| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07917965B2 |
Electronic media distribution system
A system and method for sharing electronic content. A sending user can specify one or more criteria that a recipient memory device must have to store the content. The sending user can also specify a digital rights management control that can be associated with the content. The content can be transferred to the recipient if the recipient memory device has the specified properties. Software at the recipient can ensure that the content is handled in accordance with the digital rights management controls specified by the sender. |
| US07917960B2 |
Transmitter, signal transfer method, data distribution system and method of same, data receiver, data provider and method of same, and data transferer
To enable usage of content at a receiver which does not have a copying function even if copyright protection is provided. Model names of receivers not having a function enabling copying of content are held in an authentication processing circuit (151) of a transmitter (10). When a model name obtained from a connected receiver (40) is held, regardless of whether the content is copyright protected, a signal selection circuit (122) selects a terminal a side, a switch (123) is turned on, and an unencrypted signal is transmitted. When a change of the receiver (40) is detected by a hot plug detection function or a plug and play function at a processing circuit (152) during the transfer of a signal of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection, the selection circuit (122) is made to select a terminal b side or the switch (123) is turned off to suspend the transfer of the non-copyright protected signal. The information indicating the receiver is held in a tamper-proof updateable manner. |
| US07917958B2 |
Recording medium with copy protection indicating information and apparatus and methods for forming, recording, reproducing and restricting reproduction of the recording medium
A recording medium, such as a high-density and/or read-only recording medium, such as BD-ROM, which includes copy protection indicating information, which can identify whether copy protection information is needed or not for the playback of contents stored on the recording medium, and to methods and apparatuses for forming, recording, and reproducing data on the recording medium. |
| US07917949B2 |
Voice controlled portable memory storage device
A portable memory storage device (“device”) is provided. The device includes a microphone for receiving a user voice input; a controller that receives the voice input and creates a template; and a plurality of non-volatile memory cells for storing the template, wherein the template is used to authenticate the user for any subsequent user request for accessing the device and an application is launched when the device interfaces with a host system to enroll the user as an authorized user to access device functionality and/or access host system functionality. |
| US07917948B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically securing voice and other delay-sensitive network traffic
A method comprises receiving a request for secure network traffic from a device having a private network address at a source node, obtaining the private network address of a requested destination device at a destination node from a route server based on signaling information associated with the request, obtaining the public network address of the destination node associated with the private network address, creating in response to the request a virtual circuit between the source node and the destination node based on the public network address of the destination node, and encrypting network traffic for transporting at least from the source node to the destination node through the virtual circuit. The process is dynamic in that the virtual circuit is created in response to the request. Hence, the process operates as if a fully meshed network exists but requires less provisioning and maintenance than a fully meshed network architecture. Furthermore, the process is readily scalable as if a hub and spoke network exists but is more suitable for delay-sensitive traffic, such as voice and video, than a hub and spoke network architecture. |
| US07917947B2 |
Secured communication channel between IT administrators using network management software as the basis to manage networks
A network management system is used to secure a communications channel between at least two clients. The network management system includes a network management server which includes network management software. The network management server is coupled to the clients for managing the communication between the clients. The network management system further includes at least two secured communication channels established by the network management server between the network management server and each of the clients, respectively, such that the at least two clients can securely communicate with each other. |
| US07917946B2 |
Method and network for securely delivering streaming data
In a procedure for delivering streaming media, a Client first requests the media from an Order Server. The Order Server authenticates the Client and sends a ticket to the Client. Then, the Client sends the ticket to a Streaming Server. The Streaming Server checks the ticket for validity and if found valid encrypts the streaming data using a standardized real-time protocol such as the SRTP and transmits the encrypted data to the Client. The Client receives the data and decrypts them. Copyrighted material adapted to streaming can be securely delivered to the Client. The robust protocol used is very well suited for in particular wireless clients and similar devices having a low capacity such as cellular telephones and PDAs. |
| US07917944B2 |
Secure authentication advertisement protocol
A network device for distributing authentication information between authorized nodes for purposes of concurrently “pre-authenticating” a mobile user at a plurality of points throughout a LAN is disclosed. When a client attempts to access the network through the network device, the network device attempts to authenticate the client based on the credentials presented by the user. If authenticated, the client is admitted into the network at the network device and the client's pre-authentication information transmitted to one or more network nodes associated with an authentication group. Upon receipt of the pre-authentication information, the one or more network nodes are authorized to admit the client into the network at those nodes in addition to the network device at which the client was initially authenticated, thereby concurrently pre-authorizing the client at multiple points across the network. |
| US07917943B1 |
E-mail Stamping with accredited entity name
Effective aspects of stamping outbound e-mail are combined with a registration and entity identification system for e-mail senders. A mail sender participates by registering From: line and entity information with a trusted third-party repository known as a stamp authority. When the sender sends an e-mail message, the From: line is compared against the From: line information for the sender stored in the repository. If the result is a match, entity information is added and the e-mail is allowed to be sent. If there is not a match, then the e-mail is prevented from being stamped. |
| US07917940B2 |
Inheritance of controls within a hierarchy of data processing system resources
Provided are methods, apparatus and computer programs for applying access controls to control operations on hierarchically organized data processing system resources. A number of different scopes of applicability can be set in association with an access control, such as an ACL, and this will determine the inheritability, non-inheritability or limited inheritability of the access control for resources in the hierarchy. When a request is received to perform an operation, the access controls for the relevant branch of the hierarchy are processed to determine an applicable access control—taking account of inheritance attributes which have been set for individual access controls. The invention is useful for controlling the application of ACLs to topics in a topic tree within a publish/subscribe message broker. |
| US07917939B2 |
IPSec processing device, network system, and IPSec processing program
Security policy databases capable of being fast retrieved while securing sequentiality. An IPSec processing device of the present invention performs communications by encrypting IP packets exchanged between a first IP network and a second IP network. The IPSec processing device includes a security policy database that stores security policies. The security policy database includes first, second, and third security policy databases. The first and third security policy databases include a linear list structure, and the second security policy database includes a hash list structure. The IPSec processing device, when performing at least one of transmission and reception of the IP packet, retrieves a security policy in the order of the first, second, and third security policy databases. |
| US07917937B1 |
Digital television with subscriber conference overlay
Digital television system overlays subscriber two-way communication during broadcast program delivery to create virtual audience community. Individual or group billing and advertisement is personalized per DTV receiver program viewing and/or conferencing activity. Subscriber receiver includes camera and other media I/O device for multi-way video conferencing. Participants may be added or removed dynamically during programming or conferencing. |
| US07917935B2 |
Mechanical pan, tilt and zoom in a webcam
A system and method for mechanically panning, tilting, and/or zooming a webcam to track a user's face. In one embodiment, such movement is controlled by kernel software in a host to which the webcam sends video data. In this way, a driver in the host kernel handles the face tracking, transparent to the application programs that would access the video. In an alternate embodiment, such movement is controlled by firmware in the webcam itself. The video and control signals are sent over the same standard cable, such as a USB bus. In one embodiment, the video is supplied to an instant messaging application. The use of a standard bus (e.g., USB) and the offloading of the face tracking to the webcam and driver allows easy use by the instant messaging application. |
| US07917934B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand services for an interactive information distribution system
A method and apparatus for providing subscription-on-demand (SOD) services for a interactive information distribution system, where a consumer may subscribe to packages of on-demand programs for a single price and view the programs in the subscribed package at any time for no additional cost. The apparatus and method are embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so called navigator, and hardware, including a subscriber terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and service provider equipment that supports the functionality of the terminal. As such, graphical user interface functionality is distributed between the service provider equipment and subscriber equipment (subscriber terminal). Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real time interactive process for accessing SOD services that allows the subscriber to rapidly identify and access a subscription service. In addition, a non-subscriber of a particular service is quickly identified and provided the opportunity to, through the use of a graphical user interface, subscribe to the programming provided by the system. |
| US07917930B2 |
Information signal transmission system and remote control device for the same
An information signal transmission system and a remote control device for such a system for allowing a viewer to continuously watch, for example, in a bedroom a program the viewer has watched in a living room. A recipient of information is detected referring to identification information set in a remote command device, and monitor devices are alternately switched for continuously providing the viewer with an information signal. |
| US07917927B1 |
Method for selecting a program displayed in an advertisement in an application software program
A video processing apparatus may be controlled in response to selecting an advertisement displayed in connection with a productivity or communication application software program being operated on a video processing apparatus. The advertisement includes control information, which is used by the video processing apparatus to control an operating mode thereof. The control information may include both time and channel data as well as a recording data for programming a timer. Alternately, the control information may only include program data, which is passed to the electronic program guide to determine the time and channel information associated with the program data. |
| US07917926B2 |
Information descriptor and extended information descriptor data structures for digital television signals
According to an aspect, there is provided a digital television (DTV) data stream including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data associated with content of the DTV data stream, the PSIP data including a virtual channel table (VCT) and an event information table (EIT), the EIT comprising: a source identification field identifying a source of an associated event in a DTV data stream; an event identification field indicating an identification of the event; a start time field indicating a star time of the event; a title field indicating a title of the event; and a descriptor comprising: a descriptor tag identifying the descriptor as a genre descriptor; a descriptor length indicating a total length of the descriptor; and at least one category code for an associated event in a DTV data stream, each category code specifying genre, program type, or category information of the associated event, wherein the at least one category code specifies at least one of a set of basic categories. |
| US07917925B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically extracting data identifying a broadcast A/V program
Broadcast receiving devices usually have access to an electronic program schedule or EPG. Since often the same audio/video program is broadcasted more than once within a short time range on the same channel, or simultaneously on another channel, a method is provided for notifying this fact to the user. According to the invention, a method for automatically extracting data identifying a broadcast A/V program from received broadcast data includes the steps of receiving user input defining a first program, analyzing an EPG, determining broadcast data of the first program, automatically detecting that an identical second program is scheduled for broadcast, and displaying an indication to the user indicating that the second program was detected. If e.g. the same program is broadcasted at different times or channels with different amount of commercial interruptions, the user may select the instance with less commercials for viewing or recording. |
| US07917923B2 |
Metadata mapping to support targeted advertising
A television server generates a metadata map that represents relationships among media content description data based on viewing patterns of multiple viewers. The television server sends the metadata map to a client device. The client device targets advertisements to a viewer based on the metadata map and a recent viewing history of the viewer. |
| US07917909B2 |
Detecting deadlocks in interop-debugging
A method and system for implementing detecting deadlocks in interop-debugging is described herein. One or more synchronization objects that an application program interface (API) could block on are identified. A canary thread that takes one or more of the synchronization objects is created. The canary thread is called to take the one or more synchronization objects. If the canary thread returns within a predetermined timeout period, then the one or more synchronization objects are available and safe to take. If the canary thread does not return within the predetermined timeout period, then the one or more synchronization objects may not be available. |
| US07917907B2 |
Method and system for variable thread allocation and switching in a multithreaded processor
Techniques for processing transmissions in a communications (e.g., CDMA) system. An aspect of the disclosed subject matter includes a method for processing instructions on a multithreaded processor. The multithreaded processor processes a plurality of threads via a plurality of processor pipelines. The method includes the step determining the operating frequency, F, at which the multithreaded processor operates. Then, the method determines a variable thread switch timeout state for triggering the switching of the processing among the plurality of active threads. The variable thread switch timeout state varies so that each of the plurality of active threads operates at a frequency of an allocated portion of the frequency, F. The allocated portion at which the active threads operate is determined at least in part in order to optimize the operation of the multithreaded processor. The method further switches the processing from a first one of the active threads to a next one of the active threads upon the occurrence of the variable thread switch timeout state. |
| US07917906B2 |
Resource allocation in a computer-based system
Method and apparatus for allocating system resources for use by software processes in a computer-based system, such as a wide area network (WAN) comprising a data storage array. A first memory space provides a first bit indicator to indicate whether at least one system resource is available for use. A second memory space provides a second bit indicator to indicate whether a pending software process awaits availability of the system resource. The resource is allocated for use by the process in relation to a combinatorial operation upon the first and second bit indicators, preferably comprising a logical AND operation. The first and second memory spaces are preferably characterized as multi-bit registers. A free resource stack identifies available resources, and a process queue identifies pending processes waiting for released processes. The statuses of the respective stack and queue are reflected in the bits in the multi-bit registers. |
| US07917905B2 |
Process control system and control method therefor
A process control system has a process state detection unit 10 that detects activation of a predetermined process in a computer and determines whether the process is a previously determined one of control-target processes, a comparison unit 30 that, if the process state detection unit 10 determines that the control-target process is activated, acquires the CPU usage rate of the entire system and compares the acquired CPU usage rate with a previously determined target value of the CPU usage rate of the entire system, and a process suspension control unit 40 that controls suspension and resumption of the control-target process based on the result of comparison by the comparison unit 30. |
| US07917904B2 |
Automated analysis tasks of complex computer system
Automated multiple step tasks are executed on a computing device to analyze a computer system. A step engine performs a complex task such as troubleshooting, performance analysis, or disaster recovery as defined by an input file. The step engine parses the input file into individual steps and dispatches actions of the steps to another device for execution. The device returns a file with the results of the action. The step engine progresses through the list of steps and generates a log file representative of the actions taken and data collected during performance of the task. |
| US07917900B2 |
Enabling analysis of software source code
A source code clarification system is described. In various embodiments, the source code clarification system receives clarified source code and transforms the clarified source code into standard source code or object code that implements asynchronous components. The standard software source code can contain expressions for enabling asynchronous communications. The clarified code can be software source code that is expressed in an imperative language and is capable of static analysis. The clarified source code can contain a coordination primitive that encapsulates interactions between asynchronous components. By using the coordination primitives and events, the clarified source code can express interactions between asynchronous components so that the clarified source code is easier for developers to understand and for static analysis tools to analyze. |
| US07917899B2 |
Program development apparatus, method for developing a program, and a computer program product for executing an application for a program development apparatus
A program development apparatus includes a storage device configured to store an operation definition defining a program description in a source program subjected to be optimized and a complex intrinsic function including an inline clause describing statements after the optimization. An analyzer is configured to perform a syntax analysis of the complex intrinsic function by reading the complex intrinsic function out of the storage device, so as to detect the operation definition and the inline clause. A code generator is configured to generate an object code from the source program by optimizing a program description corresponding to the operation definition in the source program into the statements in the inline clause. |
| US07917898B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide a modular native method invocation system
Methods and apparatus to provide a modular native method invocation (NMI) system are described herein. In an example method, first NMI information associated with a first NMI call from a first virtual machine is received and second NMI information associated with a second NMI call from a second virtual machine different from the first virtual machine is received. The first NMI information and the second NMI information is translated via an NMI adapter. To generate a native stub, the translated NMI information is provided to a modular NMI component. |
| US07917896B2 |
Extensible execution language
A system and method for automated software testing includes defining a data model of an automated software test for an application being tested and then identifying an address for a function library at a remote location for executing the data model of the automated software test based upon the platform of the application. This identified function library is accessed at the address at the remote location so that an execution of a function within the function library may be invoked to obtain results therefrom. |
| US07917893B2 |
Using a system of annotations to generate views and adapters
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for using annotations in contracts to generate views and adapters. A framework is provided that supports annotations that can be used in a contract to allow a user to express how one or more members of the contract should be represented in at least one view, and to express how to adapt the members in at least one adapter. Annotations can also be used to indicate which of the components should be programmatically generated. The contract is accessed and at least a portion of the at least one view and the at least one adapter are generated based on the annotations and other information contained in the contract. For example, source code can programmatically be generated for a host side view, an add-in side view, a host side adapter, and an add-in side adapter using the various contract details and the annotations. |
| US07917892B2 |
User interface driven by dynamic state changes
A method for responding to changes to properties of component instances is disclosed. A routine, that is to be informed of changes that occur to a particular property of a plurality of properties of a component instance, is registered. The value of the particular property is detected as changed when the value of the particular property changes because of a change to another property of the plurality of properties. A call is made to the routine to indicate that the particular property has changed. |
| US07917891B2 |
Engineering system with automatic generation of entity templates
A method, computer program and a system for automatically generating entity templates when copying at least one software element are provided. In the method, upon receiving a request to copy a selected element, such as a group of elements in a graphics program, a common entity template is automatically created for the element if it is not currently linked to an entity template or is only linked to a non-modifiable template, such that when modifications are made to the entity template, the modifications are also made to the originally selected element and all copies thereof, simultaneously. |
| US07917888B2 |
System and method for building multi-modal and multi-channel applications
A system and method are provided for visually building multi-channel and multi-modal applications. The system includes a process design module for designing application workflow, an integration design module for integrating data sources into the application; a presentation design module for designing application views; a media library; and a componentization module, for packaging designed workflow into reusable components. The system further includes an interactive development/design environment (IDE). The IDE provides a graphical user interface for allowing a developer to visually interact with and operate modules. The system allows a developer to design a single application that can operate across multiple network standards, devices, browsers and languages, and that operate in one or more modes, such as real-time, off-line and asynchronous modes. |
| US07917887B2 |
DDEX (data designer extensibility) default object implementations for software development processes
A system and method for providing DDEX (data designer extensibility) default object implementations by bundling information associated with a support entity and information required to instantiate a new default instance is provided. Metadata associated with the definition of the support entity indicates if a default implementation exists and includes information associated with the creation of the default implementation. The metadata of the support entity is analyzed to automatically create and return a default implementation if the provider does not supply a specific implementation. |
| US07917884B2 |
Enhanced verification by closely coupling a structural overapproximation algorithm and a structural satisfiability solver
A method, system and computer program product for performing verification are disclosed. A first abstraction of an initial design netlist containing a first target is created and designated as a current abstraction, and the current abstraction is unfolded by a selectable depth. A composite target is verified using a satisfiability solver, and in response to determining that the verifying step has hit the composite target, a counterexample to is examined to identify one or more reasons for the first target to be asserted. One or more refinement pairs are built by examining the counterexample, and a second abstraction is built by composing the refinement pairs. One or more learned clauses and one or more invariants to the second abstraction and the second abstraction is chosen as the current abstraction. The current abstraction is verified with the satisfiability solver. |
| US07917881B1 |
Timing of a circuit design
Improving the timing and/or yield of a circuit design is disclosed. Timing and yield improvements are often competing objectives in circuit design since timing improvements typically result from reducing capacitive couplings and yield improvements typically increase capacitive couplings. Trade-offs between timing and yield improvements are consequently part of the circuit design and/or optimization process. |
| US07917870B2 |
Enhancing a power distribution system in a ceramic integrated circuit package
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for automatically enhancing a power distribution system (PDS) in a ceramic integrated circuit package. The package includes multiple layers. The entire package is divided into a three-dimensional grid that includes multiple different grid cells. Information is associated with each one of the cells. For each one of the cells, the information included in the cell describes characteristics of the physical location of that cell relative to the other cells in the three-dimensional package. The information also describes any via or trace that already passes through said that cell. Potential new via and/or trace locations are automatically located throughout all of the entire package utilizing the information. |
| US07917868B2 |
Three-dimensional motion graphic user interface and method and apparatus for providing the same
A three-dimensional motion graphic user interface (MGUI) and a method and apparatus for providing the three-dimensional MGUI are provided. The three-dimensional motion graphic user interface includes a first polyhedron component that is formed of a plurality of faces, wherein at least one face of the plurality of faces that are subordinate to the first polyhedron component has predetermined attributes and displays information according to the attributes, and the first polyhedron component is separated into a plurality of second polyhedron components according to a user's action with respect to the faces. |
| US07917867B2 |
System for providing a category separator in a list of documents
A system is provided to assist a user in selecting, identifying, and handling email messages. A selection color module may provide for the display of color coding and selection highlighting. The selection color module may provide a secondary highlighting color to indicate messages related to a selected message. A category navigation module may provide one or more of the following: an indicator that provides the user with a number of items that are off the screen for a particular category, a command that causes the first entry for a category to be scrolled into view, a label to indicate the number of items in a particular category matching a particular criteria, and/or a control for scrolling between next or previous categories. |
| US07917866B1 |
Method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related online communications
A method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related online communications are disclosed. A “meeting spot” is a specific physical location where two or more people can arrange to meet face to face. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which a server computer receives meeting spot data that correspond to a plurality of meeting spots selected by a computer user at a client device and sends information concerning other computer users that have also selected two or more of the meeting spots selected by the computer user to the client device for display. |
| US07917860B2 |
Simple styling
A style model implementation that is applied to objects within a user interface to define any attributes of the objects. The model is divided into two parts: a “runtime” which uses a style definition to affect the look and feel of the user interface, and a “design-time” which is the experience presented by WYSIWYG tools used to define the look and feel of the user interface. The design-time may be implemented in terms of the run-time objects. Properties associated with the styles can be set on the objects using the design-time UI and enforced at runtime. Styles may be grouped into themes to provide an easy mechanism to apply changes to many objects. |
| US07917856B2 |
Converting between user interface technologies
Converting components for a first user interface (UI) technology into components for a second UI technology includes enabling the second UI technology to access first components of the first UI technology, modeling second components of the first UI technology as native components of the second UI technology, the first components being usable by the native components, and defining one or more navigational paths through the native components. |
| US07917855B1 |
Method and apparatus for configuring a user interface
A method and apparatus for configuring a user interface is disclosed. The method and apparatus allow for the determination of a function provided by the user interface using a skin. Such a skin includes information regarding an object, where the object represents an entity managed using the user interface. |
| US07917847B2 |
Method, program and terminal device for rendering web page
