| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07900315B2 |
Integrated central vacuum cleaner suction device and control
An integrated apparatus has a cooling section, a motor section, a suction section and control module. The motor section drives the suction section to draw vacuum air through inlet and exhaust vacuum air through outlet. The motor section also drives the cooling section to draw cooling air through cooling air inlet, and push it through the motor section to cool the motor section. The control module controls the operation of the motor section. The control module is located in the cooling air path after the motor section. The cooling air for the motor section also cools the control module. The cooling section, motor section, suction section and control module are integrally mounted to form a single unit. |
| US07900311B2 |
Wafer edge cleaning
In a first aspect, an apparatus for cleaning a thin disk is provided. The apparatus includes a support roller for supporting a rotating wafer within a wafer cleaner. The support roller comprises a guide portion, for receiving an edge of a wafer, having an inclined surface comprising a low-friction material and adapted to allow the wafer edge to slide thereagainst; and an edge-trap portion for retaining the edge of the wafer and having a transverse surface comprising a high-friction material and adapted, when in communication with the edge of the wafer, to resist sliding thereagainst. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US07900310B2 |
Powered cleaning appliance
A powered sweeper includes a housing, a brushroll chamber disposed in the housing, a brushroll mounted in a brushroll chamber, a dirt chamber disposed in the housing, a drive motor disposed in the housing, and a driven wheel operatively connected to the drive motor. The brushroll rotates in the brushroll chamber and the dirt chamber communicates with the brushroll chamber such that debris is propelled by the brushroll into the dirt chamber. |
| US07900307B2 |
Boarding bridge
It is an object to provide a boarding bridge in which differences in level are eliminated between walkway portions of adjacent gangway units so that falling or the like of passengers can be prevented. A boarding bridge is provided in which a proximal-end tunnel and a distal-end tunnel are telescopically fitted and extend and contract by relative movement in a longitudinal direction, wherein, of the proximal-end tunnel and the distal-end tunnel, a variable-length walkway of the distal-end tunnel located on the outside is configured to move between a passage position set at a predetermined height and an outside-of-passage position located lower than the passage position; and the longitudinal length of the passage portion is changed in accordance with a moving distance along with the movement relative to the proximal-end tunnel. |
| US07900306B2 |
Guiding device for strands
Guiding device (1) for strands (2), the guiding device (1) comprising a body (5) in which at least one curved channel (6) is made, including a longitudinal axis curved according to the curvature of said channel (6) and a first part (8) which, situated in principle at the side of the intrados of the longitudinal axis (7), permits, in the limit of the length of the channel (6), the support of the strand (2) on at least one portion of the peripheral face (10) which this strand (2) presents. |
| US07900305B2 |
Automatic washing machine with spin drain flow channels and reservoir; wash action tub ramps and cycles
An automatic washing machine includes a wash basin having a plurality of apertures and an annular liquid reservoir formed at an upper portion of the basin. A plurality of flow channels are arranged around the exterior surface of the wash basin. The plurality of flow channels includes upward flow channels, configured for directing wash liquid extracted from the wash basin into the reservoir under centrifugal force generated in a spin cycle. The plurality of flow channels also includes downward flow channels configured for directing wash liquid from the reservoir to a central drain following the spin cycle. The arrangement avoids the need for an outer wash tub, and at the same time provides stabilization to the wash basin during high speed spins. In another aspect, the wash basin may include wash action ramps provided on a bottom surface of the wash basin and at an upper sidewall of the wash basin. The wash action ramps, in conjunction with a sequence of wash basin acceleration and deceleration cycles, induce an effective wash action, and circulation of the wash load, in lieu of a conventional central agitator. |
| US07900302B2 |
Adjustable bed having snap-on actuator drive
An adjustable bed includes an articulated deck comprising head, seat, leg and foot deck boards hingedly joined together and supported from a frame movable relative to a stationary base. An actuator assembly, including a motor driven actuator operatively coupled by snap-fit connectors to the frame, inclines at least one of the deck boards. |
| US07900301B2 |
Woven fabric product
A woven fabric product 1 made of woven fabric pieces cut out of woven fabric into specified shapes and sewn together is provided, wherein the warp and weft directions of weave patterns 200 of the woven fabric are positioned obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the woven fabric piece. |
| US07900298B1 |
Refund saving account manager
A method for managing a tax refund account by a taxpayer, comprising obtaining a tax refund account comprising financial information associated with the taxpayer, wherein the financial information comprises tax information, calculating a current refund balance representing a value of the tax refund account for the taxpayer contemporaneously with displaying the current refund balance, wherein the value of the tax refund account is based on the tax information of the taxpayer, displaying a list of contributions, wherein the list of contributions comprises a plurality of activities and a value associated with each of the plurality of activities, adjusting the current refund balance based on at least the list of contributions to obtain an estimated refund amount, and displaying the estimated refund amount comprising an estimated value of a tax refund. |
| US07900290B2 |
Dual flush refill device
A dual flush refill device refills a bowl of a siphonic toilet with adequate supply of refill water in response to either a full or partial flush without wasting the refill water. The device provides a relatively high flow rate of refill water from a refill tube to an overflow tube in response to a partial flush, and a relatively low rate of refill water from the refill tube to the overflow tube in response to a full flush. As a result, the toilet bowl is refilled with a substantially similar volume of refill water regardless of which flush option is selected. |
| US07900289B2 |
Magnetic sink strainer
The present invention provides a magnetic sink strainer with at least one magnet securely attached to the strainer, to create a magnetic field. The invention also provides a magnetic sink strainer made of a magnetized material to provide a magnetic field. The magnetic sink strainer is firmly placed over a standard sink drain and functions to capture and retain objects that are attracted by a force as a result of being subjected to the magnetic field. This prevents such objects from accidentally being discarded into the sink drain. The magnetic sink strainer also includes at least one slit to enable fluids and other non-magnetic substances to easily and rapidly flow down to the sink drain. |
| US07900288B2 |
Drain cartridge having removable valved system
Various embodiments of a cartridge for regulating a fluid flow are described that include an upper housing, and an insert that is user-removable from the upper housing. The cartridge can include one or more valves that are biased in a closed position to prevent odors from escaping the cartridge. The cartridge can also include a fluid trap that is at least partially disposed within the cartridge or fluidly coupled thereto. An ultraviolet light can be inserted within the cartridge to disinfect a fluid passageway of the cartridge. |
| US07900284B2 |
Garment for sporting activity
Garment (10) for sporting activity, in particular a suit for motorcyclists, which is made of breathable fabric in selected regions and comprises a protective shield (40). At least the bottom portion (44) of the shield is removably inserted underneath a layer (58) of puckered elastic material fixed to the breathable fabric. |
| US07900281B2 |
Protective device, such as safety work goggles, bow-type ear protector, or the like
In a protective device for the human body, in particular a bow-type ear protector, a pair of safety work goggles, or the like, that includes a joint between two parts that are to be joined in articulated fashion that is formed by a film hinge in the form of a strap hinge injection-molded integrally with the parts to be joined, it is provided that in addition to the first strap hinge, a second strap hinge, also injection-molded integrally with the parts to be joined, is provided, which can be folded up and which is disposed in the joint region at a spacing from the first strap hinge. |
| US07900278B2 |
Ergonomic duty gear belt
An ergonomic duty gear belt for carrying duty gear components having a first curved conically shaped side section and a second curved conically shaped side section pivotably hinged together and a lumbar pad wrapped around the hinged connection of the belt to provide support for the lumbar area of the wearer. |
| US07900276B2 |
Belly covering garment
The present invention relates to a garment worn during different stages of pregnancy and different stages of postpartum body changes. A garment upper portion has a belly panel that is expansible to cover and fit over a growing abdomen during different stages of pregnancy, and a garment lower portion having a first torso encircling circumference that recedes downward to make way for expansion of the belly panel. The garment upper portion has a second torso encircling circumference to hold the garment up and in place over the torso. |
| US07900273B2 |
Closure system
A closure system comprises a hook and pile material having hooks on one side and pile on the other side. With regard to footwear, the present invention is a shoe comprising this material allowing a wearer to adjust the point of attachment of closure straps on the exterior of the outer member of the shoe, thereby allowing every shoe wearer to wear the strap across the throat of the shoe at a different location. With regard to apparel, the present invention is a closure system comprising a single-ply hook and pile material in which the overlapped piece, or the exterior piece attaches to the underlapped piece, or the interior piece that provides the wearer with the ability to customize the fitting of the apparel, including the tightness of the apparel around an individual. |
| US07904966B2 |
Scanning probe microscope apparatus
There is provided a scanning probe microscope apparatus which has a high sensitivity for the interaction between the cantilever and the sample and comprises a cantilever that can oscillate stably in dynamic mode even when a mechanical Q value is low.A driving signal having a frequency close to the resonant frequency of the cantilever (4) is supplied from the signal generator (9) to the oscillation exciting means (10) to separately (forcibly) oscillate the cantilever (4). And the frequency of the driving signal or the resonant frequency of the cantilever is controlled (by adjusting the distance between the cantilever (4) and the sample (1)), such that the phase difference between the oscillation of the cantilever (4) detected by the oscillation detecting means (5) and the driving signal becomes zero, i.e. the frequency of the driving signal and the resonant frequency of the cantilever (4) match. |
| US07904959B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting and inhibiting attacks using honeypots
In accordance with some embodiments, systems and methods that protect an application from attacks are provided. In some embodiments, traffic from a communication network is received by an anomaly detection component. The anomaly detection component monitors the received traffic and routes the traffic either to the protected application or to a honeypot, where the honeypot shares all state information with the application. If the received traffic is routed to the honeypot, the honeypot monitors the traffic for an attack. If an attack occurs, the honeypot repairs the protected application (e.g., discarding any state changes incurred from the attack, reverting to previously saved state information, etc.). |
| US07904958B2 |
Spam honeypot domain identification
Identification of spam honeypot domains is performed automatically by a system. The system searches sources of Internet domains based on user input to identify Internet domains which are candidates for acting as a honeypot domain. The list of domains is refined by a determination unit to exclude domains which are unlikely to be useful. A domain indexer ranks the domains on the basis of a plurality of criteria which are indicative of the likelihood of a domain receiving spam communications. |
| US07904957B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium recording a security management program, computer-readable recording medium recording a job submission management program, and security management method
A computer-readable recording medium recording a security management program which enables nodes for executing jobs to omit virus check while maintaining the security of a system. When a job execution request including a program is input, a sender decision unit compares the identification of the job sender with reliable device information, to determine whether or not the program has been transmitted from a reliable device. Subsequently, a job manager outputs a start request specifying the program. If the program is judged to have been transmitted from a device other than the reliable devices, a safety decision unit outputs a virus check request, whereupon a virus checker executes code check on the program. |
| US07904955B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting shellcode
The invention is a method and apparatus for detecting shellcode such that a set of computer instructions is scanned for the presence of a null operation instruction. The computer instructions are also examined for the presence of a system call instruction, and reviewed for the presence of a decoder instruction set. A null operation weight value is then determined corresponding to the null operation instruction. Also assessed is a system call weight value corresponding to the system call instruction. In addition, a decoder weight value is calculated corresponding to the decoder instruction set. The null operation weight value, the system call weight value, and the decoder weight value are then analyzed to identify a shellcode. |
| US07904954B2 |
Method, device and security control system for controlling communication border security
The present invention provides a method, a device and a system for controlling VoIP border security. The system includes: a border security controller, which includes two dynamic information tables, an active session information table and a registered user information table, acting as the basis of security control; and a security policy server, in communication with the border security controller, adapted to provide a security policy to the border security controller and check the security of a signaling packet forwarded by the border security controller. The border security control system first checks the security and processes the packets of a user datagram received according to the active session information table and the registered user information table, and allows a packet which passed the security processing to pass, and then performs protocol processing on the media packet and signaling packet which are allowed to pass. |
| US07904952B2 |
System and method for access control
A system and method for access control is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a computing device connected to an access server that controls the ability of the computing device to access to a computing resource, such as the Internet. The access server connects to an activation server via a network. The activation server is operable to receive a request for to generate a certificate for the computing device from the activation server. The activation server is operable to generate the certificate and embed a unique identifier of the computing device and/or the access server and/or the like inside the certificate. Once generated, the certificate is installed in the computing device. When the computing device initiates a request to access the computing resource, the computing device initially sends the certificate to the access server. If the certificate received by the access server does not include the expected unique identifier(s), then access to the computing resource is prevented and/or restricted. If the key received by the access server includes the expected unique identifier(s), then access to the computing resource is permitted. |
| US07904946B1 |
Methods and systems for secure user authentication
Methods and systems for secure user authentication utilizes OTP generation and validation techniques in which the shared secret for generating the OTP is not stored in the user's mobile device but instead is dynamically synthesized based on a PIN that activates the OTP generation and the personalized OTP data. The client software has no knowledge of what the correct PIN should be and always generates a normal looking OTP based on whatever PIN is entered, and the only way to learn whether or not the OTP is correct is to submit it during user login. By limiting the number of failed login attempts before the account is locked, brute-force attacks via the online channel will fail, and further, brute-force attacks to uncover the correct PIN for generating the correct OTP offline will also fail even if a hacker steals the user's mobile device and extracts the data inside for offline hacking, because there is nothing on the client that contains the PIN or encrypted by the PIN. |
| US07904945B2 |
System and method for providing security for a wireless network
A system and method for providing secure communication between nodes (102, 106, 107) in a wireless multihopping communication network (100). The system and method achieve secure communication in a multihopping wireless network (100) by, for example, providing a transport medium for transmission of multihopping authentication messages (400) by the infrastructure devices, such as intelligent access points (106) or wireless routers (107), and user devices, such as mobile nodes (102). The authentication messages (400) are used to verify the identity of a node (102, 107) to thus permit the node (102, 107) to communicate within the network (100). The system and method further use, for example, encryption techniques for protecting the content data packet (1000) traffic being transmitted the nodes (102, 106, 107) within the wireless network (100). |
| US07904938B2 |
Digital cable TV receiver, diagnosis method for the same, and data structure of HDMI status report
A host includes at least one High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port. A controller is configured to receive a request from a source external to the host. The controller is further configured to collect HDMI status information associated with the HDMI port in response to the request. |
| US07904937B2 |
Uplink signaling for global decoder control
Uplink signaling for controlling a plurality of decoders at a remote site. An uplink has a control server for controlling a storage system of the decoders at the remote site. The control server of the uplink controls the storage system by injecting at least one global control stream multiplexed with a transport stream. The transport multiplexed with the global control stream is formed at the uplink for controlling the decoders simultaneously. |
| US07904935B2 |
Resource-adaptive management of video storage
A method for providing adaptive video compression includes encoding a video stream in a first compressed format, storing the video stream in a storage device, retrieving the video stream from the storage device, decoding the video stream, encoding the video stream in a second compressed format, and storing the video stream in the storage device. Systems and other methods for providing adaptive video compression are also disclosed. |
| US07904934B2 |
Digital cable TV receiver, diagnosis method for the same, and data structure of HDMI status report
A communication card includes a controller configured to forward a request to a device external to the communication card. The controller is further configured to receive HDMI status information associated with at least one HDMI port in response to the request. |
| US07904929B1 |
Log entries
Log entries are described that are stored in a log during a log session. In one implementation, a content provider includes a plurality of content servers. Each content server includes a processor and memory that is configured to maintain an application and a log for storing one or more log entries. The application is executable on the processor to process a request from a client. Each of the log entries include a log session identifier (ID) that references a log session that includes the request, data that describes an action performed in the processing of the request, and a log ordering ID representing the sequence in which each said log entry was stored in the log by the content server. |
| US07904923B2 |
Applications registry for a television environment
An applications registry provides a repository of television-based applications. The registry stores information about television-based applications registered, and allows users to view information regarding the registered television-based applications through one or more portals. The information includes a general description of the television-based applications, a description of an entitlement model for the television-based applications, and downloading information to permit a user to download the application to the home media system. The user accesses the registry, to view information about the television-based application, through a home media system. The home media system, which includes a television, accesses the portal over a network, such as the Internet. |
| US07904917B2 |
Processing fast and slow SOAP requests differently in a web service application of a multi-functional peripheral
Techniques are provided for efficiently processing SOAP requests at a Web service application (WSA) of a multi-functional device (MFP). In one technique, a WSA includes at least three threads. An external request processing thread processes SOAP requests from different client applications. A request processing thread processes a SOAP request according to the business logic of the WSA. A internal communications thread communicates with other components of the MFP that are distinct from the WSA. In another technique, a WSA processes different SOAP request differently, depending on the size of the SOAP and the resources required to process the SOAP request so that fast requests may be processed immediately while slow requests are pending. In another technique, a WS-Eventing specification is implemented within a WSA to simplify the event subscription and notification process. |
| US07904915B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, information processing program, and recording medium
In an information processing device adapted for performing an application program, a displaying unit causes a display device to display information related to a state transition of the application program. A generation unit receives an input updating request for updating information related to a displayed state transition, and generates an application program which realizes a state transition according to the updating request. |
| US07904914B2 |
On-the-fly replacement of physical hardware with emulation
Various aspects are disclosed herein for replacing the hardware backing the memory locations associated with a virtual machine with a backing mechanism. The backing mechanism may have the memory locations appear to contain data convenient to the driver in the virtual machine, typically containing what the hardware would have returned if the hardware had been read from. The data image being returned from the memory locations may travel with the virtual machine even if the virtual machine moves to a different physical machine that does not contain hardware equivalent to the hardware that was recently removed from the virtual machine. |
| US07904913B2 |
Management interface for a system that provides automated, real-time, continuous data protection
A data management system that protects data into a continuous object store includes a management interface having a time control. The time control allows an administrator to specify a “past” time, such as a single point or range. When the time control is set to a single point, a hierarchical display of data appears on a display exactly as the data existed in the system at that moment in the past. The time control enables the management interface to operate within a history mode in which the display provides a visual representation of a “virtual” point in time in the past during which the data management system has been operative to provide the data protection service. |
| US07904912B2 |
Adaptive processor utilization reporting handling different processor frequencies
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable code for identifying processor utilization. A current event is detected. A number of elapsed cycles for a processor since a previous event are identified in response to detecting the current event. An elapsed time using the number of elapsed cycles and a current frequency of the processor is calculated, wherein the elapsed time is used to identify the processor utilization. |
| US07904910B2 |
Cluster system and method for operating cluster nodes
In one embodiment, a cluster system comprises a plurality of cluster nodes for executing a plurality of applications, and a management process for controlling the plurality of cluster nodes, wherein the management process is operable to identify a first application that is not meeting a service level objective (SLO), to select a cluster node that is not currently executing the first application, to progressively decrease routing of transactions to the selected cluster node for a second application, and to progressively increase routing of transactions to the selected cluster node for the first application. |
| US07904904B2 |
Processing events for concurrent tasks in a virtual machine
Techniques for processing native events associated with tasks that are concurrently supported in a virtual machine are disclosed. The techniques allow the user of a virtual machine to concurrently perform tasks even if these tasks require processing of platform-specific (or native) events (e.g., platform-specific input). A smart event-dispatcher is used to dispatch native events to multiple tasks that are concurrently supported by the virtual machine. The smart event-dispatcher can determine which one of a plurality of concurrent tasks should receive the native event for processing. The determination can be made based on a variety of different criteria. In mobile devices, the foreground task is typically the only task that is displayed for the user of mobile devices at any given time. Thus, dispatching events to the foreground task is especially useful for a virtual machine that support a mobile device. |
| US07904902B2 |
Client-server bidirectional synchronization via browser plug in for an XM radio system
An XM radio system, a browser plug-in for bidirectional communication in the XM radio system, and method for bidirectional communication between an XM radio receiver, a first computing device and a second computing device is provided. The XM radio system includes an XM radio receiver communicatively connected to a first computing device, a second computing device communicatively connected to the first computing device and a computer program stored on the first computing device. Unresolved bookmarks are transferred from the first computing device to second computing device via the Internet and the resolved bookmarks are bidirectionally communicated from the second computing device to the first computing device via Internet and does not trigger a fire wall. |
| US07904898B2 |
Pathway-specific, registry-integrated domain name registration system
Embodiments of the present invention reliably effect successive registrations of a domain name through implementing a backorder system (504) integrated with the registry (520) maintaining the current registration for the domain name. Because the backorder system (504) is directly integrated with the registry (520), a successful new registration can be achieved following the lapse of the current registration. The registry can employ modified registration control logic and new and modified registry commands (324). These modifications to the standard registration system enable a registry (520) to limit successive registrations of the domain name to an entity, such as a registrar (500), that employs the backorder service (504). |
| US07904897B2 |
Executing applications from a semiconductor nonvolatile memory
A processor-based device (e.g., a wireless device) may include a processor and a semiconductor nonvolatile memory to directly execute an application (e.g., an execute-in-place application) using an associated database. Within a flash memory, in one embodiment, an executable program may be separately stored in a non-fragmented manner from a resident database that includes program management information for use in an execution that does not involve a random access memory, saving time and resources. |
| US07904896B2 |
Program rewriting system, boot loader, storage medium, and electronic control unit
A system is communicably coupled to an external device at least when rewriting, at least in a module, a first application program stored in a first memory of the system into a second application program stored in the external device. In the system, a receiving unit is configured to receive an identifier sent from the external device. The identifier decides a sending timing of the second application program from the external device. In the system, an identification unit is configured to identify that write target data sent from the external device is at least a module of the second application program after the identifier is received by the receiving unit. |
| US07904895B1 |
Firmware update in electronic devices employing update agent in a flash memory card
A controller in a removable memory card operatively coupled to an electronic device is employed by the electronic device to create a newer/updated version of firmware/software in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device. Update agent code in the removable memory card may use an old/original version of firmware/software in the electronic device to create the newer/updated version of firmware/software. During the creation of the newer/updated version of firmware/software in the flash memory card, the electronic device may be operational. A separate update agent in the electronic device may subsequently update the old/original version of firmware/software in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device using contents of the removable memory card, after a reboot or power-up of the electronic device. |
| US07904891B2 |
Checking for instruction invariance to execute previously obtained translation code by comparing instruction to a copy stored when write operation to the memory portion occur
In one embodiment, after translating a plurality of target instructions from a target memory location into a plurality of host instructions, a write operation to a target memory portion which includes said target memory location is detected. In response to the detecting, a copy of the target instructions is stored in a host memory. In response to an attempt to execute the host instructions, the copy is compared with a plurality of current target instructions presently stored in the target memory location. Further, in response to a mismatch based on the comparison, the host instructions are disabled. |
| US07904885B2 |
Change management for structure objects
A structure object is locked to prevent changes to the structure object in previous phases of a software life cycle. When a request to change the structure object in a previous phase is received, a change request file is opened. The changed request is approved or denied based at least in part on the previous phase. If the changes request is approved, a document is generated for the change request. Any changes made to the structure object are integrated into the previous phase of the structure object and are also stored in the document. If the change request is denied, the change request file is closed. |
| US07904880B2 |
Generating and binding web services to application components
For each of a set of business application classes on an application server, a web service class consisting of a separate web service method for each of a set of actions is generated. Each web service method contains a call to an interface web service method stored on a web server. The interface web service method is capable of calling a method on the application server. Once generated, the web service classes are compiled into an assembly and are stored on the web server. |
| US07904878B2 |
Simplifying generation of device drivers for different user systems to facilitate communication with a hardware device
Generating device drivers for different user systems to facilitate communication with a hardware device. A device specification containing a program logic specifying the manner in, which external devices can communicate with the hardware device, is received as one input. A software specification specifying various characteristics of a runtime environment (e.g., operating system, processor, hardware components) is received as another input. A device driver generator then programmatically parses the input specifications and automatically generates the device driver code. |
| US07904875B2 |
Configuring and allocating software product technical services
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for configuring and allocating software product technical services. A service policy configuration defining one or more service models for the developing software product is received. A software product taxonomy, including one or more themes and corresponding technical services, for the developing software product is received. A service profile, including context on how the entity intends to utilize the developing software product, is received. The entity is authorized to utilize technical services associated with the developing software product in accordance with one of the service models in response to receiving the service profile. In other embodiments, a service request selection is made from a menu that lists themes and technical services associated with a software product. The service request is allocated to the identified service provider based on request allocation criteria. An entity is at least notified of a received answer. |
| US07904872B2 |
System-on-chip (SOC), design structure and method
Disclosed is a system-on-chip (SOC) structure that allows for automated integration of multiple intellectual cores. The SOC structure incorporates a plurality of cells connected to a common bus on a chip. Each cell incorporates a functional core and an automated integration unit (AIU) connected to the functional core. Each AIU communicates integration information for its functional core over the common bus to the AIUs in the other cells. The exchange of information between the AIUs is controlled either by the integration units themselves or by a controller. Based on received integration information, each AIU can automatically make any required configuration adjustments for integration. Furthermore, based on this exchange of information, the functional cores can interact, as necessary, during SOC operation. Also disclosed are an associated method of forming such a SOC structure and a design structure for such an SOC structure. |
| US07904871B2 |
Computer-implemented method of optimizing refraction and TIR structures to enhance path lengths in PV devices
A computer-implemented method is provided for optimizing configuration of absorption enhancement structures for use in a photovoltaic enhancement film that is applied onto a PV device to improve absorption. The method includes receiving optimization run input defining a PV enhancement film including defining absorption enhancement structures with differing configurations. The method includes modeling a PV device including PV material such as a silicon thin film. A first ray tracing is performed over a range of incidence angles for the PV device. The method includes determining a set of base path angles for the PV material layer based on this first ray tracing. A second ray tracing is performed for the PV device with the enhancement film, which has absorption enhancement structures. Enhanced path lengths are determined based on the second ray tracking, and path length ratios are determined by comparing the enhanced path lengths to the base path lengths. |
| US07904868B2 |
Structures including means for lateral current carrying capability improvement in semiconductor devices
A design structure including a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes (a) a substrate; (b) a first semiconductor device on the substrate; (c) N ILD (Inter-Level Dielectric) layers on the first semiconductor device, wherein N is an integer greater than one; and (d) an electrically conductive line electrically coupled to the first semiconductor device. The electrically conductive line is adapted to carry a lateral electric current in a lateral direction parallel to an interfacing surface between two consecutive ILD layers of the N ILD layers. The electrically conductive line is present in at least two ILD layers of the N ILD layers. The electrically conductive line does not comprise an electrically conductive via that is adapted to carry a vertical electric current in a vertical direction perpendicular to the interfacing surface. |
| US07904867B2 |
Integrating a boolean SAT solver into a router
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that routes a set of pairs of points during the design of an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The system comprises a routing engine which is configured to search for a path to connect a current pair of points in the set of pairs of points, wherein the path comprises a set of rectangles and vertices. The routing engine uses a routing database, which keeps track of previously routed nets that can obstruct the routing of the current pair of points. The system further comprises a satisfiability (SAT) solver which is capable of solving a set of constraints, wherein the set of constraints are associated with the routability of the set of pairs of points. The SAT solver additionally comprises a SAT database which maintains the set of constraints and a current partial solution to the set of constraints. The SAT database is used to update the routing database if the current partial solution changes. |
| US07904861B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for coupled noise timing violation avoidance in detailed routing
A method, system, and computer program product for coupled noise timing violation avoidance in detailed routing of an integrated circuit design are provided. The method includes calculating a noise induced timing violation sensitivity (NITVS) metric for nets in the integrated circuit design as a measure of sensitivity to a timing violation relative to a coupled noise delay adder, prioritizing routing isolation as a function of the NITVS metric for each of the nets to avoid coupled noise timing violations, and outputting the routing isolation priority. |
| US07904860B1 |
Method and apparatus for selecting programmable interconnects to reduce clock skew
A method and apparatus for selecting programmable interconnects to reduce clock skew is described. A routing tree for clock signals is created having routes and clock pin nodes. Delays of the clock signals to the clock pin nodes are determined. The routing tree is balanced to a target clock skew, such as zero clock skew, for the clock signals provided to the clock pin nodes. Programmable interconnect circuits are selectively added to reduce clock skews of the clock signals, where the clock skews being reduced at the clock pin nodes are for at least a portion of the clock pin nodes. Additionally described are determining clock propagation delays to clock pins and balancing a clock tree using computer aided design. |
| US07904859B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a phase relationship between asynchronous clock signals
Various techniques related to clocking signals used for automated circuit design and simulations are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving first and second asynchronous clock signals having a first phase relationship at a first time, and sampling the second clock signal at transitions of the first clock. The method further includes storing the samples; and analyzing the samples to ascertain the first phase relationship of the second clock signal with respect to the first clock signal and provide a representation of the first phase relationship. Other embodiments are described. |
| US07904856B2 |
Arrangement handling commands as control system behaviors and data system behaviors
A design apparatus, a design method, and a program, which enable the design of a small-scale circuit that is high in serviceability and quality are provided. Plural commands described at a behavior level are separated into control system behaviors that are behaviors concerning control and data system behaviors that are behaviors concerning data transfer, the data system behaviors for the commands are integrated into one or more behaviors, and both the control system behaviors for the commands and the behavior obtained by integrating the data system behaviors for the commands are subjected to high-level synthesis. |
| US07904855B2 |
Methods for partially removing circuit patterns from a multi-project wafer
Disclosed are a method and a system for partially removing circuit patterns from a multi-project wafer. This method and this system can be used to provide a multi-project-wafer to a user without disclosing proprietary circuit information of other customers. At least one integrated circuit design of a user is identified from a plurality of integrated circuit designs of a plurality of users. Those unidentified circuits can be totally removed through circuit removing method. Then the modified multi-project wafer can be delivered to the user without concerns about disclosing information of unidentified circuits which belongs to other customers. In one embodiment, a laser system may be used to totally remove the unidentified integrated circuit designs without impacting the circuit performance of identified circuits. In another embodiment, a diamond-blade saw may also be used to totally remove the unidentified integrated circuit designs without impacting the circuit performance of identified circuits. |
| US07904853B1 |
Pattern signature
A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for generating a pattern signature to represent a pattern in an integrated circuit design. In one approach, the method, system and computer program product transform pattern data, two dimensional data for the pattern, into a set of one dimensional mathematical functions, compress the set of one dimensional mathematical functions into a single variable function, compress the single variable function by calculating a set of values for the single variable function, and generate a pattern signature for the pattern from the set of values. |
| US07904851B2 |
Photomask manufacturing method and semiconductor device manufacturing method
This invention discloses a photomask manufacturing method. A pattern dimensional map is generated by preparing a photomask in which a mask pattern is formed on a transparent substrate, and measuring a mask in-plane distribution of the pattern dimensions. A transmittance correction coefficient map is generated by dividing a pattern formation region into a plurality of subregions, and determining a transmittance correction coefficient for each of the plurality of subregions. The transmittance correction value of each subregion is calculated on the basis of the pattern dimensional map and the transmittance correction coefficient map. The transmittance of the transparent substrate corresponding to each subregion is changed on the basis of the transmittance correction value. |
| US07904846B2 |
Method for automatically extracting a functional coverage model from a constraint specification
A computer is programmed to automatically generate in memory, goals for functional verification of a design of a circuit by use of constraints that are specified in the normal manner. Specifically, a predetermined set of rules are automatically applied to the constraints, on random values for signals to be input to the circuit during simulation of the design. Application of the rules identifies one or more templates of goal(s) to be met. The computer is programmed to automatically use constraint(s) and template(s) to instantiate goal(s) in memory. Each goal identifies a signal to be input to the circuit, and defines a counter for a value of the signal. The goals are used in the normal manner, i.e. used to measure coverage of functional verification during simulation of the design of the circuit. |
| US07904843B2 |
Systematic generation of scenarios from specification sheet
A method of generating a scenario includes generating a specification model by describing a specification in a predetermined descriptive language, extracting a plurality of operations from the specification model, generating a plurality of operation descriptions, each of which corresponds to one of the operations and includes an operation name and a constraint condition, generating at least one cause-effect graph that combines the operations based on the operation descriptions, and extracting as a scenario a series of operations from the cause-effect graph. |
| US07904839B2 |
System and method for controlling access to addressable integrated circuits
A circuitry access system for controlling access to addressable circuit elements of an integrated circuit. The circuitry access system includes a first storage element having a first listing of unique identifiers each identifier representing one of the addressable circuit elements. A selector distinguishes a first subset of unique identifiers from the first listing. A second storage element receives and stores the first subset in an arrangement that does not include an indication of the absence of any unique identifier of the first listing that is not included in the first subset. An output of second storage element allows a user of the integrated circuit to access one or more of the addressable circuit elements corresponding to the first subset of unique identifiers. A method of controlling access to addressable circuit elements is also provided. |
| US07904838B2 |
Circuits with transient isolation operable in a low power state
An integrated circuit includes a core-logic providing a core-logic output, a latch in communication with the core-logic to store a state of the core-logic output, and an isolation circuit for selectively interconnecting the core-logic output to an input of the latch. The circuit also includes and a power consumption controller in communication with the core-logic, the latch and the isolation circuit, for controlling the latch to store a state of the core-logic output, and output a corresponding signal. The controller is further operable to signal the isolation circuit to isolate the core-logic output from the latch by providing an output corresponding to predetermined value and transition the core-logic from a high power state and a low power state. This prevents transient signals from propagating to interconnected circuit blocks and external devices. |
| US07904836B2 |
Image reproduction method, image reproduction device and digital camera
An image reproduction method includes: a reduced-size image reading step of reading a plurality of reduced-size images from a recording medium and storing the reduced-size images in a memory; a display step of multi-displaying the plurality of reduced-size images on a monitor; a cursor movement detection step of detecting a moving speed of a cursor indicating a selected reduced-size image from the plurality of reduced-size images displayed on the monitor; and an image read-ahead step of reading images from the recording medium according to the moving speed of the cursor and storing the image in the memory. |
| US07904834B2 |
Business software navigation control
