. At least one of the field devices is associated with each wireless node, and each field device has a unique field device address. The host computer sends control messages to field devices using their field device addresses. The gateway translates the field device address of a control message to a wireless address of the wireless node with which the field device is associated. The gateway sends a wireless message over the network to the wireless node at the wireless address. The message contains the field device address so that, when the wireless message is received and opened, the control message from the host computer can be routed to the intended field device based upon the field device address.
US07783326B2 Remote rechargeable prepaid cellular service peripheral device
An integrated prepaid cellular service and telephone unit including a cellular transceiver, a storage unit, a processor; and a credit/debit card interface. In a further aspect, the invention includes code for contacting a cellular provider, transmitting user debit/credit information, receiving a quantity of pre-paid cellular service units, storing the units, and allowing use of the cellular transceiver as long as said units does not equal zero.
US07783324B2 Mobile communication system and devices used therefor
Disclosed is an attached body detachably attached to a mobile communication terminal main body. The attached body includes a storage unit for storing an attached body identification number, content data, and access information showing an access destination of auxiliary information to utilize said content data in the mobile communication terminal. The attached body further includes a communication unit for transmitting the attached body identification number, the access information and the content data to the mobile communication terminal main body in accordance with demands from the mobile communication terminal main body.
US07783319B2 Adjustment method for control threshold of terminal forward transmission power in a mobile communication system
The present invention relates to a method for adjusting forward transmission power control threshold of a terminal in a mobile communication system, including the following steps of setting in advance at a base station side a forward pilot threshold and a lower bound, an upper bound of a forward transmission power control threshold as well as adjustment ranges of said lower bound and upper bound; obtaining the current forward pilot energy measured and reported by the terminal; judging whether the forward pilot energy exceeds said forward pilot threshold; and adjusting the forward transmission power control threshold of the terminal. In the invention, the forward pilot energy reported by the terminal is judged and adjusted through the pre-set parameters above, so as to dynamically adjust the forward transmission power control threshold of the terminal in the sector, reduce call drop rate, and promote the communication quality of a CDMA mobile communication system.
US07783316B1 Public safety communications network using asymmetric receive/transmit channels
A public safety communications network uses asymmetric channels for receiving requests for data from a mobile client over a narrowband land mobile radio system (LMRS) channel and delivering wideband data over a digital television (DTV) network channel to a DTV datacast receiver with the mobile client. An emergency operations center connected to the LMRS receives and processes the data requests and forwards the requested data. DTV network stations have a data multiplex insertion system for inserting the requested data into a DTV signal. The DTV network may be a public television network. An addressing system identifies unique mobile client addresses and unique mobile client group addresses and selects a DTV transmitter for delivering response messages in accordance with the addresses. A forward error correction (FEC) regulation system is used in transmitting requested data with FEC strength regulated as a function of historical bit-error-rate or receive power for a geographical location.
US07783311B2 Wireless communications system, transmitting station, and receiving station
A receiving station used in a wireless communication system receives information from one or more transmitting stations. The receiving station comprises a receiving unit (112) configured to receive information containing ID information of a transmitting station, and a data extracting unit (1011) configured to extract the ID information from the received information. Transmit timing sequence acquiring means (2012, 2013 and 2014) of the receiving station estimates a transmit timing sequence (Hs) of the transmitting station based on the extracted ID information. Synchronizing means (2014) of the receiving station brings the receive timing of the receiving station in synchronization with transmit timing of the transmitting station based on the transmit timing sequence.
US07783309B2 Wireless communication system and channel changing method thereof
A wireless communication system and a channel changing method thereof are provided. The wireless communication system which includes a plurality of channels, uses one of the plurality of channels as a specific channel, and uses another channel of the plurality of channels as a communication channel, includes: a base terminal for obtaining the one of the plurality of channels as an alternative channel, generating a channel change command including information on the alternative channel, and transmitting the command on a specific channel, when there is a data error received on the communication channel; and a wireless input device for resetting the alternative channel as a new communication channel and performing wireless communication on the communication channel which was reset, after obtaining the information on the alternative channel by receiving the channel change command from the specific channel. Accordingly, the base terminal can obtain the alternative channel by quickly sensing the channel cross talk so that a channel change can be performed immediately and actively, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the wireless communication.
US07783305B2 Method and system for providing menu tree assistance
A method for providing menu tree assistance includes receiving a voice request from a user via a telematics unit and a wireless network and determining a voice menu tree based on the voice request. The method further includes receiving at least one response based on the voice menu tree, determining a failure or confirmation based on the at least one response and converting the response to data based on the determined confirmation. The method further includes recording the response based on the determined failure and providing the recorded response and data to an advisor at a call center. A system and a computer readable medium including computer program code are also disclosed.
US07783303B1 Systems and methods for locating device activity in a wireless network
Systems and methods for locating wireless devices in a wireless network. A diagnostic client on a wireless device generates timing data based on clock data received from sectors of towers communicating with the device. The timing data can be used to generate probability bands that approximate the location of the device in the wireless network. The broadcast regions of the sectors and/or the probability bands can also be used to generate the probable location of a wireless device in a wireless network. The diagnostic data can then be binned in a grid based on the approximate location of the wireless device. The statistical contributions of multiple devices to the grid can be used to characterize the performance of the wireless network.
US07783299B2 Advanced triggers for location-based service applications in a wireless location system
Method and systems are employed by a wireless location system (WLS) for locating a wireless device operating in a geographic area served by a wireless communications system. An exemplary method includes monitoring a set of signaling links of the wireless communications system, and detecting at least one predefined signaling transaction occurring on at least one of the predefined signaling links. Then, in response to the detection of the at least one predefined network transaction, at least one predefined location service is triggered.
US07783297B2 Location system
A location system comprises a communication terminal for transmitting a location request specifying a target mobile terminal and a type of location information, and a location network. In response to the location request, the location network produces current location information of the target mobile terminal if the type of location information of the received request specifies current location information and transmits the current location information to the communication terminal and stores the last known location information in a memory as last known location information of the target mobile terminal. If the type of location information specifies last known location information, stored last known location information of the target mobile terminal is copied from the memory and transmitted to the communication terminal if the location request is verified by a privacy check and if the stored information is reusable.
US07783296B2 Method for measuring road traffic load based on analyzing cellular communications
Continuously extracting traffic load and speed on roads within the coverage area of a cellular network using only data that arrives to the cellular switch implanted in the following stages: (a) a learning phase, which can include vehicle(s) with a location device (i.e., a GPS system) traveling across the covered routes and collecting cellular data and location data in parallel, analyzing the accumulated data and processing the date to create a reference database; and (b) an operational stage in which communications on the cellular network are monitored continuously, and matched against the reference database in to locate their route and speed. The data analysis and data base structure are provided in a manner that enables in the operational stage fast and reliable initial identification of the vehicle's route, based only on the cell ID of handovers; follow-up forward and backwards of the vehicle's route; and real-time incident detection.
US07783295B2 Call admission control device, and call admission control method
When n mobile stations performing communications using a shared channel and m mobile stations performing communications using a dedicated channel are used in a mixed manner, necessary radio resources to satisfy the transmission data rate aimed by a mobile station performing communications using a shared channel are calculated, the quality of the shared channel is guaranteed, and call admission control of a dedicated channel is performed. An HS terminal allocation power calculation unit calculates necessary transmission power to satisfy the target transmission data rate by n mobile stations based on the radio channel quality and the target transmission data rate of the n mobile stations using a shared channel. Call admission of a mobile station newly performing communications using a dedicated channel is controlled based on the necessary transmission power to satisfy the target transmission data rate by n mobile stations using a shared channel, the initial transmission power of a mobile station newly starting communications using a dedicated channel, and the transmission power of m mobile stations using a dedicated channel.
US07783293B2 Method of training a communication system
A method and system of training a communication system is disclosed. The method includes a first transceiver transmitting signals through one or more antennas of the first transceiver. A second transceiver selects a subset of a plurality of antennas of the second transceiver, wherein the selected subset provides a largest aggregate received signal power. The second transceiver transmits pilots on a subset of sub-carriers of multi-carrier signals through the selected subset of the plurality of antennas of the second transceiver. The first transceiver receives the pilots, and extracts channel knowledge from the received pilots.
US07783292B2 Apparatus, method, and computer program product providing enhanced resource allocation for a wireless mesh network
Apparatus, methods and computer program products are provided that enable enhanced resource allocation for a wireless mesh network. A method includes: in response to receiving a resource request in a wireless mesh network, allocating, by a first node, at least one dedicated resource for communication with a second node; reserving at least one shared resource for use in conjunction with communications with the first node; and transmitting to the second node information corresponding to the allocated at least one dedicated resource and the reserved at least one shared resource.
US07783291B2 Touch screen multiple input multiple output (MIMO) multimode wireless communication
The problem of simpler user operation of a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication system is solved by a system and method having touch screen operation, which does not require the use of push buttons. A processed location finder signal received from two or more Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite transmitters and from two or more land based transmitters, received in different radio frequency bands is further processed into cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase time division multiple access (TDMA) baseband signal. A signal is processed into a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal and into a cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase CDMA signal, wherein the TDMA and CDMA signal is used in a cellular system and the OFDM signal in a wireless system and the cellular system and the wireless system are distinct systems. The modulator comprises a non-quadrature modulator and a distinct quadrature modulator. Multiple transmitters include a first transmit amplifier operated in a first radio frequency (RF) band in a linearly amplified (LINA) mode and a second transmit amplifier operated in a second radio frequency (RF) band with second amplifier operated in a non-linearly amplified (NLA) mode. The system includes a receiver and demodulator for receiving and demodulating a transmitted signal, wherein the receiver includes an antenna array of four or more antennas for receiving a transmitted signal.
US07783288B2 Mobile network base station controller comprising a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway which communicate via a remote link
A remote mobile network part (2, 11, 12) may be on an aircraft, a ship, or in a geographically remote location. It comprises a gateway (6) which communicates with a central gateway (9) via a satellite link. The two gateways (6, 9) together are a base station controller (BSC), the satellite link being used for BSC-internal communication. Such communication can be optimised to make best use of the limited bandwidth available on the satellite link.
US07783286B2 Fixed wireless telephone device
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for establishing a fixed wireless telephone service. A fixed wireless device includes a wireless device for establishing wireless connections to a wireless communications network that interfaces with a public switched telephone network. The fixed wireless device includes a connection that provides telephone service for an ordinary POTS-based telephone, handset, computer, or other communication device. Various techniques are provided for monitoring during use and/or verifying prior to use whether the fixed wireless device remains in an intended fixed location.
US07783285B2 Cellular radio communication systems and methods and equipment for use therein
Disclosed is a method of operation for use in a radio communications system comprising a cellular network of base stations and mobile units linked to the base stations. The method comprises detecting that a base station has become isolated from the system, wherein the isolated base station has lost at least one link to other base stations but is still in radio communication with its mobile units and changing an output power level of said isolated base station relative to an output power level of one or more selected co-channel base stations of neighboring cells of the cellular system, whereby the range of communications provided by said isolated base station is changed to a different finite value relative to that provided by the said co-channel base stations.
US07783284B1 Method and apparatus for site administration at a wireless handset
A method for site administration includes receiving a user's instruction to invoke a tool at a wireless handset. The method also includes invoking execution of the tool at the wireless handset. The tool is operable to identify at least one characteristic of at least one access point in a communication system and to display the at least one characteristic associated with the at least one access point to the user at the handset.