A method of rendering a page, which includes starting obtaining operation for obtaining a page made by a markup language, performing a text browsing mode operation on obtained part of data of the page in parallel with the obtaining operation of the page, judging whether or not acquisition of definition information which is information to be applied to the entire page so as to render the page as designated by a markup language document of the page is finished, and switching onscreen representation, depending on a result of the judging, from onscreen representation in a text browsing mode to onscreen representation in which the definition information is applied. |
| US07917844B1 |
Directory service for form processing
A method for processing a document including a field containing information in a predefined domain includes defining a directory of data relating to the predefined domain. An image of the field containing the information is received from a client via a computer network. The image is processed to code the information, and the coded information is looked up in the directory so as to check whether the information is coded correctly. |
| US07917841B2 |
System and method for rendering data
A method of viewing information associated with data in a spreadsheet, includes providing a document including data and information associated with the data, parsing the document to retrieve the associated information, processing the associated information to break the associated information down into at least one sentence, categorizing the at least one sentence to determine whether the at least one sentence corresponds to at least one category in a taxonomy corresponding to the data, assigning an association strength to the categorized at least one sentence, the association strength indicating a likelihood that the categorized at least one sentence actually corresponds to the at least one category in the taxonomy, filtering the at least one categorized sentence based on the association strength to determine whether to match the categorized at least one sentence with the at least one category in the taxonomy and outputting only the categorized at least one sentence matched with the at least one category in the taxonomy. |
| US07917839B2 |
System and a method for interactivity creation and customization
A system and a method for the creation and customization of interactivity are described. An interactivity builder is provided that includes a Interaction Model Selector Module, an interactivity editor, and an Interaction Model Library comprising Interaction Models. An interaction model selector is also provided that accesses to the available Interaction Models. A user is allowed to select an Interaction Model from the Interaction Model Library through the Interaction Model Selector and the Interaction Model Selector accepts the user-selected interaction model and copies it to create an interactivity that can be any time modified by the interactivity editor according to input received from the user. Interactivity thus created can be used in training modules. The invention could also be used equally well in other applications, such as, for instance, websites, presentations, electronic documents, online advertising, e-commerce and more such applications. |
| US07917831B2 |
Optimization of storage device accesses in RAID systems
A result value, such as a parity value, for a set of corresponding data elements from a plurality of storage devices is determined using a commutative operation. When accessing the set of corresponding data elements from a plurality of storage devices, a dual access can be performed for the storage device accessed last for the set of corresponding data elements so as to also obtain a data element from the last-accessed storage device for the next parity calculation. As a result, the number of storage device accesses can be reduced compared to conventional systems whereby a single access is performed for each storage device to obtain a single data element from the storage device. |
| US07917825B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively utilizing information within a semiconductor device
Embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus to selectively provide information within a device to enable the device to perform a function. The apparatus comprises a generator unit to generate information for the device to perform the function, a receiver unit to receive information from a source and provide the received information for the device, and a storage unit. The storage unit selectively stores the information from the generator unit and the receiver unit for use by the device in accordance with an information selection signal and a mode signal indicating entry of the device into a particular device mode. Information from the receiver unit is stored in the storage unit in response to availability of information from the receiver unit and the mode signal indicating entry of the device into the particular device mode. |
| US07917823B2 |
Decoupled clocking in testing architecture and method of testing
A test architecture and method of testing are disclosed to allow multiple scan controllers, which control different scan chain designs in multiple logic blocks, to share a test access mechanism. During test mode, the test architecture is configured to decouple clock sources of the test access mechanism, the scan controllers and the scan chains. |
| US07917822B2 |
Serial I/O using JTAG TCK and TMS signals
The present disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus of using the JTAG TAP's TMS and TCK terminals as a general purpose serial Input/Output (I/O) bus. According to the present disclosure, the TAP's TMS terminal is used as a clock signal and the TCK terminal is used as a bidirectional data signal to allow serial communication to occur between; (1) an IC and an external controller, (2) between a first and second IC, or (3) between a first and second core circuit within an IC. |
| US07917821B2 |
System-on-chip performing multi-phase scan chain and method thereof
A system on chip (SOC) may include function blocks, and a scan chain in each of the function blocks, the scan chains being adapted to conduct scan test operations in sync with a respective one of a plurality of clock signals having a different phase relative to each other, wherein during an isolation mode, the scan chains test combination circuits of the function blocks, and during an interface mode, the scan chains of adjacent ones of the function blocks test combination circuits between the adjacent ones of the function blocks. |
| US07917817B2 |
User interface messaging system and method permitting deferral of message resolution
A user interface messaging system and method that allows a user to defer resolution of the substance of a message, such as a user-initiated error, and adds the message to a queue. The messaging system may remind the user to resolve the substance of the messages in the queue. After a message has been added to the queue, the message layer may be closed, allowing the user to continue using the application. |
| US07917815B2 |
Multi-layer context parsing and incident model construction for software support
A context analyzer may be configured to receive, from a software support system associated with a software application associated with multiple architectural layers, an incident report associated with a software incident of the software application. The incident report may include context information associated with the software application at the time of the software incident, the context information being received from a plurality of context providers. An incident model generator may be configured to determine, from parsed context information output by a first context parser and a second context parser, a plurality of entities and links therebetween associated with the software application, and configured to display an incident model that includes the entities and the links and that provides access to the parsed context information on an entity-specific basis. |
| US07917814B2 |
System and method of reporting error codes in an electronically controlled device
A method of reporting errors in an electronically controlled device, comprises generating a first bit field representative of a severity of an internal error, generating a second bit field representative of a location of the internal error; and generating a third bit field representative of a cause of the internal error. The method also comprises structuring an internal error code, wherein the internal error code includes the first, second, and third bit fields. |
| US07917813B2 |
Exception condition determination at a control unit in an I/O processing system
A computer program product, apparatus, and method for providing exception condition feedback at a control unit to a channel subsystem in an I/O processing system are provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes receiving a command message at the control unit from the channel subsystem, and detecting an exception condition in response to unsuccessful execution of at least one command in the command message. The method further includes identifying a termination reason code associated with the exception condition, writing the termination reason code to a response message, and sending the response message to the channel subsystem. |
| US07917812B2 |
Resetting of multiple processors in an electronic device
Automatic resetting of a group of multiple processors in an electronic device wherein the processors are arranged in either a cascade chain or master-slave configuration. Upon the receipt of an originating reset signal by any one of the multiple processors the remaining processors are reset upon receipt of a forced reset signal generated by one of the processors in the group. The system states prior to the originating reset of each processor is refreshed to ensure compatible synchronization of system states and thus proper communication among the processors. |
| US07917811B2 |
Virtual computer system
To improve the maintainability of a virtual machine system, there is provided a mechanism capable of appropriately reporting a failure that occurs in a dedicated PCI device, in a shared PCI device, or in a virtual PCI device. A device for transferring PCI device configuration information between a failure monitoring application and a hypervisor that monitors a PCI device failure is prepared, and the failure monitoring application is operated in a user virtual machine and in a control virtual machine. Based on the above-described PCI device configuration information, the failure monitoring application operating in the user virtual machine monitors a dedicated PCI device failure and a virtual PCI device failure, and the failure monitoring application operating in the control virtual machine monitors a shared PCI device failure, respectively, thereby appropriately reporting a failure of the dedicated PCI device, the shared PCI device, or the virtual PCI device without duplication. |
| US07917810B2 |
Method for detecting problematic disk drives and disk channels in a RAID memory system based on command processing latency
In order to detect problematic drives in random arrays of independent disks, the system measures the latency of executing command sets which are broadcast to all disks in the data storage system and the results are compared to identify which disks take substantially longer to complete the requests. Disks that take longer to complete requests are likely to be problematic and are candidates for further examination and replacement. The disks in each tier group are compared to determine if any disk in that group exhibits problems. Also, counters for each tier group are compared to determine if the problem is with the disk or with the channel of the tier group. The latency of each disk in the tier group is saved in a table to provide a histogram of the latency of the disks in the tier group. Histograms of the disks in a single tier group are compared to determine if a specific disk is problematic. Histograms of each tier group are compared to determine if a specific disk is problematic or all the disks on the same channel exhibit problems. |
| US07917809B2 |
BIOS test system and test method thereof
A basic input output system (BIOS) test system includes a protocol conversion module and a computer. The protocol conversion module is connected to a tested device. The computer is connected to the protocol conversion module. The computer controls the protocol conversion module to simulate a keyboard to send keyboard commands to the device. The computer storing correct setting lists and comments of the setting lists of the BIOS. The tested device selects setting lists and comments thereof according to the keyboard selection commands sent by the protocol conversion module. The tested device is connected to the computer to deliver selected setting lists and comments thereof to the computer. The computer compares the selected setting lists and comments thereof with the correct setting lists. |
| US07917807B2 |
Power system communication management and recovery
A method, system, and computer program product for determining severity of communication deficiencies and isolating faults in a power network of a data processing environment is provided. Pursuant to a continuous graph theory analysis, each of a plurality of nodes of the power network is initialized with the same arbitrary value. Each of a plurality of network paths connecting each of the plurality of nodes is analyzed. Upon a successful communication or communication deficiency over one of the plurality of network paths, one arbitrary value of one of the plurality of nodes connected to the one of the plurality of network paths is incremented or decremented, respectively by a weighting value. The incrementing and decrementing is repeated until a threshold is reached and a recovery is performed on which of the plurality of nodes has a lower adjusted value. |
| US07917804B2 |
Systems and methods for CPU repair
Systems and methods for repairing a processor are provided. In one embodiment, a method for repairing a processor is provided that includes, for example, the steps of initializing and executing an operating system, determining that a cache element is faulty, and swapping in a spare cache element for said faulty cache element while the operating system is executing. |
| US07917797B2 |
Clock generation using a fractional phase detector
Circuits are provided that generate from an input signal one or more output clock signals having reduced skew. The input signal has transitions derived from the transitions of an original clock signal having a frequency that differs from the frequency of the output clock signal. The frequency of the output clock signal is a product from multiplying the frequency for the input signal and an integer ratio. The circuit includes an accumulator, a fractional phase detector, and a loop filter. The accumulator periodically adds a numerical offset value to a numerical phase value. The output clock signal is generated from this numerical phase value. The fractional phase detector generates from the numerical phase value a respective numerical phase error for each of the transitions of the input signal. The loop filter generates the numerical offset value from a filtering of the respective numerical phase errors. |
| US07917796B2 |
Method and apparatus for the generation and control of clock signals
Methods and apparatuses for the dynamic configuring of profiles used for the control of the frequency of clock signals. At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a means of dynamically generating, storing, updating and using spread spectrum profiles in a clock circuit to provide spread spectrum modulated clock signals and to slew clock frequency. |
| US07917794B2 |
Method for optimizing a DSP input clock using a comparing/analyzing circuit
A method optimizes a DSP Input clock using a clock comparing/analyzing circuit. The method of the present invention enables PLD to select a delay function of the PLD and signals from a plurality of patterns, in addition to varying three elements' values of R, L and C, a driver delay, and a characteristic change by peripheral elements of patterns that a clock passes to thereby obtain an optimal characteristic. Particularly, the inventive method provides an optimal clock with the best performance among clocks from the pattern. This method has the following two functions: (1) allowing the paths from a plurality of patterns to be scanned individually and a pattern having the lowest noise level to be searched; (2) searching the maximum SNR(Signal to Noise) value by providing a delay offset to an optimal path having the lowest noise level which is searched from the first function, and wherein an optimal path is searched and connected by checking the operation periodically by a timer to provide optimal characteristics in case peripheral environments change. |
| US07917790B2 |
Separate power island for high performance processor that reboots to second boot sector
Separate power island for high performance processor. A multi-processor design is presented in which each of the processors is implemented in separately powered portions of a circuitry (e.g., an integrated circuit). One of the processors can be a main application processor, and another of the processors can be a baseband processor. In addition, the each of the processors can be implemented using different types of circuitry (e.g., one of the processors [such as the main application processor] is implemented using higher performance/higher leakage circuitry that another of the processors [such as the baseband processor]). One of the processors (e.g., main application processor) can be powered down when not needed thereby providing energy/power conservation which can be vital is handheld communication device applications such as wireless handheld communication devices. |
| US07917784B2 |
Methods and systems for power management in a data processing system
Methods and systems for managing power consumption in data processing systems are described. In one embodiment, a data processing system includes a general purpose processing unit, a graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one peripheral interface controller, at least one bus coupled to the general purpose processing unit, and a power controller coupled to at least the general purpose processing unit and the GPU. The power controller is configured to turn power off for the general purpose processing unit in response to a first state of an instruction queue of the general purpose processing unit and is configured to turn power off for the GPU in response to a second state of an instruction queue of the GPU. The first state and the second state represent an instruction queue having either no instructions or instructions for only future events or actions. |
| US07917782B2 |
Computer device having display device capable of being automatically turned off or turned on according to switch motion of host
An exemplary computer device (10) includes a host (11) configured for generating a turn on signal when the host is turned on, and a turn off signal when the host is turned off; and a display device (13) including a display unit (131) and an automatic control circuit (12). The automatic control circuit is configured for receiving the turn on signal and the turn off signal and turning on or turning off the display unit according to the received the turn on signal and the turn off signal. Thus when the host of the computer is turned on or turned off, the display unit of computer device can be automatically turned off or turned on according to a switch instruction of the host. |
| US07917781B2 |
Universal USB power supply
A universal series bus (USB) power supply has a DC power source, a USB power interface and a voltage modulation module. The USB power interface is for connecting to an electronic device that stores a default D+ voltage and a default D− voltage. The voltage modulation module connects to and outputs signals to the D+ and D− terminals of the USB power interface. If voltage levels of the output signals are not respectively identical to the default D+ and D− voltages, the voltage modulation module changes the voltage levels of the signals output to the D+ and D− terminals of the USB power interface until the voltage levels of the output signals are respectively identical to the default D+ and D− voltages. Therefore, the USB power supply may be applied to any kind of electronic device that is charged over a USB interface. |
| US07917780B2 |
Motherboard power on circuit
A motherboard power on circuit includes a switch connector, an impedance circuit, and a super I/O chip. The impedance circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor, and a capacitor. A terminal of the first resistor is connected to the power on terminal of the switch connector. The other terminal of the first resistor is connected to the power on terminal of the super I/O chip, a terminal of the second resistor, and a terminal of the capacitor. The other terminals of the second resistor and the capacitor are connected to a power source and ground respectively. |
| US07917778B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method for controlling semiconductor integrated circuit
Herein disclosed is a method for controlling a semiconductor integrated circuit having plural domains, the method including controlling plural power supplies which supply power to the plural domains, controlling an asynchronous bridge section being provided between each of the domains, receiving and transmitting data for dynamically changing a power supply voltage of at least one of the domains, wherein, when a power supply voltage of one of the domains is substantially equal to a power supply voltage of the other domains, switching the power supply paths so as to supply the power supply voltage from one power supply to at least two of the domains, and switching the data paths so as to receive and transmit data between the at least two of the domains by bypassing the asynchronous bridge section. |
| US07917775B2 |
Power supply system
A power supply system suitable for being located in a computer is provided. The system includes a first voltage regulator module (VRM), a second VRM, a first switch unit, and a second switch unit. The first VRM is used to supply a first power. The second VRM is used to supply a second power. The first switch unit is used for controlling the first power to be transmitted to a first central processing unit (CPU) socket by a first power supply path or to a second CPU socket by a second power supply path. The second switch unit is used for controlling the second power to be transmitted to the first CPU socket by the third power supply path or to the second CPU socket by the fourth power supply path. |
| US07917772B1 |
Dynamic chip control
Methods and systems for operating a semiconductor device (e.g., a microprocessor) are described. The microprocessor is initially operated at a voltage and frequency that would be within operating limits at any device temperature. Using models that relate device temperature, operating limits and power consumption with voltage and frequency, the amount of supply voltage and a new operating frequency can be selected. The models are periodically consulted thereafter to continue adjusting the supply voltage and operating frequency, so that the microprocessor is caused to operate at very close to its capacity, in particular in those instances when, for example, processor-intensive instructions are being executed. |
| US07917769B2 |
Transaction authentication card
A transaction authentication card uses a biometric input and a wireless output. The biometric input may be a sensor pad on the transaction authentication card that measures blood flow patterns, temperature, and/or fingerprint patterns to identify a user to permit access. The transaction authentication card is preferably substantially rigid, but may be formed to have some flexibility. Power to the transaction authentication card may be accomplished through an internal battery that is optionally rechargeable. Biometric data is stored on the card only and used for user verification. Biometric data will not be transferred from the card. If authorized biometric data is authenticated the card will transmit a wireless access code to a proximity reader or transaction equipment. |
| US07917763B2 |
Device and method for detecting a manipulation of an information signal
The present invention relates to a device for detecting a manipulation of an information signal, having an extractor for extracting an information signal component characteristic for the information signal from the information signal, an encryptor for encrypting the information signal component to obtain an encrypted signal, and a comparator for comparing the encrypted signal to a reference signal, wherein the reference signal is an encrypted representation of a non-manipulated reference signal component of a reference information signal to detect the manipulation. |
| US07917761B2 |
Digitally signing an electronic document with a user-entered signature image
Methods, systems, and computer program products digitally sign an electronic entity, such as an electronic document, with a user-entered signature image. The method involves rendering the document and rendering a sign dialog. Rendering the sign dialog includes prompting the signer to write a signature to sign the document. The method also involves receiving and inking the signature from the signer, creating a digital representation incorporating an image of the signature; creating a unique value of the image of the signature and of the document, and saving the unique value in association with the document thereby digitally signing the document. The unique value saved in association with the document is verifiable for authenticity by users of the document. Additionally, the method may also involve automatically selecting a signing certificate appropriate for the signer based on selection criteria. |
| US07917758B2 |
TLS tunneling
An authentication protocol can be used to establish a secure method of communication between two devices on a network. Once established, the secure communication can be used to authenticate a client through various authentication methods, providing security in environments where intermediate devices cannot be trusted, such as wireless networks, or foreign network access points. Additionally, the caching of session keys and other relevant information can enable the two securely communicating endpoints to quickly resume their communication despite interruptions, such as when one endpoint changes the access point through which it is connected to the network. Also, the secure communication between the two devices can enable users to roam off of their home network, providing a mechanism by which access through foreign networks can be granted, while allowing the foreign network to monitor and control the use of its bandwidth. |
| US07917747B2 |
Multi-party encryption systems and methods
A cryptographic communication system and method having a first plurality of stations, each of the first plurality of stations having at least one encryption key Kj, were j is a number greater than 2, a data packet D to be viewed by each of the first plurality of stations, means for encrypting the data packet by each of the first plurality of stations to form an encrypted data packet Ej for transmission to a central processor, and means for combining each of the encrypted data packets, wherein the means for encrypting is applied in parallel to allow each of the first plurality of stations to view the contents of the data packet D prior to encrypting the data packet D. |
| US07917744B2 |
Apparatus and methods for intercepting, examining and controlling code, data and files and their transfer in instant messaging and peer-to-peer applications
The present invention comprises apparatus and methods for processing instant messaging or peer-to-peer code, that is, for intercepting, examining and/or controlling instant messaging and/or peer-to-peer code in a network. A protocol parser is implemented in order to intercept the code as it passes through the channel and transfer the code to a proscribed code scanner. “Man in the middle” technology may be used as well through decryptor/encryptor components placed between client and server which permit examination of the code by a proscribed code scanner as it passes through a communications channel. Embodiments for various platforms, including Unix® and Windows® NT are disclosed. |
| US07917741B2 |
Enhancing security of a system via access by an embedded controller to a secure storage device
System and method for performing pre-boot security verification in a system that includes a host processor and memory, an embedded microcontroller with an auxiliary memory, e.g., an on-chip ROM, or memory controlled to prohibit user-tampering with the contents of the memory, and one or more pre-boot security components coupled to the embedded microcontroller. Upon power-up, but before host processor boot-up, the embedded microcontroller accesses the auxiliary memory and executes the program instructions to verify system security using the one or more pre-boot security components. The one or more pre-boot security components includes at least one identity verification component, e.g., a smart card, or a biometric sensor, e.g., a fingerprint sensor, a retinal scanner, and/or a voiceprint sensor, etc., and/or at least one system verification component, e.g., TPM, to query the system for system state information, and verify that the system has not been compromised. |
| US07917738B2 |
Method and base chip for monitoring the operation of a microcontroller unit
To enable a method and a base chip (200) for monitoring, by means of at least one base chip (200), the operation of at least one microcontroller unit (300) that is intended for at least one application and is associated with a system (100) to be further developed in such a way a reset of the microcontroller unit (300) only takes place under defined conditions, it is proposed that a reset (R) of the microcontroller unit (300) is caused if at least one special sequence, and particularly at least one drive or access sequence assigned to the reset operation (R), is applied to the base chip (200). |
| US07917736B1 |
Latency tolerant pipeline synchronization
A synchronization mechanism is used to synchronize events across multiple execution pipelines that process transaction streams. A common set of state configuration is included in each transaction stream to control processing of data that is distributed between the different transaction streams. Portions of the state configuration correspond to portions of the data. Execution of the transaction streams is synchronized to ensure that each portion of the data is processed using the state configuration that corresponds to that portion of the data. The synchronization mechanism may be used for multiple synchronizations and when the synchronization signals are pipelined to meet chip-level timing requirements. |
| US07917724B2 |
Protection of user-level applications based on page table information
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a virtual machine monitor (VMM) to access a protection indicator of a page table entry (PTE) of a page of a set of memory buffers and determine a state of the protection indicator, and if the protection indicator indicates that the page is a user-level page and if certain information of an agent that seeks to use the page matches that in a protected memory address array, a page table base register (PTBR) is updated to a protected page table (PPT) base address. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07917720B2 |
Method for rearranging a logical volume
A method for rearranging a logical volume including arranging a logical volume rearranging program on a particular server and using the logical volume rearranging program to acquire server/storage mapping information from each server and performance information from each storage subsystem. Moreover, the logical volume rearranging program acquires request I/O performance and a rearranging rule for each application set by a user. Furthermore, the logical volume rearranging program determines a destination by using the logical volume rearranging destination parity group specified by the user according to the aforementioned information, and rearranges the logical volume according to the storage subsystem performance and the request I/O performance of each application. |
| US07917719B2 |
Portable module interface with timeout prevention by dummy blocks
Methods and systems for working around the timeout limitations of physical interface standards for detachable modules. By use of dummy data blocks to keep the bus active, the bus timeout requirements (in either direction) can be spoofed, to thereby permit more complex processing operations to be performed that may exceed the bus timeout of a particular specification. A controller in the memory system deasserts the ready signal and holds the bus connecting the computer system in a “busy” state until the memory system is about to timeout. During a write operation, the controller receives dummy data blocks from the computer system before the write bus timeout period expires, causing the bus timeout period to be reset. During a read operation, the controller sends dummy data blocks to the computer system before the read bus timeout period expires, causing the bus timeout period to be reset. |