A graphical user interface control with a plurality of elements can be used to traverse a software application used to effect business processes. In some variations, the control takes the shape of a compass rose with at least two opposite axes, the activation of which cause the information displayed within the software application to become coarser or more granular depending on which of the two axes is selected. Related techniques, apparatus, systems, and articles. |
| US07904833B2 |
Electronic commerce GUI for displaying trading partners
An electronic commerce method can include the step of determining a plurality of e-commerce partners. For each partner, a partner identifier can be presented within a commerce GUI. In the commerce GUI, the partner identifier can be an expandable node. An expansion of at least one of the nodes can be presented within the commerce GUI. For each expansion, a transaction identifier can be presented as a child node of the expanded node. The transaction identifier can represent an electronic commerce transaction between a user of the commerce GUI and the associated e-commerce partner. |
| US07904830B2 |
HVAC zone control panel
A zone control panel that is easy and intuitive to use and to program. In some embodiments, a zone control panel may be configured to have an easy to use, single level menu structure with, for example, a configuration mode and/or a checkout mode. The configuration mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. Likewise, the checkout mode may, if present, include a number of menu screens sometimes without any sub-menu levels. A mode selector may be provided to select a particular mode, after which, the menu screens that correspond to the selected mode may be sequentially displayed to the user. Other features and aspects are also disclosed. |
| US07904829B2 |
User-defined assistive GUI glue
Techniques are disclosed for enabling users to define one or more areas of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) as being “glue-like”. When the user moves a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, joystick, track ball, etc.) and as a result, the graphical pointer moves into a painted area, the speed at which the graphical pointer will then traverse the GUI is programmatically slowed. Upon exiting the painted area, the graphical pointer speed is preferably restored to its prior setting. In this manner, the user achieves user-specific, application-independent control over the speed at which the graphical pointer moves. |
| US07904827B2 |
Sticky note display processing device and sticky note display processing method
A sticky note display processing device is connected to an image reading device and a display device and is provided with at least a storage device and a control device. The control device includes image reading unit that controls the image reading device to read an image on a sticky note, and display controlling unit that adjusts a size of the image that should be displayed on a display screen of the display device, and controls a position of the image in such a manner that the image is displayed at a portion of the display screen where there is no display. |
| US07904823B2 |
Transparent windows methods and apparatus therefor
A method for optimizing pen-based annotations on a non-pen enabled window. The method includes starting a visible non-pen-enabled window further including position indicia and size indicia; starting a transparent pen-enabled window; and associating the visible non-pen-enabled window with the transparent pen-enabled window based on the position indicia and size indicia. The method further includes aligning the transparent pen-enabled window with the visible non-pen-enabled window, and accepting user input comprising a message. If the message further includes pen indicia, the method also includes forwarding the message to the transparent pen-enabled window. Else, the method includes forwarding the message to the first application. |
| US07904822B2 |
System and user interface for configuring and presenting a trend indicative display of patient medical parameters
A system provides an electronic patient parameter Flowsheet offering the flexible features of a paper chart by enabling user configurability of a Flowsheet trend indicative display to incorporate and locate desired patient parameters and associated data items and properties and to hide non-critical supplementary data. A system configures a user interface presenting patient medical parameter data in a trend indicative display indicating a time period comprising user selectable acquisition time intervals. An acquisition processor acquires, from a patient monitoring device, data representing a patient parameter. A processor initiates generation of data representing at least one display image for use in configuring a trend indicative display of a patient parameter and an associated data item by enabling user selection of the data item for trend indicative display and by enabling user association of the data item with a property indicating at least one of, (a) the data item represents volume data to be used in patient fluid infusion or output calculation, (b) the data item represents a rate for use in calculation of volume of patient fluid infusion or output and (c) the data item value is to be used in multiple acquisition time intervals of the trend indicative display. |
| US07904814B2 |
System for presenting audio-video content
A system for presenting a summarization of audio and/or visual content having a plurality of segments to a user together with a graphical user interface that preferably indicates to the viewer the relative temporal position of video segments viewed in the summary within the content from which the summary was derived. |
| US07904812B2 |
Browseable narrative architecture system and method
A browseable narrative having an architecture that enables browsing, so that a user may progress from a point to any other point in the narrative in a manner determined by the user. The browseable narrative includes a scene or scenes without any predefined beginning, middle, or end which can be displayed in a non-linear manner. The narrative also includes links which interrupt the display of one scene and initiate the display of another. Maps may also exist in the narrative. |
| US07904807B2 |
System and method for copying formatting information between Web pages
A system and method for copying formatting information between group editable Web pages is provided. The system includes a web server and devices, such as computers, which can communicate via a network. Users at the computers can access one or more of the Web pages and request that the accessed page's formatting information be copied over to one or more specified target Web pages. The Web server is configured to extract a first set of formatting information, such as HTML formatting templates, from a source web page displayed on one or more computers in the network. Further, the Web server replaces a corresponding second set of formatting information in the target Web page(s) with the first set of extracted formatting information. |
| US07904805B2 |
System and method for distribution and navigation of internet content
A system and method for navigating Internet content with a limited or non-existent return channel, limited bandwidth and/or a set-top box with limited processing power. |
| US07904803B2 |
Method and system for converting user interface source code of a legacy application to web pages
A method and apparatus that has the ability to convert display pages of interactive legacy applications for use on a network, such as the Internet. The display source code of the legacy application is first parsed into a network-based language, such as XML, preserving the structure and hierarchy of the display source to create a plurality of network user interface pages. The network user interface pages are then converted to a dynamic platform-independent language in which the static portion of the display page is converted to a web page, such as a JavaServer Page, and the dynamic portion of the display page for input/output/feedback is converted to data objects, such as JavaBeans. The intermediate network user interface pages may be stored on the server with the legacy application. The conversion program to convert the intermediate network user interface pages may be stored on a computer program product, a client connected to the server with the legacy application, or the server itself. The method of this invention provides an environment such that when an application is invoked from a client, the runtime data manager may use either the traditional display source code or the generated intermediate network user interface pages as its user interfaces. Thus, the legacy application's data stream need not be redirected but is already in the format accessible to the network server across the network to the network user agent as network pages, such as JavaServer Pages with the dynamic input/output/feedback data as JavaBeans. |
| US07904801B2 |
Recursive sections in electronic forms
Systems and/or methods enabling creation and/or use of a recursive section for an electronic form are described. In one embodiment, a system and/or method enables alteration, responsive to graphical selection of a recursive section component, of an electronic form's schema to permit a recursive section. In another embodiment, a system and/or method enables a user to modify a recursive section in an electronic form through a rendering of the electronic form. |
| US07904797B2 |
Rapid media group annotation
The present invention provides a unique system and method for facilitating browsing, sorting, clustering, and filtering any number of media objects grouped together in a quick and easy manner. In particular, the invention involves annotating the media objects, which have been clustered, sorted, and/or filtered en masse rather than individually, with metadata. The media objects may be selected by a user and annotated with a plurality of metadata as desired by a user in order to optimize utilization of the media objects. The media objects may also be combined and/or mixed in any number of ways to create new media objects. Media objects may include an audio component, a visual component, a portion thereof, and/or any combination thereof. |
| US07904796B2 |
Serial data communication—CAN memory error detection methods
A method is provided for formatting a message, with a first plurality of bits forming a data component, and a second plurality of bits forming a reserved component, for transmission in a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of calculating an initial checksum from the data component, calculating a revised checksum at least from the initial checksum, and storing the revised checksum in the reserved component. The number of bits in the reserved component is less than the number of bits in the data component. |
| US07904795B2 |
Iterative decoder with stopping criterion generated from error location polynomial
A decoder for error correction an encoded message, such as one encoded by a turbo encoder, with reduced iterations due to an improved stopping criterion. The decoder includes an error correction loop that iteratively processes a message that is encoded prior to transmittal over a communication channel. The error correction loop generates, such as with a Reed-Solomon decoder, an error location polynomial in each iterative process. A stopping mechanism in the decoder allows an additional iteration of the message decoding based on the error location polynomial, such as by obtaining the degree of the error location polynomial and comparing it to a threshold. In one example, the threshold is the maximum number of symbol errors correctable by the Reed-Solomon code embodied in the decoder. The stopping mechanism allows additional iterations when the stopping criterion (or polynomial degree) is greater than the maximum number of symbol errors correctable by the Reed-Solomon code. |
| US07904789B1 |
Techniques for detecting and correcting errors in a memory device
A technique for detecting and correcting errors in a memory device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a data storage area arranged in a plurality of blocks, wherein each block contains a plurality of words. The memory device also includes an error detection/correction storage area for storing error detection/correction bytes corresponding to each word in each block and error detection words corresponding to each block. |
| US07904788B2 |
Methods of varying read threshold voltage in nonvolatile memory
Data is read from a nonvolatile memory array using one or more read voltages that are adjusted during memory life. Programming target voltages and read voltages may be adjusted together over memory life to map memory states to an increasingly wide threshold window. Individual memory states are mapped to sub-ranges that are made wider, reducing errors. |
| US07904786B2 |
Assisted memory system
A memory system comprises a plurality of memory storage elements, an address sparing module coupled to the plurality of memory storage elements and operable to map first addresses of first predetermined memory locations to second addresses of second predetermined memory locations, and an ECC (error correcting cod) combinatorial logic circuit coupled to the plurality of memory storage elements and operable to detect and correct errors in data read from the plurality of memory storage elements in less than three clock cycles. |
| US07904785B2 |
DTV transmitting system and receiving system and method of processing broadcast data
A DTV transmitting system includes a frame encoder, a randomizer, a block processor, a group formatter, a deinterleaver, and a packet formatter. The frame encoder builds an enhanced data frame and encodes the frame two times for first and second error correction, respectively. It further permutes a plurality of encoded data frames. The randomizer randomizes the permuted enhanced data, and the block processor codes the randomized data at a rate of 1/N1. The group formatter forms a group of enhanced data having one or more data regions and inserts the data coded at the rate of 1/N1 into at least one of the data regions. The deinterleaver deinterleaves the group of enhanced data, and the packet formatter formats the deinterleaved data into enhanced data packets. |
| US07904783B2 |
Soft-input soft-output decoder for nonvolatile memory
In a nonvolatile memory system, data is read from a memory array and used to obtain likelihood values, which are then provided to a soft-input soft-output decoder. The soft-input soft-output decoder calculates output likelihood values from input likelihood values and from parity data that was previously added according to an encoding scheme. |
| US07904777B2 |
Method and system for generating block acknowledgements in wireless communications
The present invention provides a method and a system for generating a block acknowledgment for aggregated MSDUs (A-MSDU) transmitted from a sender to a receiver over a wireless channel. Upon receiving the A-MSDU, the receiver generates a MSDU Block Acknowledgment (MSDU-BA) that includes an acknowledgment for each received MSDU. Based on the MSDU-BA, the sender selectively retransmits only the erroneous MSDU(s) to the receiver. |
| US07904772B2 |
Logic circuit protected against transient disturbances
The invention concerns a circuit protected against transitory perturbations, comprising a combinatorial logic circuit (10), having at least an output (A); a circuit (20) generating an error control code for said output, and a storage element (24) provided at said output, controlled by the circuit generating a control code to be transparent when the control code is correct, and to maintain its status when the control code is incorrect. |
| US07904770B2 |
Testing circuit split between tiers of through silicon stacking chips
A method of testing a die having a non-testable circuit, where the non-testable circuit is logically incomplete and forms part of a logically complete multiple tier circuit. The method includes reconfiguring a tier-to-tier input point or tier-to-tier output point associated with a primary path of the non-testable circuit to create a logically complete secondary path for the tier-to-tier point such that the non-testable circuit can be tested. Testable dies and methods of preparing such dies are also provided. |
| US07904767B2 |
Semiconductor memory testing device and method of testing semiconductor using the same
The semiconductor memory testing device includes a test signal decoder decoding burn-in test mode signals which generates a first test signal for use in controlling entire main wordlines and which generates a second test signal for use in controlling sub wordlines. When the first and second test signals are in an disabled state, the semiconductor memory testing device also includes a plurality of bank control units generating a multi wordline test mode signal as a multi wordline test signal corresponding to a bank control signal, and simultaneously enabling a plurality of wordlines in accordance to the multi wordline test signal to perform a test. The semiconductor memory testing device reduces a testing time and current consumption and thus enhances a more stable voltage drop when performing continuous multi wordline test on a per bank basis. |
| US07904763B2 |
Reception device, reception method, information processing device, information processing method, and program
A reception device configured to receive a signal of a transmitted bit string transmitted from a transmission device which transmits a bit string includes: a receiving unit arranged to receive a signal from the transmission device and output a received bit string corresponding to the transmitted bit string; a storing unit arranged to store an error rate table wherein said received bit string is correlated with an error rate of post-data which is data of one bit or greater received following the received bit string being in error; and an error correcting unit arranged to perform error correcting of the post-data of the received bit string. |
| US07904762B2 |
Error detection on medical high speed transmission routes
In a transmission error logging device, method and computer-readable medium for logging transmission errors that occur on a high speed transmission route of a medical technology diagnostic apparatus, the in-feed port for a signal is provided on the high speed transmission route and an error signal is generated upon detection of an error. The transmission volume is detected by a transmission volume counter and the number of errors is detected by a transmission error counter. The transmission volume counter makes a transmission volume count, representing the transmission volume, available as an output from the transmission volume counter, and the transmission error counter makes a count of the number of errors detected by the error detection device available at an output of the transmission error counter. |
| US07904759B2 |
System and method for service availability management
A service framework uses importance ranking information in making call decisions and/or wait-time decisions in connection with service requests. Each of the service requests has an importance ranking which reflects the importance of the information provided by the service to a task being performed. The health of a service may be controlled by permitting fewer (or more) service requests to be made to the service when the service is less (or more) healthy. The likelihood of a service request being made to the service may depend on the importance ranking of the service request. When waiting for a response, a determination whether to continue waiting may be made based on the likelihood that the service has failed and based on the importance of the information to the task being performed. |
| US07904756B2 |
Repair planning engine for data corruptions
A computer is programmed to automatically generate repairs to fix failure(s) while taking into account dependencies between repairs relative to one another, by grouping failures. In some embodiments, the computer uses a map that associates each failure type with repair types that are alternatives to one another, and uses another map that associates each repair type with a template that creates the repair when instantiated. In certain embodiments, repairs within a repair plan are consolidated, to avoid duplicates and redundancies. |
| US07904752B2 |
Synchronizing device error information among nodes
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for synchronizing device error information among nodes. A first node performs an action with respect to a first node error counter for a device in communication with the first node and a second node. The first node transmits a message to the second node indicating the device and the action performed with respect to the first node error counter for the device. The second node performs the action indicated in the message with respect to a second node error counter for the device indicated in the message, wherein the second node error counter corresponds to the first node error counter for the device. |
| US07904746B2 |
Information processing system and data recovery method
When data of HDD of computer is backed up to a a data center and a failure occurs in the HDD, the computer notifies failure information to the data center, and the data center stores the backed up data in a storage medium substituting HDD for subsequent delivery. Further, the computer executes processing, using a VNC server, from failure occurrence until recovery. |
| US07904744B2 |
Data storage using multiple protocols
A controller transmits a second protocol command to a target from among one or more switch devices. The second protocol command is a command which conforms to a second protocol type in which a connection established for transmitting a command to the target is broken during processing of the command by the target, and is defined as a command corresponding to a first protocol command, which is a command conforming to a first protocol type in which the connection remains established during processing of the command by the target. |
| US07904743B2 |
Propagation by a controller of reservation made by a host for remote storage
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture wherein a primary controller receives a request from a primary host to set reservations on a primary storage and a secondary storage, wherein the primary host, the primary controller and the primary storage are at a first site, and wherein a secondary host, a secondary controller, and the secondary storage are at a second site. The primary controller sets a first reservation on the secondary storage via a storage area network coupling the secondary storage to the primary controller, wherein the setting of the first reservation causes the secondary storage to be read only for a secondary host. The primary controller sets a second reservation on the primary storage, wherein the setting of the second reservation allows the primary host to perform read and write operations on the primary storage. |
| US07904742B2 |
Local skew detecting circuit for semiconductor memory apparatus
A local skew detecting circuit for a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a reference delay block that receives a test signal and generates a reference delay signal by delaying the test signal by a predetermined delay time, and a first timing detecting block coupled with the reference delay block, the first timing detecting block configured to receive the test signal, generate a first delay signal by delaying the test signal by the same predetermined delay time, and detect an enable timing order of the reference delay signal and the first delay signal to generate a first detection signal. |
| US07904734B1 |
Increasing mean time between failures for power supplies
A redundant power supply may obtain a rule for increasing mean time between failures (MTBF) for a first internal power supply and a second internal power supply connected to an electronic device, apply the rule to the first and second power supplies, activate the second internal power supply based on the rule to permit the second internal power supply to provide power to the electronic device, and deactivate the first internal power supply based on the rule. |
| US07904730B2 |
System for providing a trustworthy user interface
The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a computer system which employs a trusted display processor (260), which has a trusted processor (300) and trusted memory (305, 315, 335, 345) physically and functionally distinct from the processor and memory of the computer system. The trusted display processor (260) is immune to unauthorised modification or inspection of internal data. It is physical to prevent forgery, tamper-resistant to prevent counterfeiting, and has crypto functions (340) to securely communicate at a distance. The trusted display processor (260) interacts with a user's smartcard (122) in order to extract and display a trusted image, or seal (1000), generate a digital signature of the bitmap of a document image and control the video memory (315) so that other processes of the computer system cannot subvert the image during the signing process. The user interacts with the trusted display processor via a trusted switch (135). |
| US07904725B2 |
Verification of electronic signatures
A system verifies an electronic signature. The electronic signature may be associated with timestamps, each including a time value. A timestamp verification module detects invalid certificates in a certificate chain of the electronic signature and records an earliest invalidity time value of the invalid certificates. The verification module also verifies the timestamps associated with the electronic signature and records the time value of the earliest valid timestamp. A declaration module declares the electronic signature as valid if the time value of the earliest valid timestamp is earlier than the earliest invalidity time value of the one or more invalid certificates. The electronic signature may alternatively or additionally be associated with countersignatures. A countersignature verification module verifies the countersignatures associated with the electronic signature, and the declaration module declares the electronic signature as valid if all of the countersignatures are determined to be valid. |
| US07904723B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing security of wireless communications
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for enhancing security of communications. The apparatus comprises a security processing unit, a data processing unit, a cross-layer watermarking unit, and optionally a smart antenna processor. The security processing unit generates a token/key to be used in watermarking and sends a node security policy to other components. The data processing unit generates user data. The cross-layer watermarking unit includes at least one of Layer-2/3, Layer-1 and Layer-0. Each layer performs a different scheme or degree of watermarking. The cross-layer watermarking unit embeds the token/key into the user data transmission on at least one of the layers selectively in accordance with a security policy. |
| US07904718B2 |
Personal digital key differentiation for secure transactions
A system and method provide efficient, secure, and highly reliable authentication for transaction processing and/or access control applications. A Personal Digital Key is a portable device carried by an individual that stores one or more profiles (e.g., a biometric profile) in a tamper-proof memory. When multiple PDKs are present at the point of the transaction, the system automatically determines which PDK to associate with the authentication and transaction processes. The differentiation decision is based on one or more differentiation metrics including distance information, location information, and detection duration information associated with each of the PDKs within range. Profile samples comprising subsets of the profile information are received to provide a quick correlation between a PDK an input sample (e.g., a subset of a biometric input). After determining which PDK should be associated with the transaction, a full authentication process is executed. |
| US07904714B2 |
Apparatus and method for ciphering/deciphering a signal in a communication system
In a communication system, second encryption information is generated using first encryption information when data to be transmitted is generated. The data is encrypted using the second encryption information and third encryption information. A signal including the encrypted data and the first encryption information is generated and transmitted. |
| US07904713B1 |
Card activated cash dispensing automated banking machine system and method
A cash dispensing automated banking machine that operates in response to data read from user cards includes a cash dispenser, keypad, and a card reader. The card reader is operative to read data bearing records such as user cards that include financial account information. The machine may include an encrypting pin pad (EPP) that is operative to remotely receive an encrypted terminal master key from a host banking system. The machine may authenticate and decrypt the terminal master key prior to accepting the terminal master key using a public key of a certificate authority. The machine may further receive and authenticate a new public for a new certificate authority for use with authenticating further terminal master keys. |
| US07904712B2 |
Service licensing and maintenance for networks
A technique is disclosed that allows different computers in a network to create an identifier that uniquely identifies the network. The technique allows the unique identifier to be consistently created over time, regardless of the particular make up of the computing devices in the network at any particular point time. In some implementation, a computer within the network hosts the identification creation tool. In order to create a unique identifier for the network, the tool identifies each network adapter used by the host computer. Using this information, the tool identifies a gateway device used by the network adapter or adapters, and then determines the physical network address of that gateway device. For example, if the network is an Ethernet network, the tool will determine the medial access control (MAC) address for the gateway device. The tool then creates a unique identifier for the network based upon the physical address. The unique network identifier can then be used to associate the billing a usage fee, such as a licensing fee, with the network rather than with an individual computer within the network. Alternately or additionally, the unique network identifier can be used to maintain and support the gateway device for the network. |
| US07904709B2 |
System and method for controlling data communications between a server and a client device
A system and method for controlling data communications between a server and a client device, such as a mobile device. Embodiments relate generally to a technique where stop data is provided to the client device. This stop data can be transmitted (e.g. by the client device) to the server. When processed by the server, the stop data indicates to the server that at least some of the encrypted data received by the client device from the server was not decrypted using the second key (e.g. as may be the case when the second key has been deleted). Upon receiving the stop data, the server may, for example, withhold the transmission of data encrypted with the first key to the client device until the second key is restored on the client device. In one embodiment, the stop data is provided to the client device in an encoded (e.g. encrypted) form. |
| US07904702B2 |
Compound instructions in a multi-threaded processor
A multi-threaded processor determines which threads to execute, switches between execution of threads in dependence on the determination, each thread being coupled to a respective register for storing the state of the thread and used in executing instructions on the thread and includes a further register shared by all the threads. The executing threads use the further register to improve execution performance and prevents the switching of execution to another thread while the internal register is in use. |
| US07904701B2 |
Activating a design test mode in a graphics card having multiple execution units to bypass a host cache and transfer test instructions directly to an instruction cache
Provided are a method and system for activating a design test mode in a graphics card having multiple execution units. A design test mode is activated in a graphics module comprising multiple execution units coupled to a cache on a bus. The bus is configured to return test instructions from the cache to the execution units in response to a request from one execution unit for the test instructions from the cache in the design test mode. The execution units execute the test instructions during the design test mode. Interrupts are prevented during the design test mode. |
| US07904700B2 |
Processing unit incorporating special purpose register for use with instruction-based persistent vector multiplexer control
A software-accessible special purpose register is architected into a processing unit in order to implement persistent vector multiplexer control of a vector-based execution unit. A persistent swizzle instruction is defined in an instruction set for the vector-based execution unit and is used to cause state information to be stored in the special purpose register such that the operand vectors processed by subsequent vector instructions executed by the vector-based execution unit will be selectively shuffled using the persisted state information. As a result, when multiple vector instructions require a common custom word ordering for one or more operand vectors, a single persistent swizzle instruction may be used to select the desired custom word ordering for all of the vector instructions. |
| US07904698B2 |
Electronic parallel processing circuit for performing jump instructions
The electronic circuit contains a plurality of processing elements (10), which are supplied with instructions under control of a common program flow, typically for SIMD operation wherein the same instructions are applied to all processing elements and different operand data of the instructions to respective ones of the processing elements (10). Under control of the instructions each processing element (10) determines, whether an operand data dependent condition has occurred. The processing element outputs a condition signal dependent on said determination. The condition signals are summed to form a sum signal. Program flow is controlled by a conditional jump dependent on a value represented by the sum signal. |
| US07904694B2 |
Maintaining processor resources during architectural events
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes switching between a first address space and a second address space, determining if the second address space exists in a list of address spaces; and maintaining entries of the first address space in a translation buffer after the switching. In such manner, overhead associated with such a context switch may be reduced. |
| US07904692B2 |
Iommu with translation request management and methods for managing translation requests
Example embodiments of an IOMMU with translation request management and methods for managing translation requests are generally described herein. Other example embodiments may be described and claimed. In some example embodiments, the IOMMU comprises one or more reorder buffers. Each reorder buffer may be associated with one I/O device and may be used to queue pending translation requests for the associated I/O device. A translation request received from a requesting I/O device may be stored in a reorder buffer associated with the requesting I/O device when the translation request is unable to be serviced or when there are one or more pending translation requests in the reorder buffer. |
| US07904685B1 |
Synchronization techniques in a multithreaded environment
Various techniques for manipulating data using access states of memory, access control fields of pointers and operations, and exception raising and exception trapping in a multithreaded computer system. In particular, the techniques include synchronization support for a thread blocked in a word, demand evaluation of values, parallel access of multiple threads to a list, synchronized and unsynchronized access to a data buffer, use of forwarding to avoid checking for an end of a buffer, use of sentinel word to detect access past a data structure, concurrent access to a word of memory using different synchronization access modes, and use of trapping to detect access to restricted memory. |
| US07904682B2 |
Copying writes from primary storages to secondary storages across different networks
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for copying writes from primary storages to secondary storages across different networks. A failure notification is communicated, using a first network protocol, from a primary device in a first group of at least one primary device and at least one corresponding primary storage managed by the at least one primary device to a control system in response to the primary device determining that a write to the primary storage cannot be copied to a corresponding secondary storage. A failure notification is communicated, using a second network protocol, from a primary device in a second group of at least one primary device and at least one corresponding primary storage managed by the at least one primary device to the control system in response to the primary device determining that a write to the corresponding primary storage cannot be copied to a corresponding secondary storage. A freeze command is received, from the control system using the first network protocol at the at least one primary device in the first group. A freeze command is received, from the control system using the second network protocol at the at least one primary device in the second group. The copying of writes from the primary storages in the first and second groups to the corresponding secondary storages is suspended in response to receiving the freeze commands. |
| US07904672B2 |
System and method for providing data redundancy after reducing memory writes
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for providing data redundancy in a plurality of storage devices. In operation, a number of writes to a plurality of storage devices is reduced. Additionally, after the reducing, data redundancy is provided utilizing a data redundancy scheme. |
| US07904667B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling binary state devices using a memory device
A static random access memory (SRAM) includes an input read register (IRR) for monitoring the state of external binary devices and an output drive register (ODR) for controlling the state of external binary devices. The SRAM can be a multi-port device for access by multiple processors or controllers. Each bit of the IRR can mirror the state of a connected external binary device. Each bit of the ODR can manipulate the state of a connected external binary device or can be read without changing the state. The memory device may include settable controlling bits and a set of controlled register bits. Setting the one or more controlling bits may define which controlled register bits are associated with the IRR and which are associated with the ODR. |
| US07904663B2 |
Secondary path for coherency controller to interconnection network(s)
Employing a coherency controller having a primary path and at least one secondary path to at least one interconnection network is disclosed. A method of an embodiment of the invention is performed by the coherency controller of a node. The coherency controller determines whether transactions are being properly sent to other nodes of a plurality of nodes of which the node is a part via a primary path. In response to determining that the transactions are not being properly sent to the at least one interconnection network via the primary path, the coherency controller instead sends the transactions to the other nodes via a secondary path. |
| US07904661B2 |
Data stream prefetching in a microprocessor
A method of prefetching data in a microprocessor includes identifying a data stream associated with a process and determining a depth associated with the data stream based upon prefetch factors including the number of currently concurrent data streams and data consumption rates associated with the concurrent data streams. Data prefetch requests are allocated with the data stream to reflect the determined depth of the data stream. Allocating data prefetch requests may include allocating prefetch requests for a number of cache lines away from the cache line currently being referenced, wherein the number of cache lines is equal to the determined depth. The method may include, responsive to determining the depth associated with a data stream, configuring prefetch hardware to reflect the determined depth for the identified data stream. Prefetch control bits in an instruction executed by the processor control the prefetch hardware configuration. |
| US07904660B2 |
Page descriptors for prefetching and memory management
A computer system and a method for enhancing the cache prefetch behavior. A computer system including a processor, a main memory, a prefetch controller, a cache memory, a prefetch buffer, and a main memory, wherein each page in the main memory has associated with it a tag, which is used for controlling the prefetching of a variable subset of lines from this page as well as lines from at least one other page. And, coupled to the processor is a prefetch controller, wherein the prefetch controller responds to the processor determining a fault (or miss) occurred to a line of data by fetching a corresponding line of data with the corresponding tag, with the corresponding tag to be stored in the prefetch buffer, and sending the corresponding line of data to the cache memory. |
| US07904656B1 |
Controller for hard disk drive having DWFT (data wedge format table) cache with high-priority initial cache fill
A controller and a method for interfacing with a storage medium. Access to a buffer memory via a multi-channel bus is arbitrated. DWFT (Data Wedge Format Table) entries stored in the buffer memory are read and cached in a DWFT cache memory. Data is transferred to and from the storage medium through a storage medium interface. The storage medium interface accesses the sectors of the storage medium based on their physical locations, as defined by the cached DWFT entries. The multi-channel bus includes a DWFT channel to which DWFT cache circuitry is connected. In a DWFT tenure, the DWFT cache circuitry reads the DWFT entries stored in the buffer memory, and caches the DWFT entries in the DWFT cache memory. |
| US07904655B2 |
Branching memory-bus module with multiple downlink ports to standard fully-buffered memory modules
A branching memory-bus module has one uplink port and two or more downlink ports. Frames sent downstream by a host processor are received on the uplink port and repeated to the multiple downlink ports to two or more branches of memory modules. Frames sent upstream to the processor by a memory module on a downlink port are repeated to the uplink port. A branching Advanced Memory Buffer (AMB) on the branching memory-bus module has re-timing and re-synchronizing buffers that repeat frames to the multiple downlink ports. Elastic buffers can merge and synchronize frames from different downlink branches. Separate northbound and southbound lanes may be replaced by bidirectional lanes to reduce pin counts. Latency from the host processor to the farthest memory module is reduced by branching compared with a serial daisy-chain of fully-buffered memory modules. Point-to-point bus segments have only two endpoints despite branching by the branching AMB. |
| US07904652B1 |
Application aware use of added devices
Described are techniques for configuring one or more physical devices of a data storage system for use in connection with provisioning storage for an application. A policy including one or more sets of data storage system best practices is received. Each of the one or more sets specifies data storage system best practices for a different type of data storage system including a first type associated with said data storage system. One or more physical devices are added to the data storage system. Configuration processing is performed in connection with configuring a first portion of said one or more physical devices for use with one or more storage pools. The policy is used in performing the configuration processing. |
| US07904651B2 |
Storage device with disk power control based on logical storage area
The present invention makes is possible to appropriately set the power saving control of the storage device from the management device of the storage device. In addition, the storage device executes control of the power saving for the magnetic disk device after ensuring consistency between an instruction from the administrator and the operating state of the magnetic disk device in the storage device. |
| US07904650B2 |
Data storage apparatus and data reading method
A data storage apparatus using a plurality of hard disk drives for storing stream data includes a command receiving portion for receiving a stream data read command from the outside; and a data processing portion reading the stream data stored in the hard disk drives upon receiving the read command, assembling the data, and transferring the assembled stream data to the outside. The apparatus further includes a control portion performing control of determining maximum time from receiving the read command to completing the assembly of the stream data, terminating the data read from the hard disk drives in the case where the maxim time has elapsed, and preparing the stream data transferred to the outside in the data processing portion only using data having been read; and a managing portion variably setting the maximum time according to a bit rate of the stream data read on the read command. |
| US07904646B2 |
Storage subsystem that connects fibre channel and supports online backup
A disk array connected to a storage area network via a fiber channel has one or more ports each controlled by a processor. Even the disk array with one port and one processor executes online processing and backup processing at the same time while considering an online processing load. A port controller not only accepts a request from a host computer but issues a request to other storage controllers to allow online processing and backup processing to be executed at the same time. In addition, the disk array, if provided with a plurality of ports, selects ports or schedules processing depending upon the load to prevent backup processing from affecting online processing performance. |
| US07904645B2 |
Formatting disk drive data using format field elements
Formatting disk drive data using format field elements (FFEs). A processing module (which can be a general purpose processor or a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor) is employed to generate FFEs that are employed to govern operation of the various data formatting modules within a formatting system within a HDD. The determination of when a data formatting module stops operating in accordance with a first FFE and begins operating in accordance with a second FFE can be a predetermined period of time, a number of operations being performed, the meeting of some condition, or some other means. Each FFE can be viewed as being a multi-dimensional instruction that not only includes a configuration for a data formatting module, but also includes the conditions by which the configuration is to be governed by a subsequent FFE, among other things. |
| US07904644B1 |
Disk channel system with sector request queue
A disk channel includes disk channel modules that process data for a read/write operation on a rotating medium. A memory is accessible to the disk channel modules and comprises a sector request queue that has status information that is associated with each of the disk channel modules. A control module is in communication with and manages data transfer through the disk channel modules based on the sector request queue. |
| US07904642B1 |
Method for combining and storing access control lists
A method of minimizing an amount of memory area required to store a plurality of rules associated with one or more access control lists (ACLs) includes selectively combining the plurality of rules into one or more groups depending upon similarities between the entries within each field and storing the groups in a database including a content addressable memory (CAM) device and a random access memory (RAM) device. |
| US07904641B2 |
Processor system using synchronous dynamic memory
A processor system including: a processor and controller core connected via an internal bus; and a plurality of synchronous memory chips connected to the processor via an external bus; the controller core including a mode register selected by an address signal from the processor core and written with an information by a data signal from the processor core to select the operation mode of the plurality of synchronous memory chips, and a control unit to prescribe the operate mode to the plurality of synchronous memory chips based on the information written in the mode register, wherein the controller core outputs a mode setting signal based on the information written in the mode register or an access address signal from the processor core to the plurality of synchronous memory chips via the external bus selectively; and wherein the clock signal is commonly supplied to the plurality of synchronous memory chips. |