US07783283B2 Method and device for handling missed calls in a mobile communications environment
A mobile terminal comprises a registering functionality which is adapted to register terminal-based information about one or more missed call events which are not accepted by a user. Network-based information about one or more missed call events or voice messages registered by a PLMN to which the mobile terminal is subscribed is received. The network-based information is combined with the terminal-based information such that the mobile terminal is able to present the combined information to a user. Moreover, a method is provided for registering information about missed call events in a PLMN comprising at least an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) which is responsible for packet data services. An incoming call received by the IMS from a calling terminal originally destined to a called mobile terminal is redirected in accordance with Filter Criteria (FC) to the IMS and information about a missed call event in accordance with the incoming call is registered by the IMS.
US07783273B2 Method and system for calibrating frequencies-amplitude and phase mismatch in a receiver
The receiver, which enables rejection of image signals with higher accuracy over wider frequency band, can be provided as a low IF receiver by inputting a calibration signal of frequency fi (1≦i≦N) before reception of signals and determining the frequency response fa(z) to fd(z) of a calibrating filter in a filter mismatch calibrating circuit (FIL_CAL) 195 to make zero amplitude and phase mismatches between the I component and Q component of the quadrature demodulation signal at the frequency fIFi.
US07783272B2 Dynamic performance control of broadband tuner
A broadband signal amplifier includes one of more broadband amplifier circuits, each dynamically controlled in response to a total power level of signals applied thereto to reduce linearity in response to a reduction of input signal strength. A filter may couple the output of the broadband amplifier circuits to each other to form a tandem arrangement. Power detectors are connected to detect and provide outputs indicative of the total power levels of the signals applied to respective broadband amplifiers. A control unit is connected to and receives the output from the power detectors and, in response, provides a control signals to the broadband amplifier circuit so as to operate each over portions of their operating characteristic curves that provide only that degree of linearity necessary to limit distortion to a predetermined or dynamically adjustable maximum acceptable level.
US07783271B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals
A method and apparatus for receiving a radio frequency signal and a method and apparatus for transmitting a modulation signal in a multiple channel radio system. The method for receiving the radio frequency signal involves mixing the radio frequency signal with a demodulating signal, tunable in frequency steps greater than the channel spacing of the multiple channel radio system to facilitate rapid frequency adjustments. The resultant intermediate signal is then mixed with another demodulating signal, tunable in relatively smaller frequency steps in order to select the channel containing the radio frequency signal.
US07783269B2 Power amplifier controller with polar transmitter
A power amplifier controller controls a power amplifier and is coupled to a polar modulator. The polar modulator generates an amplitude component and a phase-modulated component of the desired RF modulated signal, and outputs to the power amplifier controller. The power amplifier controller regenerates a combined phase and amplitude modulated RF signal to generate an input signal to a power amplifier by adjusting the gain of a VGA based on the amplitude component of the desired RF modulated signal. Concurrently, the power amplifier controller both controls an adjusted supply voltage to the PA and adjusts the gain of the VGA based upon an amplitude correction signal or amplitude error signal.
US07783268B2 Transmitter and transmitting method thereof in wireless communication system
A transmitter and a transmitting method of a wireless communication system are provided. The transmitter transmits RF signals using an outphasing scheme of converting one analog IF NC-EMS into two analog C-EMSs. In the transmitter, a baseband processor generates a baseband digital modulated I-signal and a baseband digital modulated Q-signal. An IF processor up-converts the baseband digital modulated I-signal and the baseband digital modulated Q-signal to generate one digital IF NC-EMS. A signal component separator separates the digital IF NC-EMS into a first digital IF C-EMS and a second digital IF C-EMS. An RF processor up-converts the first digital IF C-EMS and the second digital IF C-EMS to generate a first analog RF C-EMS and a second analog RF C-EMS. A power amplifier amplifies powers of the first and second analog RF C-EMSs. An RF combiner combines the first and second analog RF C-EMSs having the amplified powers to generate one combined analog RF C-EMS.
US07783265B2 Switching element, antenna switch circuit and radio frequency module using the same
A switching element is provided that realizes an stabilize a potential between the gates of the multi-gates without an increase in the insertion loss, and an antenna switch circuit and a radio frequency module each using the switch element. The switching element includes two ohmic electrodes 39, 40 formed on a semiconductor substrate, at least two gate electrodes 41, 42 disposed between the two ohmic electrodes, and a conductive region 45 disposed between the adjacent gate electrodes among the at least two gate electrodes, a field effective transistor being structured by the two ohmic electrodes, the at least two gate electrodes, and the conductive region. The conductive region has a wider portion that is wider in width than the conductive region interposed between the adjacent gate electrodes on one end thereof. The distance between the adjacent gate electrodes is narrower than the width of the wider portion. Resistors 44, 46 are connected in series between the two ohmic electrodes through the wider portion.
US07783260B2 Method and apparatus for adaptively controlling signals
A signal processing system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an excursion signal generator, a scaling system and a filter system. The excursion signal generator identifies a peak portion of a signal that exceeds a threshold and generates a corresponding excursion signal. The scaling system applies a real scale factor to contiguous sets of excursion samples in order to optimize peak-reduction performance. The filter system filters the excursion signal to remove unwanted frequency components from the excursion signal. The filtered excursion signal may then be subtracted from a delayed version of the original signal to reduce the peak. The signal processing system may also control power consumption by adjusting the threshold. The signal processing system may additionally adjust the scale of the excursion signal and/or individual channel signals, such as to meet constraints on channel noise and output spectrum, or to optimize peak reduction. The magnitude threshold, excursion signal and/or individual channel signals may also be adaptively adjusted based on, for example, a channel signal quality such as a noise level specification.
US07783259B2 System and method of eliminating or minimizing LO-related interference from tuners
Disclosed are systems and methods of eliminating or reducing interference resulting from harmonics of local oscillator frequencies of mixers. In one embodiment, a determination is made as to a zone or zones in which harmonics result in undesired spur generation. Inter-tuner spurs and intra-tuner spurs may be identified such that frequency information of the identified spurs may be utilized to define a plurality of exclusion zones. LO frequencies may subsequently be efficiently selected in view of the exclusion zone information. Embodiments may also determine a score for identified spurs which may be used to optimally select from within a set of spur-generating local oscillator frequencies.
US07783258B2 Wireless communication
The invention is directed to a method of synchronising transmission between two nodes in a wireless network. The method comprises the steps of obtaining an expected interference profile for each node; and agreeing a synchronised transmission schedule between the nodes, where the expected interference profile of each node meets predetermined criteria.
US07783252B1 Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US07783251B2 Adaptive radio transceiver
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US07783239B2 Fuser unit and image forming apparatus equipped with the same
A fuser unit for an image forming apparatus including: a tape-like cleaning member that abuts on a fuser roller and cleans its peripheral surface; a press roller that presses the fuser roller via the cleaning member; a feed roller that feeds said cleaning member; a wind roller that winds the cleaning member therearound; and a controller that actuates a fixing function before an image formation, stops it after said image formation, and rotates and stops the wind roller and/or the feed roller to control a winding quantity of the cleaning member, wherein said controller calculates a toner image amount based on the prescribed number of pages by tracking from a page on which an image is formed just before the image formation is completed, and determines whether or not said cleaning member is wound around the wind roller during a non-fixing period based on the calculated toner image amount.
US07783238B2 Transfer charger and image forming apparatus
The present invention provides a transfer charger which provides an intermediate transfer belt with a sufficient transfer efficiency, does not wear in contact with an inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt, has a low frictional property, and is excellent in its friction stability and an image-forming apparatus. A transfer charger (62) is mounted inside the image-forming apparatus where a toner image held on an image holder (12) is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt (31) to obtain an image. The transfer charger (62) makes a surface contact with an inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt (31), with the transfer charger (62) being pressed toward the image holder (12) owing to a pressing member (61). The transfer charger (62) is a sheet material consisting of a resin composition containing 100 parts by weight of non-injection-moldable ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene resin, 2 to 15 parts by weight of electrically conductive carbon, and 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of at least one powder selected from among PTFE resin powder, graphite powder, and silicone resin powder.
US07783234B2 Developer cartridge, image forming apparatus, and shutter device
A developer cartridge, including: a container for containing developer; a shutter that is supported so that the shutter can linearly move relative to the container, and that opens and closes by moving linearly; a handle member that is supported so that the handle member can rotationally move relative to the container, and that includes a handle; and a conversion mechanism by which rotational-movement force that rotationally moves the handle member is converted into linear-movement force that linearly moves the shutter.
US07783230B2 Transfer unit, image forming apparatus having the same, and method thereof
A transfer unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The transfer unit includes a transfer unit body to accommodate a printing medium conveyor, which makes a printing medium receive an image while moving the printing medium, a body handle used to mount the transfer unit body in an image forming apparatus and to separate the transfer unit body from the image forming apparatus, and a locking and releasing unit to lock the transfer unit body to the image forming apparatus and to release a locking connection therebetween. The locking and releasing unit is disposed to carry out a releasing operation by grasping the body handle.
US07783226B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a process unit which has an image carrier and a scanner unit which exposes the image carrier to light, a pair of sheet metal frames which support and position the process unit and the scanner unit, and a pair of resin frames which support at least one module of the image forming apparatus other than the process unit and the scanner unit.
US07783224B2 Image forming apparatus to adjust a supplied charge to improve printing quality and image forming method thereof
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body to be developed by a conductive toner, a charger which charges a surface of the photosensitive body with a surface potential, a power supply which supplies one of a normal charging power to perform a normal charging operation and a compensation charging power, having a different absolute value than the normal charging power and having the same polarity as the normal charging power, to the charger, and a controller which controls the power supply to supply the normal charging power and the compensation charging power to the charger, respectively, before and after a charging time at which a rear end contact surface of the photosensitive body contacting a rear end of a printing medium is charged by the charger.
US07783221B2 Image processing unit having a panel supported movably to a unit main body
The present invention provides an image processing unit with which a panel can be moved toward a unit main body. A control component and/or display component is provided to the panel. The image processing unit also has a panel support mechanism C that supports the panel 1 such that the control component 5 and/or the display component 6 can be changed from an upward orientation to a lateral orientation facing a side with respect to the unit main body 2, in conjunction with the movement of the panel 1 toward the side.
US07783219B2 Fixing apparatus having a fixing member and an external heating device, and image forming apparatus including the same
A fixing apparatus includes an external heating device which has a halogen lamp and is disposed on the outer surface of a fixing member so that a nip area is provided between the external heating device and the fixing member. A temperature difference between a surface temperature of the external heating device and a surface temperature of the fixing member is controlled in accordance with a length of the nip area in a direction of transport of the recording paper, so that the surface temperature of the fixing roller is maintained to fall within a temperature range in which offset does not occur, the offset being a phenomenon in which part of a toner formed on the recording paper sticks onto the surface of the fixing roller.