| US07917718B2 |
Arrangements having security protection
An external bus interface method including: receiving, via an access control unit, an access request conveyed through an external bus, and judging, via an access judging unit connected to the access control unit, whether the access request is to be honored or rejected, wherein upon receiving the access request, the access control unit sends to the access judging unit an access judging check request signal asking whether the requested address falls within one of access-permitted areas registered in the access judging unit, the access judging unit checks whether the requested address falls within one of the access-permitted areas registered in it and returns to the access control unit, an access judging check result signal indicating whether the access request is to be honored or rejected, and if the access judging check result signal indicates that the access request is to be rejected, the access control unit nullifies the access request. |
| US07917715B2 |
Internet-safe computer
The present invention eliminates the possibility of problems with viruses, worms, identity theft, and other hazards that may result from the connection of a computer to the Internet. It does so by creating a new configuration of components within the computer. In addition to commonly used components, two new components are added. These are a secondary hard drive and a secondary random access memory. When the computer is connected to the Internet these secondary components are used in place of their primary counterparts. The primary hard drive is electronically isolated from the Internet, thus preventing Internet contamination of the primary hard drive. |
| US07917713B2 |
Optimized data migration with a support processor
A system migrates data between a source device and a target device in a storage system. A processor is operational within a local domain of the storage system. A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) controller electrically connected to the processor. The RAID controller divides a capacity of the source device into a plurality of sub-regions, locks the sub-regions from storage activity, establishes a mirroring relationship for write data updates between the source device and target device, and assigns the processor to copy data from the source device to the target device. A method of migrating data includes dividing a capacity of a source device into a plurality of sub-regions, locking the sub-regions from storage activity, establishing a mirroring relationship for write data updates between the source device and a target device, and assigning a local processor to copy data from the source device to the target device. |
| US07917712B2 |
Method and system for governing access to storage device on SAN
The present invention in at least some embodiments relates to improved methods and systems for governing access to SAN data storage devices (or simply “SAN devices”) employed in SAN systems. In some embodiments, the method involves storing a list at a SAN device. The list can be an exclusion list identifying devices that are not allowed to access the SAN device. During normal operation, the SAN device automatically contacts the SAN (or a component of the SAN, such as a SAN switch) to determine the identities of new devices that have entered into communication with the SAN. The SAN device then automatically updates the exclusion list to include those new devices such that, without further instructions, the SAN device is not accessible by those new devices. The method further can relate to the setup and failure recovery of SAN devices employed in SAN systems. |
| US07917701B2 |
Cache circuitry, data processing apparatus and method for prefetching data by selecting one of a first prefetch linefill operation and a second prefetch linefill operation
Prefetch circuitry is provided which is responsive to a determination that the memory address of a data value specified by a current access request is the same as a predicted memory address, to perform either a first prefetch linefill operation or a second prefetch linefill operation to retrieve from memory at least one further data value in anticipation of that data value being the subject of a subsequent access request. The selection of either the first prefetch linefill operation or the second prefetch linefill operation is performed in dependence on an attribute of the current access request. |
| US07917695B2 |
Systems and methods for storing parity groups
A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency. |
| US07917694B1 |
Method and system for finding maximal stripes in cache memory with content addressable memory
A storage system and method of operating the same can speed the operation of cache management functions. Generally, a storage system can include data stored in stripes, with each stripe including a number of blocks. A cache memory can store data blocks for fast access. A method can include providing a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) with a processor coupled thereto, and tracking a block count for each active stripe with the processor and TCAM. The block count for each active stripe can be the number of data blocks belonging to the same stripe that are stored in the cache memory. |
| US07917691B2 |
Memory device with vertically embedded non-flash non-volatile memory for emulation of NAND flash memory
A system and a method for emulating a NAND memory system are disclosed. In the method, a command associated with a NAND memory is received. After receipt of the command, a vertically configured non-volatile memory array is accessed based on the command. In the system, a vertically configured non-volatile memory array is connected with an input/output controller and a memory controller. The memory controller is also connected with the input/output controller. The memory controller is operative to interface with a command associated with a NAND memory and based on the command, to access the vertically configured non-volatile memory array for a data operation, such as a read operation or write operation. An erase operation on the vertically configured non-volatile memory array is not required prior to the write operation. The vertically configured non-volatile memory array can be partitioned into planes, blocks, and sub-planes, for example. |
| US07917688B2 |
Flash memory module, storage apparatus using flash memory module as recording medium, and address translation table verification method for flash memory module
An purpose of the invention is to immediately return the operation in a flash memory module from low power consumption mode to regular mode.A flash memory controller having memory that stores an address translation table for translating between a logical page address and a physical page address in the flash memory chip controls regular mode and low power consumption mode of operating at lower power consumption than in regular mode by halting operation, or decreasing power supply voltage or lowering operating frequency. A flash memory module having the flash memory controller verifies data in the address translation table while low power consumption mode is set. |
| US07917687B2 |
Flash memory apparatus and access method to flash memory
There is provided a flash memory apparatus for storing data aggregate having a plurality of types of data in and reproduce the data aggregate from a flash memory via a plurality of ports. The flash memory apparatus includes a plurality of access request units configure to request to write data in one block of the flash memory by aligning a writing position of one block data with a page unit on a data type basis of the flash memory when the data classified by type that are inputted via the ports corresponding to the access request units on the one-to-one basis are stored to reach an amount relative to one block of the flash memory, and an access controller configured to write the data in the flash memory during time division allocated per port based on the requests incited by the respective access request units. |
| US07917684B2 |
Bus translator
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device including a bus translator. In some embodiments, the device also includes a core module and a core bus coupled to the core module. The bus translator may be coupled to the core module via the core bus, and the bus translator may be configured to translate between signals from a selected one of a plurality of different types of buses and signals on the core bus. |
| US07917672B2 |
Path maintenance mechanism
In the computer system including a host computer and a storage system, the storage system includes a physical disk and a disk controller, and provides a storage area of the physical disk as at least one logical unit. The processor obtains, at a first time point and a second time point different from the first time point, a relation between a logical path and a component through which the logical path passes, stores, as logical path connection information, the relations obtained at the first time point and the second time point, refers to the logical path connection information to compare the logical paths existing at the first time point and the logical paths existing at the second time point with each other, and specifies the logical path which does not exist at the second time point among the logical paths existing at the first time point.A1 |
| US07917668B2 |
Disk controller
A disk controller has a channel adapter having a connection interface to a host computer or a disk drive; a memory adapter for temporarily storing data to be transferred between the host computer and disk drive; a processor adapter for controlling operations of the channel adapter and memory adapter; and a switch adapter for configuring an inner network by interconnecting the channel adapter, memory adapter and processor adapter, wherein the channel adapter, memory adapter, processor adapter and switch adapter each include a DMA controller for performing a communication protocol control of the inner network; and packet multiplex communication is performed among the DMA controllers provided in the adapters. The disk controller can realize a high transfer efficiency and a low cost while retaining a high reliability. A storage system includes an interface unit having an interface with a server or hard drives, a memory unit, a processor unit, and an interconnection. |
| US07917667B2 |
Methods and apparatus for allocating DMA activity between a plurality of entities
A system and method are disclosed which may include providing a processor operable to request an ongoing processor operation DMA communication task; providing at least one data transfer device operable to request a defined-content DMA communication task; providing a memory operable to conduct DMA communication with the processor and the at least one data transfer device over at least one data bus, the DMA communication having a bandwidth; and allocating the DMA communication bandwidth between the processor operation DMA communication task and the defined-content DMA communication task. |
| US07917666B2 |
Computer system and method for indicating a display output device thereof
A computer system and a method indicate the presence of a display output device. The method includes detecting whether the computer system has a display output or not. If detected, the display output device is selected according to the setting of a BIOS, and an indicator signals an indication to notify a user. |
| US07917665B1 |
Method and system for minimizing unnecessary topology discovery operations by managing physical layer state change notifcations in storage systems
Method and system is provided where PHY state change (PHY CHANGE) notifications from one or more PHYs in a storage infrastructure are monitored as a potential error condition. The rate of PHY CHANGE notifications is monitored to determine if the rate of PHY CHANGE notifications may cause a loss of service or degrade I/O performance. An excessive rate of PHY CHANGE notification that may cause a loss of service is detected by comparing a current PHY CHANGE count with burst threshold value. The current PHY CHANGE count is also compared to an operational threshold value to detect if the rate of PHY CHANGE notification may result in degradation of overall I/O performance. If the PHY CHANGE count for a PHY equals or exceeds the burst threshold value or the operational threshold value, then the PHY is disabled. |
| US07917664B2 |
Storage apparatus, storage apparatus control method, and recording medium of storage apparatus control program
A storage apparatus having a plurality of storage units for storing data comprises: a detecting module for detecting status information indicative of the operation environment of said storage apparatus; a controlling module for accessing said data in said storage unit, said controlling module performing processing in accordance with said status information; and a relaying module for relaying said data between said controlling module and said storage units, storing the status information, and transmitting said status information stored in said relaying module to said controlling module in response to a request from said controlling module. |
| US07917663B2 |
Method for confirming connection state of a home appliance in home network system
A method for confirming connection state of a home appliance in home network system is disclosed, which includes a step in which the home appliance periodically confirms the connection state to the home network system, a step in which the appliance generates a packet for requiring address allocation, a step in which the appliance transfers the packet to network managing appliance, a step in which the appliance generates an alive notifying packet on allocating the address of the appliance from the network managing appliance, and a step in which the appliance transfers the alive notifying packet to the network managing appliance. |
| US07917655B1 |
Method and system for employing phone number analysis to detect and prevent spam and e-mail scams
A method and apparatus for identifying scam e-mails using phone number analysis whereby a set of potential scam e-mail identification rules is created and data representing the potential scam e-mail identification rules is stored in a data storage device. Incoming e-mails are then scanned under the direction of one or more processors by an e-mail security system to detect phone numbers present in the incoming e-mails using one or more phone number detection parameters. Any potential phone numbers detected using the one or more phone number detection parameters are then normalized. In one embodiment, the normalized potential phone numbers are then analyzed using the potential scam e-mail identification rules to identify potential scam phone numbers. The e-mails including the identified potential scam phone numbers then have their status transformed to that of potential scam e-mails. |
| US07917653B2 |
SyncML data sync system and data exchanging method for data exchange between clients
Disclosed is a SyncML data sync system and a data exchanging method thereof for data exchange between clients. A sync server receives data to be provided to another client and authentication of a target client to which the data is provided from a first client, and transmits a signal reporting that the data has been provided to the target client. A second client according to the authentication information of the target client transmits its own authentication information to the remote sync server if it receives the signal reporting that the data has been provided. The sync server receives the authentication information of the second client, authenticates whether the second client is the target client, and provides the data to the second client. Accordingly, the data can be exchanged between a certain client and another client. |
| US07917649B2 |
Technique for monitoring source addresses through statistical clustering of packets
A technique for monitoring source addresses through statistical clustering of packets is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by a method for monitoring source addresses through statistical clustering of packets. The method may comprise identifying at least part of a source address of a packet. The method may also comprise searching at least one recorded source address based on the at least part of the source address, the at least one recorded source address being organized into at least one cluster. The method may further comprise routing the packet if the at least part of the source address falls within one of the at least one cluster and the one of the at least one cluster contains at least a predetermined number of source addresses. |
| US07917647B2 |
Method and apparatus for rate limiting
A method and apparatus for a network monitor internals mechanism, which serves to translate packet data into multiple concurrent streams of encoded network event data, to contribute to enterprise management, reporting, and global mechanisms for aggregating monitors at a centralized aggregation point, and to facilitate rate limiting techniques because such monitors are not in control (i.e. cannot back pressure flow) is provided. |
| US07917642B2 |
Isochronous audio network software interface
A computer system includes a network interface that transmits and/or receives packets over a network. The packets may include isochronous audio packets and data packets. The computer system may have an operating system in which isochronous audio software is executable to extract audio data from the isochronous audio packets, or format audio data into isochronous audio packets. The system may also include other software executable within the operating system substantially in parallel with the isochronous audio software. The other software may extract data from the data packets. |
| US07917635B2 |
Simplex communications parameters of remote sessions system and method for controlling remote communications
A first and second environment define parameters communicated between a first computer remotely controlling a second computer (a first remote session) and between the second computer remotely controlling the first computer (a second remote session), with each parameter defining an action associated with the first or second remote session. A first application, via a unidirectional communication with the first environment, modifies a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is extracted by a first interceptor (associated with the second computer) that, based on a look-up, executes a pre-defined action (different than the first parameter's associated action) affecting the first remote session. A second application, via a unidirectional communication with the second environment, modifies a second parameter, wherein the second parameter is extracted by a second interceptor (associated with the first computer) that, based on a look-up, executes a pre-defined action (different than the second parameter's associated action) affecting the second remote session. |
| US07917632B2 |
Peer-to-peer proxy server and communication method thereof
A peer-to-peer (P2P proxy server and a communication method thereof are provided. In order to participate electronic apparatuses having no built-in P2P middleware in a P2P infrastructure, the P2P proxy server includes: a proxy data communication unit acquiring a reception message transmitted through the P2P infrastructure or transmitting a transmission message to the P24P infrastructure; a legacy apparatus state management unit generating a message for advertising contents stored in the legacy apparatuses and, if the reception message is a message for requesting for sharing specific contents, generating a message for sharing the specific contents; a message management unit parsing the reception message acquired through the proxy data communication unit to transmit the reception message to the legacy apparatus state management unit or inversely parsing the message generated by the legacy apparatus state management unit to generate the transmission message and transmitting the transmission message to the proxy data communication unit; and a legacy apparatus driver connecting to the legacy apparatuses and supporting data communication between the legacy apparatuses and the legacy apparatus state management unit. Accordingly, a legacy apparatus having no built-in P2P middleware can be used as a contents source providing apparatus in the P2P infrastructure. |
| US07917630B2 |
Portable computerized device adapted for ad hoc security associations
A portable communications device adapted to provide communication security in, for example, an ad hoc or temporary networked environment. In one embodiment, the network comprises an untrusted medium, and the device includes network security apparatus adapted to create security associations between devices on the network, including mutual authentication. Traffic between the associated devices may be encrypted for e.g., data confidentiality and integrity protection. In one variant, the network security apparatus comprises a software entity disposed at least partly within the software stack of the device. The device may be untrusted (e.g., have an untrusted operating system). User identification or validation may also be provided, for example via inputs received via a user interface. |
| US07917629B2 |
Interface for external system management
A system and method for an interface for external system management is disclosed. According to an embodiment of the invention, a method includes connecting a first client system with a web service of a server, the server including an application, the client system utilizing one of a plurality of computer platforms; and receiving a management instruction from the first client system using the web service. |
| US07917628B2 |
Managed peer-to-peer applications, systems and methods for distributed data access and storage
Applications, systems and methods for efficiently accessing and controlling data of devices among multiple computers over a network. Peer-to-peer exchanges of data between private computers is made possible while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity. Such functionality is available even among private users over a public network, and even when multiple firewalls must be passed through. A firewall compliant connection may be established between a local computer and at least one remote computer; at least one file on a storage device associated with one of the computers is selected, and securely sent to at least one other computer over the secure connections. Computers may be connected over a wide area network with or without a connection server, with or without a VPN. |
| US07917627B1 |
System and method for providing security in a network environment
A method for providing security in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a flow that propagates through an access gateway, the flow being initiated by an end user associated with the flow and propagating through a network. Internet protocol (IP) address information may be gleaned from the flow at a network element. The method further includes recognizing a selected one of the end user being connected to the network and the end user being disconnected from the network such that the IP address information in the access gateway and the network element is substantially synchronized. |
| US07917622B2 |
Content delivery system via a communication network
On the basis of information of a first user, requesting delivery of content, received from a content reproduction apparatus, a content providing server refers to first and second storage section, as necessary, to specify a second user having purchased or reproduced the same content as the first user, then identify other music content having ever been purchased or reproduced by the second user and then delivers the other content to the first user. The content reproduction apparatus can store the content, delivered from the content providing server, in an overwriting fashion and reproduce the stored content. In this way, the first user is allowed to readily acquire various music content, fitting his or her taste, without performing any particular operation. |
| US07917616B2 |
Secure resource name resolution
Techniques for securing name resolution technologies and for ensuring that name resolution technologies can function in modern networks that have a plurality of overlay networks accessible via a single network interface. In accordance with some of the principles described herein, a set of resolution parameters may be implemented by a user, such as an end user or an administrator, to be used during a name resolution process for securing the process and/or for conducting the process in an overlay network. In some implementations, the set of resolution parameters may be maintained as a table of rules, and used to govern name resolution processes. For example, resolution parameters may be created that govern a DNSSEC session, or that govern how to communicate with networks implemented with Microsoft's Direct Access overlay technologies, or that govern communications using any other networking technology. |
| US07917611B2 |
Method and system for monitoring the quality of service in telecommunication networks, components and compute products thereof
To measure the quality of service at the application level in a telecommunication network (N), a function (A) is provided for carrying out sessions at the application level on said network (N). Through this activation function (A), sessions are then carried out, measuring (F) and also storing (HK in a set of points (S1, . . . , Sk, Sn) of the network (N) data indicative of the behavior of said network. The possible occurrence of critical situations relating to quality of service is verified (B) and, upon the occurrence of a said critical situation, a trigger signal (Trigger) is generated. By effect of the generation of said trigger signal, the data indicative of the behavior of the network measured and stored in the aforesaid set of points of the network (N) are collected in centralized fashion (H). The data thus collected are indicative of the end-to-end quality of service of the network (N) itself. Preferential application to packet networks like mobile telephony network such as GPRS or UMTS networks. |
| US07917606B2 |
Method and system for message management
Methods and systems for message format distribution. A sending server is connected to a plurality of receiving servers. The sending server comprises a master database containing information which is periodically provided to the receiving servers. The sending server and the receiving servers communicate using messaging facilities. Changes in the message format are distributed by the sending server to the receiving servers via the messaging facilities. The message format changes are implemented by receiving clients executing on each of the receiving servers. Standard configurable receiving clients are used by all receiving servers, thereby reducing or eliminating development work by the receiving parties. |
| US07917604B1 |
Techniques for operating a data storage assembly via a series of web pages and a commit-at-the-end, wizard-style behavior
A technique of operating a data storage assembly involves providing a series of web pages to a web browser and buffering a set of potential configuration settings from the web browser. The web browser is controlled by a user. The series of web pages details operational aspects of the data storage assembly. The set of potential configuration settings is arranged to direct future operation of the data storage assembly. The technique further includes receiving a commit command from the web browser after the set of potential configuration settings has been buffered. The technique further includes committing, in response to the commit command, a set of configuration changes on the data storage assembly based on the set of potential configuration settings to provide the user with a commit-at-the-end, wizard-style configuration behavior through the web browser. |
| US07917603B2 |
Method for setting an internet protocol address using a vehicle identification number
A method for setting an IP (Internet Protocol) address for accessing a specified network is disclosed. The method includes detecting values that indicate inherent information of a vehicle from a vehicle identification number that includes specified vehicle information, setting a specified bit value for reporting that the IP address is a unique address, and creating the IP address by combining the specified bit value with the values that indicate the inherent information of the vehicle. According to the present method, the inherent IP address can be set for each vehicle by setting an interface identifier (ID) of the IP address using the vehicle identification number. Also, diverse vehicle information can be obtained through the interface ID of the IP address set using the vehicle identification number. Because, the IP address is set by the invention composed of the interface ID of 64 bits, it is compatible with the existing Extended Unique Identifier EUI-64 format. |
| US07917600B2 |
Method, computer program product, and system for selecting and migrating information and device drivers to a computer system
A method performed by a first computer system includes receiving one or more of a plurality of files from a second computer system in response to a selection of the one or more of the plurality of files by a customer of the second computer system and receiving network settings from the second computer system. The method also includes providing a third computer system to the user, providing a medium that includes the network settings to the customer where the medium is configured to provide the network settings to the third computer system, and providing the one or more of the plurality of files to the third computer system in response to a request received from the third computer system. |
| US07917599B1 |
Distributed adaptive network memory engine
Memory demands of large-memory applications continue to remain one step ahead of the improvements in DRAM capacities of commodity systems. Performance of such applications degrades rapidly once the system hits the physical memory limit and starts paging to the local disk. A distributed network-based virtual memory scheme is provided which treats remote memory as another level in the memory hierarchy between very fast local memory and very slow local disks. Performance over gigabit Ethernet shows significant performance gains over local disk. Large memory applications may access potentially unlimited network memory resources without requiring any application or operating system code modifications, relinkling or recompilation. A preferred embodiment employs kernel-level driver software. |
| US07917598B1 |
System and method for administering a filer having a plurality of virtual filers
A method and apparatus for operating a computer data storage system is disclosed. A computer data storage system is administered by a physical server administrator. The physical server administrator administers the computer data storage system with a full administrative capability. The physical server administrator creates one or more virtual servers, each virtual server administrated by a virtual server administrator. Each virtual server administrator has a designated subset of the full administrative capability for administrating the virtual server. |
| US07917595B2 |
Method and system for remote control of a local system
A system and method for remote control including a control system having a memory and a CPU for sending and receiving control information and instructions at a first location, a software application for manipulating the control information sent and received by the control system resident in the memory, a remote computer system having a CPU and memory at a second location communicating over a communication path with the control system at the first location and one desktop bound software application for manipulating the control information sent and received by the control system accessed by the remote computer system over the at least one communication path resident in the memory of the remote computer system. In variations, the control information includes alarm data, runtime data and historical data. |
| US07917590B2 |
Deleting mechanism in SIP multimedia services
A method of deleting an item from a user account in a SIP multimedia environment. When an item such as an instant message is to be deleted, a SIP REFER message is transmitted from a user device to delete the item from the user account, with the message including a unique identifier for the item. In response to the transmitted request, an SIP INVITE session is established between a virtual agent and a network-based deleted items location. After the SIP INVITE session is established, the item is transferred from the user account to the network-based deleted items location and is deleted from the user account. |