| US07904639B2 |
Modular command structure for memory and memory system
A system including a memory system and a memory controller is connected to a host system. The memory system has at least one memory device storing data. The controller translates the requests from the host system to one or more separatable commands interpretable by the at least one memory device. Each command has a modular structure including an address identifier for one of the at least one memory devices and a command identifier representing an operation to be performed by the one of the at least one memory devices. The at least one memory device and the controller are in a series-connection configuration for communication such that only one memory device is in communication with the controller for input into the memory system. The memory system can include a plurality of memory devices connected to a common bus. |
| US07904637B2 |
Information processing apparatus, lifetime monitoring method and program for monitoring lifetime of storage device including flash memory
A judging unit determines whether an accumulated rewrite count management table is in a flash memory. If the accumulated rewrite count management table is not in the flash memory, then a generating unit generates an accumulated rewrite count management table in the flash memory, and a recording unit records an accumulated rewrite count in the accumulated rewrite count management table which is generated. A monitoring unit monitors the lifetime of a storage device based on the accumulated rewrite count recorded in the accumulated rewrite count management table and a rewrite count limitative value recorded in the flash memory. |
| US07904626B2 |
Arbiter and arbitration method of multiple data accesses
There is provided a technique which reduces an average processing time of low-priority accesses with suppressing an average delay increase of a high-priority access processing even in a case where high-priority access request and a low-request access request are simultaneously generated to a shared access processing unit and high-priority accesses are continuously generated. And, there is provided an access arbitration equipment comprising: an issued access request retention unit; a first interval determination circuit; and a second interval determination circuit. In a case where the first interval determination circuit determines that an interval is generated between an issued access processing and a most prior access processing and a second interval determination circuit determines that no interval is generated between the issued access processing and a second-prior access request, the priority order of the most prior access request and the second-prior access request is changed. |
| US07904625B1 |
Power savings for universal serial bus devices
An apparatus includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) transceiver of a USB host controller, a first pull-down resistor, a first switch, a second pull-down resistor, a second switch, and a detachment module. The USB transceiver has a differential output. The first switch electrically couples the first pull-down resistor to a positive terminal of the differential output in response to a first switch control signal. The second switch electrically couples the second pull-down resistor to a negative terminal of the differential output in response to a second switch control signal. The detachment module selectively determines whether a USB device is electrically coupled to the differential output by checking a voltage at the differential output while at least one of the first switch control signal or the second switch control signal is asserted. The detachment module determines whether the USB device is electrically coupled to the differential output by checking the positive terminal when the USB transceiver is in a full-speed idle state and by checking the negative terminal when the USB transceiver is in a low-speed idle state. |
| US07904619B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for reducing memory write operations using difference information
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for reducing write operations in memory. In use, write operations to be performed on data stored in memory are identified. A difference is then determined between results of the write operations and the data stored in the memory. Difference information associated with the difference is stored in the memory. To this end, the write operations may be reduced, utilizing the difference information. |
| US07904616B2 |
Storage apparatus and data transfer method
A storage method including: controlling transfer of data between a host system and a storage device using a plurality of controllers connected to the host system and the storage device, where the controllers are interconnected via a data transfer path; and controlling the controllers using a plurality of processors connected to the controllers, wherein each of the plurality of controllers is connected to the same or a different processor; and wherein a first processor connected to a controller that received a transfer command from the host system creates, as header information of a packet of a first controller to become a transfer source: identifying information of the first controller and a second controller to become a transfer destination, identifying information of the transfer path between the first controller and the second controller, and identifying information of a controller which is between first and second controller to be routed upon transferring the data. |
| US07904613B2 |
Network device, network device management method, network device management system
This invention solves the problem of RSS, i.e., the possibility of notification failure while taking its advantage that allows use of existing software such as a browser. For this purpose, an RSS control unit detects failure occurrence via an internal interface, gives a level corresponding to the type of the failure to the failure information, generates an RSS information unit that describes the failure information, and registers the RSS information unit in a database. A client accesses a WWW server of a multi-function device based on an URL registered in advance at a predetermined timing, and displays the contents of an RSS information unit acquired by searching the newly registered RSS information units. If an event of recovery from failure has occurred, the RSS control unit lowers the level corresponding to the RSS information unit of the recovered failure. |
| US07904612B2 |
Ticket mechanism for sharing computer resources
Improved administering of shared resources in a computer system. In a preferred embodiment, transaction throughput is improved and potential starvation eliminated by a ticket mechanism. The ticket mechanism provides a wait counter and a service counter. When a requested transaction fails, a wait counter is incremented and a wait value is sent to the requesting transaction source. As transactions are completed at the resource, the service counter is incremented and its value broadcast to transaction sources sharing that resource. When a source holds a wait count value that equals the service count value, the source can retry the transaction successfully. |
| US07904610B2 |
Controlling a device connected to first and second communication path wherein device is also connected to third communication path via a bypass link
An apparatus includes a memory unit, a microcontroller, a first communication port providing a first communication path between the apparatus and a computer system, and a second communication port providing a second communication path between the apparatus and a peripheral device. The peripheral device is also communicatively linked with the computer system via a third communication path that bypasses the apparatus. Control of the peripheral device is subject to the apparatus. |
| US07904606B2 |
Transport control channel program chain linked branching
A computer program product, apparatus, and method for processing a transport control channel program with chain linked branching in an I/O processing system are provided. The method includes receiving a command message at a control unit from an I/O subsystem to perform an I/O operation. The method further includes reading a chain linked flag in the command message indicating that a subsequent command message for the I/O operation follows the command message. The method also includes reading a serialization flag in the command message requesting that device status be returned to the I/O subsystem in order to select the subsequent command message. The method additionally includes executing one or more commands in the command message, and transmitting the device status to the I/O subsystem in response to executing the one or more commands in combination with the serialization flag. |
| US07904597B2 |
Systems and processes of identifying P2P applications based on behavioral signatures
Disclosed are a system and a process for identifying P2P applications and specific P2P software as well from an original mixed packet trace based on behavioral-signatures. The behavioral-signature based system and process according to the invention is mainly to check whether the application has these specific periodic behaviors or not. The process of this invention comprises the steps of filtering out all irrelative packets; translating the filtered packet trace into discrete-time sequences; processing the sequences to obtain frequency-domain characteristics of original packet trace; and analyzing the frequency-domain characteristics and determining the identification. |
| US07904595B2 |
Globalization management system and method therefor
A globalization management system (200) for managing resources of multiple interrelated data sources (1021, 1022, 1041, 1042, 1000, 1200, 1002, 1202) corresponding to a plurality of sites (102, 104, 106) accessed through a communications network (20) is provided. The globalization management system (200) includes a plurality of target application interfaces (222) respectively coupled to the interrelated data sources through the communications network. Each target application interface (222) includes systems (212, 214, 216, 218) for converting a protocol of the respective data source to a predetermined protocol, and the predetermined protocol to the protocol of the respective data source. The globalization management system (200) further includes a global management engine (100) coupled to the plurality of target application interfaces (222). The global management engine (100) includes a site-to-site relationship manager, a system for reading data representing current content from the interrelated data sources, a system for comparing the data representing current content with data representing prior content, and a project manager for transferring the data identified as a content change to at least one of the interrelated data sources that has been identified as a subscriber site. |
| US07904594B2 |
Limited-bandwidth electronic data communication system
A limited-bandwidth network electronic data communication server includes an electronic data transmission server and a network terminal in communication with the electronic data transmission server over a communications network. The electronic data transmission server includes a data receiver for receiving a request for transmission of an e-mail attachment to a network terminal over a communications network. The e-mail attachment includes content and data defining the presentation of the content. A data processing system is in communication with the data receiver for converting the e-mail attachment into a less memory-intensive data format. The data processing system is configured to perform the conversion by extracting the content from the e-mail attachment without the presentation data. A data transmitter is in communication with the data processing system for transmitting the extracted content to the network terminal over the communications network without the presentation data. |
| US07904593B2 |
Communication apparatus
According to one embodiment, a communication apparatus includes a first communication module configured to communicate with at least one partner device by a first communication scheme, a second communication module configured to communicate with at least one partner device by a second communication scheme, and an address management module configured to assign an address value for the second communication scheme to at least one partner device connected via the second communication module based on the address value for the first communication scheme of the self device, which is assigned based on an address value assignment scheme defined by the first communication scheme. |
| US07904592B2 |
Distributed, fault-tolerant message store
A system and method of managing a network provides for distributed storage and retrieval. In one embodiment, information such as a text message is stored by calculating an actual destination node based on a subscriber identifier and a current addressing function, which corresponds to a current topology of a network. The message is sent to the actual destination node for storage. Messages can be retrieved by calculating a plurality of destination nodes based on a subscriber identifier and a plurality of addressing functions, where each addressing corresponds to a topology of the network at a particular moment in time. In one embodiment, the addressing functions are hash functions. |
| US07904590B2 |
Routing information through a data processing system implementing a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture
A mechanism is provided for routing information through the data processing system. Data is received at a source processor within a set of processors that is to be transmitted to a destination processor, where the data includes address information. A first determination is performed as to whether the destination processor is within a same processor book as the source processor based on the address information. A second determination is performed as to whether the destination processor is within a same supernode as the source processor based on the address information if the destination processor is not within the same processor book. A routing path is identified for the data based on results of the first determination, the second determination, and one or more routing table data structures. The data is then transmitted from the source processor along the identified routing path toward the destination processor. |
| US07904587B2 |
Flexibly deployable communication device facilitating interoperation between middleware
A novel communication device (e.g., router or switch) facilitates interoperation between a plurality of middleware. The communication device has in-ports, out-ports, and a configurator. In-ports, IP0, . . . , IPm, are associated with a middleware from a plurality of middleware and out-ports, OP0, . . . , OPn, are associated with a middleware from the plurality of middleware. The configurator configures in-ports and out-ports based on a binding and transport of associated middleware and the novel communication device facilitates interoperation between middleware via a communication path between at least one configured in-port and at least one configured out-port, with the communication path allowing an incoming message to pass from said at least one configured in-port to said at least one configured out-port. Parameters ‘m’ and ‘n’ are chosen such that any of the following conditions are true: m=0 and n≧1, m≧1 and n=0, m=n, m=1 and n>1, m>1 and n=1, and m≠n. |
| US07904580B2 |
Digital media player exposing operational state data
A software based digital media player that provides component interfaces allowing inspection, testing and manipulation of operational state data between the digital media player and a device or devices attached thereto. Providing an opportunity for detailed analysis of such data allows, for example, testing operation of a prototype next-generation device when the corresponding next generation digital media player hardware is non-existent or otherwise hard to acquire for testing purposes. In addition, even were the corresponding next generation digital media player available, it would not provide the same opportunity for detailed analysis as discussed and described herein. |
| US07904576B2 |
Reliable datagram via independent source destination resources
A method includes producing units of work with at least one source application instance (AI) at a source device and consuming units of work with at least one destination AI at a destination device. A first reliable datagram service is established, with a first source and destination resource (SDR), between the source device and the destination device. A second reliable datagram service is established, with a second SDR independent of the first SDR, between the source device and the destination device. A first unit of work stream is transmitted over a communication services/fabric with the first reliable datagram service, which guarantees strong ordering of the first unit of work stream received at the destination device. A second unit of work stream is transmitted over the communication services/fabric with the second reliable datagram service, which guarantees strong ordering of the second unit of work stream received at the destination device. |
| US07904572B2 |
Method, apparatus, and medium for controlling access to and setting for features of an imaging processing device
An image processing apparatus which can be readily used by an authenticated user without laborsome setting even if the user uses the image processing apparatus for the first time through an authentication server. A user is authenticated with an authentication server connected to an image processing apparatus via a network. User unique setting information for the authenticated user is set, and the user unique setting information for each user is stored in user information storing areas. Initial setting information of initial setting of the image processing apparatus is stored in an initial setting information storing area. When the authenticated user uses the image processing apparatus for the first time, duplicate copy of the initial setting information stored in the initial setting information storing area is stored as the user unique setting information in the user information storing areas. |
| US07904566B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for employing an enhanced port multiplier
A method, apparatus and system for employing an enhanced port multiplier are provided. In one embodiment, a network host is configured to be coupled with a port multiplier in a network. The port multiplier is configured into being cascaded into being coupled with a plurality of port multipliers and a plurality of network devices. |
| US07904564B2 |
Method and apparatus for migrating access to block storage
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for providing access to block storage. A source virtual input/output server is retrieved, parameters are used by the source virtual input/output server to provide a client access to the block storage when the client is located on a first logical partitioned data processing system with the source virtual input/output server, wherein the client accesses the block storage through the source virtual input/output server. Access for the client to the block storage is migrated to a target virtual input/output server located on a second logical partitioned data processing system using the parameters, wherein the parameters are used on the target virtual input/output server to provide the client access to the block storage when the client is migrated to the second data processing system. |
| US07904562B2 |
Server and connecting destination server switch control method
A connecting destination server switch control method for switching a server and the connecting destination of the server is provided, the method realizing a larger-scaled network system by distributing a load to each cache server, thus reducing the total load and dynamically modifying a logical network according to the load of each cache server even when there is a plurality of content servers that are content distributors. In a situation where cache servers whose management sources differ are connected in many steps, the total load caused by content acquisition can be reduced by modifying the content acquisition source server of a cache server for each piece of content. |
| US07904556B2 |
Method and apparatus for role grouping by shared resource utilization
Role search apparatus for grouping nodes according to relationships with other nodes, the apparatus comprising: an input for receiving an arrangement of nodes said arrangement comprising at least two partitions of said nodes and with predetermined relationships between nodes across said partitions, and a pattern recognition unit associated with said input, for using pattern recognition on said nodes and said relationships to find relationship patterns amongst said nodes, thereby to form at least one group from nodes of a first of said partitions, wherein said nodes being formed into said group share relationships with same ones of a predetermined number of nodes in a second partition. |
| US07904552B2 |
Managing a server-based directory of web services
A method and computer program product for defining at least one target system. The at least one target system is accessed to identify one or more web services available via the at least one target system, thus defining one or more available services. Information concerning the one or more available web services is identified. At least a portion of the information concerning the one or more available web services is published within a web services directory. |
| US07904550B2 |
Information processing control apparatus, method of delivering information through network, and program for it
An apparatus including a section acquiring the information as to the information processor of the delivery destination in the second network, a section alternatively providing service to an access from the first network by using the acquired information, a section receiving and delivering the information from the first network by using the alternatively supplied service, a section changing the information processor of the delivery destination in the second network to the service providing state, when the apparatus receives the information including the contents from the first network and the information processor of the delivery destination in the second network is not in the service providing state, it is possible to change the information processor of the delivery destination to the service providing state and deliver information including the contents to the information processor of the delivery destination. |
| US07904549B2 |
Performance information collection method, apparatus and recording medium
In order to collect performance information of a computer capable of executing more than one application software, collection information indicating a timing at which the performance information is to be collected is prepared by the unit of application software. This collects the performance information by referring to the collection information corresponding to the application software currently being executed by the computer. Such a manner collects the performance information at an appropriate timing suitable to the application software currently being executed. |
| US07904548B2 |
System and method of monitoring an enterprise wide RFID deployment using standards based JMX technology
An RFID administration server can provide administration and monitoring for the multiple RFID edge servers. An RFID Management console can allow a user to administer the multiple RFID edge servers. |
| US07904545B2 |
System and method for collaborative analysis of data streams
Embodiments of the present invention combine the flexibility of the computer in segmenting, indexing, and retrieving data with the strengths of people in analyzing scenes. They provide a mechanism that allows a group of analyzers at distributed locations to collaborate in generating pieces of semantic information of a data stream, integrates these pieces into a summary representation that can be used for subsequent computation, and allows related hypotheses and information requests to be presented back to the analyzers. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims. |
| US07904543B2 |
Dynamically generating custom reports using self-defining report events
A reporting system comprises a plurality of reporting modules and a reporting server. Each reporting module comprises an executable data gatherer and an executable registration portion that dynamically registers the reporting module with the reporting server. The reporting server generates reports by invoking the data gatherers associated with registered reporting modules. The data gatherers generate self-describing report documents that contain data description information in addition to the report data. The reporting server encapsulates the report documents within events and stores the events in an event log along with other types of events related to the computing system. A user interface displays the report data using data description information contained in the report documents. |
| US07904541B2 |
Global traffic management system using IP anycast routing and dynamic load-balancing
A method and apparatus for serving content requests using global and local load balancing techniques is provided. Web site content is cached using two or more point of presences (POPs), wherein each POP has at least one DNS server. Each DNS server is associated with the same anycast IP address. A domain name resolution request is transmitted to the POP in closest network proximity for resolution based on the anycast IP address. Once the domain name resolution request is received at a particular POP, local load balancing techniques are performed to dynamically select the appropriate Web server at the POP for use in resolving the domain name resolution request. Approaches are described for handling bursts of traffic at a particular POP, security, and recovering from the failure of various components of the system. |
| US07904540B2 |
System and method for deploying virtual machines in a computing environment
A system and method for planning placement of virtual machines VMs in a computing environment comprising a set of hosting machines HM. The method includes constructing a bipartite directed graph-based model that represents both a current and a target placement states, both including virtual machine nodes v in VM and nodes h in HM. Using a technique of graph pruning, the method iteratively generates a plan for achieving a desired target placement starting from the current placement without temporarily violating any policy or resource constraint. The application of the pruning algorithm to VM deployment automation necessarily defines a new model. The methodology employed safely manages concurrent changes in a datacenter, so that the environment can adjust faster to changing constraints. Furthermore, the present invention allows detection of migration cycles, caused by deadlocked combinations of capacity and policy constraints, and resolving them. |
| US07904539B2 |
System and method for servicing inquiry commands about target devices in storage area network
Inquiry data received from sequential target devices is stored in a cache memory. In one embodiment, the cache memory is coupled to a router. In one embodiment, when the router receives from a host an inquiry command about a target, the router first checks to see if the inquiry command can be serviced from the cache. If so, the inquiry data about the target is retrieved from the cache and returned to the host. If not, the router checks to see if the target is busy. If not busy, the router routes the inquiry command to the target and stores the inquiry data returned by the target in the cache. If the target is busy, the router places the inquiry command in a queue. When the target becomes available, the router forwards the inquiry command to the target for processing, thereby keeping the inquiry command from timing out. |
| US07904533B1 |
Integrated network and customer database
A system having an integrated network and customer database is provided. The system retrieves router configurations to create the integrated database, which includes port data for each port on each router in each network. The system may determine the impact of proposed actions on routers. The system may process network events to display the status, port data, and customer data for each port. The system may respond to user input by polling a router and displaying the real time status, port data, and customer data for each port on the router. |
| US07904532B2 |
Methods and apparatus for selecting an insurance carrier for an online insurance policy purchase
Methods and apparatus for selecting an insurance carrier for an online insurance policy purchase are disclosed. A user at a client device, such as a personal computer connected to the Internet, receives a plurality of business insurance quotes with minimal data input requirements. A plurality of insurance carriers are narrowed down to a few relevant insurance carriers based on geographic location, type of business, desired insurance products, responses to a small number of “kill” questions, and a customized insurance application which is dynamically generated in response to previous answers. |
| US07904530B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically incorporating hypothetical context information into recommendation queries
A system facilitates automatically determining the hypothetical context information or the distribution of hypothetical contexts. During operation, the system receives a request from a user for one or more recommendations. The system also receives a current context substantially associated with the request. The system then determines a hypothetical context for the request, wherein the hypothetical context may be determined by considering several sources of information, including but not limited to the current context, past contexts, and relationships between the current context and past contexts. Next, the system determines one or more recommendations for the user based on the hypothetical context. Finally, the system returns the one or more recommendations to the user. |
| US07904529B2 |
Method and system for transmitting and recording synchronized data streams
System for transmitting one or more presentation data streams from a presentation workstation. In response to receiving an input to open a presentation application, operating parameters are obtained for a presentation to provide presentation operating parameters for the presentation. One or more selected presentation data streams are captured based on the obtained presentation operating parameters. Then, the one or more captured presentation data streams are transmitted based on the obtained presentation operating parameters directly from the presentation workstation to one or more viewing devices via a network without utilizing an intervening server. |
| US07904525B2 |
Displaying or hiding folders in an e-mail client based on user defined timings
Techniques for managing electronic mail. Folder rules for associating electronic mail messages with folders are received. The folders are managed by an electronic mail client and stored in a computer usable memory. Electronic mail messages are also received. Each of the electronic mail messages is associated with at least one of the folders according to the folder rules. Furthermore, a visibility condition is received. The visibility condition specifies when a specified folder is visible in a user interface of the electronic mail client. A processor causes the specified folder not to be visible in the user interface when the visibility condition is not satisfied. A visibility condition may instead specify when a specified folder is not visible in the user interface. In this case, the specified folder is caused not to be visible in the user interface when the visibility condition is satisfied. |
| US07904521B2 |
Method for transferring chat messages by establishing chat room data transfer channel
Provided is a method for transferring messages by establishing a chat room data transfer channel, applicable to an instant message (IM) chat room system based on Session Initiated Protocol (SIP)/Instant Message and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE). The method includes the steps of: establishing a first data transfer channel after a negotiation process between the chat room server and an IM server associated with a client, establishing a second data transfer channel after another negotiation process between the IM server and the corresponding client, and transmitting the messages between the client and the chat room server through the first data transfer channel and the second data transfer channel. The method may support a user to join in the chat room and to transmit messages to other users. |
| US07904519B2 |
Method for switching between embedded communications and external communications
The invention includes a method for processing messages at a component. One method includes receiving a message formed according to an embedded protocol or an external protocol, processing a portion of the received message for identifying the protocol used to form the message, and processing the received message using the identified protocol. The portion of the received message is formed using a comparison between at least one characteristic associated with the embedded protocol and at least one characteristic associated with the external protocol. Another method includes receiving, at a first type-one component, a message from one of a second type-one component or a type-two component, processing a portion of the message for identifying a protocol adapted for processing the received message, and processing the received message using the identified protocol. |
| US07904513B2 |
Client apparatus, server apparatus, server-based computing system, and program
A client apparatus which transmits a service request to a server apparatus via a network, the server apparatus generating screen information to be displayed on a virtual screen, the screen information including display data and coordinate data corresponding to the service request, the client apparatus comprises an extraction unit configured to extract screen information corresponding to a designated area, which is a partial area of the virtual screen, from the screen information generated by the server apparatus, and a display unit configured to constantly display the screen information extracted by the extraction unit on a constant display area, which is a partial area of a client screen. |
| US07904511B2 |
Personal contact network
A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity's attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant. |
| US07904510B2 |
Systems and methods for managing discussion threads based on ratings
System and method for removing threads from discussion groups based on ratings of the individual posts within the thread. If a user takes the time to rate a post positively, then the post (and the thread) is considered to be useful to the entire community and should not be deleted. To rate the post, a window is displayed to the user whenever the post is open and queries the user whether the post is useful. A positive rating resets a delete date associated with the post. If there is not positive rating of a post, the thread may be considered useful if the originator of a post marks the post as being answered, in which case delete clock is reset. If however, none of the posts within the thread are rated positively, then the thread is considered not be useful and deleted. |
| US07904509B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for providing communications services
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing communications services. A request for data is processed, and a data stream is received to fulfill the request. A determination is made that a subcontracted processing service is required. At least a portion of the data stream is subcontracted to a different service provider to receive the subcontracted processing service. A result of the subcontracted processing service is received. |
| US07904506B2 |
Context information management system
The context information management system enables the management of context information while maintaining the security of user information. It includes a user domain management server that manages a list of domains in which users have an account, and a one-time account management server that manages temporarily issued one-time accounts for a user's account. For an account information notifying request from a client, it notifies an account group ID corresponding to the user ID, and a one-time account issued for the account group ID to the client, thereby enabling the management of the user's account and context information while hiding the user ID. |
| US07904502B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing document requests at a server
According to one embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes a network, a server and a browser client coupled to the network. The browser client is operable to receive server documents from the server via the network. The system also includes a printer coupled to the network. The printer is operable to retrieve server documents to be printed from the server upon receiving a command from the browser client. In another embodiment, the browser is a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) coupled to the network. The PDA is operable to receive server documents from the server via the network. In this embodiment, the printer is adaptable to retrieve server documents to be printed from the server upon receiving a command from the PDA. |
| US07904500B1 |
Advertising in chat system without topic-specific rooms
A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes identifying and sending advertisements to respective users based on the respective selection and filtering criteria selected by the respective users. |
| US07904498B2 |
Modular multiplication processing apparatus
A modular multiplication processing apparatus is provided that can process modular multiplication of data exceeding a bit length which a coprocessor can process, by using the coprocessor based upon Montgomery multiplication In the modular multiplication processing apparatus, data to be subjected to modular multiplication is decomposed, and the decomposed data elements are transformed into a form suitable for Montgomery multiplication, respectively. Further, after respective data elements are transformed to have sizes that can be inputted into a coprocessor, Montgomery multiplication is repeatedly performed in the coprocessor. A remainder of Montgomery multiplication of an original bit length is restored from the obtained remainder. |
| US07904496B2 |
Method and system for selecting effective tap values for a digital filter
Systems and methods are provided for determining effective tap values for a digital filter. A first plurality of vectors is generated, wherein each of the first plurality of vectors represents a set of tap values for the filter at a first resolution. A best vector is selected from the first plurality of vectors according to a first performance metric. A second plurality of vectors is generated within a threshold distance of the selected best vector, wherein each of the second plurality of vectors represents a set of tap values for the filter at a second resolution that is superior to the first resolution. A best vector is selected from the second plurality of vectors according to a second performance metric. |
| US07904494B2 |
Random number generator with random sampling
In a random number generator, a first converter converts a first analog noise signal into a random digital clock signal and a second converter samples a second analog noise signal asynchronous to the first analog noise signal in response to the random digital clock signal and generates a random digital number stream. In one aspect, a random number generator output block samples the second converter random digital number stream in response to the random digital clock signal and generates a random number generator block output. In another aspect a pseudo noise source state machine generates the random digital clock signal in response to a first seed generated from the first analog noise signal, a second seed from process variation digital amplifier, and a past machine state. |
| US07904493B2 |
Method and system for object age detection in garbage collection heaps
A system and method are provided for object age detection in garbage collection heaps. In one embodiment, ages of objects in a garbage collection heap at a first virtual machine at a server are determined by detecting a number of garbage collections each object has survived. An age is associated to each object according to the determined ages. The objects are grouped in age ranges, wherein the age ranges correspond to the determined ages. The age ranges are communicated to a second virtual machine at a client. |
| US07904491B2 |
Data mapping and import system
A computer-implemented method related to a data mapping and import system is disclosed. A source file including a plurality of data records may be received, each data record comprising a sequence of data segments associated with source data. A target data structure comprising a plurality of target fields to which to import the source data of the source file may be identified. A mapping format comprising associations between each of the data segments for the plurality of data records and a target field of the plurality of target fields. And the source data from each of the data segments of each of the plurality of data records may be imported into the target field associated with each data segment based on the mapping format. |
| US07904486B2 |
Method of indexing entities
An index to a plurality of entities is built, where each entity is represented by a point defined in a space. Entities whose points are furthest apart are identified. A first area is created, the extremities of which first area are given by the points representing the identified entities. Entities falling within the first area are assigned to a storage area corresponding to the first area. The first area is divided into a plurality of second areas. For each of the plurality of second areas, a. each of the plurality of second areas is linked to the first area, and, b. the above steps are repeated until the first area includes a single point. Storage areas corresponding to each of the first area are then written to the index. |
| US07904485B2 |
Graphical representation of assets stored on a portable media device
A user interfaces can deliver enhanced information regarding media assets stored on a portable media device. A graphical user interface for database browsing and navigation can include a list of values of a metadata item and a graphical representation of the distribution of media assets across the values on the list, such as a pie chart where the size of different wedges reflects the fraction of media assets having a particular value. As a user browses a list, the graphical representation can be modified to emphasize the correspondence between different graphical elements and different entries on the list. |
| US07904484B2 |
Incremental packaging
A project directory structure of an application or service is mapped to a package directory structure. A package is built for the application or service by copying files from the project directory structure to the package directory structure in accordance with the mapping. An event trigger is detected, wherein the event trigger is one of a new file, a modified file, or a deleted file in the project directory structure. An updated package is built for the application or service by performing an appropriate one of copying the new file to the package directory structure, replacing an existing file in the package directory structure with the modified file, or deleting a file in the package directory structure that corresponds to the deleted file in the project directory structure. |
| US07904482B2 |
System and method for transparently accessing a virtual disk using a file-based protocol
A system and method enabling transparent access to blocks, such as virtual disks, stored on a storage system using a file-based protocol. The system and method traps in-coming file-based protocol open commands to check for a predetermined modification to the file name. If the system and method detects the predetermined modification, then the virtual disk associated with the file name is exported to the client issuing the open command and the client receives a response from the storage system. The client, in response to receiving the response to the open command, creates a new device instantiation for reading and writing raw data to the virtual disk. |
| US07904480B2 |
System and method for synchronizing service metadata
A system and method for synchronizing service metadata into a format for canonical representation of service metadata and publishing the synchronized service metadata into a metadata repository. The method comprises: receiving service metadata from a service producer; normalizing the service metadata into the format for canonical representation of service metadata; and publishing normalized service metadata into a metadata repository that supports the format for canonical representation of service metadata. The system comprises: at least one connector for each service producer, wherein the connector permits a synchronization system to communicate bi-directionally with the service producer; one normalizer for each service producer, wherein the normalizer transforms the service metadata into a format for the canonical representation of service metadata; and at least one provider for each service producer, wherein the provider publishes the canonical representation of service metadata into a metadata repository. |
| US07904478B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying data models and data-model instances
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and techniques for displaying data models and data-model instances. During operation, the system can use a model graph to represent the data model and an instance graph to represent the data-model instance. In the graph representation, a vertex can represent an entity or an entity instance, and an edge can represent a relationship or a relationship instance. The system can display the model graph and the instance graph, either separately or concurrently, thereby enabling the user to visually explore the data model and the data-model instance by exploring the associated graphs. The system can display paths in the graphs to the user, thereby enabling the user to visually explore how entities and entity instances are related to one another. The system can also enable a user to search for entities and relationships using various criteria. |
| US07904475B2 |
Virtualized data storage vaults on a dispersed data storage network
A system, method, and apparatus for implementing a plurality of dispersed data storage networks using a set of slice servers are disclosed. A plurality of information records are maintained, with each information record corresponding to a dispersed data storage network. The information record maintains what slice servers are used to implement the dispersed data storage network, as well as other information needed to administer a DDSN, such as the information dispersal algorithm used, how data is stored, and whether data is compressed or encrypted. |
| US07904472B1 |
Scanning application binaries to identify database queries
Binary files of one or more applications are scanned to identify database command templates contained therein, wherein each DB command template comprises a sequence of elements including one or more input markers. Once the DB command templates are identified, they are copied to a memory. While in the memory, the command templates can be used to identify abnormal DB commands. In one embodiment of a method, a first template is generated in response to receiving a first DB command from a computer system, wherein the first DB command comprises a sequence of elements including one or more user input values. The first template can be generated by replacing all user input values in the received first DB command with input markers. Thereafter the first template is compared to one or more of the DB command templates copied to the memory. |
| US07904467B2 |
Shortcut enabled, context aware information management