US07783217B2 Fixing apparatus, image forming apparatus, method for controlling temperature of fixing apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium storing program for controlling temperature of fixing apparatus in accordance with transport speed of recording medium
In a fixing apparatus which is included in an image forming apparatus that is capable of selecting a sheet transport speed, a paper sheet is transported between a fixing roller and a pressure roller, so that an unfixed image formed on the paper sheet is fixed on the paper sheet under heat of the fixing roller. The fixing apparatus is provided with an endless belt which heats the outer surface of the fixing roller by external contact with the outer surface of the fixing roller, and a halogen lamp, a heat source control device, and a thermistor all of which are for changing a temperature of the endless belt in accordance with the sheet transport speed. This makes it possible to fix an image on a paper sheet without the occurrence of offset phenomena.
US07783215B2 Image forming apparatus and toner replenishment control method
An image forming apparatus and a toner replenishment control method according to the present invention are configured such that a concentration of toner in a developer detected by a toner concentration detection sensor is measured and the measured toner concentration value is stored. These are configured such that regions of image data corresponding to an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member to be developed by the developer are specified and an amount of toner to be consumed in the developer is predicted based on the image data of the specified regions, then a post-development concentration value of toner in the developer is estimated based on the measured toner concentration value and the predicted toner consumption amount, and control of replenishment of toner to the developer is carried out based on the estimated post-development toner concentration value and a toner setting concentration value that has been set in advance.
US07783213B2 Method and device for measuring surface potential distribution, method and device for measuring insulation resistance, electrostatic latent image measurement device, and charging device
A surface potential distribution measurement method and device including setting a sample having a surface with a surface potential distribution in a sample installation unit wherein both an electric field intensity formed on the sample surface and a potential bias component of the sample are variable, and scanning the sample surface in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional manner by irradiating a charged particle beam to the sample. The method also includes obtaining a detection signal from charged particles generated by the scanning, to measure the surface potential distribution of the sample by varying the electric field intensity and the potential bias component in order to control a quantity of the detection signal obtained from the charged particles.
US07783212B2 Thickness variation detector of photoconductor, image formation unit, image formation apparatus and method for thickness variation of photoconductor
A thickness variation detector of a photoconductor includes: a current detection unit that detects a value of current being used for charging a surface of the photoconductor in a state in which a charging unit is in contact with a surface of the photoconductor; and a thickness variation detection unit that detects a thickness variation along a rotation direction of the photoconductor based on the value of current.
US07783211B2 Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus of the invention conveys paper fed by a paper feeding mechanism piece by piece to a paper discharging unit through a paper conveying path. An image forming unit is arranged in a midway portion of this paper conveying path and executes an image forming process for printing an image based on image data on paper being conveyed. A sensor that detects a type of the paper conveyed is arranged on an upstream side with respect to the image forming unit on the paper conveying path. Image forming process conditions for the image forming unit are set in accordance with a detection result of the sensor. When the paper fed to the paper conveying path is paper not detected by the sensor, the image forming process is started awaiting a detection result by the sensor. On the other hand, when the paper is detected by the sensor, the image forming process is started without awaiting paper type detection. Moreover, paper being conveyed is conveyed to the image forming unit, in which the image forming process is started, in synchronization with a printing operation of the image forming unit.
US07783209B2 Image forming apparatus and method of activating the apparatus during filling with developing agent
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a development unit, a first driving unit, a second driving unit, and a cleaning blade. The image carrying member forms a latent image thereon. The development unit develops the latent image formed on the image carrying member. The first driving unit drives the image carrying member. The second driving unit drives the development unit. The cleaning blade, contactable against the image carrying member, removes materials including toner remaining on the image carrying member. When an agent-empty development unit is filled with a developing agent, the second driving unit is activated to start a driving of the development unit, and the first driving unit is activated to start a driving of the image carrying member after starting a developing agent filling operation to the development unit.
US07783199B2 Frequency selective MMW source
The present invention relates to the design and operation of a frequency selective electrooptic source. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the electrooptic source comprises an optical signal generator, optical circuitry, and at least one optical/electrical converter wherein the optical signal generator comprises a plurality of optical outputs characterized by distinct output frequencies and the optical circuitry is configured to permit the selection and combination of different ones of the distinct-frequency optical outputs to generate a modulated optical signal, which is converted to a millimeter or sub-millimeter wave. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US07783197B2 Method and apparatus for reducing crosstalk in a DWDM transmission system
A method and apparatus is provided for transmitting a WDM optical signal. The method begins by modulating a plurality of optical channels that are each located at a different wavelength from one another with a respective one of a plurality of information-bearing electrical signals The channel spacings between adjacent ones of the plurality of optical channels are selected such that the optical channels give rise to selected FWM terms that lie outside a channel bandwidth of the optical channels. Each of the modulated optical channels is multiplexed to form a WDM optical signal. The WDM optical signal is then forwarded onto an optical transmission path.
US07783191B2 Digital camera
A digital camera has an image sensor, a photographing processor, a driving signal controller, and a timing adjuster. The image sensor driver drives an image sensor by outputting a driving signal corresponding to a moving image. The photographing processor carries out an exposure in accordance with the operation of a release button, to record a still image. The driving signal controller outputs a control signal associated with a change of the driving signal to the image sensor driver in accordance with the recording operation and an output timing of the control signal. The image sensor driver outputs the driving signal corresponding to a still image in accordance with an update timing that synchronizes with the clock pulse signal. The timing adjuster shifts at least one of the output timing of the control signal and the update timing of the driving signal, from a synchronization timing of the clock pulse signal, in accordance with the operation.
US07783190B2 Image pick-up apparatus with a multi-area AF function
In an image forming apparatus, the auto-focusing process and the photometry system may be coupled such that when a multi-area AF system is set, the setting of the auto-focusing areas of the multi-area AF system is performed in accordance with a selected photometry system. More specifically, when an average metering system is selected as the photometry system, nine AF areas are set such that the AF areas are distributed throughout the whole image. When a center-weighted metering system is selected as the photometry system, four AF areas are set in the vicinity of the middle of the image. When a spot metering system is selected as the photometry system, one AF area is set in the vicinity of the middle of the image.
US07783189B2 Imaging apparatus and control method thereof
An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor, a diaphragm control unit configured to control an aperture value of a diaphragm, and an electronic shutter control unit configured to control an operation of an electronic shutter for adjusting a charge accumulation time of the image sensor by adjusting a driving timing of the image sensor, wherein, if driving of the diaphragm overlaps a charge accumulation time when the aperture value is changed from a first aperture value to a second aperture value, the electronic shutter control unit controls a time of charge accumulation corresponding to the second aperture value in the charge accumulation time such that a brightness of an image signal output from the imaging unit when the first aperture value is set and a brightness of an image signal output from the imaging unit when the second aperture value is set become approximately equal to each other.
US07783188B2 System and method for maintaining hot shoe communications between a camera and a wireless device
A system and method for serially communicating actual flash data related to a remote lighting device to a camera body via a hot shoe connector. In one example, a wireless communication device connected to the hot shoe connector of the camera body receives a request for a flash data from the camera body via the hot shoe connector. The wireless communication device responds via the hot shoe with actual information from one or more remote light devices.
US07783186B2 Imaging apparatus, imaging apparatus control method, and computer program
An imaging apparatus includes a face detecting unit that detects a face area from an input image inputted in the imaging apparatus and a control unit that executes a focus operation according to adjustment of a focus lens. The control unit judges whether, during the focus operation, a new face has appeared in a position closer to the imaging apparatus than a position of a face closest to the imaging apparatus among faces detected before the start of the focus operation on the basis of the number and sizes of the faces detected and performs processing for re-executing or stopping the focus operation on the basis of a judgment result indicating that a new face has appeared in a position closer to the imaging apparatus.
US07783184B2 Optical zoom tracking apparatus and method, and computer-readable recording medium for performing the optical zoom tracking method
In an optical zoom tracking apparatus and method, and a computer-readable recording medium for performing the optical zoom tracking, the optical zoom tracking apparatus commands a focus lens to move according to a continuous zooming operation, such that a clear image can be maintained while the image is continuously zoomed in or out, resulting in the effective use of limited power if an optical zoom function of a digital camera or mobile phone is executed. The optical zoom tracking apparatus includes: a zoom lens, a focus lens interoperable with the zoom lens, a zoom-lens drive moving the zoom lens, a focus-lens drive moving the focus lens, and a focus-lens controller for determining a moving distance of the focus lens according to a moving distance of the zoom lens, and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the moving distance of the focus lens to the focus-lens drive.
US07783182B2 Camera system, lens unit and accessory device
A lens unit has a photographing lens, and is secured removably to a camera main body. An accessory conversion lens device is settable on the lens unit. The lens unit includes a reception unit for receiving accessory device data from the conversion lens device. A determiner checks propriety of the conversion lens device according to accessory device data received by the reception unit, and produces checking information. A transmission unit transmits the checking information to the main body. Specifically, the lens unit has an image pickup element. Also, the conversion lens device includes an RFID tag for storing the accessory device data. The reception unit includes an RFID tag reader for wireless reception. Also, the main body includes an LCD panel to display for outputting alarm information. A main body controller drives the LCD panel if the checking information represents lack of the propriety.
US07783181B2 Shake correction module for photographing apparatus
Provided is a shake correction module including: a base plate; a first movable slider member for accommodating an imaging device; a first drive portion for moving the first slider member in a first axis direction; a second movable slider member coupled with the first slider member; a second drive portion for moving the second slider member in a second axis direction; a support member attached to the base plate for pressing the first and second slider members toward the base plate; a first ferromagnetic support bearing between the base plate and the first slide member; and a second ferromagnetic support bearing between the first slider member and the second slider member. The module further includes at least one magnet for centering the first and second ferromagnetic support bearings in respective first and second bearing grooves that may be formed on the base plate and the first and second sliding members.
US07783176B2 Heaters for liquid heating vessels
An underfloor heater for a liquid heating vessel comprises a base plate, a heat diffuser portion in good thermal contact with the base plate, a heating element in good thermal contact with the diffuser portion and a sensing region for receiving a thermal sensor. The sensing region is not directly connected to the diffuser portion and is at least partly surrounded by a wall. The sensing region may be provided with a second separate diffuser portion comprising a disc of aluminum brazed to the underside of the base plate.
US07783175B2 Liquid heat-cooking device
A fryer is set up in a cooking area of a restaurant or the like for use, and allows a standby temperature of cooking oil to be switched according to congestion of customers in a hall of the restaurant. The congestion of customers is evaluated by counting per unit time the count of an entrance switch when a customer enters the hall. When the count number per unit time is equal to or greater than a predetermined count, the oil temperature in a oil vessel of the fryer is set at a standby temperature T1 (degrees Celsius) allowing food materials to be quickly heated or fried. On the other hand, if the count is smaller than p1 times, the oil temperature is set at a standby temperature T2 (degrees Celsius) which is lower than the standby temperature T1 thereby conserving energy.
US07783173B2 Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US07783171B2 Data recording/reproducing system, storage device, and file access method
An audio/video storage device using a hard disk speeds up the start of reproduction of an audio/video file and reduces power consumption and a noise level. A data recording/reproducing system of the present invention has a hard-disk drive and a flash memory device. When an audio/video file is recorded, the entirety of the file is stored into the hard-disk drive and a starting section of the file is stored into the flash memory device. When the file is reproduced, the reproduction is started from the starting section of the file that was stored into the flash memory device, and the remaining sections that follow the starting section are reproduced from an internal hard disk of the hard-disk drive.