| US07917586B2 |
Method and apparatus to forward a multimedia message
A method and apparatus are provided for handling a multimedia message in order to reduce radio resources and unnecessary forwarding time. This may include setting an index value in a multimedia message and forwarding the multimedia message based on the set index value. |
| US07917585B2 |
Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for intercepting, examining and controlling code, data and files and their transfer
Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture are claimed for processing stored and forwarded code comprising the transferring of the stored and forwarded code from a storage area to a transfer component, wherein the code is passed to a proscribed code scanner. The proscribed code seamier indicates the presence or absence of proscribed code, which may be a virus, confidential material, harassing material, etc. and provides the indication back to the transfer component, wherein the code may be quarantined or otherwise intercepted depending upon the results of the scan. The especially preferred embodiments operate within a UNIX sendmail environment. |
| US07917583B2 |
Television integrated chat and presence systems and methods
An enhanced television system which enables users to communicate using a television, both via messaging and telephone. Users or the system may create a buddy list. Users may send and receive program information to and from each other, and change programs based on received information. The system may maintain information regarding a user's presence on the system, availability for messaging, and television viewing. |
| US07917581B2 |
Call completion via instant communications client
A system is disclosed for achieving completion of a telephone call by way of an instant communications client. |
| US07917577B2 |
System and method for modifying documents sent over a communications network
On-line health education includes displaying composites of personalized health content and patient-selected entertainment. Suitable sources of entertainment include generally available web pages and television programs. Composites are spatial (for page displays) or temporal (for image sequence displays). Health content is customized to health and personal situations of individual patients, and replaces advertisements. Composites are generated on a central server in communication with an entertainment server and a health server. Amenable diseases or behaviors include diabetes, asthma, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, HIV, mental health disorders, smoking, and alcohol and drug abuse. |
| US07917572B2 |
Music composition data transmission recording method and music composition reproduction device
A song in a music player is replaced by another song in a server in accordance with the user's estimated preferences and wishes and without requiring the user to become conscious of individual songs. A CPU (3) in the music player (30) or a CPU (11) in a server (10) detects or receives the size of a free space in a flash memory (34) and a playback history (a substantial playback count Kp, which denotes the number of times a song was continuously played for a duration not shorter than a predetermined one, or a skip count Ks, which denotes the number of times a song was played for a duration shorter than a predetermined one) of every song recording in the flash memory (34), and judges whether any song should be deleted from the flash memory (34) to permit a song to be downloaded into the music player (30) from the server (10). If any song should be deleted, the CPU selects a song having a small (minus) evaluation function K (e.g., K=2Kp−Ks) as the song to be deleted. |
| US07917559B2 |
Configurable IC's with configurable logic circuits that perform adder and/or subtractor operations
An integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed that includes a set of configurable logic circuits. Each configurable logic circuit configurably performs a set of functions. A particular configurable circuit receives configuration data defining a function for the particular configurable circuit. In some embodiments, one configuration of a configurable circuit is to add two input signals received by the configurable circuit. Also, in some embodiments, one configuration is to subtract two input signals received by a configurable circuit. In some such embodiments, each configurable logic circuit receives a first input signal, a second input signal, and a carry input signal and generates a propagate and generate signal for the add or subtract operation based on the inputs to the configurable circuit and the configuration of the configurable circuit. |
| US07917558B2 |
Easily graspable numerical expression display apparatus
When a numerical expression (FIG. 6(a)) is inputted to a mathematical calculator (1) and then a rough display key (27) is depressed, calculation units composing the numerical expression are converted to display blocks, whereby the numerical expression is displayed in a natural expression form on a display (3) and a rough map (M) is also displayed in which the display blocks are disposed at positions corresponding to those of the calculation units of the numerical expression in the natural expression form (FIG. 6(b)). A calculation unit of the numerical expression to be edited is indicated by a cursor (30) and a corresponding display block of the rough map is displayed emphatically in the rough map (FIG. 6(c)). |
| US07917556B2 |
Method and system for tracking employee affirmations
A system is provided for tracking employee disclosure information and includes an employee database for storing employee status information. Also included is a previous disclosure database for storing any previous disclosures provided by the employee. Finally, a disclosure engine is included for determining disclosure requirements for the employee based on the employee status information. The disclosure engine also receives from the previous disclosure database the any previous disclosures provided by the employee for determining any additional disclosure required by the employee to satisfy the disclosure requirements. The disclosure engine also forwards to the employee a disclosure form for providing the additional disclosure. |
| US07917554B2 |
Visibly-perceptible hot spots in documents
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes a method, system, and computer program product for transforming characters corresponding to a hotspot in a document. An electronic document to be printed is parsed for a mark indicating a beginning point for a hotspot, a transformation rule is a applied to a portion of the electronic document between the mark indicating the beginning point for the hotspot and a mark indicating an ending point for the hotspot, and the transformed electronic document is rendered. |
| US07917551B2 |
Storage system and management method thereof
One or more storage controllers include a folder configuration unit for configuring a plurality of folders to store the plurality of contents in the plurality of logical volumes, a core-contents management unit for specifying and managing core-contents to become the core from the plurality of contents to be stored in the plurality of logical volumes or the plurality of folders, a related contents management unit for managing the core-contents and one or more related contents associated with a part or the whole of the core-contents from a plurality of contents to be stored in the plurality of logical volumes or the plurality of folders, and a group folder configuration unit for configuring a group folder that groups the core-contents and the related contents across the plurality of logical volumes or the plurality of folders. |
| US07917550B2 |
System and methods for enhanced metadata entry
A system and methods for facilitation of enhanced user interactions with metadata corresponding to one or more media files. A number of user interface methods are described and may be used alone or in combination with one another to present an enhanced metadata entry and modification interface to a user. A method of providing for automated step through of media files for metadata entry is described, as well as a method for quickly presenting the user with the most appropriate media sample from which an appropriate metadata entry or modification can be made by the user. |
| US07917548B2 |
Universal parsing agent system and method
A system and method for extracting and converting data from one or more information sources into a common format. The method comprises receiving the information sources, receiving at least one pattern descriptor selected from a graphical user interface, and receiving one or more templates with each templates having at least one pattern descriptor. The method then proceeds to apply the one or more templates to the information sources. The method generates the plurality of data in a common format by parsing the information sources with the templates. The method stores the data in the common format. |
| US07917542B2 |
System and method for minimizing transmitted data between diverse institutions
A system and method transmitting data in heterogeneous networks is described. A plurality of fillable forms is available to a user, each form having a name and metadata corresponding to the data fields that are displayable or retrievable by the form. The same form name is associated with the same metadata at another site, which may be another user or a central data base. When data values are filled in a form, the data values and the form name is transmitted over a network interface. At another location, the data values are received over a network interface, and a form having the same name as that of the received data is retrieved from a forms data base at the receiving location and used either to display the received data values in a form substantially the same as the transmitting form, or to formulate a query to a data base. |
| US07917540B2 |
Nonlinear set to set pattern recognition
Variations in the states of patterns can be exploited for their discriminatory information and should not be discarded as noise. A pattern recognition system compares a data set of unlabeled patterns having variations of state in a set-by-set comparison with labeled arrays of individual data sets of multiple patterns also having variations of state. The individual data sets are each mapped to a point on a parameter space, and the points of each labeled array define a subset of the parameter space. If the point associated with the data set of unlabeled patterns satisfies a similarity criterion on the parameter space subset of a labeled array, the data set of unlabeled patterns is assigned to the class attributed to that labeled array. |
| US07917536B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for managing a plurality of remotely located data storage systems
A data storage management system for managing a plurality of remotely located, independent data storage systems includes a central monitoring system and a plurality of agent systems, each in communication with a respective remotely located customer data storage system. Each remote agent system collects data from a respective customer data storage system that relates to the performance/status of the data storage system. Each agent system converts the collected data to a standardized format and then stores the collected data at the central monitoring system. The central monitoring system continuously and automatically monitors activities at the remote data storage systems and, using pattern recognition and data correlation techniques, can predict when system faults are developing at these remote data storage systems. Data storage management experts staffing the command center can initiate corrective action before a customer's data is adversely impacted. |
| US07917533B2 |
Master management system, master management method, and master management program
A master management system includes a duty master creating part that counts the number of users in each group of same-attribute users who desire to use each of the applications, that identifies the applications each of which the number of users desiring to use is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, that creates and stores a master in a master management database of a storage device; and an individual setting part that identifies virtualization-possible applications of the applications each of which the number of users desiring to use is equal to or smaller than the predetermined number, and that sets data on users desiring to use the virtualization-possible applications in the distribution destination list of a distributing server. |
| US07917529B2 |
Method for providing requested fields by get—Data operation in TV-Anytime metadata service
Disclosed is a method or an operation for providing a personalized TV-Anytime metadata service. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a table field element using a get_Data operation in the TV-Anytime metadata service. In the table field element provision method, a requested fields type element (RequestedFieldsType) required to designate a field of a metadata table is included in a query result value type in the SOAP query operation. A request message of the SOAP query operation is received. When the request message includes the requested fields type element for designating the query result value, a query result value corresponding to the table field designated from the requested fields type element included in the request message is extracted, and the query result value is transmitted using a response message of the SOAP operation. |
| US07917527B1 |
Personalized directory services for web routing
A system for personalizing communication between origination devices and destination devices based on intelligent information searches and retrievals of historical interaction data on networks includes a user module adapted to displaying information to the origination device for identifying individuals or groups of individuals and historical interaction data. The system includes a processing module adapted to query a server system in response to commands from a user of the origination device. The query requests historical interaction data relating to the individual or group of individuals and can identify the individual or group using the historical interaction data from the server system. An information receipt and display module displays historical interaction data received from the server system, including the specifically requested historical interaction data. A communication module connects the origination device to the destination device using the information data from the server system. |
| US07917523B2 |
Method and system for providing improved URL mangling performance using fast re-write
Method and system for providing improved uniform resource locator (URL) mangling performance using fast re-write including scanning a web page, detecting an absolute URL in the web page, and modifying the detected absolute URL to a corresponding relative URL in the web page, is disclosed. |
| US07917522B1 |
Training procedure for N-gram-based statistical content classification
A training procedure for N-gram based statistical document classification has been disclosed. In one embodiment, a set of N-grams is selected out of a second set of N-grams, each of the N-grams having a sequence of N bytes, where N is an integer. Then a statistical content classification model is generated based on occurrences of the N-grams, if any, in a set of training documents and a set of validation documents. The statistical content classification model is provided to content filters to classify content. |
| US07917520B2 |
Pre-cognitive delivery of in-context related information
An apparatus and method for providing pre-cognitive delivery of in-context related information is disclosed herein. A user's expressed interest in a particular portion of a requested page and his/her requests for additional information relating to the particular portion are tracked. The tracked data permits determination of the content of in-context related information. For each of the particular portions of the requested page deemed to be of sufficient popularity, in-context information relating to each such particular portion is automatically provided to users along with the requested page. |
| US07917517B2 |
Method and apparatus for query processing of uncertain data
Techniques are disclosed for indexing uncertain data in query processing systems. For example, a method for processing queries in an application that involves an uncertain data set includes the following steps. A representation of records of the uncertain data set is created based on mean values and uncertainty values. The representation is utilized for processing a query received on the uncertain data set. |
| US07917515B1 |
System and method of accelerating processing of streaming data
Embodiments include methods and systems for processing XML documents. One embodiment is a system that includes a method of efficiently processing XML documents received concurrently from a plurality of network connections in the form of streams of data. Other embodiments include systems configured to perform such processing of streamed XML documents. Other embodiments include systems and methods of efficiently performing document processing using digests for identifying XML document structure. |
| US07917514B2 |
Visual and multi-dimensional search
A system that can analyze a multi-dimensional input thereafter establishing a search query based upon extracted features from the input. In a particular example, an image can be used as an input to a search mechanism. Pattern recognition and image analysis can be applied to the image thereafter establishing a search query that corresponds to features extracted from the image input. The system can also facilitate indexing multi-dimensional searchable items thereby making them available to be retrieved as results to a search query. More particularly, the system can employ text analysis, pattern and/or speech recognition mechanisms to extract features from searchable items. These extracted features can be employed to index the searchable items. |
| US07917512B2 |
Method for automated design of range partitioned tables for relational databases
A workload specification, detailing specific queries and a frequency of execution of each of the queries, and a set of partitions, are obtained for the database, as inputs. A number of candidate tables are identified for the database, the tables having a plurality of attributes. A chosen attribute is allocated for each of the tables, to obtain a set of tables and a set of appropriate partitions for each of the tables. |
| US07917511B2 |
Query system using iterative grouping and narrowing of query results
A query system comprises a search component, a grouping component, and a narrowing component. The search component is configured to apply search criteria to an input data set and to generate an output data set. The grouping component is configured to divide an input data set into multiple output data sets and to display aggregate information about the output data sets. The narrowing component is configured to receive a selection of input data sets and to generate an output data set that comprises data items belonging to the selected input data sets. The grouping component and the narrowing component may be invoked iteratively to further group or narrow output data sets generated by the search component, the grouping component, or the narrowing component. |
| US07917510B2 |
Method for analyzing, deconstructing, reconstructing, and repurposing rhetorical content
A system and method are disclosed for analyzing, deconstructing, reconstructing, and repurposing rhetorical content. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a content management system (400) having a database (404), and a controller (402) for managing the database. The controller can be programmed to retrieve (702) at least one of a first plurality of records, each including content, retrieve (706) rhetorical libraries, identify (714) patterns between the rhetorical libraries and the content of each record, and deconstruct (718) the content into one or more rhetorical topics according to the patterns identified. Additional embodiments are disclosed for analyzing, deconstructing, reconstructing, and repurposing content. |
| US07917507B2 |
Web data usage platform
An application programming interface (API) layer is implemented on a computing device. The API layer allows a local application(s) executing on the computing device to access web data in a data store layer, and further allows a remote application(s) that is executing on some other computing device to access the web data in the data store layer. Additionally, this web data can include web pages, some of which may include structured data and some of which may not include structured data. A web browser is permitted to access the web data store via the object model, and generate a user interface based at least in part on these web pages. |
| US07917504B2 |
Indexing system and method for nearest neighbor searches in high dimensional data spaces
Vectors representing objects in n-dimensional space are approximated by local polar coordinates on partitioned cells of the data space in response to a query, e.g., a query data vector entered with a request to find “k” nearest neighbors to the query vector. A set of candidate near neighbors is generated using the approximations, with the local polar coordinates being independent of the dimensionality of the data space. Then, an answer set of near neighbors is returned in response to the query. Thus, the present invention acts as a filter to reduce the number of actual data vectors in the data set that must be considered in responding to the query. |
| US07917503B2 |
Specifying relevance ranking preferences utilizing search scopes
A mechanism for expressing a user preference to a set of documents based on user knowledge about the document corpora. The user preference input to the system can be positive, negative, or both. A set of documents that can be identified with a query can define a search scope definition. The search scope is mapped into an input ranking feature for a ranking function. The search scope definition is employed as a soft preference ranking feature, and thus, used to bias ranking via relevance feedback. The mechanism facilitates increasing or decreasing the final ranking score of a document based on whether the document falls into the user scope. The ranking weight can be configured by the user ad-hoc, or when relevance judgments are available, using machine learning techniques to find the optimal weights to optimize ranking. |
| US07917502B2 |
Optimized collection of just-in-time statistics for database query optimization
A system and method are provided for updating database statistics for use in generating query execution plans. A first query for a database is received, for example by a compiler, and the compiler accesses statistics associated with the first query for optimizing a query execution plan for the first query. The statistics may be accessed from a first cache. If the statistics retrieved from the first cache are determined to be stale, the system obtains updated statistics and may store them in a temporary cache. The stale statistics in the first cache are marked as invalid. Existing queries using the first cache may continue to use the first cache, while new queries may be provided with updated statistics. |
| US07917497B2 |
Natural language query processing
An enhanced natural language information retrieval technique tokenizes an incoming query, comparing the tokenized representation against a collection of query templates. Query templates include a first portion having one or more query patterns representative of a query and in a form suitable for matching the tokenized representation of an incoming query. Query templates also include one or more information retrieval commands that are designed to return information relevant to those query patterns in its first portion. The enhanced natural language information retrieval technique selects those query templates that are determined to be most relevant to the incoming query (via its tokenized representation) and initiates one or more information retrieval commands associated with the selected query templates. |
| US07917496B2 |
Method and apparatus for discovering and classifying polysemous word instances in web documents
A method and apparatus for discovering polysemous words and classifying polysemous words found in web documents. All document corpi in any natural language have words that have multiple usage contexts or words that have multiple meanings. Semantic analysis is not feasible for classifying all word occurrences in all documents on the web, which contain trillions of words in total. In addition, semantic analysis typically cannot distinguish multiple usages of a given meaning of a given word. In one embodiment of this invention, polysemous words in natural languages can be discovered by analyzing the co-occurrence of other words with the polysemous word in web documents. In one embodiment, the multiple meanings and usages of a polysemous word can be determined by analyzing the co-occurrences of other words with the polysemous word. In one embodiment, counting overcorrelations is achieved probabilistically to minimize use of network bandwidth. |
| US07917495B1 |
System and method for processing query requests in a database system
In certain embodiments, a database system for processing a query request comprises at least one master node operable to store a precompiled query that is capable of resolving a query request received by the database system. The at least on master node is further operable to receive a query request comprising one or more parameters and associated with the precompiled query, and to communicate a request to perform one or more activities associated with the precompiled query. The system further comprises a plurality of slave nodes coupled to the at least one master node, each of the slave nodes operable to store one or more key parts each comprising data capable of resolving a portion of the precompiled query. At least one of the slave nodes is operable to receive the request communicated by the at least one master node and to process the request communicated by the at least one master node. |
| US07917491B1 |
Click fraud prevention system and method
A click fraud prevention system and method that analyzes click patterns across multiple search engines and integrates with a website advertising management system that manages advertisements and bids across multiple search engines. |
| US07917487B2 |
Portable application registry
This document describes techniques that enable an application to operate as if the application were running on its native computing system when it is actually running on another computing system. The techniques may do so by building a portable registry having metadata particular to the application, which can be stored in a portable device along with that application. When that portable device is connected to another computing system, the portable registry may be used to supplement or supplant the other computing system's registry to enable the application to operate with its particular functionality. |
| US07917486B1 |
Optimizing search trees by increasing failure size parameter
A search tree embodying a plurality of signatures to be compared with an input string of characters and including a number of branches of sequential states originating at a root node, wherein each state comprises a state entry including a failure transition and one or more success transitions, is optimized by selecting a failure size parameter indicating a minimum number of characters to be traversed on the failure transitions and selectively modifying the search tree to create a modified search tree for which all failure transitions to non-root states are characterized by the selected failure size parameter. |
| US07917482B1 |
Indexing of database queries
Making data available from a database is disclosed. Making data available includes specifying a query function having a query function name, wherein the query function includes a structure and a member, determining the structure and the member included in the query function, wherein the query function has a query function name and includes the structure and the member, creating an index for the structure on the member, and compiling the query function to be available to a user by invoking the query function name without the user having to specify the structure and the member. Retrieving data from a database is disclosed. Retrieving includes invoking a query function that specifies a plurality of structures and a value, accessing a cross index of the plurality of structures, and using the cross index to access the data. |
| US07917481B1 |
File-system-independent malicious content detection
The present invention enables a large number of files to be processed for evidence of malicious content, independently of the file system that maintains the files. The processed files can be obtained from live data or a point-in-time copy (e.g., a snapshot) of the data, based on mapping information that maps the files to the physical storage device. In one embodiment, a method involves accessing mapping information corresponding to a set of data. The mapping information maps at least a portion of a file to a physical storage location. The portion of the file can be read from the physical storage location using the mapping information, without accessing a file system. The portion of the file can then be analyzed for evidence of malicious content. |
| US07917479B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices, systems including same and associated methods
A memory device, system and method of editing a file in a non-volatile memory device is described. The memory device includes a controller and a memory array configured to copy an existing first file into a second file during editing and to maintain the first file while applying edits to the second file. When editing is completed, a first cluster pointer of the first file is redirected to point at the first cluster of the second file that has been edited. |
| US07917478B2 |
System and method for quality control in healthcare settings to continuously monitor outcomes and undesirable outcomes such as infections, re-operations, excess mortality, and readmissions
A method for inferring a probability of a first inference. The inference is related to identification of a cause of an outcome in a healthcare setting. A fact, related to the query, is related to the healthcare setting. The fact further relates to a network of interactions associated with the outcome. Each datum of the database conforms to the dimensions of the database. Each datum of the plurality of data has associated metadata and an associated key. The associated metadata includes data regarding cohorts associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding hierarchies associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding a corresponding source of the datum, and data regarding probabilities associated with integrity, reliability, and importance of each associated datum. The query establishes a frame of reference for the search. The database returns a probability of the correctness of the first inference based on the query and on the data. |
| US07917477B2 |
Media content removal system and method
A method of removing stored media content from a media player (MP) is disclosed. The method includes allowing a first set of media content to be downloaded to the MP for playing, and identifying a second set of media content from all media content stored on the MP. In response to the identifying the second set of media content, automatically copying the second set of media content from the MP to a processing unit in signal connection with the MP for archival storage, and, automatically removing the second set of media content from the MP. The identifying the second set of media content occurs in response to at least one of: the current time matching a date and time combination specified by a user to remove the media content; and, playing the first set of media content. |
| US07917472B2 |
Method, system and computer-readable media for backing up information contained in a database
A system, computer-readable media and method for backup one or more databases and restoring one or more databases using incremental backups are provided. Persistent collection objects are generated in the process of performing a database backup. A collection objects may order records, e.g., objects, in relation to and within pluralities of records. These pluralities of records may be referred to, or organized as, pages or containers of pages, comprising software objects. The persistent database backup collection object may include a time and date of a generation of an incremental backup database by a distinguishable and specific database archiving process (“backup event”), an event number of an incremental backup generation, one or more database identifiers, one or more container identifiers, and/or identifiers of individual records, e.g., object identifiers. |