A context aware, shortcut enabled system of presenting information through a user interface, implementing memory prostheses and context-oriented changes in meanings of shortcuts. Embodiments include selecting a context, receiving a shortcut entered through the user interface, the shortcut having a associated with it a shortcut field name set comprising one or more shortcut field names, and associating at least one context value to the context. Embodiments also include inferring, in dependence upon the context, a context table name and a context field name for a query, creating the query, selecting records from an information database by use of the query, whereby selected records are selected, and downloading the selected records to the client device for display. |
| US07904460B2 |
Determining computer information from processor properties
Described is a technology by which directly ascertainable properties of a processor are collected, and used as a key to access other information about the processor, such as age-related information maintained in a separate lookup table. If a matching entry is not found, the property information may be added to an unknown list and/or used to dynamically update the lookup table. A data structure such as a record comprises a set of fields including fields containing data representative of properties of a processor, a key value determined from the data in at least some of the fields and an identifier that identifies the processor relative to other processors of other computing devices. The fields may include manufacturer data, brand identifier data, cache information, normalized processor speed data, mobile chip information and/or CPU model data. |
| US07904457B2 |
Semantic correlation for flow analysis in messaging systems
Improved techniques for flow analysis in messaging systems are disclosed. For example, a method for finding correlations between messages of a system based on content includes the following steps. For one or more executions of the system, obtaining the messages of the system, wherein each message has a schema associated therewith. The messages are categorized into groups, wherein each group has a common schema. Pairs of messages from disparate groups are found wherein, for the messages of a pair, there is a feature in common in their contents. |
| US07904454B2 |
Database access security
Apparatus for protection of database objects from unwanted access, particularly from external connections via a firewall (20). The apparatus comprises a data packet parsing unit (54) for parsing a data packet to find database operation commands in the packet, and an enforcement unit (56) for applying enforcement rules to the data packet, thereby to protect respective database objects. The apparatus may form an additional layer (50, 52) of protection in conjunction with a firewall (20) to protect internal data. |
| US07904453B2 |
Apparatus and method for analyzing patent claim validity
A computer system, method, and storage medium with embedded code automate analysis of validity of patent document claims. In embodiments, the computer system receives an identifier of the patent document and a claim, retrieves text of the patent document, parses the text to identify contextually important key terms of the claim, and then formulates one or more queries that include key terms and a priority date relating to the patent document. The system launches the queries and receives search results. From the results, anticipatory candidate members and obviousness candidate members are determined. If the total number of the members is excessive, the queries are reformulated more restrictively, and the search repeated. The system determines contextual relevance of the members and arranges the members in order of their relevance. |
| US07904451B2 |
Rhetorical content management with tone and audience profiles
A content management system including an audience profile is disclosed. The content management system includes a database having a plurality of records. At least one record of the plurality of records includes a plurality of fields storing a plurality of grammatical syntax elements associated with a content subject. Each of the plurality of grammatical syntax elements has a rhetorical structure to facilitate selective assembly into at least one sentence. The content management system also includes an audience profile stored in a memory, the audience profile including a plurality of audience factors related to desired presentation of the content subject. |
| US07904450B2 |
Public electronic document dating list
Systems and methods are disclosed which enable the establishment of file dates and the absence of tampering, even for documents held in secrecy and those stored in uncontrolled environments, but which does not require trusting a timestamping authority or document archival service. A trusted timestamping authority (TTSA) may be used, but even if the TTSA loses credibility or a challenger refuses to acknowledge the validity of a timestamp, a date for an electronic document may still be established. Systems and methods are disclosed which enable detection of file duplication in large collections of documents, which can improve searching for documents within the large collection. |
| US07904449B2 |
Content searching apparatus
A content searching apparatus facilitating a search of a content, which a user desires, even where relativity between a content and a keyword change, wherein the content searching apparatus includes: a content table storing unit storing content tables; an input unit obtaining a keyword, which has been selected as a selected keyword; a relevant keyword creating unit (i) calculating a relevance degree, for each of keywords, to the selected keyword, based on a target content table, (ii) selecting a keyword having a predetermined relevance degree out of each of the keywords, and (iii) creating a relevant keyword out of the corresponding keywords; and a variance calculating unit calculating a variance value of selected keywords including the keyword, when the user is confused. Further, the content searching apparatus includes a content table selecting unit changing the above mentioned target content table to another content table, when the variance value is larger than a threshold value. |
| US07904448B2 |
Incremental update of long-term and short-term user profile scores in a behavioral targeting system
A behavioral targeting system determines user profiles from online activity. The system includes a plurality of models that define parameters for determining a user profile score. Event information, which comprises on-line activity of the user, is received at an entity. To generate a user profile score, a model is selected. The model comprises recency, intensity and frequency dimension parameters. The behavioral targeting system generates a user profile score for a target objective, such as brand advertising or direct response advertising. The parameters from the model are applied to generate the user profile score in a category. The behavioral targeting system has application for use in ad serving to on-line users. |
| US07904447B1 |
Method and system for directing local data access from a remote system
The invention relates to a method for directing data access in a local system. The method includes steps of obtaining sharing metadata from the local system by a remote application, wherein the sharing metadata comprises local access path information for accessing a shared data resource associated with the local system, generating, by the remote application, a local access path for the shared data resource from the local access path information, requesting, by the remote application, that a data access application on the local system perform a data operation on the shared data resource, wherein the remote application provides the local access path to the data access application, and receiving the result of the data operation from the data access application, wherein the data access application performs the data operation on the shared data resource using the local access path. |
| US07904445B2 |
Displaying concept-based search results
Methods and systems of the present invention allow for displaying suggested concept-based results. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of receiving search terms, determining from ontological calculations suggested search results related to the concept of the search terms and displaying the suggested search results. |
| US07904444B1 |
Method and system for performing queries on data streams
A method and system for performing a data stream query. A data stream query requiring a join operation on multiple data streams is approximated without performing the join operation. It is determined whether conditions of the query are proper to accurately approximate the join operation, and if the conditions are proper the join operation is approximated. The join operation is approximated by independently aggregating values of the data streams and comparing the independently aggregated values. |
| US07904443B2 |
Computer-based method of measuring the usability of a web site
Computer-based method of detecting the guidance performance of an information driven web site for a user seeking a desired content, wherein a transition value is assigned to each click based on the effectiveness and efficiency of transition between web pages of such web site, and an indicator value is determined by combining these values into a metric, which reflects guidance performance of such web site. |
| US07904440B2 |
Search diagnostics based upon query sets
The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate monitoring of data collections and related data retrieval systems as well as generating recommendations for enhancing performance and utility of such systems. In aspects, the systems and methods described herein evaluate data retrieval performance by identifying unsuccessful search queries and mapping such queries to appropriate content in a data collection. To facilitate such evaluation, similar queries can be grouped and treated as equivalent. Similarity of queries can be determined based upon search terms. For example, queries whose search terms only vary syntactically can be combined in a group. Such groups can include search information related to multiple users, increasing reliability of recommendations based upon such groups. In further aspects, recommendations for adding content can be generated in conjunction with any mapping recommendations. |
| US07904437B2 |
Managing an archived file system
A determination is made that an archive that includes at least one file is present in association with an operating system file system. An additional file system is generated for accessing the archives. The generated additional file system is included in the operating system file system. An application is allowed to access the at least one file via the generated additional file system. |
| US07904431B1 |
Method and system for automated request modelling
A method and a system for automated request modelling from a plurality of inputs, imports, interactive sessions, and requirements are provided that rely on various interfaces to both receive the user and other input data and store it. In one instance, the system and models can compares, test, simulate, sort, and analyse incoming data and the processes built with those data, and can execute request models by simulation. |
| US07904428B2 |
Methods and apparatus for recording write requests directed to a data store
A storage management device records write requests that are directed to a data store. In one embodiment, the storage management device records a plurality of write request entries, each one of which includes information relating to a write request, in at least one first database table, and maintains, for each first database table, at least one record in a second database table. The one or more records in the second database table include data representing the effects of the write requests on a state of at least one portion of the data store. In one such embodiment, each time that one write request entry is recorded in one first database table, the storage management device updates at least one record in the second database table. |
| US07904426B2 |
System and method for identifying a removable storage device
The identification information about unnecessary files is registered to generate an unnecessary-file database. The identification information about files stored on a plurality of storage devices connected to a host computer is acquired to judge with the unnecessary-file database whether the identification information about files conforms to unnecessary-file conditions. Files nonconforming to the unnecessary-file conditions are checked to determine whether they are already migrated to a different storage device. If all the files stored on a storage device conform to the unnecessary-file conditions or are already migrated to a different storage device, the identification information about the former storage device is displayed to indicate that the storage device can be removed. |
| US07904423B2 |
Distributed storage system with web services client interface
A distributed, web-services based storage system. A system may include a web services interface configured to receive, according to a web services protocol, a given client request for access to a given data object, the request including a key value corresponding to the object. The system may also include storage nodes configured to store replicas of the objects, where each replica is accessible via a respective unique locator value, and a keymap instance configured to store a respective keymap entry for each object. For the given object, the respective keymap entry includes the key value and each locator value corresponding to replicas of the object. A coordinator may receive the given client request from the web services interface, responsively access the keymap instance to identify locator values corresponding to the key value and, for a particular locator value, retrieve a corresponding replica from a corresponding storage node. |
| US07904422B2 |
System for deploying data from deployment-source device to deployment-destination device
An identifier generation unit generates first identifiers corresponding to a plurality of first fragmentary data, into which first data that is stored in a database is divided. A database stores the first data and the first identifiers. The identifier generation unit generates, when the first data is updated to second data, second identifiers corresponding to a plurality of second fragmentary data into which the second data is divided. A deployment control unit determines whether the first identifiers are identical to the second identifiers which correspond to the first identifiers. The deployment control unit writes in the database the second fragmentary data corresponding to the second identifiers and the second identifiers when it is determined that the first identifiers are not identical to the second identifiers which correspond to the first identifiers. |
| US07904421B2 |
Transparent virtual machine for mobile applications
The inclusion of metadata within an application description file allows a virtual machine to create an application descriptor file that may be registered with the mobile device operating system so that an icon associated with the application description file may be displayed in the main ribbon. Execution of an application defined by the application definition file may then be initiated by the selection, by the user, of the icon that is associated with the application definition file. This improves over the situation wherein execution of the application defined by the application definition file would require a selection of the runtime environment for the application and then the selection of the application. |
| US07904420B2 |
Identification and verification of common cluster files residing on nodes in a cluster
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure, common cluster files residing on nodes in a cluster may be managed by compiling a first list of all files stored on all nodes of the cluster, compiling a second list indicative of unique files and the number of nodes on which each unique file is stored from the first list, determining, from the second list, unique files which are not stored on all nodes, determining, from the second list, which files are required by all nodes, and determining, from the first list and the second list, which files must be added to each node. |
| US07904419B1 |
Managing allocation of temporary and permanent files in a database system
A database system includes a plurality of access modules and corresponding persistent storage devices each having a pool of storage elements that can be allocated to store permanent files and temporary files. Each access module is associated with a non-persistent file management context and each storage device contains a persistent file management context. The persistent file management context indicates allocation of permanent files, while the non-persistent file management context indicates the allocation of both permanent and temporary files. |
| US07904418B2 |
On-demand incremental update of data structures using edit list
An edit list including a collection of change descriptions and definitions for a primary data structure is used for on-demand, incremental updating of associated auxiliary data structures. Edits performed on the primary data structure are recorded in the edit list with a version stamp, along with definitions of the changes and any other pertinent data. Each auxiliary data structure maintains its own version stamp that identifies when the auxiliary data structure was last synchronized with the primary data structure. When an auxiliary data structure needs to be updated, the edit list is retrieved and change descriptions scanned to find one with the matching version stamp. All change descriptions logged since that one are incorporated into the auxiliary data structure. The specific contents of each change description enable the auxiliary data structure to be incrementally updated as each change description is processed individually. |
| US07904412B2 |
Message passing in a hierarchical temporal memory based system
A hierarchy of computing modules is configured to learn a cause of input data sensed over space and time, and is further configured to determine a cause of novel sensed input data dependent on the learned cause. Further, the hierarchy has a first level of computing modules and a second level of at least one computing module, where at least one of the computing modules in the first level operates on a first server, and where the at least one computing module in the second level operates on a second server. The hierarchy also includes a message manager module configured to relay information between the first server and the second server. |
| US07904409B2 |
System and method for global load balancing of requests for content based on membership status of a user with one or more subscription services
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for directing a user request for content over a network to a given content server on the basis of one or more rules. The method of the present invention comprises receiving a request for content form a user, the request for content including a profile of the user identifying one or more characteristics associated with the user. One or more rules are retrieved for identifying a content server to which a request for content is to be delivered, the one or more rules including at least one of business rules, network rules, and user profile rules, the one or more business rules includes one or more rules for determining a content server to which the request for content is to be delivered based on membership status of the user with respect to one or more subscription services. |
| US07904408B2 |
Method and system for monitoring innovation activity
A computer based method for monitoring innovation activity including: accumulating first metadata associated with a first plurality of intellectual knowledge files; extracting a first plurality of patterns from the first plurality of intellectual knowledge files; creating a first plurality of concept spaces, using rules-based processing, the first metadata, and the first patterns; grouping, using rules-based processing, the first metadata, and the first plurality of patterns, the first plurality of intellectual knowledge files into first respective concept spaces in the first plurality of concept spaces; and generating a report, the report correlating the first plurality of intellectual knowledge files and the first respective concept spaces. The steps of accumulating, extracting, creating, grouping, and generating are performed by a general-purpose computer specially programmed to perform the steps of accumulating, extracting, creating, grouping, and generating. |
| US07904405B2 |
System and method for managing outcome information based on URI data wherein knowledge is extended by using an inference rule for an inference service based on the Semantic Web
A system for managing outcome information based on URI comprises an outcome information managing unit that registers and manages outcome information; a URI managing unit that is connected to the outcome information managing unit and imparts a URI to the outcome information through a URI server so as to manage the outcome information; and a knowledge extending unit that is connected to the outcome information managing unit and the URI managing unit and extends knowledge by using an inference rule for an inference service based on the Semantic Web. |
| US07904404B2 |
Movement of an agent that utilizes as-needed canonical rules
Various embodiments enable an agent that utilizes a first, as-needed canonical rule set in a first execution environment to be moved to a second execution environment where the agent utilizes a second, as-needed canonical rule set. |
| US07904401B2 |
Scaleable ontology reasoning to explain inferences made by a tableau reasoner
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for scalable ontology reasoning. A method of generating a summarized ontology includes loading an ontology from a store, eliminating relationships in the ontology, the eliminating relationships including an insertion of new relationships that simplify the ontology, eliminating individuals in the ontology, the eliminating individuals including insertion of new individuals to simplify the ontology, eliminating concepts in the ontology including insertion of new concepts to simplify the ontology, and generating the summarized ontology from the eliminating relationships, eliminating individuals and eliminating concepts. |
| US07904394B2 |
Documenting mail work flow
Exemplary systems and methods for documenting mail work flows are provided. A mailing label is read and the label information stored in a database. Additional information about the mailing service may be added to the database. Billing and/or delivery information is added to the database. A mailing label is read at a postage machine and postage information including a rate is associated to the mailing label. The label information from the mailing label and the associated postage information are compared so that records having matching information can be reported together for billing of the mailing services. The records are updatable as well to provide for article tracking. |
| US07904392B2 |
Content usage rule management system
A content user terminal including a utilization unit that provides a content utilization, and an interface unit 137 that inquires the content utilization availability to the portable content usage rule management device via a wireless communication and obtains a content utilization permission data which is a inquiry result via a wireless communication. The utilization unit provides the content utilization based on the obtained content utilization permission data. The portable content usage rule management device includes a copyright data storage management unit that stores and manages the content usage rule, an interface unit that receives the inquiry result of the content utilization availability from the content user terminal via a wireless communication, and a copyright data processing is unit that responds to the received inquiry result, judges the content utilization availability based on the stored content usage rule and creates a content utilization permission data based on the judge result. The interface unit sends the created content utilization permission data to the content user terminal via a wireless communication. |
| US07904387B2 |
Method and system for facilitating purchase transactions across a network
A local computer system that provides and records information to facilitate a purchase transaction across a network operates by first receiving a request for billing information relating to a purchase transaction from a remote computer system. The local system then retrieves the billing information from its local store, and sends the billing information to the remote system. After the remote system completes the purchase transaction, the local system receives a confirmation from the remote system. The local system then records this confirmation in its local store, which enables a user of the local system to subsequently look up the confirmation information based on a purchase transaction identifier. Before the local system retrieves and sends the billing information, a user of the local system is asked to confirm if the billing information can be released to the remote system. |
| US07904380B2 |
System and method for dynamically regulating order entry in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for trading a trading strategy defined for at least one tradeable object in an electronic trading environment. More specifically, one example method includes using a first pay-up tick value to determine a first acceptable price level for an order associated with the trading strategy, automatically modifying the first pay-up tick to a second pay-up tick value in response to detecting a predefined condition, and using the second pay-up tick value to determine a second acceptable price level for the order associated with the trading strategy. |
| US07904377B2 |
System for settling over the counter trades
A system for automatically determining a trade settlement pathway comprising: receiving trade pathway preferences from a first and second party with respect to each other; wherein the trade is settled through clearing if both parties have available accounts with a clearing firm and the trade satisfies each party's clearing account credit limitations; and wherein the trade is settled bilaterally if at least one party does not have an available clearing account or both parties prefer to settle the trade bilaterally, and the trade satisfies each party's bilateral credit limitations. |
| US07904376B2 |
Rich graphical control interface for algorithmic trading engine
A graphical user interface is used along with an automated algorithm selection function to enable market participants to initiate automated, multi-algorithm trading strategies through a single drag and drop motion. A symbol representing a security can be dragged and dropped onto an icon representing a tactical or strategic algorithm. Other features of the graphical user interface show information such as the progress of the algorithms. |
| US07904375B1 |
Method of registering multiple financial products with a single prospectus
A method of registering a note with a governmental authority including filing a prospectus supplement including detailed descriptions of a plurality of asset classes and a plurality of transaction structures and incorporating by reference a base prospectus, wherein the base prospectus includes an identification of one or more types of securities available from an issuer of the note and characteristics of the issuer. |
| US07904371B2 |
Method and system for initiating pairs trading across multiple markets having automatic foreign exchange price hedge
Methods and systems for initiating trading, and more particularly, to pairs trading across multiple exchanges by allowing a trader to monitor, trade, and hedge related securities that span across various markets. In certain embodiments of the invention, one or more processors are configured to receive spread parameters pertaining to a relationship between two or more securities in one or more markets, receive and process market data relating to the two or more securities, determine whether the market data falls within the spread parameters, initiate a first order for a first security in the spread in a foreign currency, when the market data falls within the spread parameters, initiate a second order for a second security in the spread, when the market data falls within the spread parameters, whereby the second order is in conjunction with the first order at a selected ratio to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in the first security, and initiate an FX Order to offset foreign exchange exposure resulting from the first order. |
| US07904369B1 |
User interface, system and method for performing a web-based transaction
The invention relates to a user interface including an input environment adapted to user inputting of search criteria, the search criteria defining a search for at least one entity and the input environment being adapted to user inputting of an order. The user interface further includes a search engine adapted to performing a search on at least two different web-based data sources, means for presenting the search result to the user, and a business transaction engine for initialization of a business transaction based on at least one user input of an order. The user interface features a web-based “search, find, buy” methodology. Hence, the user may specify the desired entity by means of the user-interface, and subsequently be presented with the found entities matching the established search criteria, and then perform a business transaction by applying the same user interface. |
| US07904368B2 |
Portfolio confirmation and certification platform
A system and method for confirmation of hedge fund information, comprising performing an asset/liability confirmation by comparing corroborating data received from a third party independent of the hedge fund to a list of hedge fund assets/liabilities to identify third party confirmed assets/liabilities that correspond to the corroborating data. A price input confirmation is performed to identify a fund-provided value of an asset/liability as a confirmed value when it substantially corresponds a third party value of each asset/liability. Assigning a unique identifier to a confirmation instance and associated the unique identifier to a report identifying the proportion of the fund's NAV attributable to the total value of third party confirmed assets/liabilities and attributable to the total confirmed value of assets/liabilities. A second report identifying generated risk and/or performance data includes the unique identifier to certify that the asset/liability and price input confirmations have been performed. |
| US07904367B2 |
Credit portfolio benchmarking system and method
A portfolio benchmarking system comprises a repository of trade data, a repository of consumer data, a build computer, and a benchmarking query application. The repository of trade data comprises a plurality of data items regarding trade lines. The repository of consumer data comprises a plurality of data items regarding consumers, wherein at least some information in the consumer data is not in the trade data and at least some information in the trade data is not in the consumer data. The build computer periodically generates at least one data file comprising a plurality of data items, each data item combining information from the trade data and the consumer data, such that searches can be performed on the combined data without joining trade data and consumer data at query run time. The benchmarking query application executes queries on the data file generated by the build computer. |
| US07904363B2 |
Database for financial market data storage and retrieval
A multi-session write-once computer tick database operable to store financial market data or “tick data.” The tick database stores market information regarding discrete market transactions in individual ticks. For example, information related to stock trades, and quotes may be stored in the database. The individual ticks vary in length dependent on the information available regarding the particular transaction. Null values are not stored in the database. Various field identifiers may be stored in the tick to identify the various metrics or parameters relevant to the transaction that are also stored in the tick. In various embodiments, one metric or parameter is associated with each field identifier. Different transactions may have different number of field identifiers stored within the tick, accordingly, different ticks may differ in length. The information stored within the ticks may be subsequently retrieved. When market data is retrieved using the embedded three-part hierarchal key structure, it may be stored in a cache associated with the tick database. The stored market data may be retrieved from the cache during subsequent requests. |
| US07904362B1 |
Systems and methods for implementing a financial plan with regard to expenses
A person has expenses to be paid according to a financial plan which identifies liquidating procedures for liquidating investments to generate funds for the person, where the funds are for paying the expenses. To implement the financial plan for the person, the financial plan is received at a plan defining module which produces based thereon a formatted list of sequentially applied liquidation rules. A plan implementation module is actuated upon a triggering event, after which the formatted list of rules is received at the actuated plan implementation module. The actuated plan implementation module applies the received list of rules to liquidate investments of the person and thereby generate the funds for the person. |
| US07904360B2 |
System and method for verification, authentication, and notification of a transaction
A system and method for verifying, authenticating, and providing notification of a transaction, such as a commercial or financial transaction, with and/or to at least one party identified as engaging in the transaction and/or identified as having a potential interest in the transaction. A central system accepts information regarding a transaction, including information about at least one party identified as engaging in the transaction, such as by a credit account number or Social Security number or merchant account number, and/or identified as having a potential interest in the transaction. Based on the information regarding the transaction and any supplemental information the central system determines, the central system communicates with and/or to at least one party and/or additional or alternative parties, via at least one communications device or system having a communications address, such as a telephone number or Short Message Service address, predetermined as belonging to the at least one party and/or additional or alternative parties. Via said communications, at least one party identified as engaging in, or having an interest or a potential interest in, the transaction may be notified of it, and may further be enabled or required to supply additional verifying or authenticating information to the central system. |
| US07904359B1 |
Providing accounting services for a communication network
Providing accounting services for a communication device includes receiving at a support node a context request to create a communication context for the communication device. An accounting request is sent to an accounting server, where the accounting request initiates accounting for the communication device. The support node waits for an accounting response from the accounting server, where the accounting response indicates that the accounting server is operational. The communication context is created for the communication device only if the accounting response is received from the accounting server. |
| US07904358B2 |
Computerized interface for monitoring financial information and executing financial transactions
Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for monitoring financial information and executing financial transactions are disclosed. A client side interface comprises a number of panels, which are constructed byway of applications from various data sources. The panels can be customized as to content and appearance on the client, and the interface can be any one of a number of interfaces, including web pages, email interfaces and alert interfaces. The data sources are further provided, at least in part, by way of a value added content provider system, which comprises creating, editing and publishing interfaces. |
| US07904352B2 |
Method and system for managing material movement and inventory
A method is provided that involves entering input data into a computer program including at least one of item number, manufacturing cost, material demand, supplier site, shipping frequency, transit time, and container cost, determining material management costs for a plurality of shipment options, and outputting from the computer program at least one of a first set of material management data based on the input shipping frequency and at least one of a second set of material management data based on an optimized shipping frequency of full inbound containers. A corresponding system is also disclosed. The method and system are useful for managing material movement and inventory. |
| US07904347B2 |
Systems and methods for conducting an auction
A method includes receiving, prior to a first time, a first signal indicating that a first user is initiating an auction for an item. A second signal indicating that a second user has purchased a first set of bids costing a first amount and a third signal indicating that a third user has purchased a second set of bids costing a second amount are received prior to the first time. Multiple signals indicating that the second user has used the first set of bids and that the third user has used the second set of bids in the auction for the item are received after the first time but before a second time. The item is awarded to the second user at the second time. The first user is provided with a portion of the first amount and a portion of the second amount after the second time. |
| US07904346B2 |
Method and system to adjust a seller fixed price offer
An auction method includes an auction price-setting process and a fixed price process for purchasing a seller's offering to a buyer. The seller may adjust a seller fixed-price offer during the auction price-setting process. |
| US07904345B2 |
Providing website hosting overage protection by transference to an overflow server
Systems and methods of the present inventions allow for providing website hosting overage protection. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of hosting a website on a first server, monitoring a website usage parameter, transferring the website to an overflow server when the website usage parameter exceeds a first predetermined value, and redirecting a plurality of traffic to the overflow server. The website transfer may be accomplished by generating a copy of the website and installing the copy on the overflow server. The website may be retained on the first server. When the website usage parameter falls below a second predetermined value, traffic may be redirected back to the first server. |
| US07904344B2 |
Accessing a vendor web site using personal account information retrieved from a credit card company web site
A method of accessing a vendor web site (3422) over a global communication packet-switched network (306) using personal account information of a credit card (3400) retrieved from a credit card company server (3300) on the network (306). At a user location disposed on the network, a machine-resolvable code (MRC) (3402) of the credit card (3400) of a user is read with a reading device (3410). Coded information is extracted from the MRC (3402). Routing information associated with the coded information is obtained, which routing information corresponds to the personal account information of the user stored on a credit card company server (3300) disposed on the network (306). The user location connects to the credit card company server (3300) across the network (306) in accordance with the routing information. The personal account information is returned from the credit card company server (3300) to the user location. The personal account information is then presented to the user at the user location. A hyperlink to a vendor web site (3422) is provided in the personal account information. Web site information of the vendor web site (3422) is displayed in response to the user selecting the hyperlink. |
| US07904343B2 |
Systems and methods that facilitate participation in online auctions via an intermediary web site
Systems, methods and computer program products are provided that can allow users to obtain information about, and participate in, auctions being conducted at a plurality of on-line auction sites. A Web site of an intermediary maintains information about items being auctioned at a plurality of remotely located auction sites in communication with a computer network, such as the Internet. Auction information is displayable to users accessing the intermediary web site via clients, such as Web browsers, via the computer network. Potential buyers accessing an intermediary Web site can search for and place bids for items being auctioned at remote, on-line auctions. In addition, sellers can utilize an intermediary Web site to locate on-line auctions within which to list items for sale. |
| US07904342B2 |
Specifying products over a network
System and method for receiving purchase information for a client system, e.g., a measurement system. A configuration diagram visually representing a current configuration of the client system is displayed. Multiple product icons are displayed representing products (hardware and/or programs) available for use in the client system. User input is received graphically associating at least one first product icon with the configuration diagram, where the first product icon represents a first product, and the user input indicates a desire to purchase the first product. An updated configuration diagram is displayed representing the configuration of the client system after receiving the user input, including the first product icon. Pricing information for the first product is displayed in response to receiving the user input. User input initiating purchase of the first product may be received in response to displaying the pricing information, and the product may be provided to the user. |
| US07904340B2 |
Methods and computer-readable medium for defining a product model
Stored product management information in a first format for use by a first computerized system is transformed to readily make the stored product management information available for use in a second computerized system that utilizes a second format in a cost-efficient and time-efficient manner. |
| US07904336B2 |
System for generating revenue using electronic mail and method for its use
A system and a method whereby e-mail users may send e-mail messages appended with advertising. E-mail sent from the e-mail user's e-mail account is routed through a standard email delivery system. The e-mail message is further processed by a software means which appends thereto another software means operable to cause an advertisement to appear when the e-mail message is opened by the e-mail recipient. In one embodiment, a portion of the revenue generated by the advertising may be distributed to a charitable organization. The e-mail user sending the e-mail message may designate a charitable organization to receive such contributions. The present invention may be used with any e-mail technology. |
| US07904335B2 |
Web site lead generator
An Internet marketing system which can generate a user contact information window in a non-intrusive manner. The user contact information window allows the user to enter his or her contact information, which is then transmitted to the operators of the web site so that they can contact the user at a later time. |
| US07904331B2 |
System to quantify consumer preferences
A system to determine preference information of part worth values associated with a consumer and a product includes determination of a plurality of attributes of the product, each of the plurality of attributes associated with a plurality of attribute levels, determination of a plurality of piles of attributes based on a first indication of the consumer, each of the plurality of piles comprising one or more of the plurality of attributes, determination of a ranked order of a plurality of attributes of one of the plurality of piles, determination of a relative importance of one or more of the plurality of attributes of the one of the plurality of piles based on a second indication of the consumer, determination of a scale value of one or more attribute levels of the one or more of the plurality of attributes of the one of the plurality of piles based on a third indication of the consumer, and determination of a part worth value associated with an attribute level of one of the plurality of attributes of the one of the plurality of piles based on a determined scale value of the attribute level and a determined relative importance of the one of the plurality of attributes. |
| US07904329B2 |
Targeting content to network-enabled television devices
Methods and systems are disclosed herein for managing content, including advertising content, delivered to various network-connected devices, including screens, mobile devices, computers, televisions, radios, and the like, based on usage profiles associated with device-specific identifiers for mobile devices, short-distance wireless technologies for transmission of content and detection of proximity, and content targeting and management techniques. |
| US07904327B2 |
Marketing optimization system
A marketing optimization module automatically obtaining multi-dimensional marketing data from a market client. The marketing optimization module automatically organizes at least a part of the multi-dimensional marketing data into one or more marketing categories. The marketing optimization module then analyzes all of or a part of the multi-dimensional marketing data to facilitate the optimization of a marketing investment. |
| US07904326B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing collective validation of credential information
An embodiment of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for performing collective validation of credential information. The invention has applicability in industries that require sales agents or those related to the distribution of a certain product to be credentialed (e.g., licensed and/or appointed) when selling certain products (e.g., life insurance, etc . . . ). For example, in order to sell some financial instruments sales representatives must meet state and/or federal licensing requirements. Embodiments of the invention provide a way to ensure that sales representatives operate within any regulatory constraints put in place by government or any other organization. Companies may, for instance, utilize embodiments of the invention to ensure that sales representatives operate within a set of defined constraints. One aspect of the invention provides a method for validating sales agents' credentials while processing the sales transaction data to determine commission amounts. The system is configured to perform such transaction processing in an efficient manner that minimizes the amount of computational resources required to determine whether a sales agent has valid credential at the time of a particular sale and is therefore entitled to compensation (e.g., a commission) for the sale. |
| US07904323B2 |
Multi-team immersive integrated collaboration workspace
A collaborate workspace offers a set of integrated components. Within a project, users may view avatars representing other team members, view the current schedule, add or change meetings, update documents, complete deliverables, and interact with team members around the world. Other projects are shown in the background, enabling users to easily and quickly switch between projects and be informed about actions occurring in the background tasks. |
| US07904317B1 |
Method and apparatus for repricing a reimbursement claim against a contract
A method for repricing a reimbursement claim under at least one contract is provided herein. The method includes converting each contract into a series of contractual terms, where each contractual terms contains qualification codes, calculation codes and priority notes. The method than converts a claim into a series of claim lines, containing claim codes, unit numbers and corresponding charges for the claim codes. The method than begins to compare comparing each claim code, of the claim, against each qualification code, of each contractual term, of a contract and when a qualification code, of a contractual term, is satisfied by a claim code, of a claim line, the method identifies the contractual term as a matching contractual term associated to the claim line. Upon identifying all matching contractual terms, either to the claim line or the entire claim, the method will determine any priority conditions associated to the matching contractual terms, and eliminate any matching contractual terms that are excluded by the priority conditions. The method then calculates the reimbursement amount for the claim by determining the reimbursement charges for the non-excluded matching contractual terms. The method may then determine and make any adjustments depending upon any discount terms for the entire reimbursement amount. |