US07783167B2 Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US07783166B1 Recording medium, and system and method for recording and reproducing the recording medium
A recording medium has a first recording area on which recording information is recorded, and a second recording area on which management information for managing the recording information is recorded. The second recording area includes a bit rate recording area for recording a bit rate.
US07783160B2 Recording medium having data structure for managing reproduction of interleaved multiple reproduction path video data recorded thereon and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses
The recording medium has a data structure for managing reproduction of at least multiple reproduction path video data recorded on the recording medium. The recording medium includes a data area storing at least a portion of the multiple reproduction path video data. The multiple reproduction path video data is divided into one or more interleaving units, and each interleaving unit is associated with one of the reproduction paths. Each interleaving unit starts and ends with a reproduction path change point, and the interleaving units associated with different reproduction paths are interleaved in the data area.
US07783158B2 Information record medium, apparatus for recording the same and apparatus for reproducing the same
An information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information is to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which has a read device and reproduces at least video information while relatively moving the read device along the record track. At least video information and control information comprising access information to access the video information are recorded on the record track and are each divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit accessible by the reproducing apparatus and comprises the video and control informations. Management information including (i) reproduction procedure information and (ii) a plurality of first search prohibit informations, is collectively recorded at one portion of the record track for each of the second data groups.
US07783153B2 Method and apparatus for reproducing multimedia data
A method and apparatus for reproducing multimedia data. The method and apparatus for reproducing multimedia data receives externally-provided multimedia data, separates video data, audio data, and synchronization data from the received multimedia data, and extracts a synchronization signal from the synchronization data. The method and apparatus further synchronizes an operation of printing and reproducing an image corresponding to the video data and an operation of reproducing sound corresponding to the audio data with each other using the extracted synchronization signal and performing the operations.
US07783152B2 Apparatus for restraining fiber optic cables
An apparatus for restraining fiber optic cables in the region of a sealing body of a cable sleeve, namely within an interior delimited by the cable sleeve is disclosed. The apparatus has a fitting part which is capable of being fastened on the sealing body of the cable sleeve, and which has a plurality of slide parts acting on the fitting part. Each slide part is used for individually restraining a single fiber optic cable and is capable of being moved in terms of its position relative to the fitting part within predetermined limits for the purpose of matching said slide part to a cable diameter of the respective fiber optic cable to be restrained. Guide parts act on the slide parts, with each guide part being used for individually restraining a central element of the fiber optic cable to be restrained on the corresponding slide part and being capable of being moved in terms of its position relative to the slide part within predetermined limits for the purpose of aligning said slide part centrally with respect to the central element of the respective fiber optic cable to be restrained.
US07783151B2 Method for fabricating distributed Bragg reflector waveguide
A method for fabricating a distributed Bragg reflector waveguide is disclosed, which includes forming a first distributed Bragg reflector on a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern on the first distributed Bragg reflector; forming a second distributed Bragg reflector on the sacrificial pattern and the first distributed Bragg reflector; and removing the sacrificial pattern. A distributed Bragg reflector waveguide is also disclosed.
US07783148B2 Fiber-optic apparatus for receiving emitted radiation of a diode laser, and method for producing a fiber-optic apparatus of the type
A fiber-optic apparatus for receiving emitted radiation from a diode laser having at least one diode laser bar with a multiplicity of emitters which are arranged in at least one row alongside one another in the direction of their longitudinal axis. The fiber-optic apparatus has at least one optical fiber bundle that is associated with the diode laser bar and into which the laser beam is injected. Each emitter has a multiplicity of associated optical fibers. The optical fibers are hot-fused to one another under pressure and without regulation on the input side in order to form at least one fiber wedge with an inlet surface. The emitters of the diode laser bar are directly associated with at least one inlet surface in order to completely receive the laser light emitted from the diode laser bar.
US07783144B2 Electrically tunable microresonators using photoaligned liquid crystals
An electrooptically tunable waveguide-coupled microresonator. In one example embodiment, the switch includes a photoalignment layer that enhances control of liquid crystal alignment in the cladding near the coupling region of the microresonator and waveguide.
US07783142B2 Low stress package
Consistent with the present disclosure, a package is provided in which the PLC substrate, for example, is bonded to the underyling carrier though a limited contact area. The rest of the substrate is detached from the carrier so that stresses are applied to a limited portion of the PLC substrate. The PLC itself, however, is provided over that portion of the substrate that is detached from the carrier, and thus experiences reduced stress. Accordingly, high modulus adhesives, as well as solders, may be used to bond the PLC substrate to the carrier, thereby resulting in a more robust mechanical structure.
US07783137B2 Image reading apparatus capable of management of personal information
An image formation apparatus detects personal information, (a name, a contact address or the like) from image data obtained by scanning a document. Personal information stored in a database, or DB personal information, associated with an and retrieved personal information have a difference and the DB personal information is information later than the personal information detected from the image data then the personal information in the image data is modified with the retrieved DB personal information.
US07783121B1 Method and apparatus for applying a filter to an image with a large range of pixel values
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for applying a filter to an image whose pixel values can span a large range of values. During operation the system receives an image to which the filter is to be applied. The system then selects a first region within the image which is associated with a first pixel. Next, the system generates a first histogram using pixels within the first region whose values are within a first range of pixel values. Next, the system determines a new value for the first pixel using the first histogram. The system then selects a second region within the image which is associated with a second pixel. Next, the system determines if the second pixel value is within a second range of pixel values. If the second pixel value is within the second range of pixel values, the system determines a non-overlapping region between the first region and the second region. The system then generates a second histogram using the first histogram and pixel values in the non-overlapping region. Next, the system determines a new value for the second pixel using the second histogram.
US07783119B2 Image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus and control method therefor
The present invention is able to determine an encoding parameter using a simple method with little processing load or memory cost, and enables encoding of image data with excellent compression performance. To this end, a prediction error generating unit of an encoding apparatus according to the present invention calculates the difference (prediction error) between a pixel of interest and a predicted value. A prediction order conversion unit converts the prediction error to a non-negative integer, and outputs the non-negative integer as a prediction order M(e). A Golomb encoding unit performs encoding in accordance with a k parameter supplied from a k parameter updating unit. The k parameter updating unit updates the k parameter for use in the next updating based on the prediction order M(e) of the pixel of interest and the k parameter supplied to the Golomb encoding unit.
US07783118B2 Method and apparatus for determining motion in images
A method of determining motion in a set of input images comprises registering the images in the set to identify stationary background content therein and generating difference images based on the registered images. The input images are segmented into regions and local motion within each of the regions is estimated. A determination as to whether the regions include moving content or static content is determined based on the difference images and the estimated local motion within the regions.
US07783114B2 Training and using classification components on multiple processing units
Provided are a method, system, and computer readable medium for training and using classification components on multiple processing units. A plurality of processing units each has a memory including one of a plurality of subsets of a set of data points. At least two of the processing units have different subsets of data points. A plurality of classification components are executed by the processing units. Classification components executing at the processing units are trained, wherein each classification component is trained with the subset of data points in the memory of the processing unit that is executing the classification component. One of the classification components is transferred to an additional processing unit of the processing units to train the transferred classification component using the subset of data points in the memory at the additional processing unit in response to training the classification component with the subset of data points.
US07783108B2 Document management method and apparatus
A document management apparatus acquires block information of each page, which is obtained by executing block segmentation processing for each page of document data of a first version. A matched block and a mismatched block between the first version and a second version are discriminated on the basis of the block information acquired in association with the document of the first version and block information obtained by executing block segmentation processing for each page of document data of the second version. A page is generated by laying out a block that is determined as a matched block and exists in a page containing a block determined as a mismatched block in the document data of the first version and a block that is determined as a mismatched block in the document data of the second version while maintaining the block sequence in the whole document data of the second version.
US07783106B2 Video segmentation combining similarity analysis and classification
Techniques for media segmentation are disclosed. A number of measures used to generate similarity values are compared. Two different approaches to calculate feature vectors based on pairwise frame similarity in combination with different kernel functions are disclosed. A supervised classification method is used with the feature vectors to assess segment boundaries.
US07783104B2 Defect detecting apparatus, defect detecting method, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program therefor
A defect detecting apparatus captures images of a protein chip formed on each die of a wafer at a plurality of different focal positions, with respect to every division region obtained by dividing each die in plurality; stores inspection target images for every division region at every focal position together with an ID for identifying each division region; creates a model image for every division region at every focal position by calculating an average luminance value of pixels of each inspection target image having the corresponding ID; extracts a difference between the model image and each inspection target image as a difference image; extracts a Blob having an area larger than a preset value from each difference image as a defect; and classifies the kind of the defect based on a feature point of the extracted Blob.
US07783103B2 Defect detecting device, image sensor device, image sensor module, image processing device, digital image quality tester, and defect detecting method
A defect detecting device includes: a block generating section dividing an inspection image in which a defective region will be detected into a plurality of blocks; an intra-block sum calculating section calculating an intra-block sum for each of the blocks generated by the block generating section, the intra-block sum being a sum of pixel data for pixels in that block; and a statistical processing section and a defect determining section determining whether there exists a defective region by determining through statistical processing whether the intra-block sums have an outlier. Accordingly, the device determines whether there is a defective region in a digital image quickly and using small circuitry.
US07783098B2 Method and apparatus for automated image analysis of biological specimens
A method including acquiring images of medical slides at a plurality of different focus positions, determining a position which produces a maximum value of pixel values relative to a pixel value mean, wherein said determining comprises using a pixel value mean as a coarse estimate of coarse focus position, and subsequently refining said coarse focus position to find a fine focus position, and wherein said refining comprises fitting to a polynomial, and using a specified portion of the polynomial as a fine estimate of focus position, and producing a focus control signal that is related to said maximum value to control a focus position.
US07783087B2 Communication terminal and method of inserting symbols thereof
A mobile communication terminal and method of inserting symbols thereof are disclosed, by which a convenient symbol input system is provided and by which a user is facilitated to input a symbol using a fingerprint pattern of the user. The present invention includes a fingerprint recognizer, a control unit searching a symbol matched to the recognized fingerprint pattern if a fingerprint pattern is recognized by the fingerprint recognizer, and an output unit outputting the searched symbol.
US07783086B2 Information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program
In an information processing apparatus, such as a robot that discriminates human faces, nodes are hierarchically arranged in a tree structure. Each of the nodes has a number of weak classifiers. Each terminal node learns face images associated with one label. An upper node learns learning samples of all labels learned by lower nodes. When a window image to be classified is input, discrimination is performed sequentially from upper nodes to lower nodes. When it is determined that the window image does not correspond to a human face, discrimination by lower nodes is not performed, and discrimination proceeds to sibling nodes.
US07783084B2 Face decision device
A face detection device comprises: a judgment area determining operable to judgment areas in an inputted image; and a face judgment unit operable to judge existence of a face image greater than a first predetermined size in the judgment areas. According to face directions, the judgment area determining unit determines a ratio of the inputted image to the judgment areas. The characteristics of face images can be effectively utilized.
US07783078B2 Tunable object detection
A computer-implemented method includes defining a valid scan or range of valid scans as a valid activity of an object in an application-specific activity taking place through a light curtain sensing area of a light curtain, defining an invalid scan or range of invalid scans as an invalid activity of the object in the application-specific activity taking place through the light curtain sensing area of the light curtain, storing parameters and activity-specific rules for processing a plurality of objects, monitoring and processing the object in the application-specific activity taking place through a light curtain sensing area of a low cost light curtain in conjunction with the stored parameters and activity-specific rules, and reporting a status and results of the processing of the object.