| US07917468B2 |
Linking of personal information management data
A system and method for linking information of one user to other users via a data aggregation server is provided. Various security settings govern the linking of information. Various methodologies for initiating a link of PIM data are also provided including automatic linking, targeted linking and requested linking. Implementations utilizing group profiles are also provided. |
| US07917464B2 |
Geotext searching and displaying results
A method for displaying information about documents in a corpus of documents, the method involving: accepting search criteria including a free text entry query and a domain identifier identifying a domain; in response to accepting the search criteria, identifying a set of documents among the corpus of documents, wherein each document of the set of documents: (1) contains anywhere within the document location-related information that locates that document within the domain; and (2) contains anywhere within the document information that is responsive to the free text entry query, wherein said identified documents are identified by a plurality of document identifiers; displaying a multi-dimensional representation of the domain on the display device; and displaying within the representation of the domain a plurality of visual indicators as representations of the documents identified by the plurality of document identifiers, wherein each visual indicator of the plurality of visual indicators represents a corresponding different subset of documents among the identified documents and wherein each visual indicator is positioned within the representation of the domain at a coordinate that corresponds to the location-related information for the corresponding subset of documents. |
| US07917461B2 |
Mechanism for handling file level and block level remote file accesses using the same server
An apparatus for handling file level and block level remote file accesses. The apparatus includes a block level server. The apparatus includes a file level server. The apparatus includes a storage layer implementing an inode layer performing inode operations, and storing data accessed by the file level and block level servers. The apparatus includes a management layer connected to the storage layer underlying the block and file level servers, which performs data management operations upon the underlying data. A method of handling file level and block level network file accesses. The method includes the steps of performing management operations by a management layer for a block level server and a file level server. Then there is the step of performing the servers' data accessing and updating operations using a vnode layer implemented on top of an inode layer. Then there is the step of storing data from the block level server or the file level server in a storage layer connected to the management layer. |
| US07917460B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a decision network from text
Systems and methods are provided for generating a decision network from text. An information extraction component extracts a quantum of evidence and an associated confidence value from a given text segment. An evidence classifier associates each quantum of evidence with one of a plurality of hypotheses. A fusion engine builds a decision network from the plurality of hypotheses, an associated base structure, the extracted quanta of evidence, and the confidence values. |
| US07917459B2 |
System and method for executing complex IF-THEN clauses
Complex nested if-then statement on data objects in a digital computer are organized as a plurality of logical case statements; for each case statement, a set of binary condition arrays is provided and for each data object a condition set. Case statements are executed on the data objects for which a condition array from the set of binary condition arrays matches the condition set for the data object. |
| US07917452B2 |
System and program product for optimizing usage based pricing and availability for a resource
A system and program product for determining a price “P” to bill a customer for a resource. Amounts “U” and “Ci” of the resource provided and committed, respectively, to the customer during the billing period are determined. The price P=F(Ci)+G (U−Ci) is determined and billed to the customer, where “F” and “G” are price functions for the resource. Determined is the number of requests for the resource made by the customer during the billing period in excess of “Ci” which were denied. If the number of denied requests exceeds a predetermined threshold, the amount “Ci” for determining the price “P” is increased during a subsequent billing period. The price “P” is billed to the customer for the subsequent billing period based on the increased amount “Ci” and the value “U” during the subsequent billing period, and the functions “F” and “G”. |
| US07917448B2 |
Apparatus and method for online dating service providing threaded messages with a notes and diary function
A notes function and a diary function for an online dating service is provided. Each subscriber to the online dating service has access to a message center for communicating messages between candidates. The messages in the message center are organized as threads. Additionally, a subscriber may create and edit a note associated with a candidate and/or an email message between the subscriber and the candidate. The note is by default accessible to the subscriber and inaccessible to the candidate. Furthermore, the message center can provide a facility for enabling a subscriber to create a diary regarding online dating service activities. The diary can include the authored notes, summaries, impressions, videos, movies, pictures, graphics, colors, messages, threaded messages, threaded list views, and the like. |
| US07917446B2 |
Latency locator
A method for capturing data packets sent on a network for evaluating response time performance, the network including a financial institution and a partner bank. The method includes associating a captured data packet sent to the partner bank with a captured data packet received from the partner bank, by comparing at least one coded field of a data portion of the captured data packet sent to the partner bank with at least one coded field of a captured data portion of the data packet received from the partner bank. The method also includes measuring a response time of the associated data packet received from the partner bank, relative to a transmission time of the captured data packet sent to the partner bank. The method further includes transmitting an alert message upon determining that the response time is not within an adjustable predetermined threshold, wherein the alert message includes data from a data portion of the associated data packets. |
| US07917438B2 |
System for secure mobile healthcare selection
A method, system and device for secure mobile healthcare selection are presented in which a user can, from a mobile device, authorize the comparison of pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) data with data profiles corresponding to healthcare products, services and service providers to determine which are the most appropriate for a particular consumer. Data masking is used to maintain privacy of sensitive portions of the pangenetic data. |
| US07917437B1 |
Method for avoiding intermediated payment aggregation
A computer-implemented method, in different embodiments, is provided to construct on-line payments without resorting to aggregation. The embodiments permit smaller total fees, permit the intermediary payment system to intermediate payments without holding third-party funds, and permit eliminating or reducing chargeback liability. In one embodiment, an intermediary payment system maintains records of unpaid amounts for potential receivers, and determines one or more potential receivers, but not all of them, to become effective receivers of a nominal amount. The primary payment system transfers amounts from the user and to receivers. The intermediary payment system reduces records of unpaid amounts for effective receiver, and raises records of unpaid amounts for potential receivers. |
| US07917433B2 |
Automated process for fully insuring large bank deposits that provides compensating payments between banks that offer different deposit terms
An automated method and computer program product are provided for processing a large deposit that exceeds an established deposit insurance limit so that the large deposit is fully insured. The large deposit is received from a depositor by a first one of a plurality of unaffiliated banks. A processor receives an order placed by the first unaffiliated bank to process the large deposit. The first unaffiliated bank offers a first set of deposit terms to a first depositor. The processor assigns a portion of the large deposit not exceeding the established deposit insurance limit to a second one of the plurality of unaffiliated banks. The second unaffiliated bank offers a second set of deposit terms to a second depositor. The processor calculates the amount of a present value payment to be transferred between the first unaffiliated bank and the second unaffiliated bank to compensate for differences between the first and second sets of deposit terms. |
| US07917428B2 |
System and method for changing the view of a trading screen
A trading screen displays market information, such as working orders, buy and sell orders, and other items of interest, in association with values on a value axis. Each item of interest is therefore displayed in relation to the value axis to provide a trader with an intuitive display of the market. In one embodiment, a user can select a location associated with a particular value on the trading screen and upon an selection, for example, by a click of the mouse button, the value axis is repositioned so that the selected value is moved to a predefined location. During which, market information is moved to new locations that are associated with their respective values on the value axis. |
| US07917417B2 |
System and method for organizational and personal portfolio
An intelligent and automated system and method for establishment, collection, and maintaining of organizational and personal portfolios. In relationship to the present invention the term intelligent refers to the systems program structure which facilitates simple user entry while performing complex operations and manipulations, transparent to the individual. The term automated relates to the structured computer algorithms implementing the present system. Additionally, users may customize interfaces and functions to improve their interactions with the present invention. Also multiple selected copies may be collected into repositories as the user desires. The present system functionality is offered as a complete package with hardware and software available through any internet connection. The combination of native code with design patterns to isolate repeated elements improves reliability and stability of system operation. |
| US07917411B1 |
System and method for reducing return errors
A system and method for error reduction may reduce errors of tax returns filed with a taxing authority. The system and method for error reduction may include an error reduction component that may compare user-supplied tax information to corresponding tax entity information accessed from a taxing authority. The error reduction component may present the corresponding tax information to the user. If a discrepancy is detected by the error reduction component, the error reduction component may notify the user so that the discrepancy may be corrected before a tax return containing the discrepant information is filed with a taxing authority. The error reduction component may enable a user to correct discrepancies in user-supplied tax information and/or corresponding tax entity information possessed by a taxing authority. In various embodiments, the error reduction component may be implemented with a tax preparation application. |
| US07917408B2 |
Parcel tracing system, parcel tracing method and program
The parcel distribution system attaches a radio tag into which the identification information of the parcel is written to the parcel, and arranges radio tag readers/writers having an internet communication function arranged on the distribution route. The arrival scheduling unit of the server prepares and holds a scheduled passage date when the parcel arrives at the tag communicable areas of the radio tag readers/writers arranged on the distribution route. The parcel retrieving unit instructs the radio tag reader having the scheduled arrival date corresponding to the current date to read the radio tag with reference to the scheduled arrival date held by the arrival scheduling unit, determines the identification information of the traced parcel from the result of the read of the radio tag retrieved from the radio tag reader, and responds with the current position of the parcel. |
| US07917406B2 |
Introduction support method and system, and introduction method and system
Introduction service is supported, in order to activate and facilitate community activities. A community management center 1 searches for offered-service information that matches at least partly with an application designated by a coordinator terminal 2, and selects participants specified by detected offered-service information, as introduction candidates. Then, an introduction candidate list that describes private information, desired terms, and possessed value of ticket for each of the selected introduction candidates is displayed on a coordinator terminal 2. When the coordinator terminal 2 selects a participant to be introduced to the applicant, out of the introduction candidates described in the introduction candidate list, then, the private information and the desired terms of selected participant is displayed on a participant terminal 3 of the applicant. |
| US07917403B2 |
Seating accessory
A seating pad assembly is provided for use by travelers to increase the comfort for a seat on a public transportation vehicle or at a public transit terminal. A system and method for ordering the seating pad assembly for a transportation seat includes at least one terminal configured for entering an identifier indicative of a type of transportation seat purchased, e.g., a class of service; a server configured for receiving the identifier, determining dimensions of the seating pad assembly based on the identifier, and generating an order to acquire the determined seating pad assembly; and a communications network for coupling the at least one terminal and the server. The terminal may be configured in the form of a computer, a kiosk or a mobile terminal. The system will allow a purchaser of a transportation seat to either purchase or rent the seating pad assembly. |
| US07917400B1 |
Environmentally conscious transaction determinations
The environmental impact of various transactions can be reduced or offset by determining the impact of various shipping and packaging options, and providing these options to customers. Customers then have the ability to select options that reduce the environmental impact of each transaction. A customer also can purchase environmental offsets to offset the determined impact. Customers can be provided with environmental impact information determined or tracked for each item viewed by the customer, such that each customer can be informed of the additional impact of each individual when making a selection. The selections and/or actions of a customer can be tracked such that environmentally friendly options and suggestions can be provided for subsequent transactions. |
| US07917399B2 |
Musical contents storage system having server computer and electronic musical devices
A musical contents system comprises a contents providing server comprising a connecting unit that connects to a communication network, and a contents storage unit that stores musical contents in a storage area corresponding to a user of an electronic musical device; and an electronic musical device comprising a connecting unit that connects to the contents providing server via the communication network, an accessing unit that accesses to the contents storage unit via the communication network, and a contents operating unit that performs an operation to the musical contents stored in the contents storage area corresponding to the user. The musical contents purchased or created by the user can be stored in a data center; therefore, convenience of using the musical contents is improved and the cost is decreased or cut off. |
| US07917396B1 |
Method and system for processing communications orders
A method, system, and medium are provided for processing customer orders associated with providing telephony services via a telecommunications network and with services provided via a cable network. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a service-order-entry (SOE) system associated with a set of legacy components, the SOE system being operable to receive a first type of customer order that is associated with providing services via a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network not including a cable television (CATV) network; supplementing the SOE system with a secondary order-reception system operable to receive a second type of customer order that is associated with providing telephony services over a CATV network and further operable to receive the second type of customer order without substantially modifying the legacy components; receiving the second type of customer order; and fulfilling the second type of customer order without substantially modifying the legacy components. |
| US07917394B2 |
System and method for providing access to network services
A system and method for provisioning services accessible via a broadband network. The system receives a user selection of one or more services that have been deemed to be available to the user via the network as well as user registration information. The user registration information may include billing information and a user identifier such as a login id or email address. The system then authenticates the identity of the user with an ISP and communicates the user identifier to each provider of each selected service. The registration information and information representative of any selected service is also communicated to a billing engine. In this manner, a user may access each product or service and be billed appropriately for its usage. |
| US07917388B2 |
Marketing communication and transaction/distribution services platform for building and managing personalized customer relationships
An interactive marketing communication and transaction services platform for managing personalized customer relationships. The platform facilitates communication and transactions between consumers, retailers and manufacturers, by helping suppliers customize product/service offerings, presentations and advertising messages to reflect individual consumers' needs, while providing portals with premium advertising messages for personal interactive info/news/entertainment services. The core of the platform consists of i) a central database system with ‘product/retail information’ and ‘holistic purchase-behavior specific consumer profiles’, generated by registering on-line product/retail information retrieved by consumers, as well as purchases made both on-line and in-store, using a loyalty card; ii) software applications, that create ‘market intelligence’ on manufacturer/retailer offers, consumer purchase needs, market performance of products/retailers and impact of brand/retailer presentations and ads on consumer purchase behavior; and iii) standard performance indicators, that make it possible to benchmark individual consumer communication programs against each other. |
| US07917386B2 |
Virtual couponing method and apparatus for use with consumer kiosk
A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons™, rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used in conjunction with a frequency card program. Virtual Coupons™ may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list of selected Virtual Coupons™ displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons™ authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon™ may be considered “redeemed”. Once redeemed, consumer ID information and Virtual Coupon™ information may be retrieved electronically and used to update a central database. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which Virtual Coupons™. |
| US07917383B2 |
Method and system for boosting the average revenue per user of products or services
An enhanced business reporting methodology and system architecture provide a way to receive, store, and manipulate customer and revenue data to increase average revenue per user for a business. The system and method analyze a business's current revenue streams and historical revenue trends to identify those revenue streams that may benefit from stimulation, assess the effectiveness of past marketing campaigns, select a revenue stream and strategy to increase the revenue for the selected revenue stream, select a previously successful marketing campaign consistent with the selected strategy. The system and method analyze the customer base to identify characteristics of customers who have responded positively to previous marketing campaigns and whose revenue has increased as a result, in order to create statistical models to identify customers with similar traits, and apply the statistical models to score and select customers to contact during future campaigns. |
| US07917382B2 |
Integration of visualizations, reports, and data
A method of graphically displaying the path of a customer traversing a web site and related business data is described. The method includes receiving a user request for a visualization. The user request may include data filters and exclusions. Responsive to the user request, traffic data is selected for analysis. The selected traffic data is analyzed and displayed to the user. The display may be in the form of a visualization including a graph and related business data. The graph may be of an overview, referral, path, page-to-page path, and animation type. A system for visualizing traffic patterns and the path of a customer at a site is described in conjunction with the above method. The system includes a logical data model, a dimensional data model, a report specification, a graphical interface, metadata database and an analysis report. The graphical interface is used for viewing visualization information. |
| US07917378B2 |
System for processing healthcare claim data
A claim pre-processing system employs trial adjudication to improve claim accuracy prior to claim submission to a healthcare payer institution or other entity. A system processes claim data related to provision of healthcare to a patient The system includes a claim data collator for collating data related to a claim for a particular patient for submission to a payer and a source of rules for use in processing collated claim data. A pre-processor submits the collated claim data for processing using the rules to validate the collated claim data is in condition for processing to initiate generation of payment. A claim processor submits the collated claim data to a payer, in response to successful validation by the pre-processor. A rules processor processes acquired claim data to identify a condition triggering application of a different set of rules for determining validity of an individual claim element. The pre-processor re-submits amended collated claim data for processing using the rules to validate the collated claim data is in condition for processing to initiate generation of payment, the amended collated claim data being received in response to unsuccessful validation using the rules. |
| US07917375B2 |
Medicine management apparatus and medicine management system
A medicine management apparatus 100 includes: a medicine storage 148 which stores a plurality of medicines used at a site of medical care; a storage and retrieval detector 146 which, when a medicine handling personnel manipulates the apparatus to store or retrieve an accommodated medicine to be accommodated in the apparatus, physically detects the target accommodated medicine for which the apparatus is manipulated, differentiating it from the other accommodated medicines; and a counter 150 which counts each type of the plurality of accommodated medicines. An injection prescription receiver 152 receives injection prescription data from an external prescription analyzer 250. A retrieval determining unit 124 determines whether the accommodated medicine detected as being retrieved is the accommodated medicine directed by the injection prescription data to be retrieved. A retrieval completion notification unit 154 transmits a retrieval completion signal to the prescription analyzer 250, prompted by the completion of the retrieval of the accommodated medicine directed by the prescription data to be retrieved. |
| US07917374B2 |
System and method for early identification of safety concerns of new drugs
Method and system for identifying safety concerns regarding a new drug. In one example, a database of healthcare claims is utilized and the method may include identifying from the database a first group of patients that have received the drug; extracting one or more medical events that the first group of patients have experienced; identifying a second group of patients that have received a comparator drug; extracting one or more medical events that the second group of patients have experienced; and comparing the one or more medical events of the first group to the one or more medical events of the second group to determine one or more common occurrences therebetween. The method may also include computing a probability value for each of the one or more common occurrences. In this way, embodiments of the present invention may be used to identify and quantify the probability that certain medical events will occur to patients taking the new drug. |
| US07917373B2 |
System and process for producing an individual formulation of physical enhancer
The present invention is an interactive process and system for formulating a unique digestible physical enhancer for an individual by way of a computer system by displaying one or more statements to an individual using a client's computer, wherein the statements comprise potential formula ingredients. A server device then receives one or more responses from the client computer indicating proposed formula ingredients chosen by the individual and amounts of formula ingredients chosen by the individual. An absorption ability is determined for the proposed formula based upon proposed formula ingredients chosen by individual and amounts of formula ingredients chosen by individual. The individual has the ability to tailor the enhancer by performing the following as many times as needed. Upon receiving approval of proposed unique formula by the individual, the approved unique formula is processed by server device and the approved unique formula is produced for the individual. |
| US07917372B2 |
Pharmacy benefits management method and apparatus
A pharmacy benefits management system and method. A processor server has claim information relating to pharmacy benefits claims, and information relating to a claims processing formularly stored therein. A provider server has pharmacy benefits plan structure information stored therein. A management server has price information relating drugs in various classes and a processing module for correlating the claim information with the benefits plan structure information and the formularly information to identify drugs dispensed to patients, expenses associated with the drugs in accordance with the pharmacy benefits plan structure information, alternative drugs in the same class as the drugs and expenses associated with the alternative drugs. |
| US07917370B2 |
Configurable common filterbank processor applicable for various audio standards and processing method thereof
A configurable common filterbank processor applicable for various audio standards and its processing method. Inverse modified discrete cosine transform (IMDCT) and window and overlap-add (WOA) decoding operations required by AC-3 and AAC, and IMDC, WOA, and matrixing decoding operations required by MP3 are divided into several different modes, and a quick algorithm is provided for expediting the operation of these modes, and a hardware architecture is designed universally for these modes, so that the hardware architecture can be applicable for the decoding operations of three different audio standards, respectively AC-3, AAC and MP3, to expand the scope of applicability of a decoder. |
| US07917367B2 |
Systems and methods for responding to natural language speech utterance
Systems and methods are provided for receiving speech and non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands, transcribing the speech and non-speech communications to textual messages, and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention applies context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for one or more users presenting questions or commands across multiple domains. The systems and methods creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech and non-speech communications and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. |
| US07917365B2 |
Synchronizing visual and speech events in a multimodal application
Exemplary methods, systems, and products are disclosed for synchronizing visual and speech events in a multimodal application, including receiving from a user speech; determining a semantic interpretation of the speech; calling a global application update handler; identifying, by the global application update handler, an additional processing function in dependence upon the semantic interpretation; and executing the additional function. Typical embodiments may include updating a visual element after executing the additional function. Typical embodiments may include updating a voice form after executing the additional function. Typical embodiments also may include updating a state table after updating the voice form. Typical embodiments also may include restarting the voice form after executing the additional function. |
| US07917358B2 |
Transient detection by power weighted average
A transient in a digital audio signal can be detected by generating a first set of spectral characteristics associated with a first portion of the digital audio signal and a second set of spectral characteristics associated with a second portion of the digital audio signal, wherein the first and second portions of the digital audio signal partially overlap, comparing values in the first set of spectral characteristics with corresponding values in the second set of spectral characteristics to generate a set of ratios, weighting the set of ratios, and analyzing at least a portion of the weighted set of ratios to detect a transient associated with the first portion of the digital audio signal. Further, an indicator identifying the presence of a detected transient can be output. Additionally, one or more ratios in the set of ratios can be weighted based on amplitude, frequency, or a power function. |
| US07917354B2 |
Conceptual world representation natural language understanding system and method
A Natural Language Understanding system is provided for indexing of free text documents. The system according to the invention utilizes typographical and functional segmentation of text to identify those portions of free text that carry meaning. The system then uses words and multi-word terms and phrases identified in the free to text to identify concepts in the free text. The system uses a lexicon of terms linked to a formal ontology that is independent of a specific language to extract concepts from the free text based on the words and multi-word terms in the free text. The formal ontology contains both language independent domain knowledge concepts and language dependent linguistic concepts that govern the relationships between concepts and contain the rules about how language works. The system according to the current invention may preferably be used to index medical documents and assign codes from independent coding systems, such as, SNOMED, ICD-9 and ICD-10. The system according to the current invention may also preferably make use of syntactic parsing to improve the efficiency of the method. |
| US07917352B2 |
Language processing system
A language processing system including: a forbidden word memory part that stores a forbidden word; a sequence candidate generator that generates a plurality of word sequence candidates where each words are described separately from plain text; and a word sequence estimator that reads the forbidden word from the forbidden word memory part, excludes the word sequence candidate containing the forbidden word from the plurality of word sequence candidates, and selects an estimated word sequence with the highest concatenation possibility of the words from among the plurality of word sequence candidates. |