| US07904315B2 |
Rules-based health care referral method and system
An Internet-based system and method facilitates interactive placing and acceptance of patient referrals within a health care community. A referring health care provider accesses the proposed specialty clinic or other provider through the system, identifies the patient and pertinent medical conditions, and responds to interactive queries put by the system to qualify the patient and his or her medical condition for the referral. The system automatically accepts or rejects the referral, proposes prior tests or treatments for the patient before another referral attempt is made, or accepts the referral subject to tests being completed. Accepted referrals are then scheduled by staff depending on their urgency as indicated in the interactive querying system. Rules governing the interactive querying are set by physicians and managers of the community and can be changed as conditions warrant. Security of patient information in the system in accordance with federal HIPPA requirements is readily provided via passwords and user log-ins. |
| US07904313B2 |
Recruiting a patient into a clinical trial
Techniques are described for recruiting a patient into a clinical trial, including receiving patient-specific data from a remote network device at a server, accessing criteria of more than one clinical trial at the server, and determining one or more clinical trials having criteria satisfied by the patient-specific data. |
| US07904310B2 |
Blood glucose monitoring system
A system and method is described that enables a health care provider to monitor and manage a health condition of a patient. The system includes a health care provider apparatus operated by a health care provider and a remotely programmable patient apparatus that is operated by a patient. The health care provider develops a script program using the health care provider apparatus and then sends the script program to a remotely programmable patient apparatus through a communication network such as the World Wide Web. The script program is a computer-executable patient protocol that provides information to the patient about the patient's health condition and that interactively monitors the patient health condition by asking the patient questions and by receiving answers to those questions. The answers to these health related questions are then forwarded as patient data from the remotely programmable patient apparatus to the health care provider apparatus through the communication network. The patient data may also include information supplied by a physiological monitoring device such as a blood glucose monitor that is connected to the remotely programmable patient apparatus. When the patient data arrives at the health care provider apparatus, the patient data is processed for further management of the patient's health condition by the health care provider, such as forwarding another script program to the remotely programmable patient apparatus. |
| US07904308B2 |
Method and system for providing indexing and cataloguing of orthodontic related treatment profiles and options
Method and system for providing an orthodontic profile indexing and treatment plan including comparing an initial patient condition in each of a plurality of dentition categories with one or more reference conditions in each of the plurality of dentition categories, wherein each of the one or more reference conditions has a corresponding representation, selecting at least one reference condition in one or more of the plurality of dentition categories, where each selected reference condition is similar to the initial patient condition in a same dentition category, and generating a patient identifier based on the corresponding representations of each selected reference condition is provided. |
| US07904306B2 |
Method and apparatus for assessing credit for healthcare patients
According to one example embodiment, there is provided a method and an apparatus to evaluate the credit of a healthcare patient. The example embodiment provides methods and computer systems programmed to use multiple variables that are known about a patient prior to a service being rendered to segment the patient population into finer grained groupings. These finer grained groupings allow financial factors, such as a credit score, to be a more accurate predictor. Also, according to another example embodiment, the model is not a generic model for all patients, but the variables and their parameters are specific to a particular healthcare organization's or facility's patient population. This creates a custom model that further enhances its predictiveness. |
| US07904305B2 |
System and method for verifying the accurate processing of medical insurance claims
In a system and method for verifying the accurate processing of medical insurance claim data by one or more health insurance companies, a healthcare provider enters claim data into a provider terminal. The provider terminal transmits the claim data to an insurance claim processor that processes claims for payment on behalf of one or more health insurance companies. Upon receipt of the processed claim data from the insurance claim processor, the provider terminal compares the processed claim data with the claim data originally submitted to the insurance claim processor and generates comparison data indicating whether the original claim data has been processed in accordance with predetermined claim processing rules. The health care provider terminal may also generate and retransmit revised claim data when the processed claim data has not been processed in accordance with the predetermined processing rules or within a defined period of time. |
| US07904303B2 |
Engagement-oriented recommendation principle
A method selects a predictor item that has a relevance to a user. The method receives a set of affinity items having affinity scores that relate the predictor item to the affinity items. The method filters the list of affinity items based on the affinity scores, and selects a first set of affinity items from the filtered items. For each selected affinity item, the method calculates a difference score from the predictor item, and selects a first affinity item based on the difference score for the first affinity item. Preferably, content is presented to the user based on the selected first affinity item. Additional embodiments include a system and/or computer readable medium having instructions for execution of the foregoing. |
| US07904302B2 |
Method and system for business process management
A process management system comprises a process model, a process engine and a process user interface. The process model stores predefined configurable process metadata components of one or more business management processes. The process engine configures the process metadata components. The process engine also generates user interface contents for a specific management process based on a set of the process metadata components relevant to the specific management process. The process user interface presents the user interface contents for configuration of the process metadata components, and for conducting the specific management process using the generated user interface contents. |
| US07904296B2 |
Spoken word spotting queries
An approach to wordspotting (180) using query data from one or more spoken instance of a query (140). The query data is processed to determining a representation of the query (160) that defines multiple sequences of subword (130) units each representing the query. Then putative instances of the query (190) are located in input data from an audio signal using the determined representation of the query. |
| US07904291B2 |
Communication support apparatus and computer program product for supporting communication by performing translation between languages
A communication supporting apparatus includes an input accepting unit that accepts a source language sentence to be translated input by a user; a paraphrase knowledge storing unit that stores paraphrase knowledge in which a source language interpretation which is an interpretation of the semantic content of the source language sentence is associated with a paraphrase interpretation having the same semantic content as the source language interpretation and a different expression form; a source language analyzing unit that analyzes the semantic content of the input source language sentence and outputs the source language interpretation; a paraphrasing unit that obtains the paraphrase interpretation associated with the output source language interpretation from the paraphrase knowledge storing unit, and paraphrases the input source language sentence in a source language paraphrase sentence based on the obtained paraphrase interpretation; and a translation unit that translates the output source language interpretation into a first target language sentence and translates the obtained paraphrase interpretation into a second target language sentence. |
| US07904288B1 |
Hardware emulator having a variable input emulation group
A hardware emulator having a variable input emulation group is described. Each emulation group comprises two or more processors, where one of the processors (a first processor) is coupled to a data input selector and another one of the processors (a second processor) processes a first amount of data received from a data array. The data input selector receives the first amount of data and a second amount of data from the data array, and selects a third amount of data from among the first and second amounts of data. The third amount of data is provided to the first processor for evaluation. |
| US07904286B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling test vectors in a multiple core integrated circuit
A computer implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for extending test coverage in a simulated multiple core integrated circuit. The simulator applies at a first time a first test vector on the simulated multiple core integrated circuit, the first test vector having a duration. The simulator may also apply a second test vector at a second time before the duration but substantially after the first time. The simulator can collect a response from the multiple core integrated circuit based on the first test vector and the second test vector. |
| US07904283B2 |
Quantum mechanics based method for scoring protein-ligand interactions
The present invention provides for the first time a quantum mechanics-based method for scoring protein-ligand interactions and binding affinity predictions, using quantum mechanical Hamiltonians and/or a combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach, and Poisson-Boltzmann (PB)-based solvation methods. Also provided is a method for using quantum mechanics to describe the enthalpic and solvation effects of binding. The method comprises comparing the calculated binding affinities to experimental values in order to measure the success of the method. The methods disclosed herein may further be used to score protein and drug or protein and inhibitor interactions. The present method can predict the free energy of binding of protein-ligand complexes with high accuracy so as to enable lead optimization, thus serving as a powerful tool in computational drug design. |
| US07904279B2 |
Methods and apparatus for data analysis
Methods and apparatus for data analysis according to various aspects of the present invention identify statistical outliers in data, such as test data for components. The outliers may be identified and categorized according to the distribution of the data. In addition, outliers may be identified according to multiple parameters, such as spatial relationships, variations in the test data, and correlations to other test data. |
| US07904277B2 |
Labeling methods and devices
Disclosed are methods and electronic devices 102 including a display 104 that is configured to display indicia 114, 116, 118 persistently during a shipping process. The disclosed methods and electronic devices may include an indicia control 110 for dynamically determining the indicia for persistent display based on at least one of a self-diagnostic software tool 112, a selection from a table 122 of predetermined information, or downloaded data 124. In one embodiment, by self-diagnosing a condition in the device 102, repair or other similar indicia may be determined dynamically based on the self-diagnosis, and displayed persistently on the display 104 during a shipping process. In another embodiment, the persistent labeling indicia may include destination information 116 for routing based on the self-diagnosis. In yet another embodiment, product recycling indicia may be persistently displayed when the age of the device is determined in accordance with a self-diagnostic software tool 112. |
| US07904275B2 |
Data processing and management equipment and method for data analysis of particles in surface structuring device or film forming device
Management of countermeasure of pollution particles deposited on an object to be processed is optimized based on a cause of the pollution. Data processing and management equipment 1 comprises a functional approximation part 2 to make a mathematical model of a relation between measured numbers of particles deposited on a substrate during processing in a surface structuring device or a film forming device and accumulated amount processed after cleaning up of the device by a functional equation based on a cause of the deposit of the particles. A judging part 3 specifies the cause of the deposit of particles by comparing the functional equation with the measured numbers of particles. |
| US07904271B2 |
Method and system for determining catalyst activity
The present invention relates to a method for determining activity of a catalyst in a polymerization process, said polymerization process comprising the steps of feeding a catalyst and a diluent into a storage vessel, to form a concentrated settled catalyst, feeding said concentrated settled catalyst into a mixing vessel equipped with mixing means and feeding hydrocarbon diluent into said mixing vessel, to form a diluted catalyst slurry, feeding said diluted catalyst slurry into a polymerization reactor via a volumetric pump, and feeding at least one monomer into said polymerization reactor to form a polymer. The method is characterized in that density of the diluted catalyst slurry is measured between an outlet of the mixing vessel and the volumetric pump, the amount of catalyst fed into the polymerization reactor is determined based on the measured density of the diluted catalyst slurry, and the amount of catalyst fed into the polymerization reactor is compared to the amount of the polymer formed to determine the activity of the catalyst. The invention also relates to a system suitable for carrying out the method. |
| US07904270B2 |
System for estimating and improving test case generation
A technique for estimating and improving the test coverage for large machines, while accumulating minimum information of past test cases (i.e., minimum feedback) is provided. The technique is scalable in the sense that the number of machine instructions needed to measure the test coverage can range from a few instructions to all the instructions. The technique is easily integrated into existing test generation systems and is applicable to both uni- and multi-processing systems. |
| US07904268B2 |
Diagnostic apparatus and methods for a coriolis flow meter
A method for validating a flow calibration factor of a flow meter is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The method for validating a flow calibration factor of a flow meter includes determining an initial flexural stiffness of a component of the flow meter. The method for validating a flow calibration factor of a flow meter includes determining a current flexural stiffness of the component. The method for validating a flow calibration factor of a flow meter further includes comparing the initial flexural stiffness to the current flexural stiffness. The method for validating a flow calibration factor of a flow meter further includes detecting a calibration error condition responsive to comparing the initial flexural stiffness to the current flexural stiffness. |
| US07904267B2 |
Adaptive resolver compensation controller
An adaptive method and device for identification and compensation of errors in resolver output signals which can increase the accuracy of position estimates of the resolver angle is disclosed. The method utilizes the ideal orthogonal relationship of two resolver output devices to determine an error factor. The error factor is then used to correct the resolver position estimate. |
| US07904264B2 |
Absolute duty cycle measurement
A mechanism for measuring the absolute duty cycle of a signal is provided. A non-inverted path from a signal source is selected and various DCC circuit setting indices are cycled through until a divider, coupled to the output of the DCC circuit, fails. A first minimum pulse width at which the divider fails is then determined based on the index value of the DCC circuit at the time of the failure. An inverted path from the signal source is selected and the various DCC circuit setting indices are cycled through again until the divider fails. A second minimum pulse width at which the divider fails is then determined based on the index value of the DCC circuit at the time of this second failure. The duty cycle is then calculated based on a difference of the first and second minimum pulse width values. |
| US07904262B2 |
Cascading metrology apparatus and methodology
Apparatus and methodology are provided for measuring energy, particularly in a useful way for a multiphase system. Individual, like single-phase metrology blocks are provided to monitor energy in selected phases of a multiphase system. Individual data from a relatively upstream metrology block is passed to a relatively downstream metrology block, with the data stream being concatenated as the stream tracks from one metrology block to another. Energy data is coded as a predetermined small quantum of energy such that the last metrology block in a seriatim configuration of such metrology blocks may compute total energy consumption in the effective multiphase system by simple addition of the energy quantum data arriving at such last metrology block. |
| US07904258B2 |
System for measuring viscosity
A system for determining a viscosity of a fluid is provided. The system includes an intake chamber, a tube, a piston, an actuator, a sensor, and a processor. The tube communicates with the intake chamber and includes a channel including a cylindrical portion with a constant diameter cross section. The piston is mounted in the intake chamber. The actuator is configured to move the piston within the intake chamber at a constant speed during a time window to regulate a fluid in the cylindrical portion. The sensor is configured to measure a pressure a plurality of times during the time window to define a plurality of pressure measurements. The processor is configured to receive the defined plurality of pressure measurements, to determine a slope associated with the received plurality of pressure measurements, and to determine a viscosity of the fluid based on the determined slope. |
| US07904257B2 |
Flow verification system and flow verification method
A flow verification system is adapted to verify flow characteristics just after a flow control device starts flow control by verifying a flow rate in a gas piping system which includes a first cutoff valve, the flow control device installed downstream from the first cutoff valve, and a pressure sensor for measuring pressure downstream from the flow control device, flow verification is made based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor. The flow verification system also includes a benchmark storage device for storing a benchmark which is calculated by integrating the pressure values measured by the pressure sensor during a normal flow control operation, and an abnormality detection device for detecting an abnormal flow of process gas. |
| US07904255B1 |
Device for assessing operating-mode transition reliability
Embodiments of a system (such as a computer system), a circuit, a method and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. In these embodiments, one or more physical characteristics of a device may be monitored, and the measured values may be used to assess the reliability of a device. In particular, using hardware and/or software, the probability that the device will be unable to restart if the device is switched to a powered-on operating mode may be determined based at least in part on the one or more measured values and predetermined probabilities of occurrence of one or more failure mechanisms in the device. If the probability is less than a threshold value, the device may be safely transitioned to a powered-on operating mode. However, if the probability exceeds the threshold value, the device may be kept in a power-saving mode until remedial action is taken. |
| US07904254B2 |
Power conversion apparatus and method of estimating power cycle life
For applications in a facility where a power conversion apparatus is frequently started and stopped, a power conversion apparatus and a power cycle longevity estimation method are provided which improve an ease of use of the facility. The power conversion apparatus comprises power conversion circuits to supply ac power of variable voltage and variable frequency, a detection circuit to detect a temperature of the power semiconductor in the power conversion circuits, and a computation device to calculate a power cycle longevity of the power semiconductor based on a maximum temperature rise detected by the detection circuit. |
| US07904252B2 |
Method for measuring a structural change in a protein
A method of easily and speedily determining what structural change is experienced by a target protein upon contact and binding of any arbitrary compound to the target protein; a method of selecting and screening a compound for use in the method; and a computer program for carrying out these methods. In one embodiment, a Saupe order matrix element of domain is obtained from atomic coordinates of domain and an axial-direction variation of NMR signal dependent upon the orientation angle of molecule in magnetic field, and the matrix is diagonalized to thereby obtain the orientation information on the domain. Using of any change of the orientation information as an indicator for structural change enables realization of the intended easy and speedy measurement of structural change of the target protein. |
| US07904245B2 |
Method and vehicle reacting to the detection of an in-path obstacle
A method and system for assisting a driver operating a vehicle traveling on a road includes determining an obstacle as a target obstacle in the path of the vehicle and providing information on the target obstacle, regulating at least one of a reaction force input (F) to the driver, a driving force applied to the vehicle and a braking force applied to the vehicle in response to a control amount determined; measuring a width of the target obstacle; and correcting the control amount based on the measured width (w). |
| US07904244B2 |
Determining a location or position using information from multiple location and positioning technologies and applications using such a determined location or position
A location may be determined by accepting location information from at least two sources using at least two location technologies, for each set of location information from each source, adjusting the location information using at least one of (A) confidence in the source, (B) error range of the source, (C) an error model for the source, and (D) application-specific context information, and combining adjusted locations to generate a final location these location technologies assume a degree of cooperation. The location technologies may include a combination of a “tag” that is placed on the object to be tracked, and one or more receivers/transmitters that work in concert with the tag to locate the object. |
| US07904243B2 |
Real-time data aiding for enhanced GPS performance
Data from GPS satellites within the field of view of a ground station are retransmitted to LEO satellites, such as Iridium satellites, and cross-linked if necessary before being transmitted to a user. The user is then able to combine the fed-forward data with data received directly from GPS satellites in order to resolve errors due to interference or jamming. Iridium and data aiding thus provides a means for extending GPS performance under a variety of data-impaired conditions because it can provide certain aiding information over its data link in real time. |
| US07904240B2 |
Method and system for providing travel time information
Location technologies are combined with other information systems to provide augmented information for individuals such as a traveler in an automobile. |
| US07904236B2 |
Electronic apparatus and electronic system
An electronic apparatus to which a portable apparatus is attachable, the electronic apparatus including: a second connecting line connected to a first connecting line provided in the portable apparatus; a detector detecting an attachment of the portable apparatus, when the second connecting line is electrically connected to the first connecting line, and detecting a detachment of the portable apparatus, when the second connecting line is electrically disconnected from the first connecting line; and a resent transmitter transmitting a rest signal to the portable apparatus through the second connecting line and the first connecting line. |
| US07904235B2 |
Driving evaluation apparatus, driving evaluation program, and driving evaluation method
There are provided a driving evaluation method for evaluating a fuel consumption rate of driving a vehicle in certain driving interval on the basis of driving data acquired at time of driving in the driving interval, including: calculating an energy consumption efficiency in the driving interval; calculating a driving environment variable indicative of an environment factor which exerts an influence on energy consumption by driving in the driving interval; selecting a probability density function or a cumulative distribution function corresponding to the calculated driving environment variable from a plurality of probability density functions or cumulative distribution functions having the energy consumption efficiency as a probability variable; and calculating an evaluation value for evaluating a fuel consumption rate of driving in the driving interval by using the selected probability density function or the selected cumulative distribution function and the calculated energy consumption efficiency. |
| US07904231B2 |
Method for controlling combustion noise in a compression-ignition engine
Combustion noise in a compression-ignition engine is controlled by measuring in-cylinder pressure of a cylinder of the compression-ignition engine, determining a combustion noise level based on the in-cylinder pressure measurement, and modifying a combustion control parameter based on the combustion noise level. |
| US07904229B2 |
Method for determination of engine lubrication oil consumption
A method of determining lubrication oil consumption in a gas turbine engine that has an engine operating cycle interval comprising a starting phase, a running phase and a shutdown phase, comprises the steps of: measuring lubrication oil level upon initialization of the starting phase of each engine operating cycle interval; comparing the starting phase measured lubrication oil level during the starting phase with a starting phase baseline lubrication measurement; recording the starting phase lubrication oil level measurement; determining average engine lubrication oil consumption rate during the complete engine operating cycle interval by dividing the difference between the starting phase lubrication oil measurement and the baseline lubrication oil measurement; and repeating these steps for each subsequent engine operating cycle interval; wherein the starting phase baseline lubrication oil level measurement is initially a predetermined lubrication oil level and then the previous starting phase lubrication oil measurement for subsequent engine operating cycle intervals. |
| US07904227B2 |
Electric parking brake system and method for controlling the electric parking brake system
In an electric parking brake system, a first position (Park) is tentatively determined and also finally determined before the initial check is completed. Even when a second position is tentatively determined before the initial check is completed, the second position is finally determined after the initial check is completed. Then, a determination that the shift position has been changed is made. When a release command is issued based on the determination that the shift position has been changed, an electric motor is operated to release parking brakes. |
| US07904225B2 |
Working machine
A working machine control device is provided which can surely determine whether working equipment attached to a working machine is in an operation state. The working machine control device is configured to control a vibration generating device that is supplied with pressure oil from a hydraulic pump to generate vibration to operate working equipment attached to a working machine. The working machine control device includes a controller that is configured to obtain frequency characteristic of the pump pressure based on a pump pressure value that is detected by a pressure sensing section, and to determine whether said working equipment is in an operation state or not based on said frequency characteristic. |
| US07904221B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method
A vehicle has a drive control ECU that controls an internal combustion engine or a transmission on the basis of a target drive force. The drive control ECU has a first arbitrator that sets the target drive force on the basis of a driver's request and the like, and filters that have individually different damping characteristics and that correct the target drive force from the first arbitrator so that the vibration of a sprung weight of the vehicle is controlled, as well as a switch that includes a switching portion and a filter setting portion. The filter setting portion determines whether a pitching resonance frequency has changed. If having determined that the pitching resonance frequency has changed, the filter setting portion switches the filter having been used for correcting the target drive force to a filter corresponding to a post-change pitching resonance frequency. |
| US07904215B2 |
Model train control system
A system which operates a digitally controlled model railroad transmitting a first command from a first client program to a resident external controlling interface through a first communications transport. A second command is transmitted from a second client program to the resident external controlling interface through a second communications transport. The first command and the second command are received by the resident external controlling interface which queues the first and second commands. The resident external controlling interface sends third and fourth commands representative of the first and second commands, respectively, to a digital command station for execution on the digitally controlled model railroad. |
| US07904213B2 |
Method of assisting in the navigation of an aircraft with an updating of the flight plan
The invention relates to a method of assisting in the navigation of an aircraft comprising a step for updating a flight plan according to a new clearance received on board by a ground/onboard communication system. The clearance comprises an action conditional on the flight plan linked to a floating point of the path defined by an altitude constraint of the aircraft; on receipt of the new clearance, the update is performed directly by means of the FMS linked to the communication system. This is a predictive method. |
| US07904210B2 |
Vibration control system
A vibration control system and a method for controlling vibration in a material surface are disclosed, wherein the vibration control system provides a desired motion of the material surface while militating against any undesirable motion of the surface. The vibration control system includes a sensor disposed adjacent a material surface having a first set of dynamic vibration properties, a displacement generating device disposed adjacent the material surface adapted to generate a localized motion in the material surface, and a controller adapted to receive an input signal from the sensor and transmit a control signal to the displacement generating device thereby controlling the localized motion in the material surface. |
| US07904208B1 |
Computer instructions for centralized management of a hydrogen generation network
Computer instructions in communication with at least one processor having data storage. The processor is in communication with a hydrogen generation network. The computer instructions instruct the processor to form a dynamic information database in the data storage, receive and store at least one hydrogen generating device identification and/or discretionary power consumption information, and receive and store dispatchable power source information and/or non-dispatchable power source information. The computer instructions instruct the processor to receive at least one message input using an administrator interface and transmit the message to the hydrogen generation network. The computer instructions instruct the processor to receive at least one response from the hydrogen generation network for regulating hydrogen production and store the response in the dynamic information database. |
| US07904206B2 |
Method and apparatus for removably holding medical device
An apparatus for holding a medical device has an arm unit equipped with, for example, a polyarticular arm, which holds the medical device such as endoscope movably in the space. Additionally to a determination unit and a controller, the holding apparatus has an operation unit equipped with a plurality of operation members with which an operator's operation causes the arm unit to be moved spatially. The determination unit determines whether or not operator's operations at the plurality of operation members corresponds to an improper state deviating from a properly operated state in which at least two predetermined operation members have been operated within a predetermined period of time which is set to measure simultaneity for operations. If it is determined that the operation is in the improper state, the controller prohibits the arm unit from moving. As long as the operation is proper, the arm unit can be moved. |
| US07904201B2 |
Robot programming device
A robot programming device, in which the teaching of the cooperative motion of a plurality of robots may be carried out in a short time so as to reduce the number of man-hours for starting-up a robot system including the robots. The robot system includes two handling robots each having a hand for gripping a workpiece and a welding robot having a welding torch, a robot controller for controlling the robots, a personal computer with a robot programming device connected to the controller, and a teaching operation panel connected to the controller for teaching each robot. |
| US07904200B2 |
Leg type mobile robot
A leg type mobile robot, in which a downsizing and wait-saving of floor reaction force detector to be installed on the foot is enabled. The center Pb of the force sensor is disposed on the position Pa where the distance to the remotest position of ground area provided on the bottom of each plate spring part S1 to S4 is minimum in the standing-still state of the robot R, and the distance L1, L2, L3, and L4 to the remotest point of the ground area of each plate spring part S1, S2, S3, and S4 is equal. The center Pc of the ankle joint is offset in a rearward direction with respect to the position Pa in a plane view. |
| US07904196B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling pressure in electric injection molding machine
A rotational angle of a motor operative to propel forward a screw in an injection molding machine is detected at an encoder. An output from the encoder is employed to obtain an angular velocity ω of the motor. From the obtained angular velocity ω, an estimated melt pressure value δ^ that contains no differential term is derived using a certain observer theory. The estimated melt pressure value δ^ is employed to calculate a torque command value TCMD for the motor, which is fed back to the motor. Thus, precise propelling power control unaffected by noises can be executed without the use of a pressure sensor such as a load cell. |
| US07904193B2 |
Systems and methods for providing custom masks for use in a breathing assistance system
A method for fabricating a facial seal for use in a breathing assistance system is provided. The method includes capturing one or more images of a patient's face. The method further includes translating the one or more images into a set of data representing a three-dimensional structure of at least a portion of the patient's face and fabricating a facial seal to substantially conform to the patient's face based at least on the set of data, including fabricating at least a portion of the facial seal using rapid prototyping or a subtractive manufacturing technique. A method for selecting a facial seal for a breathing assistance system is also disclosed. |
| US07904192B2 |
Finite capacity scheduling using job prioritization and machine selection
In a method, device, and computer-readable medium for finite capacity scheduling, heuristic rules are applied in two integrated stages: Job Prioritization and Machine Selection. During Job Prioritization (“JP”), jobs are prioritized based on a set of JP rules which are machine independent. During Machine Selection (“MS”), jobs are scheduled for execution at machines that are deemed to be best suited based on a set of MS rules. The two-stage approach allows scheduling goals to be achieved for performance measures relating to both jobs and machines. For example, machine utilization may be improved while product cycle time objectives are still met. Two user-configurable options, namely scheduling model (job shop or flow shop) and scheduling methodology (forward, backward, or bottleneck), govern the scheduling process. A memory may store a three-dimensional linked list data structure for use in scheduling work orders for execution at machines assigned to work centers. |
| US07904191B2 |
Process for dynamic automation with collaborative elements and control system therefor
The invention relates to a method for dynamic automation, in which collaborative elements, such as humans and mobile robots, but also machines, co-operate, in order to carry out tasks as efficiently as possible. Each of said collaborative elements carries out a part of a working process which exploits the concept of collaboration the most in terms of efficiency, flexibility, quality and performance. The invention also relates to a control system for carrying out said method. The inventive method can be applied in logistics, especially storage logistics, such as commissioning. |
| US07904188B2 |
Information outputting device, information output controlling method, and information output controlling program
An output method is changed optimally in response to a difference of a device connected to an output device and a combination of output media streams, and user's convenience is improved. Each of media state sensing unit 15, 25, 35, 45 for sensing a state of a media stream sends out a media state sensing signal to a control portion 90, and each of connection state sensing unit 62, 72, 82 for sensing a connection state between an outputting unit 51 and a providing device, which presents the media stream visually or audibly, sends out a connection state sensing signal to the control portion 90. The control portion 90 decides an output state based on priority output information 931, which specifies a preferential output state of the media stream, the media state sensing signal, and the connection state sensing signal, and then the outputting unit 51 outputs the media stream to the providing device. |
| US07904185B2 |
System and method for sensor replication for ensemble averaging in micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)
A MEMs-based system (and method), includes a sensor array including at least two sensors providing a basis for ensemble averaging. |
| US07904184B2 |
Motion control timing models
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate utilizing a motion control timing model to coordinate operations associated with controlling motion within an industrial automation environment. For example, a cycle timing component can implement timing set forth by a timing model (e.g., that can be selected, preset, . . . ). Pursuant to an illustration, the cycle timing component can utilize the timing model to coordinate transmitting data, receiving data, performing calculations associated with data (e.g., to generate command(s)), capturing data, applying received commands, and so forth. |
| US07904182B2 |
Scalable motion control system
A control system includes a clustered architecture having a master controller, a central control section including one or more first remote controllers under direct control of the master controller, and a distributed control section including a cluster controller controlled by the master controller. The cluster controller controls the activities of one or more second remote controllers. Each of the first and second remote controllers are utilized to drive one or more axes. |
| US07904181B2 |
Model for communication between manufacturing and enterprise levels
A device for communicating with low level controllers and sensors located on the production floor of an enterprise directly from the top level of the enterprise. The device comprises a controller which interfaces with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) via the backplane into which the PLCs are plugged. Users are able to define triggers that specify the circumstances under which data points within the PLCs are transported to the enterprise level where they may be stored in a database or sent directly to enterprise application via one of a number of possible transfer protocols. The invention also includes a software client which allows users to set up transfer triggers and view data points on the PLCs in real time. |
| US07904180B2 |
Capacitive medical electrode
Medical electrodes in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: (a) a metallic conductor, (b) the metallic conductor sandwiched between a first dielectric layer adjacent a top surface of the metallic conductor and a second dielectric layer located on a bottom surface of the metallic conductor, (c) a conductive gel coating on at least one of the first and second dielectric layers, (e) the metallic conductor, the dielectric layers, and the conductive gel being wrapped to form a multi-tiered electrode having a plurality of conductive surfaces, (f) an adhesive adhering the metallic conductor with the dielectric layers, (g) a tab connector to provide a connection to electrical monitoring equipment and (h) an attachment connector to provide electrical connection with a patient. |
| US07904177B2 |
Lead interconnect using a capured fixation member
Methods and devices for interconnecting a medical lead conductor member and an electrode are provided. One device includes a medical lead having a shaft. The shaft has a conductor member extending therethrough and a ring electrode disposed along the shaft. The ring electrode has a fixation device disposed within the ring electrode, and the fixation device forms an interference fit with the conductor member, forming an electrical contact therebetween. Also provided are methods for forming an electrical interconnect between a ring electrode and a conductor member. |
| US07904176B2 |
Techniques for reducing pain associated with nerve stimulation
Apparatus is provided including an electrode device and a control unit. The electrode device is configured to be coupled to a site of a subject selected from the group consisting of: a vagus nerve, an epicardial fat pad, a pulmonary vein, a carotid artery, a carotid sinus, a coronary sinus, a vena cava vein, a right ventricle, a right atrium, and a jugular vein. The control unit is configured to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current in at least first and second bursts, the first burst including a plurality of pulses, and the second burst including at least one pulse, and set (a) a pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the first burst to be on average at least 20 ms, (b) an interburst interval between initiation of the first burst and initiation of the second burst to be less than 10 seconds, (c) an interburst gap between a conclusion of the first burst and the initiation of the second burst to have a duration greater than the average PRI, and (d) a burst duration of the first burst to be less than a percentage of the interburst interval between, the percentage being less than 67%. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US07904175B2 |
Trans-esophageal vagus nerve stimulation
Devices and methods of non-surgically providing vagus nerve therapy trans-esophageally to treat a variety of medical conditions are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, an implantable medical device comprises a support member having an outer surface. The support member is adapted to engage the inner wall of an esophagus. The IMD also comprises at least one electrode disposed on the outer surface of the support member. The at least one electrode is capable of applying a trans-esophageal electrical signal to the vagus nerve through the wall of the esophagus from the inner lumen thereof. The implantable medical device further comprises a signal generator coupled to the support member and to the at least one electrode. The signal generator causes the at least one electrode to apply an electrical signal to the vagus nerve to treat a medical condition. |
| US07904174B2 |
Implantable leads permitting functional status monitoring
An implantable lead assembly includes a lead body extending from a proximal end to a distal end having an intermediate portion therebetween, where the lead body includes an insulating layer. A conductor is disposed within the insulating layer and the insulating layer surrounds the conductor. An electrode is coupled to the lead body, and the electrode is in electrical communication with the conductor. At least one conductive sleeve is disposed within the insulating layer. The at least one conductive sleeve surrounds the conductor and is electrically isolated from the electrode. The at least one conductive sleeve has a first impedance value in a first condition. |
| US07904171B2 |
Voltage converter for implantable microstimulator using RF-powering coil
A combination, voltage converter circuit for use within an implantable device, such as a microstimulator, uses a coil, instead of capacitors, to provide a voltage step up and step down conversion functions. The output voltage is controlled, or adjusted, through duty-cycle modulation. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, applicable to implantable devices having an existing RF coil through which primary or charging power is provided, the existing RF coil is used in a time-multiplexing scheme to provide both the receipt of the RF signal and the voltage conversion function. This minimizes the number of components needed within the device, and thus allows the device to be packaged in a smaller housing or frees up additional space within an existing housing for other circuit components. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the voltage up/down converter circuit is controlled by a pulse width modulation (PWM) low power control circuit. Such operation allows high efficiencies over a wide range of output voltages and current loads. |
| US07904170B2 |
Radio frequency transponder based implantable medical system
An implantable medical device (IMD) system includes an IMD, a transceiver antenna lead for the IMD, and a wireless therapy delivery transponder or probe that is remotely activated by the IMD via the transceiver antenna lead. The IMD and the wireless probe communicate using wireless RF-based transponder techniques. The wireless probe includes a capacitor that is charged when the IMD emits an appropriate electromagnetic field from the transceiver antenna lead. The wireless probe delivers electrical therapy in the form of electrical pulses from the capacitor in response to RF activation signals emitted by the IMD via the transceiver antenna lead. |
| US07904169B2 |
Implantable medical device telemetry with periodic frequency hopping