US07783076B2 Moving-object tracking control apparatus, moving-object tracking system, moving-object tracking control method, and program
A moving-object region is specified on an image captured by an imaging apparatus, and a plurality of calculation points are arranged on the specified region. A group of local motion vectors is determined for the calculation points, and a moving-object motion vector is obtained based on the determined local motion vectors. A group of calculation points whose local motion vectors are the same as or similar to the moving-object motion vector is continuously used to calculate the local motion vectors, and is updated by moving the position of the group of calculation points along the moving-object motion vector, and a calculation point whose local motion vector is different from the moving-object motion vector is rearranged by placing a new calculation point at a position near any of the continuously used calculation points. A movable mechanism including the imaging apparatus is controlled in accordance with the moving-object motion vector.
US07783071B2 Imaging apparatus having a slot in which an image verification apparatus is inserted
An imaging apparatus includes an image data generating unit, a verification data generating unit, a first slot, a second slot, a first interface and a second interface. The image data generating unit generates image data. The verification data generating unit generates first verification data used to detect whether the image data is changed. A recording medium is inserted to the first slot.An image verification apparatus is inserted to the second slot. The first interface unit stores a first image file in the recording medium, the first image file including the image data and the first verification data. The second interface unit that transfers the first image file to the image verification apparatus. The image verification apparatus is capable of detecting, using the image data and the first verification data, whether the image data is changed.
US07783069B1 Ergonomic performance chamber
The ergonomic performance chamber 50 improves audio production efficiency for recording vocals or other sound sources with a microphone. The basic embodiment features an openable, lightweight, easily portative, molded flexible plastic, elemental structure 20, that surrounds only the microphone, and includes, a top 42 portion, a bottom 43 portion, an outer surface 21, a plurality of abutting surfaces 22, an audio source opening collar 23, an audio source opening 24, a microphone attachment collar 25, a microphone opening 26, an acoustically controlled air space 27, an inner chamber surface 28, a chamber body 29, and a plurality of insert slots 31. Acoustic inserts 30 are used to modify the quality of sound in the acoustically controlled air space 27. A desktop support 39 is used for desktop installation. The present invention combines acoustic control and ergonomics to facilitate production workflow and meet the needs for a wide variety of performers.
US07783067B1 System and method for enhancing the inductive coupling between a hearing aid operating in telecoil mode and a communication device
A method and system to optimize the relative position of an inductive field of a hearing aid compatible device and a telecoil of a hearing assistive device, are provided. A Steerable Hearing Aid Compatible Device (SHAD) has a steerable inductive field for locating an inductive field in accordance with the location of a telecoil in the hearing assistive device. A Telecoil Hearing Assistive Device (THAD) has a telecoil and telecoil orientation tag. The location of the telecoil of the THAD is determined with respect to a reference system and this telecoil location information is stored on the telecoil orientation tag as Telecoil Location Information (TLI) and provided to the SHAD. In an exemplary embodiment the telecoil orientation tag may be an RFID tag that is read by a tag reader of the SHAD. The SHAD receives the TLI and generates an inductive field in accordance with the TLI, such as a position that is parallel to the telecoil of the THAD.
US07783063B2 Digital linking of multiple microphone systems
Systems and methods for digitally linking multiple microphones and managing microphone signals are provided. Embodiments provide for digitally linking of multiple auto-mixer systems where a large number of microphones are required. In large auto-mixer systems, microphone input channels may be distributed among many devices. Rather than transmitting these signals individually to a central processing device for the auto-mixer, it is most efficient to distribute the audio signal processing functions of the automatic microphone mixer among multiple devices in an audio conferencing system. Subsequently, a smaller number of gated mixes of microphone signals may be transmitted between devices. Thus, embodiments of the present invention act to digitally link multiple microphone signals, arbitrating these signals, in order to enable distributed automatic microphone mixers to behave as a single mixer.
US07783062B2 Automatic audio distortion control method and apparatus
Disclosed is an automatic audio distortion control method and apparatus, wherein the automatic audio distortion control apparatus comprises an amplifier (6) and a feedback loop which has its both ends coupled to an input and an output of the amplifier (6), wherein said feedback loop has clipping distortion of signals outputted from the amplifier (6) as a control parameter for automatic control on the distortion of the amplifier (6). Once the outputted level gets close to a limit-value of speakers, the method and the apparatus will regulate power amplifier gain automatically, in order to control distortion, prevent damage to the speakers, and provide compatibility with high or low levels inputted from various audio sources.
US07783057B2 Music play control apparatus using at least one earphone function key and method thereof
A music play control apparatus and method for a music player using at least one earphone function key are provided which are capable of performing a music play control operation of the music player using earphones. In the music play control apparatus and method, an external key input from left/right function keys installed on the earphones is scanned. If a key signal is input from either the left or right function key, a value of the input function key is recognized and a music play control operation is performed by a predetermined function depending on the recognized function key value.
US07783056B2 Earplug
Earplug comprising a plug member for blocking a man's ear canal, said plug member comprising at least one acoustic channel for channeling incoming acoustic energy to said man's ear. According to the invention, a detector for detecting an acoustic energy level or for detecting a control signal that is indicative for an acoustic energy level to be received, an acoustic valve positioned in said channel, and a control unit that, in response to said detector, controls said valve so as to attenuate the acoustic energy channeled through said acoustic channel.
US07783055B2 Soundproof climate controlled rack
Soundproofing a rack by installing at least one duct on at least one panel of the rack, or as part of the side panels of the rack, or is mounted inside the rack as a drawer in such a way that air can flow outside from the rack causing air to flow from the rack through the duct, and providing an active noise control (ANC) system within the duct. Passive noise control may also be provided in the duct. At least one fan may be provided at an inlet of the duct. Fan speed may be controlled, in response to a climactic condition within the rack. The duct may comprise a back panel which is added on or a replacement for an existing back panel of the rack. A muffled inlet may be provided on another external surface of the rack.
US07783054B2 System for auralizing a loudspeaker in a monitoring room for any type of input signals
The system comprises a loudspeaker simulation unit for simulating the transmission behavior of the loudspeaker and comprises a room simulation unit, which is connected in outgoing circuit to the loudspeaker simulation unit and which is provided for simulating the transmission behavior of a given monitoring room. The room simulation unit is followed by a presentation unit, which generates an acoustic signal that corresponds to the auditory impression of the loudspeaker in the monitoring room, and/or is followed by an evaluation unit that evaluates the signal, which is provided by the room simulation unit, with regard to at least one psychoacoustic measured quantity, and the evaluation unit outputs a corresponding measurement signal. This measurement signal corresponds to a measurement signal that occurs inside the monitoring room during the presentation of the input signals.
US07783042B2 Communication system and synchronization method thereof
A clock signal of a master clock of a sender is transmitted to a receiver through a classical channel and is returned from the receiver. The clock signal is transmitted with strong light from a sender-side quantum unit to a receiver-side quantum unit through a quantum channel. A sender-side synchronization section establishes phase synchronization between the clock signal returned from the receiver and the clock signal detected by the sender-side quantum unit, and generates a calibration clock signal. At the receiver as well, a receiver-side synchronization section establishes phase synchronization between the clock signal detected from the classical channel and the clock signal detected by the receiver-side quantum unit, and generates a calibration clock signal.
US07783028B2 System and method of using speech recognition at call centers to improve their efficiency and customer satisfaction
Disclosed is a method, system and computer program for handing over a communication from a first party to a second party. The method comprises the steps of analyzing an audio communication with said first party for quality; and transcribing to text said audio communication with either a speech recognition function or a shadow or a human transcription service, based on said analyzing. The method comprises the further steps of editing the transcribed text; aligning said text with visual information viewed during said audio communication; and sending said transcribed text along with said visual information to said second party. The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a tool that can be used to great effect in the “Call Handover” scenario.
US07783027B2 Computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein agent training support program, and agent training support method and agent training support apparatus
A computer-readable recording medium having recorded therein agent training program in which when each agent has been performing an answer, agent identifier, and enquiry contents and contents of the answer are stored in a storage device. An enquiry pattern is extracted from enquiry contents. Respective agents' answers are evaluated, for each enquiry pattern, and by a model contents of the answer extraction section, contents of the answer of an agent with highest evaluation is extracted as model contents of the answer. The contents of the answer of a trainee agent and model contents of the answer are divided into predetermined phases, and corresponding phase of both are mutually compared to calculate ineptitude-degrees in respective phases of trainee agent. By specifying from the model contents of the answer, a range of contents of the answer containing therein at least one of the phases where the ineptitude-degree is high, and lasting predetermined time, and generating teaching material with these contents, teaching material specialized for the inept answers of respective agents is provided, and agent training support performed.
US07783025B1 Method and apparatus for reassignment of classifier probabilities based on dynamic events
A method and apparatus for reassignment of classifier probabilities based on dynamic events is disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for dynamically detecting change in the rate and type of calls, reassigning the natural language classifier probabilities based on the dynamics of the change and routing calls according to the detected changes. The method enables the user to route calls efficiently and be more responsive to customers.
US07783023B2 Systems and methods for providing unified collaboration systems with conditional communication handling
A communication system provides integrated email, telephone and instant messenger communication including a common address book, a common log of communication history and shared presence information. A user can respond to a communication according to any format, email, telephone or instant messenger, with a response using the same format or any other format. The response may be initiated by a single command.
US07783022B1 Apparatus and method for speaker identification during telecommunication calls
An apparatus and method utilize information gathered by the telecommunication terminals that are part of the telecommunication conference to assist in the identification of the speaker at any point in time during a telecommunication conference.
US07783021B2 Digital telecommunications call management and monitoring system
The present invention discloses a centralized, digital, computer-based telephone call management system for authenticating users of a telephone system in an institutional facility. The system includes the capacity to allow an institution to control, record, monitor, and bill and report usage and access to a telephone network. The telephone call management system further includes both accounting and management software for use in controlling, monitoring, billing, recording, and reporting usage and access. Also, it can operate over both a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) infrastructure.
US07783020B2 Method for sending calling communication terminal location data to a call center
This method is used to send data representative of the location of communication terminals (T) to a call center (ECC) without using information processing means in the terminals and to send via heterogeneous communication networks (RP, RPT). This method consists, in the event of requesting the setting up of a telephone call between a terminal (T) and the call center (ECC) by means of a dedicated calling number, in sending the call center a signaling message for setting up the connection and comprising a selected call identifier and a text type message including data representative of the location of the calling terminal (T) and the selected call identifier. At the call center, the method consists in associating the signaling message received by the call center with the location data contained in the text message received by the call center if the signaling message and the text message include the same call identifier.
US07783018B1 Directory display and configurable entry system
A directory display and configurable entry system having a user interface providing an intuitive multi-page graphical user interface useful for enabling a user to readily access occupant related information that is contained in a database of the system. The system may also include a relay interface module, which may be remotely located from a computer unit of the system. The relay interface module enables either new and or legacy devices to be coupled to the hardware of the system, including the computer unit. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope and meaning of the claims.
US07783012B2 Apparatus for a surface graded x-ray tube insulator and method of assembling same
An insulator for a vacuum tube is disclosed and includes an electrically insulative bulk material and a first antiferroelectric coating applied to a first portion of the bulk material.