| US07917350B2 |
Word boundary probability estimating, probabilistic language model building, kana-kanji converting, and unknown word model building
Calculates a word n-gram probability with high accuracy in a situation where a first corpus), which is a relatively small corpus containing manually segmented word information, and a second corpus, which is a relatively large corpus, are given as a training corpus that is storage containing vast quantities of sample sentences. Vocabulary including contextual information is expanded from words occurring in first corpus of relatively small size to words occurring in second corpus of relatively large size by using a word n-gram probability estimated from an unknown word model and the raw corpus. The first corpus (word-segmented) is used for calculating n-grams and the probability that the word boundary between two adjacent characters will be the boundary of two words (segmentation probability). The second corpus (word-unsegmented), in which probabilistic word boundaries are assigned based on information in the first corpus (word-segmented), is used for calculating a word n-grams. |
| US07917340B2 |
Method and apparatus for importing data into program code
The present invention relates to a method for designing a system. This method includes obtaining a visual representation of one or more components of the ventilation system. One or more property values are assigned to each of the components of the system, which may be achieved using first program code. Geometrical information representing the visual representation and the property values of each component are exported to a data file using the first program code. Standards information relating to the property values are stored. The data file is then imported into a second software application and the data file and the standards information is used to generate a final design using the second software application. |
| US07917333B2 |
Virtual sensor network (VSN) based control system and method
A method for providing a virtual sensor network based system. The method may include obtaining project data descriptive of a virtual sensor network to be used in a control system of a machine; establishing a virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the project data. Each virtual sensor may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include recording model information, measurement data, and performance information of the virtual sensor network including the plurality of virtual sensors; creating one or more calibration certificates of the virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the model information, the measurement data, and the performance information; and generating a documentation package associated with the virtual sensor network. The documentation package may include at least an identification, the project data, and at least one calibration certificate of the virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors. |
| US07917327B2 |
Chip handler with a buffer traveling between roaming areas for two non-colliding robotic arms
Two robotic arms roam in separate, non-overlapping areas of a test station, avoiding collisions. A traveling buffer moves along x-tracks between a front position and a back position. In the front position, a first robotic arm loads IC chips from an input tray or stacker into buffer cavities in the traveling buffer. The traveling buffer then moves along the x-tracks to the back position, where a second robotic arm moves chips from the traveling buffer to test boards for testing. After testing, the second robotic arm moves chips to a second traveling buffer, which then moves along tracks to a front position for unloading by the first robotic arm. Two traveling buffers may move on the same tracks in a loop. The buffer cavities in the traveling buffer move on internal tracks to expand and contract spacing and pitch between the front and back positions to match test-board pitch. |
| US07917322B2 |
Weight observer for mass metering and inventory management
Improved methods and systems for estimating material weight, mass and volume in real-time are disclosed. The amount of material in the container is measured. An estimate of the amount of material in the container is then obtained using the measured amount of material in the container, a desired rate of change of material, and a container system model. The estimate of the amount of material in the container is then adjusted based on the difference between the estimated and measured amount of material in the container. |
| US07917321B2 |
Method and system of determining a pattern of arrival time cycle skip in an acoustic flow meter
Determining a pattern of arrival time cycle skip in an acoustic flow meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising transceiving acoustic signals through a fluid flowing in a meter (the transceiving between respective pairs of a plurality of transducer pairs), measuring transit time of acoustic signals between the respective pairs of the plurality of transducers pairs, calculating a plurality of error values (each error value indicative of a cycle skip mode in measuring of the transit time of the acoustic signals), and determining the cycle skip mode using, at least in part, the plurality of error values. |
| US07917320B2 |
Digital signal processing in optical systems used for ranging applications
Methods and apparatuses for reducing the response time along with increasing the probability of ranging of optical rangefinders that digitize the signal waveforms obtained from the pulse echoes returned from various types of objects to be ranged, the pulse echoes being too weak to allow successful ranging from a single waveform or the objects being possibly in motion during the capture of the pulse echoes. In a first embodiment of the invention, the response time at close range of a digital optical rangefinder is reduced by using a signal averaging process wherein the number of data to be averaged varies with the distance according to a predetermined function. In a second embodiment of the invention, the probability of ranging objects in motion along the line of sight of a digital optical rangefinder is increased and the object velocity measured by performing a range shift of each acquired signal waveform prior to averaging. In a third embodiment of the invention, the signal waveforms acquired in the line of sight of a digital optical rangefinder are scanned over a predetermined zone and range shifted and averaged to allow for early detection and ranging of objects that enter in the zone. |
| US07917319B2 |
Systems and methods for testing and diagnosing delay faults and for parametric testing in digital circuits
Delay-fault testing and parametric analysis systems and methods utilizing one or more variable delay time-base generators. In embodiments of the delay-fault testing systems, short-delay logic paths are provided with additional scan-chain memory elements and logic that, in conjunction with the one or more variable-delay time-base generators, provides the effect of over-clocking without the need to over-clock. Related methods provide such effective over-clocking. In embodiments of parametric analysis systems, test point sampling elements and analysis circuitry are clocked as a function of the output of the one or more variable-delay time-base generators to provide various parametric analysis functionality. Related methods address this functionality. |
| US07917315B1 |
Method for determining power supply usage
A method for counting electrons from a power supply, comprising the following steps: measuring a current of a power supply forming a measured current; converting the measured current to a voltage; then into a monotonic uni-polar representation of an aggregate number of electrons having an amplitude; actuating a microprocessor in communication with a data storage just before an integrator in communication with the power supply reaches a preset limit of aggregate electrons; reading the amplitude forming a reading; transmitting the reading to an accumulator forming an accumulator value; resetting the integrator after the transmitting the reading, repeating the actuation, reading and transmission; comparing the summation of accumulator values to a calibration value; and recording the capacity when the summation of accumulator values meets or exceeds the calibration value. |
| US07917314B2 |
Intelligent electronic device having network access
An electric power meter is disclosed. The meter comprises means for digitally sampling voltage and current. The meter further comprises means for storing the digitally sampled voltage and current. The meter further comprises means for performing power calculations upon the digitally sampled voltage and current, and converting the calculations and the digitally sampled voltage and current into at least one network protocol. The meter further comprises means for interfacing with an external network. A system for modifying the functionality of the electric power meter is also disclosed. |
| US07917313B2 |
Method for monitoring a fluid transfer process
The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a fluid transfer process, including the steps: providing an allowable pressure profile; detecting a pressure occurring in the course of the fluid transfer process; comparing detected pressure with the allowable pressure profile and signaling an error, if the detected pressure is not within the allowable pressure profile. The allowable pressure profile is defined by interpolation points, the interpolation points being based on a probability function representing a family of pressure courses of a plurality of fluid transfer processes. The allowable pressure profile can be divided into at least two distinct process sections, each section corresponding to a distinct process phase of the fluid transfer process. The probability function is calculated from a family of test pressure curves and reflects the statistical behavior of the pipette system. The present invention further relates to a computer readable medium for storing interpolation point information as well as to a kit-of-parts comprising a device implementing the inventive method, together with a computer readable medium for storing interpolation point information. |
| US07917307B2 |
Oil sample analysis calculator and method of using the same
In an oil sample analysis calculator (100) for analyzing results of oil samples from an engine, the oil sample analysis calculator (100) includes an input module (110) which receives an input data set (140), a processing module (130) which receives the input data set (140) from the input module (110) and corrects the input data set (140) based on at least one of an amount of oil added to the engine and an amount of oil removed from the engine, and an output module (120) which receives the input data set (140) corrected by the processing module (130) and outputs an output data set (150). |
| US07917306B2 |
Methods and systems for generating cell lineage tree of multiple cell samples
A method of generating a cell lineage tree of a plurality of cells of an individual is provided. The method comprising: (a) determining at least one genotypic marker for each cell of the plurality of cells; and (b) computationally clustering data representing the at least one genotypic marker to thereby generate the cell lineage tree of the plurality of cells of the individual. |
| US07917304B2 |
Spotter provided with spot pattern encryption function and detection device coping with spot pattern encryption
Plural probes spotted on a probe immobilization substrate are arranged such that the probes cannot be specified by a third party easily. When the plural probes are spotted on the probe immobilization substrate, a position where each probe is spotted is changed for each probe immobilization substrate to be prepared, whereby types of probes to be arranged in respective spot addresses are encrypted. The preset invention provides a spotter, a dispensing device to be used for the spotter, a probe immobilization substrate that is prepared using the spotter, and a detection device that decodes encrypted positions where the respective probes are spotted. |
| US07917301B1 |
Method and device for identifying a biological sample
The method and system for identifying a biological sample generates a data set indicative of the composition of the biological sample. In a particular example, the data set is DNA spectrometry data received from a mass spectrometer. The data set is denoised, and a baseline is deleted. Since possible compositions of the biological sample may be known, expected peak areas may be determined. Using the expected peak areas, a residual baseline is generated to further correct the data set. Probable peaks are then identifiable in the corrected data set, which are used to identify the composition of the biological sample. In a disclosed example, statistical methods are employed to determine the probability that a probable peak is an actual peak, not an actual peak, or that the data are too inconclusive to call. |
| US07917298B1 |
Nanocrystal taggants
The compositions, methods and systems of the invention provide nanocrystal taggants for unobtrusive monitoring of objects. Objects can be tagged with nanocrystal taggant compositions for detection of informative invisible emissions on illumination with appropriate excitation wavelengths. |
| US07917297B2 |
Methods, software arrangements, storage media, and systems for genotyping or haplotyping polymorphic genetic loci or strain identification
The present invention relates generally to systems, methods, storage media, and software arrangements for genotyping and/or haplotyping a sequence of polymorphic genetic loci in a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sample or identifying a strain variant from the DNA sample. Exemplary embodiments of systems, methods, storage media, and software arrangements may perform the optimization of the design of one or more microarrays, each containing a set of oligonucleotide probes capable of detecting one or more known genotypes and/or haplotypes at given polymorphic genetic loci or identifying the strain variant, by optimizing the set of oligonucleotides to be incorporated into the microarrays and by optimizing the arrangement of a set of oligonucleotides on the microarrays. The optimization may be achieved through the application of one or more optimization procedures. The instant invention may be useful in typing individuals at the HLA loci or other polymorphic genetic loci, or may be employed to quickly identify viral or bacterial pathogens from which genome sequence information is available. |
| US07917294B2 |
Determination of irreducible water cut-off using two dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance data
A method for estimating a distribution of pore sizes of a fluid filled rock formation penetrated by a borehole, the method including: processing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data to determine a distribution of diffusion coefficients and a distribution of relaxation time constants for at least one depth in the borehole; plotting the distribution of diffusion coefficients and the distribution of relaxation time constants as a cross-plot for the at least one depth; identifying a water line on the cross-plot, each point on the water line having substantially the same value for the diffusion coefficient; and estimating the distribution of pore sizes from the distribution of relaxation time constants plotted along the water line. |
| US07917293B2 |
Method and system for controlling a well service rig based on load data
The present invention is directed to methods for controlling the operations of a well service rig at a well site by evaluating load sensor data obtained from sensors on or associated with the well service rig. A rig load data chart can be reviewed and an average rig load can be determined for each pull of tubing or rods from a well. The average rig load can be used to calculate and set a rig overload level. If the rig load sensor reads a rig load at or above the rig overload level, the clutch for the hoist can be disengaged and the brake applied to prevent the load from either damaging the rig or breaking off the tubing or rods in the well. In addition, the rig load can be evaluated to determine when the limit the block speed when pulling rods or tubing. |
| US07917292B1 |
Systems and methods for flood risk assessment
In various embodiments, points from flood maps (e.g., geospatial flood risk zoning maps) may be used in generating a flood frequency versus flood elevation curve for reducing the uncertainty in the flood risk assessment. In some embodiments, geospatial flood elevation lines for flood elevation lines at different flood frequency levels may be defined based on elevation datasets where there are inconsistencies between the elevation datasets and flood maps that were generated. The flood frequency versus flood loss curve may be derived based on the computed flood frequency versus flood elevation curve, digital elevation datasets, and collected damage curve. In some embodiments, the flood risk rating may also be derived and a flood risk assessment report may be generated. |
| US07917291B2 |
System and method for predicting tornado activity
The present system and method detects and predicts potential tornadic activity. In one aspect, the invention predicts potential tornadic activity based on radar data. In another aspect, the invention predicts potential tornadic activity based on an integrated and composite product based on model forecast data and radar data by generating a composite tornado potential index using weighted values of the model forecast data and the radar data. |
| US07917288B2 |
Abbreviated directions for route navigation
A geographic navigation system for segmenting a received set of instructions (or directions) that guide a user over a geographic route from a starting location to an ending location, and then abbreviating a subset of the instructions related to the inexact or familiar regions into a more concise and relevant form, yet retain all the information for guiding the user on the trip. Route segmentation occurs before instruction abbreviation by segmenting the route into multiple logical components in which abbreviation can be applied. After the need for instruction abbreviation is recognized and the route is segmented, techniques and designs are employed to generate understandable strings that describe the abbreviated directions as well as controls that allow optimization of the user experience. |
| US07917287B2 |
Navigation device, navigation method, and computer product
A navigation device performs a route guidance based on a route from a current location to a destination. A communication controller sends a request for searching the route to a server. A guidance-information receiving unit receives information on the route from the server. A time measuring unit measures an elapsed time from a start of the route guidance. A guidance controller performs the route guidance based on the information received. The communication controller commands the navigation device to cut off a communication with the server and to stand by upon a determination that the elapsed time measured has reached a predetermined time and when the route is being guided or a current location is being checked by the guidance controller, to decrease a bandwidth usage between the navigation device and the server and to reduce a communication charge associated with the bandwidth usage. |
| US07917284B2 |
Mobile device with on-screen optical navigation
A mobile computing device, including a main body, a processor and associated memory housed within the main body, a display screen housed within the main body and responsive to signals from the processor, an optical sensor fixed to the main body for capturing successive images and providing image signals representative of the captured images to the processor, and a navigation module associated with the processor for determining, based on the image signals, a relative movement between the main body and a reference surface and moving a pointer on the display screen based on the determined relative movement. |
| US07917282B2 |
Combustion chamber deactivation system
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of combustion chambers (41,42,43,44); an air induction system (45,45A,45B,46,47) for delivering air to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); a fuel system for delivering fuel to each combustion chamber (41,42,43,44); an exhaust system (48,50) for relaying combusted gases from the combustion chambers (41,42,43,44) to atmosphere; and an exhaust recirculation system (49,51) to relay combusted gases from the exhaust system (48,50) to at least one of the combustion chambers (42,43). The engine has a chamber deactivation operating mode in which at least one combustion chamber (41,44) is active and receives fuel and air which are combusted therein and at least one other combustion chamber (42,43) is deactivated and is supplied with no fuel by the fuel system. In the chamber deactivation operating mode the exhaust gas recirculation system (49,51) supplies combusted gas to the (or each) deactivated combustion chamber (42,43). |
| US07917279B2 |
Method of controlling a mechanical compression ratio, a closing timing of an intake valve and air stream
A spark ignition type internal combustion engine comprises a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio, a variable valve timing mechanism able to control a closing timing of an intake valve, and an air flow control valve controlling an air flow in a cylinder and able to control the amount of intake air fed into a combustion chamber. The mechanical compression ratio is made maximum so as to obtain the maximum expansion ratio at the time of engine low load operation and the actual compression ratio at the time of engine low load operation is made an actual compression ratio substantially the same as that at the time of engine medium and high load operation. When the engine load is in an extremely low load region, the air flow control valve is used to control an amount of intake air fed into the combustion chamber. Due to this, a high heat efficiency can be realized even in a region where the amount of intake air is difficult to control by changing the closing timing of the intake valve. |
| US07917277B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicular drive system
A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including an electrically controlled differential portion having a differential mechanism, and an electric motor which is operatively connected to the differential mechanism and an operating state of which is controlled to control a differential state between input and output shaft speeds, and a transmission portion constituting a part of a power transmitting path between the differential portion and a vehicle drive wheel, the control apparatus including a differential-state switching portion for switching the differential portion between differential-state and non-differential states, a shifting control portion for controlling a shifting action of the transmission portion, and a learning control portion for effecting learning compensation of a control amount of a control element to be controlled during the shifting action, wherein the learning control portion includes a differential-state learning control portion operable to implement the learning compensation of the control amount of the control element when the shifting action takes place in the differential state of the differential portion, and a non-differential-state learning control portion operable to implement the learning compensation when the shifting action takes place in the non-differential state of the differential portion, and the shifting control portion controls the shifting action in a presently selected one of the differential and non-differential states of the differential portion, on the basis of the learning compensation implemented by one of the differential-state and non-differential-state learning control portions which is operable in the other of the differential and non-differential states of the differential portion. |
| US07917275B2 |
System and method for improved vehicle response during vehicle acceleration conditions
A vehicle control method for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine coupled to a torque converter is described. In one embodiment, the engine air flow and spark are adjusted to control torque converter operation. The method can improve vehicle response to driver accelerator commands. |
| US07917274B2 |
Method and apparatus for vehicle sway detection and reduction
A method of controlling a vehicle involves determining if the vehicle is swaying (e.g., if a trailer being towed by the vehicle is exerting a sway force on the vehicle), and if the vehicle is swaying, reducing a torque of an engine of the vehicle and applying independent braking forces to each wheel of the vehicle. A vehicle for controlling vehicle sway includes an engine, a plurality of wheels, a braking system configured to apply independent braking forces to each wheel, and a controller configured to control the engine and the braking system. The controller is configured to determine if the vehicle is swaying (e.g., if a trailer being towed by the vehicle is exerting a sway force on the vehicle), and if the vehicle is swaying, reducing a torque of the engine and applying independent braking forces to each wheel. |
| US07917272B2 |
Deceleration control apparatus and method for automotive vehicle
In deceleration control apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a deceleration control is performed in accordance with a turning travel situation of the vehicle; and an engine throttle opening angle is controlled gradually in a closure direction at a preset variation degree. |
| US07917258B2 |
Ship of the type comprising a control bridge with a direct view of the environment and an operations control room
Ship (1) of the type comprising a control bridge (2) with a direct view of the ship's environment, and an operations control room (3) receiving information in real time on the situation of the environment of the ship, prepared by analysis means (4) for analysing the environment of the ship, of which the operations control room (3) comprises means for the panoramic display of the ship's environment. |
| US07917257B2 |
Method for determining the rotational velocity of an axle and detecting a locked axle condition
A method for detecting a rotational velocity of a traction motor in a vehicle comprising: obtaining a traction motor signal having at least one phase, wherein the traction motor signal is responsive to an operating condition of the traction motor in an electrically unexcited state. The method also includes processing the traction motor signal to create an indication result based on a frequency of the traction motor signal and determining rotational velocity of the traction motor based on the indication result. |
| US07917255B1 |
System and method for on-board adaptive characterization of aircraft turbulence susceptibility as a function of radar observables
A turbulence data circuit for use in an aircraft. The aircraft can include a radar system configured to transmit a first radio frequency wave and receive a second radio frequency wave and a display for receiving a display signal representative of turbulence. The aircraft can further include a flight management system configured to determine a phase of flight, an aircraft inertial/air data system configured to determine an altitude and an airspeed. The turbulence data circuit can include an interface for coupling to the radar system, the display, the flight management system, and the aircraft inertial/air data system. The turbulence data circuit can be configured to determine the display signal representative of turbulence based on at least one of the phase of flight, the altitude, the airspeed and the second radio frequency wave. |
| US07917254B2 |
Aircraft guidance using localizer capture criteria for rectilinear displacement data
Systems and methods for aircraft guidance using a localizer capture criteria for rectilinear displacement data are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes determining a rectilinear deviation D between a current aircraft location and a final defined path (FDP) of an aircraft and determining a location at which the aircraft should begin a reposition maneuver based on the rectilinear deviation D. The method starts a reposition maneuver of the aircraft at a location determined based on a relationship between D and characteristics of the aircraft during the reposition maneuver. In some embodiments, the characteristics of the aircraft may include a velocity of the aircraft with respect to ground, an aircraft track angle, a heading of the FDP of the aircraft, a maximum allowed bank angle of the aircraft during a reposition maneuver, and a time allowance for aircraft rollup and rollout. |
| US07917253B2 |
Method for making vehicle-related data available to an authorized third party
A method for obtaining vehicle-related data from a vehicle equipped with a telematics unit and making that data temporarily available to a third party that has been approved by an authorized user, such as the vehicle owner. This enables the authorized user to decide which third parties, if any at all, are to receive vehicle-related data so that they may take advantage of any promotions or other services that are offered by the third parties. The vehicle-related data is preferably maintained on a temporary basis so that after the occurrence of an event, such as the expiration of a predetermined period of time or after the authorized third party has already accessed the vehicle-related data, the data is deleted. |
| US07917247B2 |
Auxiliary communication interface system and method thereof
An auxiliary communication system and method, wherein system components can be electrically isolated, wherein a machine controller and a robot can communicate according to standard protocols, and wherein auxiliary equipment can be incorporated into the communication system, thereby alleviating the need for and the voltage limitations of auxiliary I/O boards. |
| US07917245B2 |
Automated material handling system
Objects to be transported which are transported between at least one storage unit and a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses by a plurality of transport vehicles in accordance with a command of a controller are managed inexpensively and easily and with high reliability. An ID card 20 incorporating a wireless communication function is installed on all carriers 18, and an ID read/write unit 25 is installed in some transport vehicles 10. Further, a carrier ID is read or written with respect to the ID card 20 in accordance with a command of an MCS 4 connected to the ID read/write unit 25, so as to manage the carrier ID by a carrier ID management unit 4a. |
| US07917244B2 |
Method and system for reducing critical dimension side-to-side tilting error
A method for reducing a critical dimension error of a substrate is provided. A first function is identified for correlating a critical dimension error with a first effect. A second function is identified for correlating a critical dimension error with a scan speed. An optimal scan speed for minimizing the critical dimension error is identified by substantially equating the first function and the second function. The substrate may be a mask or a wafer. |
| US07917243B2 |
Method for building three-dimensional objects containing embedded inserts
A method for generating build sequence data for a computer-aided design model of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising identifying a location of an insert data representation in the computer-aided design model, slicing the computer-aided design model into a plurality of sliced layers, generating a plurality of support layers for at least a portion of the plurality of sliced layers, and generating an unfilled region in the computer-aided design model at the identified location of the insert data representation. |
| US07917238B1 |
Portable music device and systems
A portable music device which integrates certain features of a personal music listening device with certain features of a personal audio recorder whereby a user can listen through headphones to a music selection containing both the instrumental score and/or integrated vocals. Utilizing the device, the user can sing through a microphone connected to the device while simultaneously listening to one or more parts of the music score/lyric tracks to create a music recording of the user's voice lyrics without recording the instrumental score and/or the integrated vocals. The portable music device may include or work with a system that includes features to procure, store and manage (both electronically and legally) copyrighted music. |
| US07917236B1 |