A far-field radio-frequency (RF) telemetry system for data transmission between an implantable medical device and an external system includes a plurality of channels each representing a frequency band within a predetermined frequency range. The data transmission is performed using at least one active channel at any instant. Channel hopping is performed on a periodic basis throughout a telemetry session such that the active channel keeps scanning through an array of channels selected from the plurality of channels. If a data frame is not successfully transmitted, it is repeatedly re-transmitted using the current and/or the next active channels until its transmission becomes successful. |
| US07904161B2 |
Lead adaptor having low resistance conductors and/or encapsulated housing
An implantable lead adaptor is disclosed that includes an encapsulated thermoplastic housing defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion has a first receptacle configured to receive a first type of connector assembly associated with a first implantable cardiac lead, and a second receptacle configured to receive a second type of connector assembly associated with a second implantable cardiac lead. An elongated flexible lead portion extends from the distal end portion of the adaptor housing. A connector assembly is operatively associated with a distal end section of the flexible lead portion of the adaptor for connection to an implantable pulse-generating device, such as, for example, an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator. Low resistance conductor wires electrically connect the connector assembly associated with the distal end section of the lead portion with the first and second receptacles of the adaptor housing. |
| US07904158B2 |
Measurement of coronary sinus parameters to optimize left ventricular performance
In some embodiments, an implantable medical device (IMD) system may include one or more of the following elements: (a) an oxygen sensor for measuring oxygen extraction from blood flowing through a coronary sinus of a patient's heart, (b) an oxygen signal generated by the oxygen sensor, (c) an IMD coupled to the oxygen sensor, wherein the IMD is configured to output pacing pulses as a function of the oxygen signal, and (d) an atrial and a ventricular pacing lead coupled to the IMD to deliver the pacing pulses to the patient's heart, wherein the IMD generates the pacing pulses as a function of the oxygen signal, wherein the pacing pulses are adjusted by the IMD as a function of the oxygen signal, wherein the IMD is configured to adjust the pacing pulses to increase oxygen in the blood flow through the coronary sinus. |
| US07904156B2 |
Modulation of AV delay to control ventricular interval variability
System and methods provide pacing therapy that modulates the atrioventricular (AV) delay to control ventricular interval variability. A base AV delay is determined as a function of heart rate. For each cardiac cycle, the base AV delay is modulated to reduce beat-to-beat variability of successive ventricular beats. The modulated AV delay compensates for variability of successive atrial beats. For example, modulation of the base AV delay may involve varying the AV delay inversely with a change in atrial interval. |
| US07904151B2 |
Parasympathetic stimulation for treating ventricular arrhythmia
Apparatus is provided including an implantable sensor, adapted to sense an electrical parameter of a heart of a subject, and a first control unit, adapted to apply pulses to the heart responsively to the sensed parameter, the pulses selected from the list consisting of: pacing pulses and anti-arrhythmic energy. The apparatus further includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a site of the subject selected from the list consisting of: a vagus nerve of the subject, an epicardial fat pad of the subject, a pulmonary vein of the subject, a carotid artery of the subject, a carotid sinus of the subject, a coronary sinus of the subject, a vena cava vein of the subject, a right ventricle of the subject, and a jugular vein of the subject; and a second control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current that increases parasympathetic tone of the subject and affects a heart rate of the subject. The first and second control units are not under common control. At least one of the control units is adapted to coordinate an aspect of its operation with an aspect of operation of the other control unit. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US07904148B2 |
Biocompatible bonding method and electronics package suitable for implantation
The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package, that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, such as for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue. |
| US07904147B2 |
Substantially planar article and methods of manufacture
A clothing material or clothing article includes multiple first reservoirs and multiple second reservoirs joined with a substrate. Selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate to a first substrate surface. Selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and second reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate to the first substrate surface. |
| US07904145B2 |
Clean margin assessment tool
An integrated tool is provided, having a tissue-type sensor, for determining the tissue type at a near zone volume of a tissue surface, and a distance-measuring sensor, for determining the distance to an interface with another tissue type, for (i) confirming an existence of a clean margin of healthy tissue around a malignant tumor, which is being removed, and (ii) determining the depth of the clean margin. The integrated tool may further include a position tracking device and an incision instrument. The soft tissue may be held within a fixed frame, while the tumor is being removed. Additionally a method for malignant tumor removal is provided, comprising, fixing the soft tissue within a frame, performing imaging with the hand-held, integrated tool, from a plurality of locations and orientations around the soft tissue, reconstructing a three-dimensional image of the soft tissue and the tumor within, defining a desired clean margin on the reconstructed image, calculating a recommended incision path, displaying the recommended path on the reconstructed image, and cutting the tissue while determining its type, at the near zone volume of the incision surface. The method may further include continuously imaging with the cutting, continuously correcting the reconstructed image and the recommended incision path, and continuously determining the tissue type, at the near zone volume of the incision surface. |
| US07904141B2 |
System and apparatus for determining the left-ventricular ejection time TLVE of a heart of a subject
In order to reliably determine the left-ventricular ejection time TLVE of a heart of a subject, at least two different measuring methods are employed. This includes in any case the derivation of a first waveform related to thoracic electrical bioimpedance or bioadmittance. A second waveform can be determined by using pulse oximetry, Doppler velocimetry, measurement of arterial blood pressure and measurement of peripheral electrical bioimpedance or bioadmittance. Depending on signal quality, the results obtained by each method are weighted and then averaged. The weighted average for left-ventricular ejection time is used as an input variable for cardiovascular monitoring methods, which determine objective measurements of cardiovascular function and performance. Such measurements include, but are not limited to, left ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output, systolic time ratio, and indices of ventricular contractility. |
| US07904140B2 |
Time-resolved non-invasive optometric device for medical diagnostic
A time-resolved fluorescence device is described for the detection and diagnosis of various metabolic diseases in a noninvasive or minimally invasive manner. The device uses an ultra-short excitation pulse that comprises of a repetition of nanosecond pulses. The excitation pulse is directed incident onto a strategically selected area of the patient body such as the forearm, the feet, and the palm. This light interacts with the different layers of the skin. The absorbed light excites conditions of interest in the skin, which in turn generate a fluorescence signal, which is collected by a detector. A processor is coupled to the detector to measure the transient fluorescence intensity decay of the skin in terms of lifetimes, and the contribution of individual fluorophores to the overall fluorescence signal. |
| US07904139B2 |
Optical examination of biological tissue using non-contact irradiation and detection
An optical system for examination of biological tissue includes a light source, a light detector, optics and electronics. The light source generates a light beam, transmitted to the biological tissue, spaced apart from the source. The light detector is located away (i.e., in a non-contact position) from the examined biological tissue and is constructed to detect light that has migrated in the examined tissue. The electronics controls the light source and the light detector, and a system separates the reflected photons (e.g., directly reflected or scattered from the surface or superficial photons) from the photons that have migrated in the examined tissue. The system prevents detection of the “noise” photons by the light detector or, after detection, eliminates the “noise” photons in the detected optical data used for tissue examination. |
| US07904134B2 |
Brain stimulation models, systems, devices, and methods
This document discusses, among other things, brain stimulation models, systems, devices, and methods, such as for deep brain stimulation (DBS) or other electrical stimulation. A model computes a volume of influence region for a simulated electrical stimulation using certain stimulation parameters, such as amplitude, pulsewidth, frequency, pulse morphology, electrode contact selection or location, return path electrode selection, pulse polarity, etc. The model uses a non-uniform tissue conductivity. This accurately represents brain tissue, which has highly directionally conductive neuron pathways yielding a non-homogeneous and anisotropic tissue medium. In one example, the non-uniform tissue conductivity is obtained from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data. In one example, a second difference of an electric potential distribution is used to define a volume of activation (VOA) or similar volume of influence. In another example, a neuron or axon model is used to calculate the volume of influence without computing the second difference of the electric potential distribution. |
| US07904128B2 |
Retractable lanyard attachment posts and push-push devices
Described are mobile communication devices with retractable lanyard attachment posts that can be hidden when not in use. Also disclosed are embodiments of lanyard attachment posts that may include push-push or other mechanisms that a user may engage to deploy or hide the attachment post. In this way, by being able to hide the lanyard attachment member, the sleek lines of modern mobile communication devices may be maintained. Several embodiments include a push-push mechanism, for example, an E-clip embodiment, a C-clip embodiment, a stacked internal mechanism embodiment, and a compliant arm mechanism embodiment. Also disclosed is an embodiment of a retractable lanyard attachment post that may be respectively retained or released by turning the attachment post. In this manner, with either a push-push embodiment or a turnable embodiment, the mechanism for concealment and deployment of the lanyard attachment post may better utilize the device volume. |
| US07904127B2 |
Portable terminal
A slide type portable terminal is provided which can suppress a play, and can secure a predetermined strength, while the play may be easily produced between a portable condition and an extended condition of the slide type portable terminal by a coupling portion having a plurality of rails and a plurality of engaging portions Further, the respective rails are not exposed under swing condition of the slide type portable terminal.A portable terminal 10 is equipped with a coupling portion 30 which couples an upper housing 11 to a lower housing 12 and guides an operation condition thereof from the portable condition up to the extended condition; and a swing device 40 which relatively rotates the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12. A coupling portion 30 contains a first rail 31 and a second rail 32, which are provided on a front face 12A of the lower housing 12; and contains a first engaging portion 33 and a second engaging portion 34, which are provided on a back face 11B of the upper housing 11. After the swing device 40 has released an engagement of the first engaging portion 33 with respect to the first rail 31, the swing device 40 relatively rotates both the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12 by setting the second engaging portion 34 as a center so as to engage the first engaging portion 33 to the second rail 32. |
| US07904126B2 |
Antenna applied to slide type mobile communication terminal
An antenna applied to a slide type mobile communication terminal includes a first board mounted in a first body; a second board mounted in a second body; a radiating element mounted to the second body; and a first contact formed to connect to the second board at one end and contact with the first board at the other end when the first body slides. Accordingly, an antenna with directionality can be realized for applications to short range communication systems. |
| US07904124B2 |
Radiative focal area antenna transmission coupling arrangement
The present invention comprises a docking system for connecting a portable communication device to a further signal transmission line. The docking system may be arranged within a workstation such as a desk or a tray. The system may also envelope a room in a building or be located in a vehicle, to control and restrict the radiative emission from the communication device and to direct such radiation to a further remote antenna and or signal distribution system connected to the transmission line. |
| US07904123B2 |
Shield case and MEMS microphone having it
To provide a shield case and an MEMS microphone having the shield case which can secure on a top plate the minimum distance for adhering with a gasket in a view point of airtightness.The shield case according to the invention is a shield case for shielding an MEMS chip mounted on a board from the outside, which includes a top plate and a plurality of side plates and the thickness of each of the plurality of side plates is larger than that of the top plate. According to this configuration, the area of the top plate can be made larger as compared with a conventional shield case having a uniform thickness. Thus, the area for adhering the gasket to the top plate can be secured without changing the position, size and range etc. of the chucking area from those of the conventional shield case. |
| US07904120B2 |
Mobile communication terminal capable of performing other functions while outputting DMB to external AV device
Provided is a mobile communication terminal capable of receiving Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), which includes a mobile communication terminal module, a DMB module, an external broadcasting output unit, a user interface unit, and a controller. The mobile communication terminal module provides various functions of the mobile communication terminal except for DMB. The DMB module receives and outputs DMB. The external broadcasting output unit outputs DMB received through the DMB module to an external Audio/Video (AV) device. The user interface unit provides operations of the mobile communication terminal mode and the DMB module for viewing continuity and receiving an input from the user. The controller designates the mobile communication terminal module for inputting an operating signal from and outputting the operating signal to the user interface unit if the controller senses a switching command signal for switching to the mobile communication terminal module through the user interface unit while DMB is output to the external AV device through the external broadcasting output unit. |
| US07904119B2 |
Automatic rotation through play out of audio-clips in repsonse to detected alert events
A method and device for detecting alert events and responsively playing out audio-clips. The audio-clips may comprise data representing a sound recording. Playing out the audio-clips occurs in an order defined by a sequence. The audio-clips and the sequence are maintained in data storage. A processor executes program logic to detect a first alert event and responsively play out at least a first audio-clip of the sequence, and to detect a next alert event and responsively play out at least a next alert event of the sequence. After playing out all audio-clips in the sequence, play out of the audio-clips may then continue with the first audio-clip of the sequence. |
| US07904118B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing a smart antenna apparatus with a base station transceiver
A method of synchronizing a smart antenna apparatus with a base station transceiver includes receiving at the smart antenna apparatus control signals being communicated from a base station transceiver to one or more mobile stations via an antenna unit. The control signals are operable to be used to synchronize the mobile stations with the base station transceiver. The method further includes executing one or more algorithms using the control signals received by the smart antenna apparatus as input to synchronize the smart antenna apparatus with the base station transceiver. |
| US07904116B2 |
Calibration method, and base station apparatus, terminal apparatus and radio apparatus utilizing the same
An examining unit examines the radio wave environments on at least one of a plurality of frequency channels usable in communications. Based on a result of examination by the examining unit, a selector selects a frequency channel to be used for communications. While using the channel selected by the selector, an execution unit transmits signals from a plurality of antennas to a terminal apparatus and performs calibration on the plurality of antennas by receiving signals from the terminal apparatus via the plurality of antennas. |
| US07904111B2 |
Mobile exchange infrastructure
A mobile exchange infrastructure, in which a request to invoke functionality provided by a first of two services is accessed. If the request is incompatible with the first service, the accessed request is affected. The functionality is invoked using the affected request. |
| US07904107B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing biasing criteria for binary decisions for use in wireless communications to enhance protection
A criterion for biasing a binary decision requiring an unequal protection which utilizes a measured signal to interference ratio (SIR). The SIR may be derived from a determination of channel estimation. The SIR is compared against a threshold, the threshold being selected to bias the decision toward a not acknowledge (NACK) as opposed to an acknowledge (ACK) determination. The technique is advantageous for providing biased binary decisions for high speed downlink packets (HSDP) but may be utilized for both uplink and downlink applications. |
| US07904103B2 |
Method and system for processing PoC ad-hoc group session information using RTCP connection message
Methods and apparatuses are provided for establishing a group session requested by the transmitting-side PoC client. Register of a service setting for receiving invitee information in the receiving-side PoC server is requested. A RTCP connection message is received from the receiving-side PoC server. The invitee information in the RTCP connection message is identified and the invitee information is provided to a user. An input of whether or not establishment of the group session has been accepted is received from the user. An RTCP response comprising the input of whether or not establishment of the group session has been accepted is created, and the RTCP response is transmitted to the receiving-side PoC server. |
| US07904099B2 |
Unified addressing
An outgoing message composed on a mobile wireless communication device may be recognized as including a Short Messaging Service (SMS) destination address in an addressing field. The outgoing message may then be processed to create a SMS message payload. The SMS message payload may then be passed to a SMS client application executed on the wireless communication device with an indication of the SMS destination address so that the SMS client application may form an SMS message based on the SMS message payload and the indication of the SMS destination address. |
| US07904095B2 |
GPS microphone for communication system
A GPS microphone, which is adapted for incorporating a communication system, includes a speaker-microphone set, a radio frequency transmitter communicatively networked with the communication system through radio frequency signals, and a GPS controller electrically connected with the radio frequency transmitter to encode a positioning data into a RF positioning signal in form of audio signal wherein when the GPS controller is triggered, the radio frequency transmitter is activated to transmit RF positioning signal to the communication system. |
| US07904092B2 |
Locally adjusted radio frequency coverage maps in wireless networks
In one embodiment, a method for adjusting a radio-frequency coverage map. The method includes receiving calibration data comprising observed received signal strength values at one or more calibration points corresponding to a radio frequency transmitter, and identifying an applicable coverage map, where the coverage map provides, for the radio frequency transmitter, estimated received signal strength values at one or more locations. The method also includes determining one or more offset values at the one or more calibration points, where an offset value is based on a difference between an observed received signal strength value and an estimated received signal strength value at a given calibration point. The method also includes adjusting one or more estimated received signal strength values at one or more location bins of the coverage map based on a distance from the one or more calibration points and the one or more offset values. |
| US07904091B2 |
Method and system for predicting blocking in a network
A method for estimating the performance of GSM cellular networks that employ “directed retry”, in which a call blocked by the sector of its initial attempt may be redirected to an alternative sector that is also accessible to the call, thereby increasing the effective capacity of the network. The method may be stored in a memory and executed as instructions by a microprocessor. |
| US07904090B2 |
Traffic control method
The invention relates to traffic handling in multi-access communication systems (100). A network-level solution is proposed, in which the access networks (20) provide a network-based ATC server (61) with access-related information comprising measured performance parameters. The ATC server may also receive information from the multi-access terminal (10), e.g. about available access networks. The ATC server coordinates the information and uses it for adaptive traffic control calculations. This typically involves continuously executing an adaptive traffic control algorithm for reaching predetermined control objectives. The control algorithm tracks the reference values and outputs a feedback control signal that is sent back to the user devices. Based on the feedback control signal the multi-access terminals spread their traffic over the available access networks. |
| US07904089B2 |
Seamless mobility for a multiple interface device in a co-located wireless environment
Data packets are transmitted from a first access network to a first interface of a multiple interface device (MID), and identical data packets are transmitted concurrently from a second access network to a second interface of the MID. Some of the data packets that are transmitted to the MID from the first access network are not received by the first interface. The MID inspects identifiers of data packets from the first and second interfaces in order to send to the application a stream including all of the data packets. For example, the MID sends to the application the data packets from the first interface, buffers the data packets from the second interface, and sends data packets from the buffer to the application upon detecting that data packets in the buffer were transmitted to the first interface but not received by the first interface. |
| US07904087B2 |
Method and system for WLAN user equipment accessing new operation network
The present invention discloses an interactive method for a WLAN UE accessing a new operation network, which comprises: when the WLAN UE which has accessed a first Visited Mobile Communication Network needs to re-select a second Visited Mobile Communication Network to access, the WLAN UE sending authentication information to a Home Network of the WLAN UE through a WLAN Access Network and the second Visited Mobile Communication Network; after receiving the authentication information, the Home Network of the WLAN UE authenticate the WLAN UE according to the authentication information via the second Visited Mobile Communication Network, and sending an access instruction to the WLAN Access Network through the second Visited Mobile Communication Network; and on receiving the access instruction, the WLAN UE accesses the second Visited Mobile Communication Network via the WLAN Access Network. The method enables a WLAN UE to reselect another Visited Mobile Communication Network after accessing a Visited Mobile Communication Network. |
| US07904079B1 |
Method, apparatus, and system for monitoring user-interface operation to facilitate analysis and report generation
A method, system, and apparatus for monitoring user-interface operation. One or more wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, will automatically log user-interface events (such as key-presses) and user-interface states (such as display screen state) and will transmit the log-data, via a wireless link, to a central server. The server will then compile the log-data and generate useful output reports regarding user-interface operation. Such reports can assist device manufacturers and distributors (e.g., wireless carriers), triggering changes in user-interface design so as to improve user experience. |
| US07904076B2 |
Personal configuration information sharing system
Disclosed is a personal configuration information sharing system comprising a plurality of pieces of electric equipment connected with one another through a network, the plurality of pieces of electric equipment sharing personal configuration information with each other, wherein a setting time of set contents in a first personal configuration information of a first electronic equipment received by a first personal configuration information reception unit is compared with a setting time of set contents in a second personal configuration information of a second electronic equipment extracted by an extraction unit, and the first personal configuration information and the second personal configuration information are merged to update the second personal configuration information to the set contents which are set later. |
| US07904073B2 |
System and method for processing extensible markup language (XML) documents
Systems and methods for processing documents are disclosed. Documents received at a data server are transcoded using locally stored or generated code books. Code books for transcoded documents received at a wireless mobile communication device are either retrieved from a memory on the device or requested from a data server. In response to a code book request, a data server retrieves a requested code book from a local memory or generates the requested code book and returns the requested code book to a requester. A wireless mobile communication device may also generate and transcode XML documents using a locally stored code book, a locally generated code book, or a code book received in response to a code book request. |
| US07904070B2 |
Method and device for searching and deallocating abnormal terminal in wireless portable internet system
The present invention relates to a method for searching and releasing an abnormal subscriber station in a wireless portable Internet system, and an apparatus using the same. The apparatus searches for an abnormal group including abnormal subscriber stations based on a ranging code provided in a periodic ranging process, and searches for an abnormal subscriber station by transmitting a connection maintenance message to subscriber stations included in the abnormal group so as to check an operation status of the respective subscriber stations. In addition, the apparatus releases a connection of an abnormal subscriber station. Therefore, waste of radio resources allocated to the abnormal subscriber station can be prevented, thereby achieving efficient resource management. Further, a secondary search process is performed only for subscriber stations included in an abnormal group, thereby preventing a system load from occurring when searching for an abnormal subscriber station. |
| US07904066B2 |
Method for providing information of telephone number owner using wire/wireless communication terminal and system for implementing the same
This invention is directed to the method and system of providing a call number owner's information to a communication terminal through an information communication network, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a call number owner's information that includes at least a call number and a call number owner's name or its business name, from a plurality of call number owner's terminals and storing it; (b) receiving a call number taken from any one of a list of absent calls, received calls or sent calls held in a memory of the communication terminal, for which call number the owner's information is required by a call number management program run on the communication terminal; (c) reading the call number owner's information corresponding to the received call number in said (b) step from the stored call number owner's information in said (a) step and transmitting the information to the call number management program. |
| US07904063B1 |
Method and apparatus using geographical position to provide authenticated, secure, radio frequency communication between a gaming host and a remote gaming device
Method and apparatus for providing authenticated, secure, communication between a gaming host communicating via radio frequency (RF) subcarriers to a remote user device in another location. Location of the remote user device and the host server are determined by accessing signals generated by either Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, or by terrestrial radio broadcast stations, through a process known as radio frequency triangulation telemetry tracking (RF-3T). Player authentication (identity verification) is determined by use of a personal identification number (PIN). A remote user device may be implemented as a stand alone or self-contained single unit that is portable and can receive communications via radio frequency, or may be implemented as one or more discreet components adapted to be used with a laptop, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or desktop personal computer (PC). |
| US07904055B2 |
Communicating message in mobile communication system
The present invention relates to communicating a message in a mobile communication system. Preferably, the present invention comprises requesting radio resources for transmitting at least one message, receiving a response to the request for radio resources, transmitting a first message for requesting a first layer connection to a first node, and transmitting a second message for requesting a second layer connection with a second node prior to establishing the first layer connection. |
| US07904052B2 |
Sensor net management method
There is provided a sensor node management method in which a user is unconscious of a service break even when a sensor node has failed among a plurality of sensor nodes assuming intermittent operation. Moreover, it is possible to provide a flexible sensor node management method capable of freely modifying the observation grading (space, time) in accordance with a user's desire. A base station (30) for containing a plurality of intermittently operating sensor nodes includes a sensor management table (4) for managing the sensor nodes, a group management table (5) for grouping a plurality of sensor nodes, and an operation timing control unit (3). The operation timing control unit (3) decides the operation interval and the relationship for starting each of the sensor nodes. Moreover, the base station and the sensor node have a counter value as a reference of the sensor node operation interval and the operation start phase, which are periodically synchronized. |
| US07904049B2 |
Wireless terminal baseband processor high speed turbo decoding module
A baseband processing module for use within a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver includes a downlink/uplink interface, TX processing components, a processor, memory, RX processing components, and a turbo decoding module. The RX processing components receive a baseband RX signal from the RF front end, produce a set of IR samples from the baseband RX signal, and transfer the set of IR samples to the memory. The turbo decoding module receives a set of IR samples from the memory, forms a turbo code word from the set of IR samples, turbo decodes the turbo code word to produce inbound data, and outputs the inbound data to the downlink/uplink interface. The turbo decoding module performs metric normalization based upon a chosen metric, performs de-rate matching on the set of IR samples, performs error detection operations, and extracts information from a MAC packet that it produces. |
| US07904048B2 |
Multi-tap direct sub-sampling mixing system for wireless receivers
A multi-tap direct sub-sampling mixing system for wireless receivers is provided with a dynamically configurable passive switched capacitor filter. A front end amplifier is connected to receive a signal. The passive switched capacitor filter is connected to receive the amplified signal and has an output for providing a filtered signal. The switched capacitor filter has at least two sections that are each operable as a pole, wherein a first section of the at least two sections has sets of at least two stacked capacitors interconnected with a set of switches operable to amplify in input voltage provided to an input of the first section in response to operation of the set of switches; and a back end section connected to the output of the switched capacitor filter to receive the filtered signal. |
| US07904047B2 |
Radio frequency filtering technique with auto calibrated stop-band rejection
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for filtering received radio frequency signals are provided. A first RF communication signal is received that includes a desired information signal portion and an undesired blocker signal portion that is offset in frequency from the desired portion. The first RF communication signal is amplified in a first signal path and is filtered in a second signal path. The filtering of the first RF communication signal in the second signal path includes: down-converting the first RF communication signal to a down-converted signal, high pass filtering the down-converted signal, and up-converting the high pass filtered down-converted signal to a second RF communication signal. The filtering of the first RF communication signal filters out the desired information signal portion from the second signal path. A signal phase is adjusted in the second signal path to match phase shifts between the first and second signal paths. The second RF communication signal is subtracted from the amplified first RF communication signal to generate a third RF communication signal. Third RF communication signal includes the desired information signal portion but does not include the blocker signal, which is canceled during the subtraction. |
| US07904045B2 |
Phase detector comprising a switch configured to select a phase offset closest to a phase of an amplifier
A phase detector includes a plurality of phase detectors located in a phase correction loop, each phase detector configured to receive as input a radio frequency (RF) input signal and an RF reference signal, each of the plurality of phase detectors also configured to provide a signal representing a different phase offset based on the phase difference between the RE input signal and the RF reference signal; and a switch configured to receive an output of each of the plurality of phase detectors and configured to select the output representing the phase offset, that is closest to a phase of an output of an amplifier. |
| US07904041B2 |
Remote control, cellular, WiFi, WiLAN, mobile communication and position finder systems
Remote control system for generating control signal for controlling a device from a distance. Processor for processing a digital signal into Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and into cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase filtered signal. Voice processor for processing a voice signal into Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) signal. Receiver, demodulator and processor for receiving, demodulating and processing Radio Frequency (RF) modulated signal into demodulated processed position finder signal. RF modulated signal received from one or more satellites and from one or more ground based transmitters. Polar modulators and other modulators. Signal transmitters for transmission of remote control, TDMA, OFDM or OFDMA or spread spectrum signals. Signals, transmission, reception for cellular Global Mobile System (GSM), spread spectrum, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provided networks. Transmitters operated in separate radio frequency (RF) bands, in Non-Linearly Amplified (NLA) and in linearly amplified or linearized amplifier mode. Receiver for receiving transmitted signal has a radio frequency (RF) unit which is located at a remote location from demodulator. |
| US07904040B2 |
Receiver architectures utilizing coarse analog tuning and associated methods
Receiver architectures and associated methods are disclosed that provide initial analog coarse tuning of desired channels within a received signal spectrum, such as a set-top box signal spectrum for satellite communications. These architectures provide significant advantages over prior direct down-conversion (DDC) architectures and low intermediate-frequency (IF) architectures, particularly where two tuners are desired on the same integrated circuit. Rather than using a low-IF frequency or directly converting the desired channel frequency to DC, initial coarse tuning provided by analog coarse tuning circuitry allows for a conversion to a frequency range around DC. This coarse tuning circuitry can be implemented, for example, using a large-step local oscillator (LO) that provides a coarse tune analog mixing signal. Once mixed down, the desired channel may then be fine-tuned through digital processing, such as through the use of a wide-band analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or a narrow-band tunable bandpass ADC. |
| US07904038B2 |
Output monitor circuit of radio-frequency circuit
An output monitor circuit of a radio-frequency circuit outputs a radio-frequency signal of wavelength λ. The circuit includes a directional coupler, a detection circuit, and a back flow blocking circuit. The directional coupler has a coupling line of a length less than λ/4 coupled with an output line of the radio-frequency circuit and a terminating resistor connected to one end on the radio-frequency circuit side of the coupling line. A radio-frequency signal is derived from the other end of the coupling line by means of coupling between the coupling line and the output line. The detection circuit detects a radio-frequency signal derived from the directional coupler to produce a monitor signal. The back flow blocking circuit blocks signal components back flowing from the output side toward the output line in a portion where there is no coupling between the output line and the coupling line. |
| US07904032B2 |
Methods and apparatus for single sideband modulation employing a frequency shift
Systems and techniques for RFID communication using a frequency shift between uplink and downlink carrier frequencies achieved by digital processing of a baseband signal before radio frequency modulation of a carrier signal occurs. Generation of the carrier signal, and modulation of the carrier signal, is accomplished using digital techniques. A digital representation of a baseband signal is modulated to create a complex baseband signal multiplied by a negative frequency shift equal to a difference between downlink and uplink carrier frequencies. This signal undergoes analog to digital conversion and modulation by a carrier signal at an uplink frequency. The complex baseband signal includes in-phase and quadrature components. During uplink communication, the in-phase component of the complex baseband signal is replaced by a constant value. The quadrature component is replaced by a zero signal. During uplink communication, therefore, an umodulated carrier signal at an uplink frequency is generated. |
| US07904030B2 |
High frequency switch, radio communication apparatus, and high frequency switching method
For example, in a conventional high frequency switch used for a mobile phone and so on, high frequency distortion is caused by a diode which is turned off upon transmission. A high frequency switch includes a switch circuit for switching transmission and reception performed via a transmitting terminal and receiving terminals, said switch circuit having a diode turned off upon transmission, and a low-pass filter for suppressing high frequency distortion caused by the diode upon transmission. |
| US07904029B2 |
Method and apparatus for high frequency wireless communication
A full duplex communication system is capable of providing actual wireless transmission rates on the order of 125 Mb/s, or higher, with relatively high transmission power on the order of 0.5 to 2 watts (W) or higher, with a high signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, a bit error rate on the order of 10−12 or lower, 99.99% availability, and with relatively simple circuit designs. A single compact and efficient, low distortion transceiver design is used based on high power (e.g., 0.5 W) monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuits (MMICs), having a compression point which accommodates high speed modems such as OC-3 and 100 Mb/s Fast Ethernet modems used in broadband networking technologies like SONET/SDH (e.g., SONET ring architectures having self-healing ring capability). By applying high power MMIC technology of conventional radar systems to wireless duplex communications, significant advantages can be realized in a fixed wireless spectrum of 18-40 GHz or wider. |
| US07904024B2 |
System and method of eliminating or minimizing Lo-Related interference from tuners
Systems and methods of eliminating or reducing interference resulting from harmonics of local oscillator frequencies of mixers are shown. In one embodiment, a determination is made as to a zone or zones within an intermediate frequency band associated with undesired spurs. 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. Local oscillator 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. |
| US07904022B2 |
Support apparatus for reading tag information and method therefor
To support a tag information reader to read information from radio communication tags, attached to each of a plurality of structural objects in a plant and to provide the locations of unread radio communication tags, a tag information acquisition unit acquires information on radio communication tags actually read by the tag information reader. Next, an unread tag extraction unit extracts radio communication tags which are a plurality of radio communication tags stored in a tag arrangement data file but from which information cannot be acquired by the tag information acquisition unit, and an unread tag arrangement calculation unit acquires arrangement data on the extracted radio communication tags. The arrangement data on those radio communication tags is sent to a display unit for displaying the radio communication tags. |
| US07904019B2 |
Broadcast signal and receiver and method of decoding digital broadcast signal
A tuner included in a digital broadcast receiver tunes a broadcast signal from a transmitter via a re-transmitter. A demodulator demodulates the broadcast signal, and an identification information detector detects identification information of a re-transmission service provided by the re-transmitter from the demodulated broadcast signal. A decoder arranged to decode the modulated broadcast signal, and a controller controls operation of the decoder based upon the identification information detected by the identification information detector. The identification information of the re-transmitter may directly include information identifying a type of the re-transmission service (e.g., a free or charged service) or may include a unique ID number of the re-transmission service, which could be used by the broadcast receiver to determine service type. |
| US07904016B2 |
Original document reading device
When an original document is placed on the lift tray, a timer is reset and starts counting a predetermined time. Whether an alignment device is moved to adjust the original documents loaded on the lift tray in, for example, the widthwise direction transverse to the transportation direction is then determined. If a change in the detected width of the original documents is detected, the timer is reset and started again. If there is no change in the detected width of the original documents, a control waits for the timer to time out. If the timer reaches the predetermined time, the lift tray is driven up by the lift motor and rises until the top limit sensor turns on. |
| US07904010B2 |
Belt unit, transfer belt unit, and image forming apparatus
A belt unit includes a belt, a contact member, a movable member, an eccentric cam, a contact-separation mechanism, and a braking unit. The contact member is configured to come into contact with the belt. The contact-separation mechanism allows the movable member to move according to the rotation of the eccentric cam to control contact and separation between the contact member and the belt. The braking unit controls the rotation of the eccentric cam by a predetermined angle. |
| US07904008B2 |
Method of using multiple developing members in a single-component developing system
The present invention is directed to a non-contact, single-component developing system for electrophotographic devices that enables high speed, high quality development and color development without an accumulator, or some other intermediate transfer member by employing a plurality of ancillary developing members operating in tandem with a toner-carrying member to facilitate toner detachment from the toner-carrying member. The developing system of the present invention utilizes high electrostatic forces to enable toner jump without AC voltages and exploits toner adhesion forces adhering toner particles to a surface (e.g., a latent image-bearing member) to facilitate high speed development. |
| US07904004B2 |
Powder supplying device, method of filling powder into powder supply device, and method of reusing powder supplying device
The present invention provides a method of filling a powder into a powder supplying device including: a housing that accommodates the powder; a rotating member disposed rotatably within the housing; a sheet-shaped conveying member fixed to the rotating member, whose free end side region, which is different from a fixed portion, slidingly-contacts and moves along an inner wall of the housing by rotation of the rotating member to convey the powder; and a powder supply opening provided at the housing at a downstream side in a direction of conveying the powder, the method including filling, into the housing, the powder in an amount such that, at a time when usage of the powder supplying device starts, a height of the powder is greater than or equal to a height of a bottom surface of the rotating member. |
| US07904003B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes: a first screw provided in a first carrying path, the first screw rotating so as to simultaneously stir the developer and carry the developer in the first carrying path in a predetermined direction; a second screw provided in a second carrying path, the second screw rotating so as to simultaneously stir the developer and carry the developer in the second carrying path in an opposite direction from the predetermined direction; a first communicating path communicating the first carrying path with the second carrying path; a second communicating path communicating the first carrying path with the second carrying path, the second communicating path being formed downstream of the first communicating path in the opposite direction; and a developer bearing member for bearing the developer in the second carrying path so as to supply the toner included in the developer onto a photoreceptor, the toner being supplied through a supply opening to the first carrying path, wherein the developing device includes a magnet at a position higher than a shaft of the first screw, the magnet forming a magnetic brush from the magnetic carrier in the first carrying path. This reduces problematic scattering of toner and photographic fog in images. |