US07782995B2 Low latency counter event indication
A hybrid counter array device for counting events with interrupt indication includes a first counter portion comprising N counter devices, each for counting signals representing event occurrences and providing a first count value representing lower order bits. An overflow bit device associated with each respective counter device is additionally set in response to an overflow condition. The hybrid counter array includes a second counter portion comprising a memory array device having N addressable memory locations in correspondence with the N counter devices, each addressable memory location for storing a second count value representing higher order bits. An operatively coupled control device monitors each associated overflow bit device and initiates incrementing a second count value stored at a corresponding memory location in response to a respective overflow bit being set. The incremented second count value is compared to an interrupt threshold value stored in a threshold register, and, when the second counter value is equal to the interrupt threshold value, a corresponding “interrupt arm” bit is set to enable a fast interrupt indication. On a subsequent roll-over of the lower bits of that counter, the interrupt will be fired.
US07782992B2 Method and apparatus for signal synchronizing
A synchronizer and a method for synchronizing a communication signal are presented. The synchronizer comprises a first unit arranged for receiving a plurality of inputs. The plurality of inputs include at least an indicative of a source clock period of a source clock domain, an indicative of destination clock period of a destination clock domain and a communication signal. The first unit being configured for stretching the communication signal according to the indicative of the destination clock period and indicative of the source clock period. The synchronizer is further provided with a second unit. The second unit is configured for operating according to the indicative of destination clock period. The output of the first unit is provided to the second unit. The second unit is configured for providing a synchronizer output signal corresponding to the communication signal operable in the destination clock domain.
US07782990B1 Method of and circuit for oversampling a signal in an integrated circuit
A method of oversampling a signal in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a reference clock signal; generating at least one delayed clock signal, each having a different phase; receiving an input data signal; generating at least one delayed data signal based upon the input data signal; and generating a plurality of phase-shifted output signals, each phase-shifted output signal being based upon a different combination of a clock signal and a data signal. A circuit for oversampling a signal in an integrated circuit is also disclosed.
US07782988B2 Digital frequency synthesizer
A system and method for synthesizing a frequency using a multi-phase oscillator. A state machine operating on one of the phases of the oscillator computes, based on a pair of input integers, a phase select vector that indicates when a particular phase of the multi-phase oscillator should be selected when a transition of the waveform of the output frequency is needed. The phase select vector is then re-timed to form a retimed phase vector so that each phase select signal is in phase with signal it is designed to select. The signals in the retimed phase vector then can be combined to create the output frequency directly or can be used to select the corresponding phase of the multi-phase oscillator, if more accuracy is desired. In one embodiment, the multi-phase oscillator is a rotary traveling wave oscillator which provides highly accurate multiple phases.
US07782976B1 Multiple channel waveform generator with dynamic delay through symbol superresolution
A waveform generator for simulating multiple, differently delayed signals. Dynamic signal delays include modulation delay and carrier phase shift, as well as modulation and carrier Doppler shift, acceleration, and jerk. Modulation delays are accurately interpolated in symbol time through symbol shape superresolution. This decouples the symbol rate from the sample rate and allows the generation of multiple source waveforms per digital to analog converter. Symbol shape prefiltering can remove the aliasing introduced by superresolution.
US07782974B2 Apparatus and method providing non-linear adaptive signal tracking
An apparatus providing additional response for a distortion correcting device that receives a first signal at a correcting input and provides a first delayed output signal at an output includes: (a) A first signal combiner coupled with an input and the correcting input. (b) A delay unit coupled with the input provides a second delayed signal to a delayed signal terminal. (c) A second signal combiner coupled with the delayed signal terminal and the output employs the output signal and the second delayed signal to present an error signal at a first error terminal. (d) An adaptive circuit coupled with the input locus, the first signal combiner and the second signal combiner employs provides a supplemental signal to the first signal combiner which employs the input signal and the supplemental signal to present the first signal to reduce the error signal.
US07782969B2 OFDM signal transmission method and apparatus
An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmission apparatus which transmits OFDM signals by using a plurality of transmission antennas includes a subcarrier setting device which sets signals for subcarriers so as to use some of the subcarriers of the OFDM signals as pilot subcarriers to transmit pilot signals and use the remaining subcarriers as data subcarriers to transmit data signals, the subcarrier setting device changing polarities of signals for the pilot subcarriers for each transmission antenna.
US07782965B2 Radio transmission device and radio transmission method in multi-carrier communication
There is provided a radio transmission device capable of improving the system throughput in multi-carrier communication. The device includes IQ separation units (20-1 to 20-K) for separating an I channel and a Q channel from the inputted symbol and inputting them into control units (22). The control units (22-1 to 22-K) reduce the power of the parity bit by reducing the amplitude of the channel corresponding to the parity bit among the I channel and Q channel inputted. IQ multiplexing units (24-1 to 24-K) multiplex the I channel and Q channel inputted from the control units (22-1 to 22-K) and return them to a symbol, which is inputted to an IFFT unit (26). The IFFT unit (26) subjects the symbol inputted from the IQ multiplexing units (24-1 to 24-K) to inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) and maps it to respective sub-carriers f1 to fK, thereby generating an OFDM symbol.
US07782963B2 Filtering strength determination method, moving picture coding method and moving picture decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus including an inter-pixel filter having the filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The filters include a filter A114a, a filter B114b, a filter C114c, and a filter D114d; each having a different filtering strength. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.
US07782962B2 Coding distortion removal method, video encoding method, video decoding method, and apparatus and program for the same
Mosaic-shaped block noise occurs when a compressed video signal is reproduced. This block noise is removed, but removing block noise from every block using a deblocking filter imposes a significant load on the deblocking filter. This load is therefore reduced by determining whether coding distortion removal (deblocking) is necessary, and applying a deblocking filter only when needed.
US07782961B2 DVC delta commands
A video compression system compresses video frames comprising pixels defined by n-bit color values. Encoder of video compression system determines the difference between a current pixel value and a plurality reference pixel values. Encoder sends difference value to decoder. Decoder determines current pixel value by adjusting a reference pixel color value by delta value.
US07782960B2 DCT compression using Golomb-Rice coding
An apparatus and method for encoding quantized frequency represented data, the data including zero and non-zero represented data. For zero represented data, a zero run length is determined. A Golomb parameter is determined as a logarithmic function of the zero run length. A quotient is encoded as a function of the zero run length and the Golomb parameter. A remainder is encoded as a function of the zero run length, the Golomb parameter and the quotient. The coded quotient and the coded remainder are concatenated.
US07782958B2 DTV receiving system and method of processing broadcast data therein
A digital television transmitting system includes a frame encoder, a block processor, a group formatter, and a multiplexer. The frame encoder forms an enhanced data frame and encodes the data frame for error correction and for error detection. The block processor further encodes the encoded data frame at a rate of ½ or ¼, and the group formatter divides the encoded data frame into a plurality of enhanced data blocks and maps the divided data blocks into a plurality of enhanced data groups, respectively. The multiplexer multiplexes the enhanced data groups with main data.
US07782956B2 Signal compressing system
A multi-scanner scans a signal according to several different patterns. A scanning pattern selector determines which scanning pattern produced the most efficient coding result, for example, for runlength coding, and outputs a coded signal, coded most efficiently, and a selection signal which identifies the scanning pattern found to be most efficient.
US07782954B2 Scan patterns for progressive video content
Tools and techniques for applying scan patterns during encoding and decoding of progressive video are described. For example, a video decoder entropy decodes transform coefficients in a one-dimensional array and scans the transform coefficients into a block according to a scan pattern. The block is 8×4, and the scan pattern biases the vertical direction for at least the lowest frequency AC coefficients in the horizontal and vertical directions. Or, the block is 4×8, and the scan pattern biases the horizontal direction for at least the lowest frequency AC coefficients in the horizontal and vertical directions. A corresponding video encoder applies the scan patterns to scan transform coefficients from blocks to one-dimensional arrays.
US07782951B2 Fast motion-estimation scheme
A motion estimation algorithm finds the best match for a given block or macroblock so that the resulting error signal has very low energy level which is computed, for e.g., by the SAD method. The motion estimation algorithm also provides for an optional sub-pixel level estimation and an inter4v search, and allows for restricting the number of searches for a Frame-frame ME (motion estimation) using Top-Top and Bottom-Bottom field MEs. The algorithm provides for a selective early exit and enables selecting a suitable search area with N candidate points (4 to 8) for starting the search. The search is conducted progressively till a minimum error signal (low energy level signal) is reached. The candidate points for search may be in a diamond shaped configuration, and there may be a plurality of successive diamond configurations, the number of which is configurable. The invention has application in MPEG-4 and H.264 standards.
US07782946B2 Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal
Methods include receiving a multi-view video stream including a random access picture including a random access slice referencing only a slice corresponding to a same time and a different view of the picture; obtaining identification information representing the stream including initialization information of a reference picture list for the slice; obtaining the initialization information based on the identification information, the initialization information representing view relationships between several views and including view number information and view identification information for the views; obtaining type information indicating whether the slice is predicted from one or two reference pictures; initializing the list using the view number and view identification information according to the type information; determining a prediction value of a macroblock in the picture based on the initialized list; and decoding the macroblock using the prediction value, the initialization information being obtained based on a value indicating decoding order between the views.
US07782939B2 Real time bit rate control system
A source model in combination with an interest structure is provided to generate a quantization value for use in encoding a video signal. The interest structure is generated from a region of interest manually identified by a user viewing the video on an interactive user display or automatically by a system which recognizes the regions of interest automatically. The region of interest in the video signal is encoded using a quantization value calculated from the interest structure in combination with the source model, and the region of interest is encoded at a higher resolution level than surrounding regions.
US07782938B2 Methods for reduced cost insertion of video subwindows into compressed video
Methods and apparatus for encoding image data to facilitate subsequent insertion of local image data. Also methods and apparatus for inserting image data, e.g., at local broadcast stations, without having to fully decode a received encoded bitstream. The encoding methods involve treating images to be encoded as a plurality of distinct, non-overlapping image regions or segments for encoding purposes. Image segments which are designated for use for local data insertion are not used as reference data for motion compensated prediction purposes when generating motion vectors to represent image areas, e.g., the area representing the main picture, which are outside the local data insertion segments. Because image segments which may be replaced are not used as reference data for image segments which will not be replaced, unintentional prediction errors which might otherwise result from replacing one or more image segments as part of a local data insertion operation are avoided.
US07782932B2 Circuit and method for evaluating the performance of an adaptive decision feedback equalizer-based serializer deserializer and serdes incorporating the same
A circuit and method for evaluating serializer deserializer (SERDES) performance that is particularly advantageous when the SERDES has a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). In one embodiment, the circuit has a data processing path and an operational feedback loop coupled to said data processing path and containing an equalizer, perhaps a DFE. In that embodiment, the circuit includes an eye scanning circuit coupled to said data processing path but separate from said equalizer and configured to measure at least one dimension of an eye relative to which said equalizer is configured for operation without substantially affecting said operation.