Virtual sound source device and acoustic device comprising the same
A first signal processing section is used to constitute an impulse response of a head related transfer function region contributing to position recognition of a virtual sound source. A second signal processing section is used to realize an impulse response of a reflected sound region contributing to a sense of distance of the virtual sound source. A rotational angular speed sensor and a response characteristic control section are used to recognize position changes of the listener's ears. By controlling the first signal processing section, the sound image is localized with sufficient feeling of distance at an arbitrary position while suppressing signal processing operation quantity of the impulse response corresponding to the transfer function from the virtual sound source to both ears, and the position of the virtual sound source can be changed in correspondence with a change of position of the ears of the listener. |
| US07917234B2 |
Manufacturing design and process analysis system
Methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate the design, production and/or measurement tasks associated with manufacturing and other processes. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an understanding of how the multiple characteristics of a given process output are related to each other and to process inputs. This knowledge facilitates a reduction in measurement costs. It also facilitates an understanding of the sometimes complex interrelationships between design targets, design tolerances, process inputs, process control variables, average process output and variation in the process output. As disclosed in more detail below, embodiments of the present invention facilitate 1.) determination of design target values, 2.) determination of design application limits, 3.) design of process inputs, 4.) determination of process control variable settings, and/or 5.) reduction of measurement costs. |
| US07917231B2 |
Directional stimulation of neural tissue
A multi-contact electrode for neural tissue stimulation is described. The electrode has an axis and includes a plurality of electrodes going along the axis. Each electrode ends with a contact, and at least one of the contacts has an internal edge, resulting in non-uniform electrical properties throughout the contact surface facing the tissue. Also described are methods of making an electrical contact with an internal edge, and methods and systems for characterizing internal edge. |
| US07917225B2 |
Systems and methods for selecting stimulation sites and applying treatment, including treatment of symptoms of parkinson's disease, other movement disorders, and/or drug side effects
Methods and systems for treating movement disorders are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment can include determining that the movement disorder affects the patient's gait, oral functioning, and/or other functioning, and applying electrical stimulation proximate to the interhemispheric fissure, the Sylvian fissure, or between the two fissures, respectively. In another embodiment, the method can include selecting at least one neural process from among a plurality of processes sequentially carried out by a patient to cause a muscle movement in the patient (e.g., a planning process, an initiation process, and an execution process), and applying electrical stimulation to a location of the patient's brain associated with the at least one neural process. |
| US07917221B2 |
Device for the desynchronization of neuronal brain activity
The invention relates to a device for desynchronizing neuronal brain activity. According to the invention, the activity in at least two partial zones of a brain area or at least two functionally related brain areas is reset by means of two electrodes, surprisingly resulting in desynchronization in the targeted population of neurons of the patient and the symptoms being repressed. The inventive device comprises at least two stimulation electrodes (2) which are triggered by a control mechanism so as to cause synchronization in the local environment thereof. Preferably, the stimuli of the N electrodes are essentially out of phase by 1/N. |
| US07917220B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for facilitating interface with laryngeal structures
A system and method of positioning an interface element for interfacing with laryngeal structures in a subject such as for diagnosis or treatment of a laryngeal impairment is presented. Illustratively, a curved hollow needle system is inserted into a subperichondral space beneath posterior cricoarytenoid muscle from the larynx. The curved hollow needle system is pushed in a curve around cartilage at least until the curved hollow needle is seen from outside of a body of the subject. The curved hollow needle system is retracted back into the larynx along a retraction route. At least one interface element is positioned at a desired position along the retraction route. |
| US07917219B2 |
Passive electronic network components designed for direct body fluid exposure
An EMI filter capacitor assembly and implantable passive electronic network components utilize biocompatible and non-migratable materials to adapt the electronic components for direct body fluid exposure. The assembly includes a capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates which are constructed of non-migratable biocompatible material. A conductive hermetic terminal of non-migratable and biocompatible material adjacent to the capacitor is conductively coupled to the second set of electrode plates. One or more conductive terminal pins having at least an outer surface of non-migratable and biocompatible material are conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates, while extending through the hermetic terminal in non-conductive relation. The terminal pins may be in direct contact with the first set of electrode plates, or in contact with a termination surface of conductive connection material. The termination surface is also constructed of non-migratable and biocompatible materials. |
| US07917216B1 |
Multi-site pacing for atrial tachyarrhythmias
Tachyarrhythmia is treated by applying anti-tachycardia pacing through at least one multi-site electrode set located on, in or around the heart. The electrode set is arranged and located such that an electrical activation pattern having a wave-front between substantially flat and concave is generated through a reentrant circuit associated with the tachyarrhythmia. The electrode set may be one of a plurality of predefined, multi-site electrode sets located on, in or around the atria. Alternatively, the electrode set may be formed using at least two selectable electrodes located on, in or around the atria. |
| US07917212B2 |
EMI detection for implantable medical devices
A method and system for the detection of electromagnetic interference is disclosed in which a telemetry coil or other magnetic sensor is used to detect a magnetic signal. If a magnetic signal is determined to be a non-telemetry signal and is time-correlated with the onset of an increase in heart rate, electromagnetic interference is assumed to be present. |
| US07917209B2 |
Pulse detection apparatus, software, and methods using patient physiological signals
The presence of a cardiac pulse in a patient is determined by evaluating physiological signals in the patient. In one embodiment, a medical device evaluates two or more different physiological signals, such as phonocardiogram (PCG) signals, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, patient impedance signals, piezoelectric signals, and accelerometer signals for features indicative of the presence of a cardiac pulse. Using these features, the medical device determines whether a cardiac pulse is present in the patient. The medical device may also be configured to report whether the patient is in a VF, VT, asystole, or PEA condition, in addition to being in a pulseless condition, and prompt different therapies, such as chest compressions, rescue breathing, defibrillation, and PEA-specific electrotherapy, depending on the analysis of the physiological signals. Auto-capture of a cardiac pulse using pacing stimuli is further provided. |
| US07917207B2 |
Method and apparatus for an implantable pulse generator with a stacked battery and capacitor
The present subject matter includes one embodiment of an apparatus, comprising: a battery including a plurality of flat battery layers disposed in a battery case, the battery case having a planar battery surface which has a battery perimeter; and a capacitor including a plurality of flat capacitor layers disposed in a capacitor case, the capacitor case having a planar capacitor surface which has a capacitor perimeter, the capacitor stacked with the battery such that the planar battery surface and the planar capacitor surface are adjacent, with the capacitor perimeter and the battery perimeter substantially coextensive; a hermetically sealed implantable housing having a first shell and a lid mated to the first shell at a first opening, the first opening sized for passage of the battery, the capacitor, and the programmable electronics, wherein the battery and the capacitor are disposed in the hermetically sealed implantable housing. |
| US07917204B2 |
Method and implantable medical device for measuring an electrical bio-impedance of a patient
In a method and device for measuring an electrical bio-impedance of a patient at least one impedance measurement signal is generated by a current pulse generator, the signal having at least one asymmetric multiphasic impedance measurement waveform that is asymmetric in term of pulse amplitude and/or pulse width relative to the operating voltage of the current pulse generator. The waveform has a DC component that is substantially equal to zero, and is adapted to the available voltage headroom of an implantable device that contains the current pulse generator. The impedance measurement signal with the aforementioned waveform is applied to a patient and a resulting impedance signal is produced thereby, from which at least one impedance value is determined. |
| US07917203B2 |
Method and probe for measuring the impedance of human or animal body tissue
A method for determining whether a probe for measuring the impedance of human or animal body tissue has been placed over a boundary between different tissue types is described. The probe used in the method comprises at least a first (16), a second (22), a third (18) and a fourth (20) electrode arranged such that the third (18) and fourth (20) electrodes are each located substantially the same distance from both the first (16) and second (22) electrodes. The method comprises: driving a current between the first (16) and the second (22) electrodes; measuring a first value of an electrical parameter between the third (18) and the fourth (20) electrode; and determining whether the probe has been placed over a boundary between different tissue types based on the first value. A probe for carrying out the method is also described. |
| US07917202B2 |
Method and a device for determining the hydration and/or nutrition status of a patient
Monitoring the hydration and/or nutrition status of a patient by bioimpedance. A bioimpedance method and device that makes use of a refined model by which the conductivity contributions from intracellular tissues can be taken better into account to enable an improved assessment of the body composition of a patient with increased accuracy. The intracellular volume (ICV) of a patient is determined by determining an intracellular electrical resistance Rmix of the patient and deriving the intracellular volume ICV using Rmix by taking into account that a cell of a kind of tissue contributes differently to the electrical resistance Rmix of the intracellular volume ICV compared with a cell of a second kind of tissue. The application also relates to a device for carrying out the method according to the invention and to a computer program product to be used on such a device. |
| US07917200B2 |
Polymer linear actuator for micro electro mechanical system and micro manipulator for measurement device of cranial nerve signal using the same
A polymer linear actuator for a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) and a micro manipulator for a measurement device of cranial nerve signal using the same are provided. The polymer linear actuator has first and second bodies positioned spaced apart to a distance from each other, and one or more pairs of V-type moving units connecting the first and second bodies together, wherein the moving units in pair are opposed to each other to convert a rotation motion of the respective moving units into a linear motion, thereby causing the first and second bodies to move linearly. |
| US07917198B2 |
Calibration of performance monitor
In the solution of the invention, an association is formed between activity information characterizing the activity level of a user and a performance parameter value proportional to the heart rate information of the user, the activity information and heart rate information having been measured in a user-specific performance monitor, and the heart rate information being responsive to the activity level. |
| US07917196B2 |
Arrhythmia discrimination using electrocardiograms sensed from multiple implanted electrodes
Cardiac monitoring and/or stimulation methods and systems provide for monitoring, diagnosing, defibrillation and pacing therapies, or a combination of these capabilities, including cardiac systems incorporating or cooperating with neuro-stimulating devices, drug pumps, or other therapies. Embodiments relate generally to implantable medical devices employing automated cardiac activation sequence monitoring and/or tracking for arrhythmia discrimination. Embodiments are directed to devices and methods involving sensing a plurality of composite cardiac signals using a plurality of implantable electrodes. A source separation is performed using the sensed plurality of composite cardiac signals and the separation produces one or more cardiac signal vectors associated with one or more cardiac activation sequences that is indicative of ischemia. A change of the one or more cardiac signal vectors is detected using the one or more cardiac signal vectors. Cardiac arrhythmias are discriminated using the one or more cardiac signal vectors. |
| US07917192B2 |
Tomography by emission of positrons (PET) system
Tomography by emission of positrons (pet) system dedicated to examinations of human body parts such as the breast, axilla, head, neck, liver, heart, lungs, prostate region and other body extremities which is composed of at least two detecting plates (detector heads) with dimensions that are optimized for the breast, axilla region, brain and prostrate region or other extremities; motorized mechanical means to allow the movement of the plates under manual or computer control, making it possible to collect data in several orientations as needed for tomographic image reconstruction; an electronics system composed by a front-end electronics system, located physically on the detector heads, and a trigger and data acquisition system located off-detector in an electronic crate; a data acquisition and control software; and an image reconstruction and analysis software that allows reconstructing, visualizing and analyzing the data produced during the examination. |
| US07917191B2 |
Method for generation of an image in contrast agent-supported MR angiography and magnetic resonance apparatus
In a method and apparatus for generation of an image in contrast agent-supported magnetic resonance angiography, a first data set is generated during an arterial phase of a distribution of a contrast agent in a vessel system by scanning of a first central k-space region, a second data set is generated during an equilibrium phase of the distribution of the contrast agent in the vessel system by scanning a peripheral k-space region while omitting scanning of a second central region, and the image is generated by merging the first data set and the second data set. |
| US07917190B2 |
Image acquisition and reconstruction method for functional magnetic resonance imaging
Acquisition of MR data during a fMRI study employs a hybrid PR pulse sequence to acquire projection views from which multi-slice image frames may be reconstructed that depict the BOLD response to an applied stimulus or performed task. Composite images are reconstructed at each slice using the combined interleaved projection views from all the acquired image frames. The composite images are used to reconstruct the highly undersampled image frames. |
| US07917189B2 |
Backprojection reconstruction method for undersampled MR imaging
Two-dimensional or three-dimensional, time-resolved MR frame images are acquired during a dynamic study of a subject. A composite MR image is produced and this is used to reconstruct each image frame by weighting the backprojection of each projection view acquired for that image frame. The composite image may be reconstructed from views acquired separately, or it may be produced by combining views acquired during the course of the dynamic study. A number of different clinical applications of the method are described. |
| US07917186B2 |
Calibration techniques for a continuous analyte sensor
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for calibrating a continuous analyte sensor, such as a continuous glucose sensor. One such system utilizes one or more electrodes to measure an additional analyte. Such measurements may provide a baseline or sensitivity measurement for use in calibrating the sensor. Furthermore, baseline and/or sensitivity measurements may be used to trigger events such as digital filtering of data or suspending display of data. |
| US07917182B2 |
Method for automatically switching scene mode and portable terminal using the same
A method for automatically switching scene mode and a portable terminal are disclosed, the method comprises steps of setting life cycle and subsequent scene mode for each scene mode; judging whether the life cycle of current scene mode has ended; and switching the current scene mode to a subsequent scene mode if it is judged that the life cycle of the current scene mode has ended. With the present invention, a user can define desired scene modes at different moments during a day depending on his daily arrangement, and thus this brings great convenience to the user. |
| US07917173B2 |
Multimedia data communication method and system
The present invention discloses a multimedia processing system for communicating data among a baseband module, an image sensor module, and at least one display module in a wireless mobile phone. The multimedia processing system further comprises a serial baseband interface, an image sensor interface, and a display interface which transmits and receives different kinds of data, including processing data, image data and display data, among each others. Several hardware implementations for the serial interface, including a serial peripheral interface and a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter interface, are disclosed according to certain embodiments of the invention. Moreover, another embodiment comprises a bypass mechanism which bypasses signals to other components because under certain circumstances it is reasonable to bypass incoming data signals directly from one device to another. For example, to accelerate the image data transfer which has a changeless data structure, a direct bypass data transfer is preferable in order to improve the data transfer speed. Furthermore, the present invention also discloses another embodiment to provide a method for communicating among a baseband module, an image sensor module, and at least one display module in a wireless mobile phone. The method performs transmitting and receiving data among the mentioned modules and other components via at least one serial interface scheme. |
| US07917172B2 |
Accessory for a portable electronic device
The invention relates to an accessory (18) for connection to an electrical interface (16) of a portable electronic device (10), which interface comprises a pair of bias voltage providing connection points including a first connection point (42) and a second connection point (44) for biasing a signal providing element (22) that may be provided in the accessory. The accessory includes a first electrical branch comprising a first voltage dividing element (R1) and a first switch (32) that can be actuated mechanically. The branch has a first end to be connected to one connection point (42) in the pair and a second end to be connected to another connection point (46) for changing the voltage level of the connection point connected to the first end to a certain voltage level when the first switch interconnects the first voltage dividing element and this connection point. |
| US07917167B1 |
Communication device
A communication device which receives the mobile phone specific update controlling signal, which indicates update(s) specific to mobile phones, in a wireless fashion. |
| US07917160B2 |
Method for automatically recognizing approval number for electronic commerce through SMS message in DMB terminal
Disclosed is a method for automatically recognizing an approval number for performing an electronic commerce transaction through a short messaging service (SMS) message in a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) terminal, the method including the steps of: accessing, by the DMB terminal, a home page for electronic commerce through a web-browsable DMB service, and determining a purchase for a predetermined product; requesting, through the home page, an approval number for approving payment for the predetermined product according to purchase determination for the predetermined product; receiving an SMS message including an approval number according to the request; displaying the SMS message in an active state of the DMB service; and recognizing the approval number from the displayed SMS message. |
| US07917157B2 |
Location services for mobile communication system
There is disclosed a method of providing location information in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a current location of a mobile station; determining a time at which a last known location of the mobile station was determined; comparing the time to a threshold time limit; and providing, as the current location, the last known location if the time is within the threshold time limit. |
| US07917154B2 |
Determining mobile content for a social network based on location and time
A device, system, and method are directed towards updating location information for a social network. A request for the location information associated with a GPS coordinate is received from a client device associated with a member of the social network. In response to the request, a location name associated with another member of the social network is provided to the client device based on the GPS coordinate. Another location name may be received from the client device. The other location name may be associated with the GPS coordinate and with the member in the social network. Thus, the GPS coordinate and/or member may be associated with a plurality of location names. A location description may also be received and associated with the location name and with the member in the social network. |
| US07917153B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating, directing, storing and automatically delivering a message to an intended recipient upon arrival of a specified mobile object at a designated location
A technique to electronically deliver a message from a sender to an intended recipient based on tracking movement of a mobile object, including obtaining a message provided by the sender, obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of the message, tracking a specified mobile object having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals, determining from the transmitted current position whether the specified mobile object has reached the designated location, and initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of the message electronically to the intended recipient upon the specified mobile object being determined to have reached the designated location. |
| US07917147B2 |
Method of monitoring performance, performance monitoring system, and network performance monitoring apparatus
A method of monitoring performance of a communications network supporting a plurality of communications devices comprises providing a number of the plurality of the communications terminals with respective software agents to make respective measurements in relation to an attribute of a communications service supported by the communications network. The number of the plurality of communications terminals is equipped with position determination capabilities so as to provide global position information with respect to a measurement made. The measurement made and the corresponding location is communicated to a performance processing application that supports a database and stored by the performance processing application in the database, thereby recording a representation of a variation of the attribute of the communications service with respect to location. |
| US07917145B2 |
Radio frequency local area network
An apparatus and a method for routing data in a radio data communication system having one or more host computers, one or more intermediate base stations, and one or more RF terminals organizes the intermediate base stations into an optimal spanning-tree network to control the routing of data to and from the RF terminals and the host computer efficiently and dynamically. Communication between the host computer and the RF terminals is achieved by using the network of intermediate base stations to transmit the data. |
| US07917143B2 |
Method and apparatus for CDMA timer-based registration on a mobile device
A method and apparatus for improved timer based registration for a mobile device with a network, the network having a standard slot cycle time for interrupts, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, at the mobile device, a system parameter message from the network, the message having a value indicating a frequency for periodic registration; setting a timer value on a timer at the mobile device, the timer value being greater than the standard slot cycle time; setting a counter to count expiration of the timer; starting the timer; upon expiration of the timer, decrementing the counter; upon the counter reaching zero, waiting for a paging slot to communicate with the network; and sending a registration message to the network on the paging slot. |
| US07917140B2 |
Initial cell search in mobile communications systems
An initial search for locating cells in a telecommunication system includes defining a set of carrier frequencies to be searched, and selecting as a cell search mode either a wide cell search mode or a narrow cell search mode, wherein selecting the cell search mode is based on a level of frequency generation accuracy. The wide cell search mode searches a wider frequency range than the narrow cell search mode searches. For each carrier frequency in the set of carrier frequencies to be searched, a most-recently selected cell search mode is used when searching for a cell transmitting on the carrier frequency. The narrow cell search mode is used only when the level of frequency generation accuracy is better than an expected worst level of frequency generation accuracy. |
| US07917137B2 |
Optimization of uplink resource grant procedure and apparatus
According to an embodiment of the invention, a method includes receiving a radio resource control message for which a response message is required to be transmitted to a network access node; performing at least one procedure specified by the radio resource control message; and transmitting the response message using network radio resources that are received in a non-solicited manner from the network access node. According to another embodiment of the invention an apparatus includes a controller configured to operate with a radio frequency receiver and a radio frequency transmitter. The controller is further configured to transmit a radio resource control message for which a response message is required to be received from a user equipment, and to specify to the user equipment in an un-solicited manner those network radio resources to be used by the user equipment for transmitting the response message. |
| US07917132B2 |
Direct memory download in a voice data and RF integrated circuit and method for use therewith
A voice data and RF integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF transceiver module that produces received data based on a received RF signal and that produces a transmitted RF signal based on transmit data. A memory module includes a first read only memory (ROM) segment for storing a first plurality of operational instructions, and a first random access memory (RAM) segment for storing a second plurality of operational instructions. A first processing module executes the plurality of operational instructions that include baseband processing to generate input data from the received data, and to produce the transmit data from input data. A first memory interface provides direct downloading of the second plurality of operational instructions from the external memory to the first RAM segment. |
| US07917129B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed data transfer over multiple independent wireless networks
The present invention provides for methods and apparatus for fragmenting a single message and sending the message fragments over multiple independent networks to a single receiving unit. The receiving unit then reassembles the message fragments to generate the original message. The preferred apparatus embodiment is a wireless radio frequency modem that can both receive and transmit fragmented messages over multiple independent networks. |
| US07917128B2 |
Method and system for inserting a multimedia message multiple element into a multimedia message
The invention relates to a method and system for inserting at least one multimedia message multiple element into a multimedia message. The method comprises the following steps transmitting at least one multimedia message multiple from a network element to a mobile station, transmitting one first multimedia message from the network element to the mobile station, and inserting the multimedia message multiple element into the first multimedia message. Preferably, insertion occurs in the mobile station, and the multimedia message multiple element is only transmitted once by the network element to the mobile station and is inserted into a plurality of multimedia messages. |
| US07917127B2 |
Apparatus for changing the behavior of an electronic device
A novel apparatus and method for changing the behavior of an electronic device is provided. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes the functionality of a cellular phone, a voice mail system and a calendar application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to determine whether to direct a phone call to the user or whether to instantly direct the call to voice mail. |
| US07917125B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing message history data for a mobile communication device
A method and apparatus for managing history data of messages received from and transmitted to other users by a user of a mobile communication device is provided. Message history data is extracted from received and transmitted messages and stored such that a user of the mobile communication device may easily input a conditional request to the device and view message history data associated with a specific other user or message history data identified by conditional data input to the device. |
| US07917124B2 |
Third party access gateway for telecommunications services
A telecommunications architecture exposes telecommunications services to third parties through a secure access gateway. The third parties may be other telecommunications service providers who employ the services to support their own products and services. The access gateway provides a secure, standardized, and controlled access platform for the exposed services, and addresses the technical problems associated with such access. In addition to providing technical solutions for efficient and secure access to exposed services, the architecture also provides an additional revenue channel for existing telecommunication service providers. |
| US07917122B2 |
Method for sending a short message and debiting the recipient
A method for sending short messages using a debiting service with debiting to a recipient by the following steps: 1) receiving a short message from a sending number addressed to a recipient's number, with the addition of a prefix, the prefix being associated with the debiting service; ii) checking an authorization of the sending number to debit a cost of the short message to the recipient; iii) checking if a credit of the recipient is greater than the cost; and iv) if outcomes of both checks ii and iii are positive, sending the short message to the recipient. |