| US07904001B2 |
Developing unit, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus having a plurality of conveyor members, a supply part, and a discharge part
A developing unit containing developer including carrier and toner and developing a latent image formed on an image carrier is disclosed. The developing unit includes multiple conveyor members configured to convey the contained developer in respective longitudinal directions so as to form a circulation channel; a supply part configured to supplement the carrier in the developing unit; a discharge part configured to discharge a first part of the contained developer outside the developing unit; and a bypass channel configured to cause a second part of the developer to return to the upstream side of the circulation channel without passing a position where the discharge part is provided. |
| US07903998B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus having at least a latent electrostatic image bearing member, and a recharging unit configured to recharge a residual toner remaining on the latent electrostatic image bearing member, wherein after transfer, the residual toner is passed through the recharging unit and is then recovered in a developing device; a charging component of the recharging unit that comes into contact with the latent electrostatic image bearing member is a polymer sheet having a surface roughness (Ra) of 0.12 μm to 0.51 μm; the toner contains at least a pigment, a binder resin, and a releasing agent, and contains inorganic fine particles as an external additive, and the amount of the inorganic fine particles and the amount of the releasing agent satisfy three specific Expressions. |
| US07903993B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus capable of maintaining cleaning performance of a cleaning brush and downsizing the apparatus main body. Transfer residual toner accumulated on the cleaning brush is transferred onto a photoreceptor by an electrostatic force, hence the cleaning brush becomes clean and the cleaning performance thereof improves. Therefore, the photoreceptor and a charging roller can be cleaned well by the cleaning brush over a long period of time, and the photoreceptor can be charged well by the charging roller over a long period of time. Moreover, because the transfer residual toner that is transferred from the cleaning brush onto the photoreceptor is recovered by a developing device, it is not necessary to provide the apparatus main body with a toner recovery portion that is specially designed for recovering the transfer residual toner, hence the apparatus main body can be downsized. |
| US07903989B2 |
Developing apparatus with deformation detection and voltage correction
A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member rotatably provided for carrying a developer; a regulating member that has conductivity, and is provided to be capable of being in contact with the developer carrying member for regulating a amount of the developer carried by the developer carrying member; a power supply that applies voltage to the regulating member; a deformation detecting unit that detects information relating to the deformation of the developer carrying member; and a control unit that controls the power supply to apply a correction voltage when a deformed portion of the developer carrying member passes through the regulating member in order that the amount of the developer carried by the developer carrying member in the circumferential direction is in uniform based on a result of the detection by the deformation detecting unit. |
| US07903986B2 |
Reuse method and a reusable device for an image forming apparatus having a first process linear velocity and a second image processing apparatus having a second process linear velocity
In a reuse method for reusing a reusable device and a sensor of a first image forming apparatus having a first process linear velocity in a second image forming apparatus having at least one second process linear velocity different from the first process linear velocity, the reusable device and the sensor are installed in the first image forming apparatus, and when the first image forming apparatus switches from the first process linear velocity to the second process linear velocity at an initial state before the reusable device is used, output of the sensor at the second process linear velocity is measured. When information on the output of the sensor at the second process linear velocity is stored, the reusable device and the sensor are removed from the first image forming apparatus and installed in the second image forming apparatus. |
| US07903985B2 |
Image forming system having wet and dry imaging parts
An image forming system includes a first developing unit to form an image using a dry developer and a second developing unit to form an image using a wet developer. The first developing unit forms an image using yellow, magenta, cyan and black developers, and the second developing unit forms an image using a developer having lighter colors than the yellow, magenta, cyan and black developers. Therefore, light colors requiring high resolution and high definition may be printed using a wet type image forming module capable of easily expressing the light colors, and original and dark colors may be printed using a dry image forming module. Hence, it is possible to print a color image having high resolution and high definition, and enhance the color reproducibility of the image. |
| US07903982B2 |
Optical receiver
An optical divider divides an optical input signal into a plurality of paths. A plurality of optical-to-electrical converters respectively converts the divided optical input signals into electrical signals. A plurality of discriminators respectively outputs discrimination results by discriminating the electrical signals output from the optical-to-electrical converters based on predetermined thresholds. An operational circuit performs a predetermined logical operation with the discrimination results output from the discriminators. |
| US07903981B2 |
Software-based electro-optic modulator bias control systems and methods
The present invention provides a software-based electro-optic modulator bias control system resident in an optical transceiver including an electro-optic modulator that includes an optical-to-electrical converter including a transimpedance amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, and a software algorithm, wherein the software algorithm is operable for determining an optimum bias voltage applied to the electro-optic modulator by discovering a maximum average optical power transmitted by the electro-optic modulator, or quadrature point, wherein the quadrature point is discovered by determining at what bias voltage the slope of an average optical power transmitted by the electro-optic modulator, defined as an optical power change given an incremental bias voltage change, is equal to zero. The software-based electro-optic modulator bias control system also includes a control loop operable for determining if a radio frequency port of the electro-optic modulator is driven to a peak-to-peak voltage that is greater than (over-driven) or less than (under-driven) the peak-to-trough voltage of a response curve of the electro-optic modulator. |
| US07903978B2 |
Optical transmission systems and amplifier control apparatuses and methods
Optical systems of the present invention generally include an optical signal controller disposed along an optical link between two optical nodes. The optical signal controller is configured to provide a monitoring signal from an optical signal passing between the nodes as a plurality of wavelength sub-bands at least one of which includes a plurality of signal channels. The controller generates a compensating channel having an optical power that is a function of the monitoring signal power in the plurality of wavelength sub-bands or total power. The compensating channel is combined with the optical signal to compensate for power variations in the optical signal passing between the nodes. In addition, the compensating channels can be used to transmit communication or system supervisory information between monitoring points and/or nodes in the system. |
| US07903977B2 |
Method for polarization-based intrusion monitoring in fiberoptic links
A fiber optic communication system including a fiber optic link, a transmitter system and a receiver system. The transmitter system includes a laser source producing a light beam, and a polarization controller receiving the light beam and providing an expected pattern of changing states of polarization to the light beam to output light signals into the fiber optic link to cause the expected pattern of changing states of polarization to be transmitted along the fiber optic link. The receiver system is provided with a polarization analyzer, and a light detector. The light detector receives the light signals transmitted by the transmitter, and forwards data indicative of the light signals to the polarization analyzer. The polarization analyzer analyzing the data with an inverse polarization reference frame and generates an alert based on deviations of the data from the expected pattern of changing states of polarization. |
| US07903973B1 |
Dynamic temporal duration optical transmission privacy
Systems and methods are presented herein to achieve data privacy in the optical realm such that electronic encryption bottlenecks are removed, potentially increasing data transmission speeds to the limit of fiber optic media. In this regard, privatizing an optical data transmission may include dynamically altering a temporal length of data bits in an optical data transmission or dynamically altering a temporal length of data frames in an optical data transmission. For example, in a two-dimensional OCDMA signal, the temporal length of data bits may be altered by changing the number of time chips on a per bit basis (e.g., using OCDMA signatures having different temporal lengths). In an optical data bit scrambling signal, the temporal length of data frames may be altered by changing the number of time slices on a per data frame basis. |
| US07903972B2 |
Format converter with smart multitap
Systems and methods for signal conversion with smart multitap are disclosed. Embodiments of the systems can be scalable to model different signal topologies, transmission frequencies, bandwidths, and distances. An exemplary embodiment of the systems and methods includes a fiber optic to RF converter and a smart multitap. Although a fiber optic to RF converter is used in exemplary embodiments throughout the disclosure, conversion between other signal topologies is within the scope of the disclosure. The smart multitap includes a multiple tap for distributing a signal to multiple terminals and a microprocessor to select a particular terminal for a signal. Exemplary embodiments include downstream implementations in which a stream is typically sent from a service provider server to a user. Alternative embodiments include downstream implementations as well as upstream implementations in which a user typically sends a stream to a service provider server. |
| US07903970B2 |
Optical network evaluation systems and methods
Embodiments of optical network evaluation systems and methods are disclosed. One system embodiment, among others, comprises a processor configured with logic to provide a cross layer model of disturbance propagation in an optical network based on a combination of a physical layer model and a network layer model, the physical layer mode based on the disturbance propagation having a threshold effect only on nodes along a route followed by the disturbance. |
| US07903966B2 |
Accessory device
An accessory device of the present invention is configured to be mounted on an accessory shoe of an image pickup apparatus. The accessory device includes an insertion member configured to be inserted in an engagement space between a first engagement part and a second engagement part of the accessory shoe, an operating member configured to perform an operation for fixing the accessory device on the accessory shoe, and a moving member configured to move in a second direction intersecting with a first direction in which the insertion member is inserted in the engagement space. The moving member is provided with a protrusion part which is in contact with at least one of the first engagement part and the second engagement part so that the insertion member is not removed from the engagement space by a movement of the moving member in the second direction. |
| US07903963B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, image capturing method, and program
An image capturing apparatus whose lens unit can be attached to and detached from a camera body section includes: an image-capturing signal processing section that generates an image signal by performing an image capturing process of subject light introduced via the lens unit; an attachment detecting section that generates a detection signal indicating whether or not the lens unit is attached to the camera body section; and a control section that determines whether or not the lens unit has been interchanged or detached and attached by using the detection signal, and performs a process of forming index data with respect to the image signal on the basis of a result of the determination. |
| US07903961B2 |
Photographic apparatus having inclination correction and determining whether inclination correction is to be performed
A photographic apparatus comprises a movable platform and a controller. The movable platform has an imager, and is movable and rotatable in an xy plane. The controller performs a movement control of the movable platform for an inclination correction based on an inclination angle of the photographic apparatus formed by rotation of the photographic apparatus around the optical axis, as measured with respect to a level plane, for a first stabilization for correcting hand shake caused by yaw, and for a second stabilization for correcting hand shake caused by pitch. The controller performs a determination of whether the inclination correction is to be performed, on the basis of a first hand-shake quantity caused by yaw for the first stabilization, a second hand-shake quantity caused by pitch for the second stabilization, and the inclination angle. |
| US07903959B2 |
Drive device
A drive device is provided having a movable part, a fixed part, and a drive part. The fixed part is provided within a movement range of the movable part. The drive part drives the movable part in a first direction so as to strike said fixed part. The drive part drives the movable part to and fro along the first direction alternately for different time intervals so as to strike the fixed part. |
| US07903957B2 |
Methods using a draped liquid warming device
A liquid warming device for heating sterile fluids in a removable basin is described with emphasis on the properties of the basin interaction with the liquid warming device and with a drape that works with the basin to maintain a sterile field above the drape and the top of the basin. The interactions between a temperature sensor and a temperature well integrated in the removable basin are disclosed. Also disclosed are various desirable aspects for a control system for a liquid warming device. |
| US07903955B2 |
Motor driving device
A driving device is provided for controlling rotation of a motor. The driving device comprises an inputting module, a comparing module and a processing module. The inputting module includes a first current source, a first voltage source and a first capacitance. The first capacitance is coupled between the first current source and the first voltage source for charging/discharging and generating a voltage signal. The comparing module is coupled to the inputting module for comparing a selecting signal with the voltage signal and generating a comparing signal. The processing module is coupled to the comparing module and generates a control signal according to a clock signal and the comparing signal, wherein the driving device controls the rotation of the motor by the control signal. |
| US07903954B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903943B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903940B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903937B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903932B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903928B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903927B2 |
Editing apparatus and control method thereof, and program and recording medium
A plurality of video materials specified from video materials is managed as one group. Information associated with each video material belonging to the group is displayed on a graphical user interface according to a first operation. According to a second operation, a process to add video material or delete video material specified from the video materials belonging to the group is performed. The contents of a special effect set for the video material specified from the video materials belonging to the group are managed in correspondence with only the video material. |
| US07903922B2 |
Optical connector holder and optical termination cabinet, and method of optical fiber wiring in optical termination cabinet
This optical connector holder includes a holder body into which optical connectors are inserted, connector housing recesses are formed on the holder body and caps which fit together with said optical ferrules of said optical connectors that are inserted into said connector housing recess and which cover their connection end faces, wherein said caps separate from said optical ferrules and remain on said holder body side when said optical connectors are withdrawn from said connector housing recesses. |
| US07903919B2 |
Holey fiber
A holey fiber has: a core region at a center of the holey fiber; a cladding region around the core region; a plurality of holes included in the cladding region, formed in layers around the core region, arranged to form a triangular lattice having a lattice constant Λ of 2 micrometers to 5 micrometers, and each having a diameter of d micrometers; and a wavelength dispersion value of −10 ps/nm/km to 10 ps/nm/km at a wavelength of 1050 nanometers when d/Λ is 0.3 to 0.47. |
| US07903918B1 |
Large numerical aperture bend resistant multimode optical fiber
Bend resistant optical fibers which are multi-moded at 1300 nm include a core, an inner cladding, a low index ring and an outer cladding. The core has a graded index of refraction with a core alpha profile where 1.9≦αC≦2.1, a maximum relative refractive index percent Δ1Max%, and a numerical aperture NA of greater than 0.23. The inner cladding surrounds the core and has a maximum relative refractive index percent Δ2Max%, a minimum relative refractive index percent Δ2Min%, and a radial thickness ≧0.5 microns, wherein Δ1Max%>Δ2Max%. The low index ring surrounds the inner cladding and has a relative refractive index percent Δ3%, a radial thickness of at least 0.5 microns, a profile volume with an absolute magnitude of greater than 50%-μm2, wherein Δ2Min%≧Δ3%. The outer cladding surrounds the low index ring and has a relative refractive index percent Δ4%, such that Δ1Max%>Δ4%≧Δ2Max%. |
| US07903916B2 |
Optical waveguide
The invention relates to an optical waveguide capable of extracting light especially from arbitrary positions of the same. An object of the invention is to provide an optical waveguide capable of extracting light efficiently from arbitrary positions of the same. To achieve the above object and according to one aspect of the invention, an optical waveguide is provided with a core for guiding light, a clad and a displacing structure for the core to contact the clad. The core has a first refractive index. The clad has a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index. |
| US07903913B2 |
Optical apparatus
An optical apparatus including a 360-degree star coupler with derivative structure(s) and applications to optical imaging, optical communications and optical spectroscopy. |
| US07903893B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for entropy constrained color splitting for palette images with pixel-wise splitting
A method, system and computer program product are provided for progressively encoding a digitized color image using a data processing system, the digitized color image being provided by assigning each of M distinct colors to at least one pixel in a set of pixels. This involves initializing and growing a tree structure by selecting a leaf node to become a non-leaf node linked to two new leaf nodes based on an associated achievable cost, wherein the associated achievable cost is based on 1) a determined associated change in distortion resulting from turning the leaf node into the non-leaf node linked to the two new leaf nodes; and 2) a determined associated increase in entropy rate resulting from turning the leaf node into the non-leaf node linked to the two new leaf nodes. |
| US07903888B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and image decoding apparatus
Even an image in which a gradation character/line image having variations in pixel values to a certain degree and a natural image are mixed can be reproduced with sufficient quality in the gradation character/line image and high encoding efficiency, and further, encoded data can be generated with high encoding efficiency. An extraction unit binarizes pixel values in an input block with a predetermined threshold, thereby generates identification information identifying pixels to be substituted and pixels not to be substituted. An average differential value generation unit calculates a differential value between an average value of the pixels to be substituted and an average value of the pixels not to be substituted. A substitute color generation unit subtracts the differential value from the pixels to be substituted. An encoding unit encodes the identification information, the differential value and pixel values of the block after substitution. |
| US07903887B2 |
Image processing circuit and liquid crystal display apparatus
An image processing circuit has a color information converter configured to convert image data including a plurality of color information into luminance data and color difference data, an activity detector whether amount of activity predetermined according to differences between the luminance data in a plurality of pixels in each of pixel blocks and differences between the color difference data in the plurality of pixels exceeds a predetermined first threshold value for each pixel block including a plurality of pixels adjacent to each other, and a encoding unit configured to perform a first encoding process by generating m (m is an integer of three or larger) representative values corresponding to the luminance data and the color difference data in the plurality of pixels in the pixel block that the activity detector determines to exceed the first threshold value, and perform a second encoding process by generating n (n is an integer of two or more and the integer larger than m) representative values corresponding to the luminance data and the color difference data in the plurality of pixels in the pixel block that the activity detector determines not to exceed the first threshold value, to generate encoded data. |
| US07903885B2 |
Data converting apparatus and method
A data converting apparatus includes a video encode or decode operation unit which decodes a bit stream into a video signal; an IO buffer into which the bit stream transferred from an encoded-video recorder is stored; and a DMAC which controls a process of determining, in accordance with free space of the IO buffer and an OP buffer, either a first path going through a main memory or a second path bypassing the main memory as the transfer path, and having the bit stream, that is stored in the IO buffer, inputted into the video encode or decode operation unit via the determined transfer path. |
| US07903884B2 |
System and computer software program for visibly processing an observed information's relationship with knowledge accumulations
A system for visibly processing observed information may include a configuration for systematizing information; a knowledge accumulation housing unit for storing knowledge accumulations from knowledge information belonging to each such configuration; an observed information receiving unit for receiving, from a user, information observed by the user; a fixed quantity processing unit for assigning a fixed quantity to a relationship between the observed information and the knowledge information belonging to each configuration for the knowledge accumulations; and a fixed quantity value display processing unit for displaying a numerical value of the fixed quantity, in accordance with the fixed quantity processing unit, together with its relationship with each configuration of the knowledge accumulations. |
| US07903882B2 |
Image management device
The image management device includes a related image selection module and an auxiliary labeling module. The related image selection module selects one or more related images having a certain relationship to a classification labeled image which is assigned a classification label indicating image classification. The auxiliary labeling module assigns an auxiliary label to the related images, the auxiliary label indicating the certain relationship. |
| US07903874B2 |
Ruled-line-projection extracting apparatus, ruled-line projection extracting method, and computer product
A set of straight lines that associate a top parallel geodesic projection positioned at an upper end with a bottom parallel geodesic projection positioned at a lower end, among sets of parallel geodesic projections, is extracted as a set of ruled-line candidate projections as a search target of a set of ruled line projections. A deviation of neighborhood, which is a distance between a cross ratio vector of the ruled-line candidate projection and a cross ratio vector of a neighboring line obtained by shifting the ruled-line candidate projection by a predetermined interval, is calculated for each ruled-line candidate projection. A set of straight lines having the smallest sum total of deviations of neighborhood, in the set of straight lines, which do not intersect with each other, among the sets of ruled-line projection candidates is extracted as a set of ruled line projections by continuous dynamic programming. |
| US07903873B2 |
Textual image coding
Textual image coding involves coding textual portions of an image. In an example embodiment, a textual block of an image is decomposed into multiple base colors and an index map, with the index map having index values that each reference a base color so as to represent the textual block. A set of neighbor index values are ascertained for a particular index of the index map. A context that matches the neighbor index values is generated from among multiple contexts. The matching context includes a set of symbols. At least one symbol-to-value mapping is determined based on the matching context and a symbol to which the particular index corresponds. The particular index is remapped to a particular value in accordance with the symbol-to-value mapping and the symbol to which the particular index corresponds. |
| US07903872B2 |
Image-processing apparatus and method, computer program, and storage medium
An image-processing apparatus configured to perform a background-color-removal process on color image data. The image-processing apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether a pixel value of the color image data is highlight information to be reproduced using a light color material, and also includes a processing unit configured to perform a background-color-removal process, using a highlight background color level, on a pixel having a pixel value determined by the determination unit to be the highlight information, and to perform a background-color-removal process, using a background color level that is lower in luminance than the highlight background color level, on a pixel having a pixel value determined not to be the highlight information. |
| US07903867B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying detected defects
Defect image display screens are capable of accurately presenting features of defects. On a thumbnail display screen of a defect, images likely to most clearly indicating features of the defect are determined in units of the defect from, for example, inspection information and a defect type, and then are displayed. On a detail display screen of a defect, for example, images for being displayed so as to clearly indicate features of the defect, and the display sequence thereof are determined in accordance with, for example, inspection information and a defect type, and then are displayed. Further, steps for acquiring a display image during or after defect image acquisition by using, for example, a different defect image acquisition apparatus and a different imaging condition in accordance with preliminarily specified rules are added to an imaging sequence (procedure). |
| US07903864B1 |
System and methods for the detection of irregularities in objects based on an image of the object
A method for the detection of an irregularity in an object based on an image of the object that includes the steps of binarizing the image at a plurality of binarization thresholds to obtain a plurality of binarized images, extracting information from each of the binarized images, estimating the regular object resulting from the binarization at the respective binarization threshold of an image of a version of the object in which the irregularity is absent, combining the information extracted from each of the binarized images, and detecting the irregularity based on the combined information. A method for the detection of a defect in a solder element based on an X-ray image of the solder element. This aspect includes the steps of binarizing the image at a plurality of binarization thresholds to obtain a plurality of binarized images, extracting information from each of the binarized images, combining the information extracted from each of the binarized images, and detecting the defect based on the combined information. |
| US07903863B2 |
Currency bill tracking system
A system and method is presented for tracking and tracing currency bills involved in deposit and withdrawal transactions. A transaction identifier is obtained. Currency bills involved in the transaction are scanned in order to obtain their serial numbers. The serial numbers are then linked to the transaction identifier. |
| US07903861B2 |
Method for classifying breast tissue density using computed image features
A method for classifying tissue density of a breast includes obtaining mammography image data and segmenting the mammography image to identify the region representing the breast tissue. A plurality of regions within the breast tissue region are identified for obtaining image features therefrom. A plurality of image features are computed from the identified plurality of regions. The breast tissue density is classified using the computed plurality of image features. |
| US07903853B2 |
Automated methods for pre-selection of voxels and implementation of pharmacokinetic and parametric analysis for dynamic contrast enhanced MRI and CT
A method, system and computer-readable medium of filtering noise pixels and other extraneous data, including saturated fat tissue and air data in image data is provided. Examples of image data may include but are not limited to magnetic resonance imaging data and computed tomography data. The method includes receiving pixel count for each signal intensity value of the image data; determining a signal intensity value, Ipeak, corresponding to a pixel count of a greatest number of pixels, Npeak; setting a noise threshold at a signal intensity value, Inoise, corresponding to a pixel count, NI, such that NI is determined based on Npeak; and filtering from the image data one or more pixels with signal intensity values below the noise threshold. NI may be determined such that NI=Npeak/3 or close to Npeak/3. |
| US07903852B2 |
Automatic determination of parameters of an imaging geometry
The apparatus comprises an input for receiving a suitable source image data of an object. The core of the apparatus is formed by a control unit 4 arranged to load image data from the input and determine a spatial position and orientation of a portion of the object and to automatically calculate actual parameters of the imaging geometry based on said position and orientation and using default parameters if the imaging geometry, selected by the control unit in accordance with the portion of the object. The apparatus according to the invention comprises a recognition module arranged to determine a spatial position and orientation of the portion of the object with respect to a coordinate system of an imaging apparatus conceived to use the actual parameters of the imaging geometry provided by the apparatus. |
| US07903851B2 |
Method and system for vertebrae and intervertebral disc localization in magnetic resonance images
A system and method for vertebrae and intervertebral disc localization in magnetic resonance (MR) images is disclosed. In this method, a target spine MR image is segmented by generating a binary segmentation. A spinal cord line is then estimated on the segmented image. Neighboring vertebrae in a region of interest around the estimated spinal cord line are then localized by labeling vertebral regions based on characteristics, such as size and shape, of regions of connected segmented pixels within the regions of interest. A center point of an intervertebral disc between the neighboring vertebrae is then calculated by finding a point halfway between respective borders of the vertebral regions on a line connecting the centers of mass of the vertebral regions. |
| US07903848B2 |
Method for processing an image acquired through a guide consisting of a plurality of optical fibers
A method for processing an image acquired through a guide consisting of a plurality of optical fibers includes, for each optical fiber, isolating on the acquired image a zone corresponding to the optical fiber, locally processing each zone individually to correct the photon flux detected in each optical fiber, then reconstructing the acquired image by eliminating the pattern caused by the optical fiber. The method also includes a sampling process for obtaining, for each optical fiber and from a sampling image, a sample injection rate which can be used for reconstructing the acquired images. The method also includes a prior step which consists in detecting the fibers from a target. |
| US07903847B2 |
Apparatus for inputting biometrical feature
A biometrical feature inputting apparatus includes a 1-dimensional or quasi 1-dimensional image sensor. When a finger and the image sensor are relatively slid, a finger sliding guide keeps a finger and an effective pixel unit of the image sensor to a constant distance without any contact between them. An image processing section sequentially generates partial images by imaging emission light that is scattered inside the finger and then emitted from a skin surface of the finger by the image sensor during the relative motion of the finger and the image sensor and link the partial images to an image. |
| US07903843B2 |
System, program, and apparatus for image processing
An image processing apparatus uses a bird's eye image for supporting a backing operation of a vehicle for parking. The bird's eye image is processed to display an area view that at least includes a parking lot captured in the image. Then, the area view is displayed in a display space in a display unit of the image processing apparatus for representing a parking area and related information. In this manner, the area view excludes unnecessary part from the bird's eye image for effectively providing a visual support for the backing operation by a driver of the vehicle. |
| US07903834B1 |
Curve fitted electrodynamic planar loudspeaker
A curve fitted planar loudspeaker minimizes variation and dead zones in the sound field propagated by an array of the loudspeakers. The curve fitted loudspeaker provides a plurality of sound generating transducers. The diaphragm is curved and each adjacent section fits as a section into a larger curve, eliminating or minimizing breaks in the propagated sound filed at the target distance to the target. |
| US07903832B2 |
System and method for driving an antenna
The present invention relates to a system (100) and method for driving an antenna (118). The system (100) comprises a driving means (110, 112, 114) driving the antenna (118) with a driving signal. The system (100) further comprises a modulation means (102) having an input receiving a transmission data signal (106), a data identification means (122) identifying a level change in the transmission data signal (106) and controlling duty cycle of the driving signal (108). The data identification means (122) provides a timed increase of duty cycle of the driving signal (108) when the a level change in said transmission data is identified. |
| US07903831B2 |
Silicon based condenser microphone and packaging method for the same
Disclosed are a silicon based condenser microphone and a packaging method for the silicon based condenser microphone. The silicon based condenser microphone comprises a metal case, and a board which is mounted with a MEMS microphone chip and an ASIC chip having an electric voltage pump and a buffer IC and is formed with a connecting pattern for bonding with the metal case, wherein the connecting pattern is welded to the metal case. The method for packaging a silicon based condenser microphone includes the steps of inputting a board which is mounted with a MEMS chip and an ASIC chip and is formed with a connecting pattern; inputting a metal case, aligning the metal case on the connecting pattern of the board, and welding an opened end of the metal case to the connecting pattern of the board. Thus, the metal case is welded to the board by the laser. |
| US07903830B2 |
Push-pull capacitive micro-machined ultrasound transducer array
A push-pull capacitive micromechanical ultrasound transducer (CMUT) is provided for ultrasound imaging or therapy. Gaps and electrodes on both sides of an electrostatic membrane provide push-pull operation. The membrane is oriented to flex in a direction of acoustic propagation. A surface connected to the membrane may better expose the movement to the acoustic medium even in the push-pull arrangement. |
| US07903825B1 |
Personal audio playback device having gain control responsive to environmental sounds
A personal audio playback device having gain control responsive to environmental sounds provides for improved enjoyment of program material played back through headphones, while further providing features for personal safety and communications with others. A microphone is incorporated on the surface of the playback device, which includes an audio output connection for headphones and internal storage for audio program material. The entire device may be incorporated within the headphones, or the headphones may connect through a connector on the housing of the device. The gain, type or position of the program material is controlled in conformity with a detected characteristic of ambient sounds received by the microphone, which may be the amplitude of the signals in one or more frequency bands, or a particular type of sound, such as speech or vehicular sounds. Multiple modes are selectable for processing the audio, selecting program material type and/or re-positioning the program material. |
| US07903824B2 |
Compact side information for parametric coding of spatial audio
At an audio encoder, cue codes are generated for one or more audio channels, wherein a combined cue code (e.g., a combined inter-channel correlation (ICC) code) is generated by combining two or more estimated cue codes, each estimated cue code estimated from a group of two or more channels. At an audio decoder, E transmitted audio channel(s) are decoded to generate C playback audio channels. Received cue codes include a combined cue code (e.g., a combined ICC code). One or more transmitted channel(s) are upmixed to generate one or more upmixed channels. One or more playback channels are synthesized by applying the cue codes to the one or more upmixed channels, wherein two or more derived cue codes are derived from the combined cue code, and each derived cue code is applied to generate two or more synthesized channels. |
| US07903821B2 |
Method for managing key in multimedia broadcast and multicast service
A method for managing key in Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast service comprising steps of defining a valid MTK ID interval for each generated MSK and sends it to a UE along with a MSK by a BMSC; after receiving the MSK, saving a valid MTK ID interval of the MSK by the UE; and defining a MTK ID for each generated MTK encrypted with the MSK and sending the MTK ID and the MTK to the UE after encrypting them with the MSK by the BMSC This MSK is valid only when the transmission of the MTK within MTK ID interval is in operation. Therefore, once the UE finds out that some newly received MTK's MTK ID is beyond said MTK ID, it deletes the MSK that is applied in said MTK transmission's encryption correspondingly. |
| US07903819B2 |
Memory efficient storage of large numbers of key value pairs
In one embodiment of the present invention, storing a plurality of key value pairs may be accomplished by first, for each of two or more quantities of most significant bits, determining how much overall memory usage will be saved upon removal of the corresponding quantity of most significant bits from each key in the plurality of key value pairs. Then, for the quantity of most significant bits determined to have the most overall memory usage savings, the quantity of most significant bits may be removed from each key in the plurality of key value pairs. Then a first auxiliary data structure may be formed, wherein the first auxiliary data structure contains the removed quantity of most significant bits from each key in the plurality of key value pairs and pointers to the remaining bits of each key of the plurality of keys in a primary data structure. |
| US07903815B2 |
Method of identifying multiple digital streams within a multiplexed signal
In a subscriber television system with a host terminal, the present invention allows the identification of the individual packets from two separate MPEG transport streams that have been multiplexed together for decoding by a single external conditional access or point-of-deployment (POD) module. The decoding of individual packets from two separate MPEG transport streams supports the use of multiple tuner host terminals for such functions as picture-in-picture (PIP) program viewing and the viewing of one program while recording a second program. |
| US07903814B2 |
Enhancing the security of public key cryptosystem implementations
In one embodiment, cryptographic transformation of a message is performed by first performing a table initiation phase to populate a data structure. Then, a first random number multiplied by a public key is added to each value in the data structure, in modulo of a second random number multiplied by the public key. Then an exponentiation phase is performed, wherein each modular multiplication and square operation in the exponentiation phase is performed in modulo of the second random number multiplied by the public key, producing a result. Then the result of the exponentiation phase is reduced in modulo of the public key. The introduction of the random numbers aids in the prevention of potential security breaches from the deduction of operands in the table initiation phase by malicious individuals. |
| US07903813B2 |
Stream cipher encryption application accelerator and methods thereof
A system for encrypting and decrypting data formed of a number of bytes using the ARCFOUR encryption algorithm is disclosed. The system includes a system bus and an encryption accelerator arranged to execute the encryption algorithm coupled to the system bus. A system memory coupled to the system bus arranged to store a secret key array associated with the data and a central processing unit coupled to the system bus wherein encryption accelerator uses substantially no central processing unit resources to execute the encryption algorithm. |
| US07903810B2 |
Single instruction for data scrambling
A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently scrambling one or more bytes of data according to DSL standards on a processor. This is achieved by providing an instruction for scrambling one or more bytes of data according to the DSL standards. Accordingly, the invention advantageously provides a processor with the ability to scramble data with a single instruction thus allowing for more efficient and faster scrambling operations for subsequent modulation and transmission. |
| US07903807B2 |
Call and data correspondence in a call-in center employing virtual restructuring for computer telephony integrated functionality
A call center having agent stations comprising telephones connected to computer stations by a Telephone Application Programming Interface (TAPI)-compliant bridge has data pertaining to callers stored in a database on a local area network (LAN) to which the computer stations are also connected. Origination data for incoming calls, both conventional calls to the telephones and computer-simulated calls to the computer platforms, is used as a key to extract data pertaining to calls from the database for display on video display units (VDUs) of the computer workstations where the calls are terminated. In some cases, data is only extracted and displayed for calls from previously listed origination points. |
| US07903806B1 |
Expert call analyzer and next generation telephony network configuration system
A method and apparatus for determining and monitoring the status of telephone calls in a Next Generation Telephony Network (NGTN) is disclosed. The method detects protocols occurring between two or more network elements of a telecommunication circuit and control protocol used to initiate or to react to the events generated by the network elements. One sensor is connected to the telecommunication circuits to sense raw call progress signaling information indicative of an event relative to the call on the monitored line. Another sensor is connected to call control channel of a NGTN network element. The sensors are connected to a call processing system. The call processing system includes a call progress event analyzer module consisting of a call progress event processor and a call progress state machine, a NGTN event processor and a NGTN state machine. The call processing system also includes a protocol independent call processor module and a multi protocol analysis module. Raw call progress signaling information and NGTN message information are converted to logical call handling events and forwarded to the protocol independent call processor module for processing. The protocol independent call processor module includes a timer processor to keep track of timing of events. The call processing system also includes an alarm handler to keep track and generate alarms when an error condition occur after processing the call progress events and the NGTN message events. |
| US07903803B2 |
Multimedia caller ring information service
A system and method for providing ring back content is provided. In some embodiments, the ring back content is multimedia, audio and video, content and may be advertisements. The method includes calling a subscriber, and receiving content as ring back when calling the subscriber. |
| US07903794B1 |
Pictorial voice mail notification with link to voice mail server
An improved mechanism for voice mail notification is disclosed. When a voice mail server receives a voice mail message left by a first party for a second party, the voice mail server stores the voice mail message and generates and sends to the second party a pictorial voice mail notification message that includes (i) an image associated with the first party and (ii) a link to the stored voice mail message at the voice mail server. The pictorial voice mail notification message may be structured such that, when a user invokes the link, an active session will be established between the user's device and the voice mail server, and the voice mail server will automatically play the stored voice mail message to the user and then offer the user one or more normal voice mail management options, such as options to delete, replay, save, or forward the message. |
| US07903789B2 |
X-ray tube electron sources