US07782931B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatic detection of an incorrect digital subscriber line modem and filter configuration at a customer premises
A communication network is operated by collecting data rate information for at least one Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), comparing the collected data rate information with a provisioned data rate associated with the at least one DSL, resetting the at least one DSL if the collected data rate information for the at least one DSL is less than the provisioned data rate associated with the at least one DSL, performing a statistical analysis on time the at least one DSL operates at about the provisioned data rate versus time the at least one DSL operates below the provisioned data rate, and determining whether the at least one DSL has an impedance problem based on the statistical analysis.
US07782928B2 Method and apparatus for self-calibration in a mobile transceiver
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for self-calibrating direct current (DC) offset and imbalance between orthogonal signals, which may occur in a mobile transceiver. In the apparatus, a transmitter of a mobile terminal functions as a signal generator, and a receiver of the mobile terminal functions as a response characteristic detector. Further, a baseband processor applies test signals to the transmitter, receives the test signals returning from the receiver, and compensates the imbalance and DC offset for the transmitter side and the receiver side by using the test signals.
US07782927B2 Generating a transmission clock signal and a reception clock signal for a transceiver using an oscillator
An arrangement for generating a transmission clock signal and a reception clock signal is proposed in which only a single voltage-controlled oscillator is used, the reception clock signal being generated by phase-adjusting means whereas the transmission clock signal is generated directly by the voltage-controlled oscillator. Cross-talk between a plurality of voltage-controlled oscillators can be prevented in this way. Also, various measures are proposed for optimizing a circuit of this kind.
US07782926B2 Random phase multiple access communication interface system and method
A method for communicating through a multiple access communication interface includes receiving a first signal from a first tag, where the first signal is spread using a predetermined pseudo-noise (PN) code, and further where the first signal includes first payload data. A second signal is received from a second tag. The second signal is spread using the predetermined PN code, and the second signal includes second payload data. The first payload data from the first signal is identified at least in part with a PN array despreader. The second payload data from the second signal is also identified at least in part with the PN array despreader.
US07782924B1 Method and system for windowing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for reducing the power of a UWB signal over a desired range of frequencies. Embodiments of the present invention reduce power over the desired range of frequencies by reducing the sidelobe power of tones comprising the UWB signal. Embodiments of the present invention reduce sidelobe power by applying a particular windowing function to the UWB signal.
US07782923B2 Wireless communication system and device for controlling the peak to average power ratio
A wireless communication system, to control a peak power to an average power ratio because an amplifier characteristic of the wireless communication system include non-linear characteristic if input signal large the amplifier makes distortions. A wireless communication system comprises for suppressing a peak power to an average power ratio to process known signal like a pilot signal.
US07782902B2 Apparatus and method for mapping overlapping internet protocol addresses in layer two tunneling protocols
A method and system are described for resolving problems created by implementing multiple networks using private IP addresses and layer two tunneling protocols is described. A network processing system is operable to map flows from private IP addresses and ports on layer two tunneling protocol networks to public IP addresses and ports using the private IP addresses and ports and identifiers for the layer two tunneling protocol network. The network processing system uses its own public IP addresses and ports to anchor the traffic from the private network and performs the required mapping to pass traffic between the public and private networks.
US07782900B2 Method for increasing spectrum efficiency in an OFDM based multi-bandwidth wireless system
A method is provided for operating a multi-bandwidth OFDMA system that can achieve an enhanced bandwidth efficiency due to windowing without significantly impacting the underlying physical design of the receive filters. The method comprises establishing a bandwidth over which the radio resources transmit signals, the bandwidth being comprised of an edge-band and a center-band. Narrow band radio resources are assigned to a portion of the bandwidth that is at least partially within the edge-band.
US07782895B2 Apparatus, and associated method, for allocating data for communication upon communication channels in a multiple input communication system
Apparatus, and an associated method, for allocating data to communication channels of a multiple-input communication system and to select power levels at which the data is caused to be communicated upon the communication channels. Data allocation is made responsive to communication quality indications that identify communication conditions on the different ones of the channels. Data allocation and power level allocation is made to achieve best a selected performance parameter.
US07782888B2 Configurable ports for a host ethernet adapter
A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows for an adapter to be utilized in a server environment that can accommodate both a 10 G and a 1 G source utilizing the same pins. This is accomplished through the use of a high speed serializer/deserializer (high speed serdes) which can accommodate both data sources. The high speed serdes allows for the use of a relatively low reference clock speed on the NIC to provide the proper clocking of the data sources and also allows for different modes to be set to accommodate the different data sources. Finally the system allows for the adapter to use the same pins for multiple data sources.
US07782887B2 Method and apparatus for driving data packets
An apparatus for driver power and size selection includes in one embodiment a controller for controlling the enabling and disabling of legs in a legged driver, the legged driver providing only that amount of power necessary to transfer a data packet from its current location to its destination location. A method of forwarding data packets includes determining the distance between a current location of a data packet and the destination location of the data packet, and enabling as many legs of a legged driver as are necessary to power the transfer of the data packet to its destination.
US07782885B1 System and method for queue management using queue sets
The disclosure describes queue management based on queue sets. A queue set comprises a group of packets or packet references that are processed as a single entity or unit. For example, when a queue set reaches the head of a queue in which it is stored, the entire queue set including its packets or packet references is passed for scheduling as a single unit. A queue set provides the benefit of a single operation associated with enqueuing and a single operation associated with dequeuing. Since only one operation on a queue is required for the typical case of several packets in a queue set rather than for every packet, the rate of queue operations may be significantly reduced. A queue set has a target data unit size, for example, a roughly equal number of packet bytes represented by each queue set, regardless of the number of packets referenced by a queue set. This means that a scheduler of a queue manager, which is tasked with metering the number of packet bytes transmitted from each queue per time unit, is provided with a list of packets which represents a predictable quantity of packet bytes, and this predictability streamlines the scheduling task and significantly reduces the number of operations.
US07782870B1 Method and apparatus for consolidating available computing resources on different computing devices
Computing resources available on multiple computing devices are consolidated by an intermediate computing system and provided to other computing systems when those computing systems need additional bandwidth and processing power they cannot provide by themselves.
US07782869B1 Network traffic control for virtual device interfaces
Processes for the control of traffic and Quality of Service (QoS) over a switch fabric network comprised of application servers and virtual I/O servers. In the embodiment, an application server includes virtual device interfaces, a QoS module, and a network port controlled by a packet scheduler. When the QoS module receives a packet from a virtual device interface, the QoS module stores the packet in a queue. The QoS module removes the packet from the queue and transmits it to the packet scheduler, in accordance with a hierarchical token bucket that allocates bandwidth for the port among the virtual device interfaces in the application server. In the embodiment, the port is the root of the hierarchy for the hierarchical token bucket and the virtual device interfaces are the leaves. The packet scheduler uses round-round arbitration to transmit the packet it receives to the port.
US07782861B2 Configuration and alignment tool for computer network radio equipment
A compact tool (100) for network radios implementing bi-directional data communication links in computer networks. The tool is formed of a compact chassis or body (101) that can be conveniently stored in a user's pocket. A control processor (502) contained within the chassis is coupled to a data network communications module (506), including an integrated connector (616). The control processor (502) and data network communications module is configured exclusively for communicating with the network radio. Such interface communications are performed using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and/or telnet protocols. Using these communication protocols, the tool (100) can access radio operating data stored or generated by the network radio. The operating data is displayed using a simple integrated display device (514, 614).
US07782860B2 Arrangements for connection-oriented transport in a packet switched communications network
The present invention relates to a control system and communications systems that make it possible to transport traffic in a connection-oriented mode using the network infrastructure (30) and hardware of a traditionally connectionless network (34). According to the invention a traditionally connectionless network is complemented with a connection-oriented control plane (37). A subset (38b) of the address space (38) that in a connectionless network is used to define destination addresses is reserved for connection-oriented transport and is used to define path labels. An advantage of the invention is that an inexpensive Ethernet infrastructure (30) can be used for implementing a connection-oriented network (35).
US07782859B2 Enhanced packet classification
A method for classifying a data packet containing a header is provided. The method may comprise parsing the header of a data packet into header elements. Rules in secondary lookup tables generated from a primary lookup table may be accessed. The respective header elements of the data packet may be compared to the respective fields of each of the secondary lookup tables, and rule results for each of the secondary lookup tables in a combinable format may be generated. In another embodiment, a method for generating secondary lookup tables from a primary lookup table is provided. The method may comprise accessing a primary lookup table defining packet classification rules and generating multiple secondary lookup tables from the primary lookup table. For each secondary lookup table, a selection of classification rules and a selection of fields of the multiple fields based on a rule set identifying predefined entries may be extracted.
US07782855B2 Method and apparatus for the reduction of upstream request processing latency in a cable modem termination system
Upstream requests such a bandwidth requests, are processed by CMTS out of order on a priority basis to reduce latency in responding to the request. Specifically, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is connected to a plurality of cable modems by a cable plant. The CMTS has a burst receiver adapted to be connected to the cable plant to process upstream data packet units and bandwidth requests transmitted by the cable modems. Each packet includes a header that uniquely distinguishes the bandwidth requests from other data types. Packet data units are arranged in a first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are arranged in a second memory queue. The headers of the packets processed by the burst receiver are inspected as they arrive at the CMTS to determine if the packets are packet data units or bandwidth requests. Packet data units are routed to the first memory queue. Bandwidth requests are routed to the second memory queue. Bandwidth allocation MAP messages are generated from the bandwidth requests stored in the second queue and transmitted downstream to the cable modems. The packet data units stored in the first queue are coupled to a data output for further distribution.
US07782854B2 Network switching apparatus, route management server, network interface apparatus, control method therefor, computer program for route management server, and computer-readable storage medium
This invention constructs within the LAN a private area network (PAN) which is configured by terminal devices (personal computers and the like) of a specific group, is hardly influenced by the LAN traffic, and has high security. For this purpose, a PAN server which manages the communication route between specific terminals is installed within the LAN. The PAN server sets the communication route of each terminal device as label information, and causes switches and terminals to set pieces of label information generated for them. When the frame of data from a given port of each connection switch contains information representing PAN communication, the connection switch outputs the data to only a port specified by routing label information described in the frame.
US07782847B2 Method and system for verifying connectivity of multi-segment pseudo-wires by tracing
A method for testing connectivity of a multi-segment pseudo-wire in a packet switched network, the method comprising: (a) sending an echo request message from a first provider edge device to a second provider edge device for a first segment of the multi-segment pseudo-wire between the first provider edge device and the second provider edge device; and, (b) receiving an echo reply message from the second provider edge device in response to the echo request message, the echo reply message: confirming connectivity of the first segment; indicating whether there is a second segment in the multi-segment pseudo-wire between the second provider edge device and a third provider edge device; and, if there is a second segment, including information pertaining to the second segment.
US07782830B2 Extended range wireless packetized data communication system
A limited acknowledgement-based communication methodology increases the throughput efficiency of extended range, wireless packetized data transmissions to a ‘master’ data-reception site from a ‘slave’ data-sourcing site, geographically remote with respect to the data-reception site. Rather than return an acknowledgement for each received packet, the master returns an acknowledgement only after receipt of a group of packets. When returning an acknowledgement, the master identifies which packets of the group were not successfully received. Missing packets may be retransmitted by the slave transmitter either immediately, or in response to a subsequent poll by the master.
US07782829B2 Energy-efficient link adaptation and resource allocation for wireless OFDMA systems
An energy-efficient framework for active transmission in OFDMA-based long-range wireless networks is disclosed. This frame-work is based on using energy-aware metrics for resource allocation and link adaptation. By casting the optimal energy-efficient resource allocation problem as utility-based optimization problem, low-complexity utility-based resource allocation schemes developed here can be applied to reduce the complexity of resource allocation decisions.
US07782828B2 Method and system for managing channels in a wireless network
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing channels in a wireless network includes retrieving device parameters from a wireless network device communicating on a channel in the wireless network. The device parameters include a parameter indicative of a location of the wireless network device and a parameter indicative of the channel of the wireless network device. The channel is associated with a data transmission frequency. The method also includes generating a list of available channels for the wireless network device by determining a channel pattern in the wireless network. The method further includes specifying the channel on which the wireless network device should communicate based on the generated list of available channels to reduce channel interference to the wireless network device.
US07782827B2 Method and apparatus for processing multiple common frequency signals through a single cable using circulators
A method and apparatus for processing multiple signals at a common frequency combined into a single radio frequency cable and subsequently recovering the signals without significant losses, distortion, or cross-talk. The method and apparatus includes processing multiple signals at a common frequency fed through a single radio frequency (RF) cable with or without one or more amplifiers and utilized for either forward or reverse link transmissions. The invention enables a single power amplifier to amplify multiple RF signals that occupy a common frequency channel and after amplification splitting these signals into amplified copies of the originals. The amplified signals may be sent to different antenna ports to illuminate different base station sectors if required. The signal splitting function is performed at the antenna masthead such that this method reduces the number of feeder cables running up the antenna tower by a factor of N, where N is the number of common frequency signals (e.g., the number of sectors) amplified by the single power amplifier. This invention enables a single power amplifier to simultaneously provide all the radio frequency signals necessary to feed a general N input phased array antenna system and form multiple antenna beams uniquely for several individual users simultaneously.
US07782826B2 Radio gateway system and method for interfacing a radio system and an IP network
A radio gateway system and method for interfacing one or more radio systems and a packet network. The system comprises a plurality of gateways, each gateway including a radio interface port, a protocol converter and packet interface. The gateways convert audio and signaling from the radio system into packet signals in a generic protocol. The gateways also convert packet signals in the generic protocol into audio and signaling in a protocol understandable by a respective radio system.
US07782825B2 Methods and arrangements for link rate adaptation in multi-radio co-existence platforms
Methods and arrangements for link rate adaptation in multi-radio co-existence platforms (MRPs) are contemplated. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to determine an overlap between receiving by a wireless device of the MRP and transmitting by other of the wireless devices of the MRP and to select a link rate of the wireless device of the MRP based upon the determining an overlap. The embodiments may also include communicating the determined link rate to a wireless device transmitting to the wireless device of the MRP. Embodiments may also include selecting a previously used link rate if the receiving overlaps the transmitting. Embodiments may also include basing the link rate upon an overlapping or non-overlapping Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise-Ratio depending on the relative amounts of overlapping and non-overlapping.
US07782823B2 Apparatus for allocating resources in DAMA satellite communication system and method thereof
Provided are an apparatus for estimating an increment in the number of packets arriving at a transmission queue of each terminal and allocating resources to terminals based on the increment in a Demand Assignment Multiple Access (DAMA) satellite communication system, and a method thereof. The method, includes the steps of: a) comparing a summation of requested time slot quantities of terminals with a total number of available time slots; and b) allocating the time slots as much as the requested time slot quantity to each terminal and allocating remaining time slots additionally in proportion to an estimated increase in the number of packets arriving at a transmission queue of each terminal. The apparatus can raise efficiency of resources allocation in DAMA communications and reduce the packet transmission time in a terminal transmission queue.
US07782821B2 Multi-carrier communication device and multi-carrier communication method
There is provided a multi-carrier communication method capable of preventing lowering of a throughput of another mobile device accompanying allocation of a sub-carrier for a new mobile station device. This multi-carrier communication method can acquire reception quality information for one of the sub-carriers already allocated in an MS (150a) from a BS (100a) and for one of the sub-carriers which can be allocated in the MS (150a) from the BS (100b). According to the reception quality information, a release sub-carrier is selected from the sub-carriers already allocated and a new-allocation sub-carrier is selected from the sub-carriers which can be allocated. The new-allocation sub-carrier has a frequency different from the already-allocated sub-carriers excluding the release sub-carrier. The BS (100a) is instructed to release the selected release sub-carrier and the BS (100b) is instructed to allocate the selected new-allocation sub-carrier in the MS (150a).
US07782817B2 Systems and techniques for improved data throughput in a wireless network
Techniques to improve data communications for a wireless system are described. An apparatus may include an asymmetric data channel manager to perform asymmetric link adaptation for multiple wireless data channels based on a class of data flow for each data channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07782810B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving packet data symbol in a mobile communication system
An apparatus and method transmits a packet data symbol in a high-rate packet data (HRPD) mobile communication system for broadcasting service. A transmission processor generates a modulated symbol by encoding, interleaving and modulating a physical layer packet to be transmitted, and arranges the modulated symbol in a data tone. A tone inserter inserts a guard tone and a pilot tone into the data tone. A tone power allocator sets a different pilot-to-data tone power ratio according to a position of a slot, in which the packet data symbol is included, and allocates power according to the pilot-to-data tone power ratio. A transmitter transmits the packet data symbol.
US07782806B2 Timing synchronization and channel estimation at a transition between local and wide area waveforms using a designated TDM pilot
Systems and methods are provided for channel estimation and timing synchronization in a wireless network. In an embodiment, a method is provided for time synchronization at a wireless receiver. The method includes decoding at least one TDM pilot symbol located at a transition between wide and local waveforms and processing the TDM pilot symbol to perform time synchronization for a wireless receiver. Methods for channel estimation at a wireless receiver are also provided. This includes decoding at least one TDM pilot symbol and receiving the TDM pilot symbol from an OFDM broadcast to facilitate channel estimation for a wireless receiver.
US07782803B2 Half-duplex wireless network scheduling
Direct communication between wireless nodes, which may be mobile or fixed or a mixture of mobile and fixed nodes, is permitted under a limitation that each node, for any given transmission period, is permitted to act in half-duplex mode, meaning that in that period it can act as one of a transmitter or receiver, but it cannot both transmit and receive in the same communication period. The nodes communicate according to a schedule provided to them, for example by a broadcast after a poll of nodes is conducted. The scheduling of transmissions in preferred embodiments is conducted by contention resolution.
US07782802B2 Optimizing conferencing performance
Optimized conferencing performance may be provided. First, a plurality of data streams respectively received from a plurality of conferencing users may be monitored. Then, for each of the plurality of conferencing users, a plurality of talk frequency conditions respectively corresponding to the plurality of conferencing users may be determined based upon the monitored plurality of data streams. The plurality of talk frequency conditions may comprise, for example, active-talker, infrequent talker, or listener-only. Next, a plurality of data packet size values respectively corresponding to the plurality of conferencing users may be determined based upon the determined plurality of talk frequency conditions. The plurality of data streams may then be mixed to create data. Next, the data may be transmitted to each of the plurality of conferencing users respectively using the determined plurality of data packet size values respectively corresponding to the plurality of conferencing users.
US07782801B2 Flush support for virtual synchrony
A method and apparatus for processing message is described. In one embodiment, an application programming interface is configured for receiving and sending messages. The application programming interface provides for a flush protocol to force members of a group to send all of their pending messages prior to a predetermined event, and to perform a message exchange phase as part of the flush protocol to allow all members of the group to see a same set of messages in a same view prior to installing a new view.
US07782800B2 Discovery, detection, and management of daisy-chain system topology
Devices and methods are disclosed for detection and management of daisy-chain system topologies. A method is disclosed for auto-discovery and auto-enumeration. The method may be performed in a daisy-chain system of serially inter-connected devices. The method may include identifying each port of each device in a system of serially inter-connected devices, discovering each device in the system, and enumerating each device in the system.
US07782796B2 Method for generating an annotated network topology
A method of generating an annotated network topology of a network is described. The method includes; deriving a network topology by performing a route tracing utility between each pair of endpoints to determine the route taken by packets; initially annotating each network path with an initial value; determining the available bandwidth of a path connecting a pair of endpoints by performing Transfer Control Protocol (TCP) flows between the pair of endpoints; identifying a bottleneck link in the network path, and annotating all edges to generate an annotated network topology wherein available bandwidth annotation of links inside the network is determined using end-to-end network measurements.
US07782795B2 Multicast data communication system, data communication apparatus, multicast data communication method and computer readable non-transitory information recording medium
A management router is assigned for each of a division multicast domains obtained from dividing a multicast domain into predetermined divisions, and each of the management routers shares information concerning a location of a multi-cast information source belonging to the division multicast domain for which each of the management routers is assigned.
US07782793B2 Statistical trace-based methods for real-time traffic classification
Apparatus and methods for real-time traffic classification based on off-line determined traffic classification rules are provided. Traces of real traffic are obtained and subjected to statistical analysis. The statistical analysis identifies the multidimensional domain space of characteristic traffic parameters. Classification rules associated with the identified domains are derived and provided to traffic classification points for real-time traffic classification. Traffic classification points, typically edge network nodes, sample packets in aggregate streams with a predetermined probability. Statistical information regarding the sampled flows is tracked in a table, the number of time a flow was sampled providing a probabilistic measure of the flow's duration before the flow terminates. The table entries, which predominantly track high bandwidth flows, are subjected to the classification rules for real-time classification of the sampled flows. Optionally, rules include an action to be taken in respect of flows having characteristics matching thereof. Advantages are derived from low overhead on-line real-time classification of high-bandwidth flows at low overheads before flow termination.
US07782792B2 Apparatus and methods for determining availability and performance of entities providing services in a distributed system using filtered service consumer feedback
The invention concerns apparatus and methods that determine availability and performance of entities providing services in a distributed system using filtered service-consumer feedback. In particular, apparatus and methods of the invention filter service-consumer feedback in order to reduce the effect of circumstances unique to individual service consumers or to groups of service consumers that do not accurately reflect the actual availability or performance of service-providing entities. In this way an accurate appraisal is gained regarding the performance and availability of a service-providing entity. Reactive methods of the invention can be combined with proactive methods such as, for example, active status probing, to further improve the accuracy of data concerning the status and availability of service-providing entities.
US07782791B2 Method of reporting channel quality in EGPRS system
There is provided a method of enabling a mobile station to report channel quality in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a radio block allocated for a control block, the control block having a header and a control message, the header having an identifier, measuring channel quality for the radio block allocated for the control block when the identifier identifies the mobile station, and reporting the channel quality. A mobile station can report channel quality for its own control block.
US07782790B1 Extensions to the path verification protocol to support link bundling constructs
To reveal link bundles' component links in an MPLS network, transmit a sequence of request and reply packets. For a router receiving a request packet, the packet identifies that link bundles should be revealed, detect the link bundle links connected to the router, and for each, its component links are added to a downstream mapping field (DMF). A link bundle mapping field (LBMF) is also added to the request packet. Each LBMF specifies the component links of that link bundle by pointing to the component links added to the DMF. For a router responding to a request packet with a reply packet, determine if any links in the DMF are component links, and for each, identify a LBMF containing information regarding that link. Each component link in the DMF is processed. The component links in each LBMF are iterated through to ensure each matches the determined links in the DMF.