An X-ray tube includes an emitter wire enclosed in a suppressor. An extraction grid comprises a number of parallel wires extending perpendicular to the emitter wire, and a focusing grid comprises a number of wires parallel to the grid wires and spaced apart at equal spacing to the grid wires. The grid wire are connected by means of switches to a positive extracting potential or a negative inhibiting potential, and the switches are controlled so that at any one time a pair of adjacent grid wires are connected together to form an extracting pair, which produce an electron beam. The position of the beam is moved by switching different pairs of grid wires to the extracting potential. |
| US07903788B2 |
Thermionic emitter designed to provide uniform loading and thermal compensation
An electron emitter assembly for use in an x-ray emitting device or other electron emitter-containing device is disclosed. In one embodiment, an x-ray tube is disclosed, including a vacuum enclosure that houses both an anode having a target surface, and a cathode positioned with respect to the anode. The cathode includes an electron emitter having a plurality of substantially parallel emission surfaces that collectively emit a beam of electrons for impingement on the target anode. In one aspect, the plurality of substantially parallel emission surfaces are angled relative focusing region so as to provide a substantially uniform thermal load on the target anode. In another aspect, the electron emitter includes a plurality of cut-outs that accommodate thermal expansion in the plane of the emitter. Accommodating thermal expansion in the plane of the emitter prevents distortions to the emitter that would tend to alter the focusing of the electrons on the target anode. Providing a substantially uniform thermal load on the target anode and preventing thermal distortion of the emitter lead to higher x-ray flux and better focusing for higher quality x-ray images. |
| US07903786B2 |
Apparatus for increasing radiative heat transfer in an X-ray tube and method of making same
A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating attached to the target substrate, the emissive coating including a textured material including a plurality of granular protrusions arranged to increase gray body emissive characteristics of the target assembly above that of the target substrate. |
| US07903781B2 |
Determination of heavy particle stopping power
A distribution of heavy particle stopping power is be determined. A distribution of effective atomic number of a three-dimensional space is accessed, and a distribution of an x-ray stopping power of the three-dimensional space is accessed. A conversion is applied to the distribution of the effective atomic number and the distribution of x-ray stopping power. A distribution of the heavy particle stopping power of the three-dimensional space is generated based on the conversion, the heavy particle stopping power being an indication of a depth of penetration for a heavy particle incident on the three-dimensional space. |
| US07903780B2 |
X-ray ablation of hyaluronan hydrogels
Disclosed is a method for ablating hyaluronan-based hydrogels with X-rays, the method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing hyaluronan-based hydrogels; and (b) performing X-ray irradiation to the hyaluronan-based hydrogels to induce a degradation of the hyaluronan-based hydrogels by a gel-to-sol transition during the X-ray irradiation. Disclosed is also a method for fabricating three-dimensional microchannels of hyaluronan hydrogels with a finely tunable X-ray ablation technique. |
| US07903779B2 |
Apparatus and method for reconstruction of volumetric images in a divergent scanning computed tomography system
An apparatus and method for reconstructing image data for a region are described. A radiation source and multiple one-dimensional linear or two-dimensional planar area detector arrays located on opposed sides of a region angled generally along a circle centered at the radiation source are used to generate scan data for the region from a plurality of diverging radiation beams, i.e., a fan beam or cone beam. Individual pixels on the discreet detector arrays from the scan data for the region are reprojected onto a new single virtual detector array along a continuous equiangular arc or cylinder or equilinear line or plane prior to filtering and backprojecting to reconstruct the image data. |
| US07903777B1 |
System and method for reducing electromagnetic interference and ground bounce in an information communication system by controlling phase of clock signals among a plurality of information communication devices
A system for reducing electromagnetic interference and ground bounce in an information communication system includes a plurality of information communication devices. Each of the plurality of information communication devices is responsive to a respective information communication clock signal. Each information communication clock signal of each of the plurality of information communication devices is associated with a common reference clock signal. The system includes a phase controller. The phase controller is responsive to the common reference clock signal. The phase controller alters a phase of each information communication clock signal of each of the plurality of information communication devices by a predetermined amount. |
| US07903774B2 |
Method for creating a system clock in a receiver device and corresponding receiver device
According to a method for generating a system time clock in a receiving device for digital packetized elementary data streams (E), the packetized elementary data streams (E) being generated in a transmitting device by sampling at a sampling frequency (fsample) synchronized by a system time clock of the transmitting device, the sampling frequency (fsample) of one data stream is determined in the receiving device, and the program clock reference counter is synchronized with the data stream's sampling frequency. |
| US07903771B2 |
Time-domain IQ mismatch detection apparatus of OFDM receiver
A time-domain IQ mismatch detection apparatus for detecting mismatch between an I-channel signal and a Q-channel signal in unit of a sample included in a symbol of an OFDM signal comprises: a first delayer which delays an input I-channel signal by one sample interval; a second delayer which delays an input Q-channel signal by one sample interval; a first phase mismatch detector which multiplies a currently-input I-channel signal with a currently-input Q-channel signal and output a result thereof; a second phase mismatch detector which multiplies the currently-input I-channel signal and the delayed Q-channel signal and output a result thereof; a third phase mismatch detector which multiplies the delayed I-channel signal with the currently-input Q-channel signal and output a result thereof; and a phase error arithmetic unit which outputs a phase error value calculated using the outputs of the first, second and third phase mismatch detectors. |
| US07903770B2 |
Method and apparatus for canceling pilot interference in a wireless communication system
Techniques for canceling pilot interference in a wireless (e.g., CDMA) communication system. In one method, a received signal comprised of a number of signal instances, each including a pilot, is initially processed to provide data samples. Each signal instance's pilot interference may be estimated by despreading the data samples with a spreading sequence for the signal instance, channelizing the despread data to provide pilot symbols, filtering the pilot symbols to estimate the channel response of the signal instance, and multiplying the estimated channel response with the spreading sequence to provide the estimated pilot interference. The pilot interference estimates due to all interfering multipaths are combined to derive the total pilot interference, which is subtracted from the data samples to provide pilot-canceled data samples. These samples are then processed to derive demodulated data for each of at least one (desired) signal instance in the received signal. |
| US07903769B2 |
Method and apparatus for phase-noise compensation in digital receivers
A method and apparatus for compensation of noise in a received signal includes receiving a received signal comprised of a sum of a transmitted signal and a disturbance signal in a demodulator, summing the received signal and a compensation signal to produce a demodulation signal, determining a transmitted symbol based upon the demodulation signal, determining an error signal by calculating a difference between the demodulation signal and the determined transmitted symbol, and determining the compensation signal from the error signal using a model-based disturbance suppression control process. In at least one embodiment, the model-based disturbance suppression control process is a linear disturbance model control process. |
| US07903768B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing matched filters in a wireless communication system
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for implementing matched filter in a system using QPSK modulation. In the present invention, a multiplier is changed as a multiplexer by using the characteristic of the pilot sequence (or training sequence) so as to implement the matched filter. |
| US07903765B2 |
Method for demodulating the signal of multiple-position frequency manipulation with equidistant frequency spreading, demodulator for this signal, and computer-readable medium
This invention relates to signal transmitting engineering. The use of the inventive method demodulation of a signal of multiple position frequency manipulation with equidistant frequency spreading allows to reduce the threshold of demodulation and to ensure a quality of demodulation, which is at least identical to that of a quasi-optimal demodulator. To obtain such a result, a frequency grid is formed with a possibility of precise tuning of frequency spreading; during the reception, values having a maximum module of reception signal are extracted at all frequencies switchable values at clock frequency, this clock frequency is extracted from maximum of the received signals and is used for a precise tuning of the frequency spreading; a grid of tunable frequency is tuned with a precisely tuned frequency spreading for exact values of a frequency of received signal, and demodulation is effected by the way of coherent reception of the received signal, using only one from quadrature signals to decide whether a signal of a determined frequency is absent or present among the mentioned exact values of frequency. |
| US07903760B2 |
Digital modulation circuit and method as well as digital demodulation circuit and method
A mixer circuit accumulates I signal (digital signal of first channel) having its band limited by low-pass filter and first carrier signal to perform two-phase shift keying modulation thereon. An adder adds fundamental-wave component of bit clock signal BCK into Q signal (digital signal of second channel) having its band limited by the another low-pass filter to obtain a resultant added-up signal. Another mixer circuit accumulates the added-up signal and second carrier signal to perform two-phase shift keying modulation thereon. Output signals of the mixer circuits are input to another adder so that they may be added up to obtain a QPSK signal as a modulated quadrature signal. The QPSK signal contains frequency signals whose frequencies are a sum of bit clock frequency and carrier frequency and a difference between them. When demodulating, the carrier signal and the bit clock signal are reproduced using the frequency signals. |
| US07903755B2 |
Method and apparatus for preamble training with shortened long training field in a multiple antenna communication system
Methods and apparatus are provided for communicating data in a multiple antenna communication system having N transmit antennas. According to one aspect of the invention, a header format includes a legacy preamble having at least one legacy long training field and an extended portion having at least N additional long training fields on each of the N transmit antennas, wherein one or more of the at least N additional long training fields are comprised of only one Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. The extended portion optionally comprises one or more repeated OFDM symbols for frequency offset estimation. In one implementation, the extended portion comprises a first high throughput long training field comprised of two repeated OFDM symbols and N−1 high throughput long training fields comprised of only one OFDM symbol. In another variation, the extended portion comprises N high throughput long training fields comprised of only one OFDM symbol. |
| US07903751B2 |
Device and method for generating a data stream and for generating a multi-channel representation
For time synchronization of a data stream with multi-channel additional data and a data stream with data on at least one base channel, a fingerprint information calculation is performed on the encoder side for the at least one base channel to insert the fingerprint information into a data stream in time connection to the multi-channel additional data. On the decoder side, fingerprint information are calculated from the at least one base channel and used together with the fingerprint information extracted from the data stream to calculate and compensate a time offset between the data stream with the multi-channel additional information and the data stream with the at least one base channel, for example by means of a correlation, to obtain a synchronized multi-channel representation. |
| US07903750B2 |
System and method for determining transmission parameters in an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed data stream
A system for identifying transmission parameters of an OFDM signal transmitted according to a transmitter clock includes a first correlator to receive and correlate samples of the signal sampled according to a receiver clock and provide a first metric indicative of whether the signal has a first transmission mode, a plurality of additional correlators, operable in parallel with the first correlator, to receive and correlate the samples of the signal sampled according to the receiver clock and provide a plurality of additional metrics indicative of whether the signal has a second transmission mode and whether the receiver clock is aligned with or displaced by at least one sample over one OFDM symbol relative to the transmitter clock, and a processor. The processor receives the metrics, and determines whether the signal has the first or second transmission mode and whether the receiver clock is aligned or displaced by the at least one sample relative to the transmitter clock. |
| US07903749B2 |
System and method for applying frequency domain spreading to multi-carrier communications signals
A system and device communicates data. A modulation and mapping circuit modulates and maps data symbols into a plurality of multiple subcarriers that are orthogonal to each other based on a fixed or variable symbol rate. A frequency domain spreader circuit is operatively connected to the modulation and mapping circuit and spreads the multiple subcarriers over the frequency domain. |
| US07903748B2 |
Transmitter apparatus, communication system, and communication method
A communication technology for allowing a mobile communication system to accommodate variable rate users, while obtaining a frequency diversity effect. A transmitter apparatus using, for transmission, transmission signals produced based on data symbols of a predetermined transmission method, comprising an FFT processing part for converting the data symbols to frequency domain data; an interleaver for sorting the frequency domain data; and an IFFT processing part for converting the sorted frequency domain data to a time domain signal; wherein the FFT processing part subjects Q received data symbols to Q-point FFT processing, the interleaver produces N data from Q data outputted from the FFT processing part (where N>Q), and the IFFT processing part subjects the N data outputted from the interleaver to N-point IFFT processing. |
| US07903747B2 |
Wireless transmitting and receiving device and method
A wireless device, method, and signal for use in communication of a wireless packet between transmitting device and a wireless receiving device via a plurality of antennas, wherein a signal generator generates wireless packet including a short-preamble sequence used for a first automatic gain control (AGC), a first long-preamble sequence, a signal field used for conveying a length of the wireless packet, an AGC preamble sequence used for a second AGC to be performed after the first AGC, a second long-preamble sequence, and a data field conveying data. The AGC preamble sequence is transmitted in parallel by the plurality of antennas. |
| US07903744B2 |
Deblocking filter
The invention is related to decoding of block wise coded video pictures. The determination of using de-blocking filtering between coded blocks is based on alternative characteristics compared to the characteristics used in H.264/AVC. |
| US07903743B2 |
Memory sharing in video transcoding and displaying
A video processing apparatus includes a video decoder and a video encoder to process video frames. The video decoder generates decompressed frames from first compressed video frames and write the decompressed frames to a memory, at least one of the decompressed frames being generated using information from a previously generated decompressed frame. The video encoder generates second compressed video frames from the decompressed frames without duplicating the decompressed frames. |
| US07903742B2 |
Adaptive weighting of reference pictures in video decoding
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video signal data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture. |
| US07903740B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus
A video encoding apparatus comprises a frame memory/predictive image generator having a first predictive mode for generating a predictive image signal by selecting a combination from among a plurality combinations of a reference image number and a plurality of predictive parameters, and a second predictive mode for generating a predictive image signal according to a predictive parameter computed based on reference image numbers of reference images and an image-to-image distance, and a variable-length encoder to select one of the first and second prediction modes by the number of reference images, and encode orthogonal transformation coefficient information concerning a predictive error signal of a predictive image signal with respect to input video signal, mode information indicating an encoding mode, motion vector information and combination of selected reference image number with predictive parameter index information indicating combination of selected reference image information. |
| US07903735B2 |
Method of effectively predicting multi-layer based video frame, and video coding method and apparatus using the same
A method and apparatus are provided for effectively predicting a video frame that use all of the advantages of an intra mode and an intra BL mode in multi-layer structure based-video coding. The method includes reconstructing the intra block of a lower layer using the previously reconstructed first neighboring blocks of the intra block; subtracting the first neighboring blocks from previously stored the second neighboring blocks of an upper layer corresponding to the first neighboring blocks; creating a differential predicted block based on a predetermined intra prediction mode by performing intra prediction using virtual differential neighboring blocks that are created as a result of the subtraction; adding the differential predicted block and the reconstructed intra block; and subtracting a predicted block, which is created as a result of the addition, from a block of the upper layer corresponding to the intra block. |
| US07903733B2 |
Adaptive filtering to enhance video encoder performance
This disclosure describes adaptive filtering techniques to improve the quality of captured imagery, such as video or still images. In particular, this disclosure describes adaptive filtering techniques that filter each pixel as a function of a set of surrounding pixels. An adaptive image filter may compare image information associated with a pixel of interest to image information associated with a set of surrounding pixels by, for example, computing differences between the image information associated with the pixel of interest and each of the surrounding pixels of the set. The computed differences can be used in a variety of ways to filter image information of the pixel of interest. In some embodiments, for example, the adaptive image filter may include both a low pass component and high pass component that adjust as a function of the computed differences. |
| US07903730B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding
A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted. |
| US07903729B2 |
System and method of equalization of high speed signals
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a technique of, and system for enhancing the performance of high-speed digital communications through a communications channel, for example a backplane. In this aspect of the present invention, a transmitter includes equalization circuitry to compensate for bandwidth limitations and reflections in high-speed digital communication systems. In one embodiment, the equalization circuitry is designed, programmed and/or configured to introduce intersymbol interference in order to improve the signal integrity in high-speed communications and enhance the operation and performance of such systems. In this regard, the equalization circuitry includes temporally overlapping leading and/or trailing taps (relative to the data (symbol) signal) to reduce, minimize, mitigate or effectively eliminate pre-cursor and/or post-cursor intersymbol interference due to, for example, bandwidth limitations and reflections in high-speed digital communication systems. The amount of equalization may be programmed, adjusted or controlled by varying the positioning of the tap(s), varying the coefficients of the tap(s), and/or varying the pulse durations of the tap(s) (that is, the pulse duration of the equalization signal attributed to the tap). |
| US07903727B2 |
Channel memory length selection method and apparatus for wireless communication systems
A channel memory length selection method for wireless communication systems is provided. The method comprises estimating an initial channel impulse response (CIR) for the wireless communication system; determining a first refined CIR with a first group of taps and a second refined CIR with a second group of taps based upon the initial CIR, number of the second group of taps being less than number of the first group of taps; and selecting either the number of the first group of taps or the number of the second group of taps as the channel memory length according to an energy concentration criterion in regard to the first refined CIR and the second refined CIR. |
| US07903726B2 |
Signal receiving apparatus and signal power prediction method thereof
A signal receiving apparatus includes an indicating unit, a receiving, a system unit which comprises a plurality of electronic components to provide signal processing, a storing unit to store information related to a noise level, and a controlling unit to estimate a signal power level of the data received by the receiving unit, to compare the estimated signal power level of the data with the noise level generated by a power supply to the system unit, and to control the indicating unit to indicate whether the data can be received. |
| US07903724B2 |
RF transceiver device with RF bus
A radio frequency (RF) transceiver device includes a processing module, memory, a baseband processing module, an RF section, an RF bus, and an RF bus controller. The processing module and the memory include an RF bus transceiver. The baseband processing module is coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream and to convert an inbound symbol stream into inbound data. The RF section is coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream. The RF bus controller is coupled to control access to an RF bus for providing the outbound data as an RF bus outbound data signal from the processing module RF bus transceiver or from the memory RF bus transceiver and to control access to the RF bus for providing the inbound data as an RF bus inbound data signal to the processing module RF bus transceiver or to the memory RF bus transceiver. |
| US07903722B2 |
Hardware-efficient searcher architecture for code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular receivers
An apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving a multipath signal and a searcher that stores delayed samples of the received multipath signal, wherein the searcher is operative on the delayed samples of the received multipath signal for identifying one or more paths of the received multipath signal. |
| US07903720B2 |
Alternative direct sequence spread spectrum symbol to chip mappings and methods for generating the same
Alternative direct sequence spread spectrum symbol to chip mappings and methods for generating the same for use in a direct sequence spread spectrum wireless protocol and embedded in a transceiver chip used by wireless subsystems are provided. The present invention discloses alternative symbol to chip mappings that are orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the N/2 unused chip sequences defined by a standard transmission protocol. The present invention is advantageous because it provides for an increased number of users and better reliability for wireless subsystems operating in increasingly overcrowded frequency bands. Other advantages of the present invention include a reduction in the negative effects of clear channel assessment including delayed or cancelled signal transmission and interference for wireless subsystems that transmit time-sensitive data. |
| US07903713B2 |
Multi-beam semiconductor laser
An edge-emitting multi-beam semiconductor laser includes juxtaposed stripe-shaped light-emitting portions the number of which is N (wherein N≧2), wherein a separation groove that electrically separates the light-emitting portions from each other is provided between the light-emitting portions, a first recess that is partly discontinuous is provided outside a first light-emitting portion, a second recess that is partly discontinuous is provided outside an Nth light-emitting portion. |
| US07903711B1 |
Separate confinement heterostructure with asymmetric structure and composition
A separate confinement heterostructure includes a quantum-well layer bounded by an n-side waveguide layer and a p-side waveguide layer. The waveguide layers guide a lasing mode of the heterostructure. The n-side waveguide layer is composed of indium gallium phosphide (InGaP) and the p-side layer is composed of aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs). The heterostructure is configured such that more than 80% of the optical mode propagates in the n-side waveguide layer. |
| US07903708B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light-emitting device and method for fabrication thereof
A nitride semiconductor laser device uses a substrate with low defect density, contains reduced strains inside a nitride semiconductor film, and thus offers a satisfactorily long useful life. On a GaN substrate (10) with a defect density as low as 106 cm−2 or less, a stripe-shaped depressed portion (16) is formed by etching. On this substrate (10), a nitride semiconductor film (11) is grown, and a laser stripe (12) is formed off the area right above the depressed portion (16). With this structure, the laser stripe (12) is free from strains, and the semiconductor laser device offers a long useful life. Moreover, the nitride semiconductor film (11) develops reduced cracks, resulting in a greatly increased yield rate. |
| US07903706B2 |
Compact, thermally stable multi-laser engine
Various embodiments of a multi-laser system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the multi-laser system includes a plurality of lasers, a plurality of laser beams, a beam positioning system, beam focusing optics, a thermally stable enclosure and a temperature controller. The thermally stable enclosure is configured to thermally and mechanically couple to a flow cell. The thermally stable enclosure substantially comprises a material with high thermal conductivity. The thermally stable enclosure can have a relatively small volume. |
| US07903705B2 |
Short pulse laser device
A short pulse laser arrangement with, preferably, passive mode-locking, comprising a resonator containing a laser crystal and several mirrors, one of which forms a pump beam coupling-in mirror and one of which forms a laser beam out-coupling mirror, and a multiple reflexion telescope enlarging the resonator length, the resonator in operation having a positive averaged dispersion over a wavelength range concerned; the adjustment of the positive averaged dispersion of the resonator is effected by means of the mirrors of the resonator, at least a few of which are designed as dispersive mirrors. |
| US07903703B2 |
Control device, control circuit, control method, and recording medium with a control program recorded therein
The present invention provides a control device capable of performing feedback control so that a signal-wavelength input to a control target object becomes a specific signal-wavelength, using an input signal whose duty value is other than 50%. Accordingly, the control device according to the present invention is a control device for performing feedback control so that a signal-wavelength input to a control target object (500) becomes a specific signal-wavelength, the control device including a control unit (100) that performs feedback control so that the signal-wavelength input to the control target object (500) becomes the specific signal-wavelength, using an input signal input to the control target object (500), the input signal whose duty value is other than 50%. |
| US07903696B2 |
High-power narrowed-linewidth fiber laser system
A high-power narrow-linewidth fiber laser system includes a seed oscillator with multiple resonant cavities and an amplifier stage. The seed oscillator includes a gain fiber, a pump source to introduce pump light into the gain fiber, a single-mode output fiber arranged at the end of the active gain fiber, a first resonant cavity including the active gain fiber, and a second resonant cavity including the active gain fiber. The first and second resonant cavities cooperate to minimize the synchronization of longitudinal modes and thereby reduce modal beating. The amplifier preferably includes an active multimode gain fiber capable of supporting a single fundamental mode at the signal wavelength, wherein the single mode output fiber of the seed oscillator and the multimode gain fiber of the amplifier are mode-matched and coupled without a mode converter. |
| US07903695B2 |
Optical fiber laser and exciting method using same
An optical fiber laser, according to the present invention, has an optical fiber including a core to which a rare earth element is added and a clad disposed around the core, and also has an excitation light source for emitting excitation light incident on a side of the optical fiber. The optical fiber has a corrugated shape on the outer circumference of the clad along the longitudinal direction thereof; and the optical fiber is wound in a spiral form and is bundled in such a way that adjacent sides of the clad are brought into contact with one another. |
| US07903693B2 |
Installation of intelligent sensors for the high-speed acquisition of data via an ethernet network
The invention concerns an installation for the high-speed acquisition of acquisition data via an Ethernet network (2) with several nodes (N), where at least one of the nodes of the Ethernet network constitutes a client/server detection unit (3) with at least one detector (4) delivering acquisition data.According to the invention each detection unit (3) includes: self-triggering resources for reading the acquisition data so that the said detection unit (3) is able to operate independently, reading and processing resources that are independent of the other nodes, resources for transmission of the acquisition data via the network (2), to at least one other node (N). and a clock unit allowing correlation between the clocks of the detection units, where each clock unit has resources for receiving a clock synchronisation signal, resources for transmission to the transmitting clock unit, and resources for processing the encoded instructions. |
| US07903691B2 |
Method of generating pilot pattern for adaptive channel estimation in OFDMA systems, method of transmitting/receiving using the pilot pattern and apparatus thereof
Provided is a method of generating a pilot pattern capable of perform adaptive channel estimation, and a method and apparatus of a base station and a method and apparatus of a terminal using the pilot pattern. The pilot pattern selects pilot symbol positions based on distances from pilots of previous orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols to a subcarrier position of a current OFDMA symbol in the frequency domain and the time domain, so that a low pilot density is maintained so as to effectively transmit data, and stable channel estimation performance can be obtained even in a bad channel environment. In addition, the minimum burst allocation size is determined according to the channel environment between the base station and the terminal, guaranteeing channel estimation performance suitable for the channel environment, and improving granularity, channel estimation latency, and channel estimation memory size. |
| US07903688B2 |
VoIP encoded packet prioritization done per packet in an IP communications network
A method and apparatus for routing voice packets through a communications network wherein the routing priority of the packets is based on a location of a packet within a sequence of transmitted voice packets, relative to one or more identified voice packets in the transmitted sequence. In one embodiment of the invention, the routing priority of a voice packet is based on the location of the packet in a sequence of packets relative to voice activity, such as the beginning, middle or end of a talk spurt. For example, the routing priority of the first several voice packets of a talk spurt is increased to compensate for the fact that there is less network jitter protection available at the receiver for these packets. In another embodiment, the routing priority of a voice packet may depend upon its location relative to a cellular handoff from one transmitter to another. |
| US07903685B2 |
System and method for reformatting data
A converter for converting serial (e.g. TDM) data streams into parallel (e.g. cell) data is presented. Conversion from cell to TDM format is also disclosed. Methods for converting between serial and parallel data formats are provided. In some applications, communication data streams of digital data may be captured, processed, and stored in one or more of the serial and cell data formats. |
| US07903684B2 |
Communications architecture for transmission of data between memory bank caches and ports
A serial communications architecture for communicating between hosts and data store devices. The Storage Link architecture is specially adapted to support communications between multiple hosts and storage devices via a switching network, such as a storage area network. The Storage Link architecture specifies various communications techniques that can be combined to reduce the overall cost and increase the overall performance of communications. The Storage Link architecture may provide packet ordering based on packet type, dynamic segmentation of packets, asymmetric packet ordering, packet nesting, variable-sized packet headers, and use of out-of-band symbols to transmit control information as described below in more detail. The Storage Link architecture may also specify encoding techniques to optimize transitions and to ensure DC-balance. |
| US07903683B1 |
Fault tolerant diplex communications
Diplexing is employed in systems having multiple differential conductor pairs. A first differential coupling differentially couples a first signal onto a first pair of conductors; a second differential coupling which differentially couples a second signal onto a second pair of conductors; a first common mode coupling selectably common mode couples a third signal onto the first pair of conductors; a second common mode coupling selectably common mode couples a fourth signal onto the second pair of conductors; and a switch is operational to select the first common mode coupling or the second common mode coupling based upon a triggering event. |
| US07903681B2 |
Method for distributing a common time reference within a distributed architecture
A method of distributing a common time reference within a distributed architecture includes one or more of the following: generating at least one electrical pulse at a central entity; distributing the at least one electrical pulse to a subassembly; receiving the at least one electrical pulse at the subassembly; recording a reception counter value corresponding to a value of a local frequency counter when the at least one electrical pulse is received at the subassembly; querying the central entity to obtain a generation time value corresponding to a time at which the at least one electrical pulse was generated; and determining a global time value using the generation time value, the reception counter value, and a current counter value of the local frequency counter. |
| US07903680B2 |
Adaptive algorithm for reducing channel zapping time in multicast media
A method and system for reducing channel changing time in multicast media, that can include the steps of receiving at least one of a plurality of available channels from a service provider at a residential gateway through a network, ranking the popularity of at least one of the available channels at a ranking engine connected to the residential gateway, and requesting to receive a number of the channels available from the service provider at the residential gateway based on the ranking. The rank is at least partly based on the data stored in the database. |
| US07903676B2 |
Transportation of IEEE 802.1ah frames over multiprotocol label switching pseudowires for virtual private LAN services
Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, computer-storage media, mechanisms, and means for transportation of IEEE 802.1ah frames over Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) pseudowires for Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS). The IEEE 802.1ah frames include a corresponding B-VLAN tag, while the MPLS packets including these frames do not include the corresponding B-VLAN tag, and disclosed are methods and apparatus for performing such translation. |
| US07903675B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting up point-to-point protocol link between terminal equipment and interworking function
A method and apparatus for setting up a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) link between a Terminal Equipment (TE) and a Mobile Terminal (MT), and between the MT and a Base Station Interworking Function (IWF). A method for setting up a PPP link for transmitting a packet between a TE and an IWF, which connects the TE and a packet network to each other, includes determining first option information to be used for a PPP link on a Um interface between an MT and the IWF, determining second option information to be used for a PPP link on an Rm interface between the MT and the TE, to make the second option information identical to the first option information; and transmitting, by the MT, frames transmitted/received through the PPP links between the TE and the IWF in a pseudo network mode, when the first and second option information have been determined. |
| US07903667B2 |
Packet communication system with QoS control function
A packet communication system of the present invention has first mode, second mode and third mode to apply to input packets. The first mode is a mode that decides priority of the packet by at least one of the address information and the application information, the second mode is a mode that decides priority of the packet by the DS value, the third mode is a mode that decides rewrite the DS value by at least one of the address information and the application information. A control unit of the packet communication system switches a mode to apply an input packet of the first mode, the second mode and the third mode based on the packet header information of the input packet. |
| US07903665B2 |
System and method for synchronizing packet forwarding information
A system for synchronizing packet forwarding information includes a control processor configured to implement a control plane to generate first forwarding information and transfer the first forwarding information to an active forwarding table of a network processor. The system also includes a network processor configured to implement a forwarding plane to receive packets and use the first forwarding information in the active forwarding table to forward the received packets to one or more network devices. After the control plane is restarted, the control processor is further configured to use the restarted control plane to generate second forwarding information and incrementally update the first forwarding information in the active forwarding table with the second forwarding information while the network processor's forwarding plane continues to forward traffic. |
| US07903664B2 |
Method and arrangement to increase the data transmission flow rate in a communication system
A method and apparatus to transfer data cells having an overhead section and a payload section via a communication medium from a transmitter to a receiver. Before transfer of a data cell, the overhead section of the data cell is translated into a shortened overhead section, known both on the transmitter and the receiver sides, and upon reception of the data cell, the shortened overhead section is translated again into the overhead section. |
| US07903663B2 |
Apparatus and method for moving a receive window in a radio access network
A method of moving a receiving window in a wireless mobile communication system, wherein the AM RLC of the transmitting side sends information of the last discarded SDU regardless of continuity of the discarded SDUs. The AM RLC of the receiving side checks whether all SDUs from the start point of the receiving window up to the last discarded SDU are successfully received, delivers the SDUs that are successfully received to an upper layer, and discard only those SDUs that are not successfully received. |
| US07903662B2 |
Virtual concatenation sequence mismatch defect detection
Methods and apparatus for identifying sequence mismatch defects associated with members of a virtual concatenation (VCAT) group are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting sequence mismatch defects associated with a VCAT group that substantially terminates at a VCAT sink includes obtaining a first set of sequence numbers associated with the VCAT group at a first time, and determining whether a first sequence number of the first set is invalid. The method also includes identifying the first sequence number as having a sequence mismatch defect if the first sequence number is determined to be invalid. |
| US07903661B2 |
Mechanisms for providing intelligent throttling on a NAT session border controller
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for managing session data in a session border controller (SBC), where the session data is sent from a first node, such as a first phone, to a second node, such as a registrar or second phone. In one example embodiment, the following operations are performed in a first intermediary node that is configured to provide network address translation (NAT) for both a header and payload of a session packet and has an inside interface coupled with a second intermediary node that is configured to perform NAT for only a header of session packets. It is determined whether an end node is sending session packets that are not used to set up a session and that result in a binding that was formed by the second intermediary node being retained. The binding associates inside and outside addresses of the end node, and an end node is defined as a node that originates a session packet. It is determined whether to inhibit a registration throttling process from being performed by the first intermediary node, that results in the binding being retained, based on whether it is determined that the end node is sending session packets that are not used to set up a session and that result in the binding being retained. |
| US07903655B2 |
Marked packet forwarding
A network, network devices, and methods are described for marked packet forwarding. A network device includes a network chip having a number of network ports for receiving and transmitting packets. The network chip includes logic to decapsulate a packet received from a tunnel, mark the packet with a handle associated with an originating network device of the packet using information from an encapsulation header, and forward the marked packet to a checking functionality having a destination address different from an original destination address of the packet. |
| US07903651B2 |
Graceful restart for use in nodes employing label switched path signaling protocols
When a node has to restart its control component, or a (e.g., label-switched path signaling) part of its control component, if that node can preserve its forwarding information across the restart, the effects of such restarts on label switched path(s) the include the restarting node are minimized. A node's ability to preserve forwarding information across a control component (part) restart is advertised. In the event of a restart, stale forwarding information can be used for an limited time before. The restarting node can use its forwarding information, as well as received label-path advertisements, to determine which of its labels should be associated with the path, for advertisement to its peers. |
| US07903647B2 |
Extending sso for DHCP snooping to two box redundancy
Disclosed are mechanisms for facilitating the use of DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) binding data. In general, certain applications include mechanisms for intercepting data being sent from a node and then determining whether the data corresponds to a valid IP address and MAC address binding. Embodiments of the present invention provide mechanisms for sharing such DHCP binding data between routers (or other type of network devices) in a redundancy group so that any of the routers may take over the data inspection to validate DHCP bindings. In particular aspects of the invention, the DHCP binding data is validated in procedures related to DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP (address resolution protocol) inspection, and the like. |
| US07903646B2 |
Wireless communication system allowing group identification information to be publicly available and to be hidden, wireless access point device, and communication method and program for wireless access point device
According to the present invention, the host device judges whether or not to grant a connection permission to the wireless communication device. Having been instructed to start the entry processing, the wireless access point device sends a beacon with group identification information made publicly available. Upon reception of the beacon, the wireless communication device performs an authentication processing and an association processing with the wireless access point device and further performs the authentication processing. Having been instructed to end the entry processing, the wireless access point device switches into the sending of the beacon with the group identification information hidden, thereby hiding the group identification information from other wireless access point devices. |
| US07903644B1 |
Scalable central memory switching fabric
A system receives a set of datagrams and forms frames based on the datagrams, where at least one of the frames includes data associated with multiple ones of the datagrams. The system writes the frames to memory to form superframes in the memory, where each of the superframes includes multiple ones of frames. The system reads the superframes from the memory, recreates the datagrams based on the superframes, and outputs the datagrams. |
| US07903640B2 |
System and method for voice over internet protocol using a standard telephone system
A system and method is provided for routing telephone calls on a standard telephone network to one of a PSTN network and a VoIP network. The system comprises at least one telephone capable of making local and long distance calls on the network. A Central Office is coupled to the telephone and comprises a trigger for identifying calls to be routed to either a VoIP platform or the PSTN network. Calls to be converted to IP protocol are routed to a VoIP platform. An IP network is coupled to the VoIP platform and routes VoIP calls to one or more devices in communication with the telecommunications system. |