| US07917120B1 |
RF mixer with inductive degeneration
An RF mixer provides extended dynamic range with reduced noise by utilizing degeneration inductors in the RF input section of a doubly balanced mixer. Degeneration inductors are also utilized in a mixer having a class AB input section. A current mirror in the class AB input section is also inductively degenerated for further noise reduction. The input section is biased by an all-NPN bandgap reference cell which is tightly integrated into the input section so as to reduce the power supply voltage required for the reference cell. The mixer can be optimized for wide input voltage ranges or low distortion. |
| US07917118B2 |
Receiver apparatus and method of processing received signal which attain optimum SNR
A receiver apparatus includes a band-pass filter having a variable frequency band coupled to a node for receiving a received signal including a plurality of channels to output at an output node thereof a limited-band signal made by limiting a frequency band of the received signal to a frequency band of a desired channel, a frequency conversion unit coupled to the output node of the band-pass filter to output at an output node thereof an intermediate frequency signal made by converting frequencies of the limited-band signal, and a control unit configured to adjust an intermediate frequency of the intermediate frequency signal by controlling the frequency conversion unit in response to at least one of a signal speed and a channel frequency interval of the received signal. |
| US07917115B2 |
Method and system for auto detecting and auto switching antennas in a multi-antenna FM transmit/receive system
Methods and systems for auto detecting and auto switching antennas in a multi-antenna FM transmit/receive system are disclosed and may include detecting when an external antenna may be coupled to an external port of the wireless device and utilizing the external antenna for transmitting and/or receiving FM signals. The decoupling of an external antenna from an external port may be detected, which may cause the FM radio transmitter/receiver to be configured to transmit and/or receive FM signals utilizing antennas internal to the wireless device. One or more test signals, which may include AC signals, may be generated within the chip for detecting whether an external antenna may be coupled to an external port. A reflected signal from an external port may be measured and compared to a prestored value corresponding to a reflection due to an open circuit at the one or more external ports of the wireless device. |
| US07917114B2 |
DC cancellation circuit
The present invention relates to a DC offset canceling circuit. In one aspect of the invention, a DC offset canceling circuit with independently configurable gain and roll-off frequency is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, the DC offset canceling circuit is used in the receive path of a down-conversion wireless receiver. In another aspect of the invention, a method for independently varying the gain and the roll-off frequency of the DC offset canceling circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the method is used to independently operate a gain control scheme and a DC offset cancellation strategy in a DC canceling circuit. |
| US07917113B2 |
Method for synchronization in a mobile radio terminal
A method for synchronizing measurements in a mobile communication apparatus having a first active radio access means (100) adapted to communicate according to a first radio access technology (RAT) and at least a second passive radio access means (200) adapted to communicate according to a second RAT. A time reference common to the first and the second access means (100) is generated. At least one time schedule is obtained, said schedule indicating at least one time gap wherein the second access means (200) is allowed to be active. The activation time of the schedule is based on the common time reference. An arrangement adapted to generate the common time reference and the time schedule is also disclosed. |
| US07917110B2 |
Cognitive radio system
A cognitive radio system includes: a state detecting device that scans a frequency band allocated to another radio system than the cognitive radio system to detect a first use-state of the frequency band; a first server including a first gathering unit that receives first information relating to the first use-state and a second gathering unit; a second server that stores a second use-state of the frequency band allocated to the other radio system, the second server configured to provide second information relating to the second use-state to the second gathering unit; and a notifying unit that notifies a terminal device in the cognitive radio system of information of an available channel based on the first information and the second information. |
| US07917109B2 |
Motor vehicle data communication network
To make possible communication between a MOST network and an external receiver and an external transmitter, the MOST network is connected to an interface, which transforms data in the MOST standard into a standard suitable for the external receiver, and transforms data received from the external transmitter into the MOST standard. |
| US07917102B2 |
Radio transmitting apparatus and radio transmission method
A radio transmitting apparatus that has a plurality of antennas and changes the number of modulated signals transmitted simultaneously according to the propagation environment and so forth. A transmission power changing section 12 of a radio transmitting apparatus of the present invention adjusts the pilot symbol signal level so as to match the data symbol composite signal level according to the number of transmit modulated signals set by a modulated signal number setting section 11. By this means, the operating range of received pilot symbols and the operating range of received data symbols become approximately the same on the receiving side, enabling pilot symbol quantization error to be reduced. As a result, the precision of radio wave propagation environment estimation, time synchronization, and frequency offset estimation using pilot symbols improves, and consequently data reception quality improves. |
| US07917098B2 |
Configurable frequency band elimination for powerline network
A communication device for use in adapting an appliance to a computer network consistent with certain embodiments has a data transmitter that receives data to be transmitted and generates output signals carrying the data at a plurality of carrier frequencies. A user configurable notch filter, receives the output signals from the data transmitter, for reducing the amplitude of a user selected range of frequencies, and producing a filtered output. A network communication medium interface receives the filtered output and transmitting the filtered output over a network communication medium. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US07917093B2 |
Wireless monitoring system and child station therefor
A wireless monitoring system using a base station and a child station, includes the base station including a base-station transmitting and a base-station receiving antenna, and the child station including a child-station receiving antenna, a nonlinear, a smoothing circuit, a first high-frequency band-pass filter, an intermediate-frequency band-pass filter, a demodulator, a baseband, a modulator, and a child-station transmitting antenna. The base-station transmitting antenna and the child-station receiving antenna include circularly-polarized antennas which have a same rotating direction, and the child-station transmitting antenna and the base-station receiving antenna include circularly-polarized antennas which have a polarization characteristic rotating in a direction opposite to the base-station transmitting antenna and the child-station receiving antenna. |
| US07917092B2 |
Beam selection apparatus and method in voice over internet protocol over switched beam wireless local area network
An apparatus and a method for improving packet transmission and reducing latency in VoIP over WLAN using switched beam antennas having multiple directional antenna beams are disclosed. In an access point having a switched beam antenna, or other smart antenna system, the present invention extends the coverage area of an access point for authentication and association of a new WTRU, extends the access points coverage area during in session transmissions with a WTRU, and adjusts data rates. The method also controls Contention Period (CP)/Contention Free Period (CFP) timing amongst beams emanating from an access point having a switched beam antenna, or other smart antenna system. Fast diversity switching, frame level switching, lowered data rates, and scanning multiple directional antenna beams for the optimum transmission beam are disclosed to improve beam selection and packet transmission. |
| US07917086B2 |
Charger, electronic instrument, and charging system
A charger and an electronic instrument include a planar air-core coil, a magnetic sheet disposed on a side of the planar air-core coil that is opposite to a transmission side, and a housing disposed at a position that faces the transmission side of the planar air-core coil. The housing includes a positioning protrusion that is formed on an inner surface of the housing and positions the planar air-core coil, and a positioning protrusion or a positioning depression formed by an outer surface. |
| US07917081B2 |
Apparatus and method for vehicle system interface
A vehicle system interface, comprising: an antenna for receiving satellite or terrestrial broadcast of digital radio signals; a radio receiver circuit for demodulating and decoding the digital radio signals; a FM audio modulator and transmitter circuit, the FM audio modulator and transmitter circuit being configured to condition and re-transmit audio content of the digital radio signals as a first re-transmitted FM signal containing audio data capable of being transmitted wirelessly; a vehicle bus interface circuit configured to receive and transmit a plurality of operational signals; a housing for the FM audio modulator and transmitter circuit, the radio receiver circuit and the vehicle bus interface; a connector configured to interface with a diagnostic link connector of the vehicle, the connector being in operable communication with the vehicle bus interface circuit; and wherein the vehicle system interface receives and transmits the plurality of operational signals through the diagnostic link connector of the vehicle. |
| US07917078B2 |
Waste collection device and image forming apparatus
A waste collecting device includes a first box including a top surface having a first opening, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and having a second opening, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, and the side surfaces define a space allowing waste to be accommodated therein; a second box including a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and having a third opening, the third opening being in communication with the second opening; and a sending unit disposed in the first box and configured to send the waste in a direction away from the second box. |
| US07917074B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device including a pressure member that presses an endless fixing belt toward a fixing nip portion from the inner circumferential surface side; a sliding sheet that covers the pressure member; and a regulating member arranged on an end part of the sliding sheet for regulating the slack of the sliding sheet. |
| US07917068B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device is disposed facing an image bearing body that bears a latent image. The developing device includes a developer bearing body that bears a developer for developing the latent image. The developer includes mother particles and external additives. A liberation amount T (weight parts) of the external additives liberated from the mother particles with respect to 100 weight parts of the mother particles, a surface roughness Rz (m) of the developer bearing body, and a circumferential speed Vd (mm/s) of the developer bearing body satisfy the following relationships: 1.326×10−1≦T≦2.142×10−1 (weight parts), 7.1×10−6≦Rz≦15.0×10−6 (m), 161.5≦Vd≦189.2 (mm/s), and 4.98×10−6≦(T×Rz/Vd)≦1.99×10−5 (s). |
| US07917065B2 |
Image forming apparatus that collects and filters excess liquid developer
A developing system comprises: a plurality of image carriers; a plurality of developing devices for developing electrostatic latent images, formed on the plurality of image carriers, with respective liquid developers of different colors of which carrier is nonvolatile solvent; and developer collecting means which are disposed at a plurality of locations for collecting excess developers, wherein the developing devices have developer containers, respectively. The developing system further comprises a carrier storing tank for distributing the carrier to the respective developer containers. |
| US07917057B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a front cover having a release member disposed to avoid incorrect operation
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a sheet conveyor and a main body that houses the image forming unit and the sheet conveyor. An operating unit is mounted to a front cover that can move between a closed position to cover an anterior side of the main body and an open position to expose a part of the main body. A retention mechanism retains the front cover at the closed position. The retention mechanism has a lock and a release. The lock is supported by one of the apparatus main body and the front cover and is selectively engageable with and detachable from the other. The release releases engagement of the lock, and is installed posterior to the operating unit in a region facing a back surface as viewed from an opening and closing direction of the front cover. |
| US07917054B2 |
Image developing apparatus and image forming apparatus using the apparatus
An image developing apparatus includes an upper case; a lower case disposed on a lower side of the upper case, and internally housing a developing agent, and having an opening. A photoconductive drum is disposed on the upper case for forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof. A charging roller is disposed on one side of an outer circumference of the photoconductive drum for charging the photoconductive drum. A developing roller having one part is exposed through the opening of the lower case to cooperate with the photoconductive drum for developing the electrostatic latent image. A scattering preventing unit disposed between the photoconductive drum and the developing roller, to prevent scattering of the developing agent supplied by the developing roller. The scattering preventing unit includes a blocking curtain which covers a part of the opening and having one side in contact with the outer circumference of the photoconductive drum. A fixing bracket is provided for supporting the blocking curtain. |
| US07917053B2 |
Image forming and toner cleaning apparatus and method
An image forming apparatus performs an image forming operation and an untransferred toner particles transfer operation. In particular, the image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, the image bearing member having an endless image bearing surface and supported for rotation, a charging member made of a brush provided in contact with the image bearing surface to define a charging region, and a controller. The controller controls the image forming operation in which the toner image is provided to a recording medium and the transfer operation the transfer operation in which the rotation of the image bearing member is halted and then toner particles accumulated in the brush are transferred onto the image bearing surface at the charging region. |
| US07917051B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus wherein a printing medium can be prevented from being stained with toner leaking out of a developing device. As a photosensitive drum rotates in a direction, an air flow in the rotating direction is generated around the photosensitive drum. Guides that define a part of a sheet path are disposed to guide a sheet to between a transfer roller and the photosensitive drum. The guides are located in positions downstream from the developing device and upstream from the transfer roller with respect to the rotating direction of the photosensitive drum and face the photosensitive drum. A fan is disposed to generate an air flow passing below the guides. An air passage for directing part of the air flow generated around the photosensitive drum to the air flow passing below the guides is made in a position upstream from the sheet path and downstream from the developing device with respect to the rotating direction of the photosensitive drum. |
| US07917048B2 |
Image forming apparatus and electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device having magnetic flux regulating section
A fixing member having an outer peripheral surface brought in pressure contact with a sheet, an induction coil along the member, and a high frequency power source section that heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member by supplying an alternating current to the induction coil. A magnetic flux regulating section that restricts the generation of heat in a specified region of the fixing member in the widthwise direction of the sheet is provided. Image regions occupied by the image to be fixed are detected in the widthwise direction of the sheet. Control of specifying the region in which the generation of heat should be restricted for the magnetic flux regulating section is executed so that only regions corresponding to the image regions of the fixing member are substantially heated in the widthwise direction of the sheet, sheet-by-sheet according to the result of detection. |
| US07917047B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a belt member, a stretching member that stretches the inside of the belt member, a transfer member, a fur brush, and a controller. The transfer member presses against the stretching member through the belt member, forming a transfer portion for transferring a first toner image onto a recording material. The controller applies a first voltage of a predetermined polarity to the stretching member to transfer the first tone image onto the recording material. During an ejecting operation, the toner image forming member forms a second toner image which is not transferred to the recording material, and the stretching member is supplied with a second voltage that has the predetermined polarity and an absolute value smaller that an absolute value of the first voltage, and subsequently the fur brush electrostatically cleans the transfer member. |
| US07917045B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus forms high precision full color image by correcting the adhesion quantity of an image visualizing agent and a position shift of a visible image while performing printing process. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer unit; plural photoconductors; plural charging units; plural exposure units; plural developing units; plural first transferring units; and plural second transferring units. The intermediate transfer unit has a correction pattern image formed in a region outside a predetermined maximum document region in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. A detector in the intermediate transfer unit detects the correction pattern image. A correction controller performs correcting, based on detection results of the detector, setting values of one or more of the charging units, the exposure units, and the developing units when a region corresponding to an interval between the visible images passes a position beneath one of the units. |
| US07917044B2 |
Consumable component selection based on operational environment or condition
A consumable component sorting system which make it possible to prolong the service life of a consumable component and reduce cost burdened on a user. An image forming apparatus collects information on its own operational environment or operational condition. A data server estimates a change in characteristics of the consumable component used in the image forming apparatus based on the information on the operational environment or the operational condition of the same collected thereby. A component managing server sorts out a consumable component suited to the operational environment or the operational condition of the image forming apparatus, based on the result of the estimation of the data server. |
| US07917041B2 |
Variable optical attenuator integration into transmitter optical subassemblies
A small-scale VOA system includes a polarization rotator, a voltage multiplier circuit, and at least one transistor. The polarization rotator can be positioned within a TOSA along the emission axis of a corresponding optical signal source in addition to one or more polarizers. A microcontroller provides a first low voltage control signal to a voltage multiplier to generate a large voltage DC signal which is provided to the transistor. The transistor modulates the large voltage signal with a second control signal from the microcontroller to generate a large voltage AC signal for driving the polarization rotator. The polarization rotation of the polarization rotator can be altered depending on the applied large-voltage AC signal. As a result, the polarization rotator and one or more polarizers can variably attenuate signals emitted by the optical signal source or act as a shutter. |
| US07917039B1 |
Signal processing using spectrally phase-encoded optical frequency combs
Methods, apparatus and systems for an optical system for data harvesting and pattern recognition. The system includes a mode locked laser for producing a comb of optical frequencies that is split into two identical combs, a wavelength division demultiplexer separate the individual optical frequency components of one comb and modulates each optical frequency component with a different one of plural target objects. A second modulator modulates an input signal with the second comb and an optical splitter splits the modulated signal into plural optical frequency components each containing the input signal. An optical combiner simultaneously combines the components containing the real time signal with one of the components containing a target object to produce a temporally modulated interferogram, and a comparator simultaneously compares the two on a comb by comb basis using balanced differential detection to determine any of the plural target objects are found in the input signal. |
| US07917029B2 |
Camera system and method for controlling the same
An automatic-lens-connection-type camera system, which detects insertion of a lens unit into a mount part and automatically screws a mount connector to connect the lens unit with the mount part, and a method for controlling the camera system. The camera system includes a body, a lens module mounted to be attachable to and detachable from the body, a lens module insertion part mounted on a surface of the lens module that faces the body, and a mount part for detecting insertion of the lens module into the body to mount the lens module insertion part on the body. |
| US07917021B2 |
Portable apparatus
A portable apparatus, comprising a first detector, a second detector, and a controller, is provided. The portable apparatus has a photographing function. The first detector detects a movement in a first direction. The second detector detects a second direction. The second direction is different from the first direction. The controller switches the running and suspension of a first and second function according to the combination of movements in the first and second directions. The first and second functions are different from each other. |
| US07917012B2 |
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. |
| US07917009B2 |
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. |
| US07917004B2 |
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. |
| US07917000B2 |
Video recording apparatus, multiplexing method, picture encoding method, program, and recording medium for variable frame-rate recording
A video recording apparatus provides a slow motion effect or a quick motion effect by digitally converting the frame-rate instead of by changing the playback speed of the film, and using few recording media without requiring any special device at playing. A picture encoding part encodes only valid frames by changing a rate-controlling method so that a predetermined playing frame-rate is obtained at a standard data-rate at playing. And a TS multiplexing part multiplexes by converting a frequency of a standard STC clock by only a ratio of valid frame-rate and playing frame-rate, and generating values for PCR, PTS, and DTS. |
| US07916998B2 |
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. |
| US07916991B2 |
Optical fiber having cladding scattering centers
In an optical fiber (1) for the transmission of high-power laser radiation, with a fiber core (2), with an inner fiber cladding (3) surrounding the fiber core (2) for carrying the laser radiation in the fiber core (2), with a first outer fiber cladding (4) surrounding the inner fiber cladding (3), which has a smaller refractive index than the inner fiber cladding (3) as a result of longitudinally aligned air-filled capillaries (5), and with a second outer fiber cladding (6) surrounding the first outer fiber cladding (4), wherein the first outer fiber cladding (4) has a capillary-free longitudinal section (8), the second outer fiber cladding (6) has according to the invention scattering centers (7) at least in the region of the capillary-free longitudinal section (8) for scattering the laser radiation emerging from the inner fiber cladding (3) along the capillary-free longitudinal section (8). |
| US07916990B2 |
Optical fiber bundle and method of manufacturing the same
A plurality of optical fibers are bundled, and the fiber bundle is cut at a part of a mouthpiece which is fixed on an intermediate part of the fiber bundle. Thus, the fiber bundle is divided into a first optical fiber bundle and a second optical fiber bundle. Division surfaces of the first and second optical fiber bundles have the same properties and condition since the first and second optical fiber bundles are formed of the fiber bundle that is obtained by bundling the same optical fibers. The first optical fiber bundle is assembled in an insertion section of an endoscope and the second optical fiber bundle is assembled in a flexible tube, and a first light guide in the insertion section of the endoscope and a second light guide in the flexible tube are formed. Thereby, a separable light transmission path of the light guide is formed. |
| US07916985B2 |
Integrated visible pilot beam for non-visible optical waveguide devices
In one embodiment, a radiation based analysis system comprises a first radiation source to generate first radiation having a wavelength outside the visible spectrum, a second radiation source to generate second radiation having a wavelength within the visible spectrum, and a waveguide coupler to couple a portion of the first radiation and a portion of the second radiation into a combined radiation beam such that the first radiation and the second radiation follow a path that is substantially coaxial. |
| US07916984B2 |
Opto-electric bus module and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are an opto-electric bus module and a method of manufacturing the opto-electric bus module. The opto-electric bus module includes an opto-electric interconnection unit where a concave-shaped micro structure is formed on a lower surface of a polymer structure and an optical bench where a convex-shaped micro structure is formed in a position corresponding to the concave-shaped micro structure, at least one second electric interconnection for electric connection with a semiconductor chip is formed, and the semiconductor chip and an opto-electric device can be mounted. Thus, automatic, efficient, high-speed, and high-integration optical communication and electric communication between multi-chips can be completed at the same time by using the opto-bus module which provides low-speed electric communication while manually maintaining solid optical coupling. |
| US07916983B2 |
Signal identifying apparatus for an optical fiber
Provided is a signal identifying apparatus for an optical fiber that includes a detecting portion capable of detecting a signal originating from a first end of the optical fiber and a signal originating from a second end of the optical fiber. Additionally, the signal identifying apparatus includes an identifying portion that identifies a desired signal by separating the signal originating from the first end of the optical fiber from the signal originating from the second end of the optical fiber. |
| US07916982B1 |
All fiber magneto-optic on-off switch for networking applications
An integrated fiber optic switch based on the magneto-optic effect of magnetic materials suitable for optical fiber networks is presented. The switch is based on the Faraday Effect exhibited by magneto-optic materials. The all-fiber magneto-optic switch has a beam splitter at the input that splits an incoming signal into orthogonal polarized paths. Each path has at least one magneto-optic Faraday rotator (MOFR) controlled by a field. When the field is present, the polarization of the optical beam changes, thereby turning the switch on or off. A beam coupler couples the orthogonal polarized paths at the output of the all-fiber magneto-optic switch. The switch is constructed in the Mach-Zehnder configuration, utilizing two 3 dB couplers, isolators and MOFRs fabricated on silicon-on-insulator. |
| US07916978B2 |
Sensing device for sensing a position within a region
A sensing device for sensing a region provided on or in a surface having at least one region. The at least one region having printed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the at least one region, and visible information at least some of the information being at least partially related to the at least one region. The sensing device includes a sensor for sensing at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the at least one region and generating indicating data. The indicating data is at least partially indicative of the identity of the at least one region and at least one of movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the at least one region. The sensing device includes a communicator configured to communicate the indicating data to a computer system. |
| US07916977B2 |
Data processing apparatus, data processing method and recording medium
A group of input image data is determined based on the distance between images of a number of representative faces, prepared from plural templates, and the input image data (correlative values C1 to C5). The number of representative faces is smaller than the number of the templates. An angle of the input image is calculated based on the so-determined group. |
| US07916976B1 |
Facial based image organization and retrieval method
Embodiments of the invention include a system and set of processes for organizing image collections. The system detects individuals in each image uploaded into the system using facial recognition or similar methods. The user and viewers of the images may then view dynamic albums based on the interrelationships of individuals in images. Users and viewers may browse all images with an individual or see albums of images with two selected individuals or similar combinations based on the relationships between users. |
| US07916974B2 |
Processing device, processing method and computer readable medium
A processing device has plural processing modules executing a processing; and plural connectors each having a linking section, an associating section, and a controller. The linking section is able to link with at least one other connector at an input side or an output side. The associating section associates the connector with one of the processing modules. In accordance with a linked state, the controller controls the processing module associated by the associating section. |
| US07916973B2 |
Image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a processing program for permitting a computer to perform image processing routines
In order to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method whereby a high quality output image can be consistently obtained, regardless of the order in which an operator sets the parameters for the performance of filtering, (I) a GUI module (9a) stores, in an input value storage area (9p) of a RAM, reference signs that are employed for first to fourth processes for the filtering of reduced image data, and (II) a filtering module (9f) refers to the reference signs in the input value storage area (9p) when performing the first to the fourth processes for the filtering of input image data, and obtains output image data. |
| US07916967B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
The prevent invention can prevent roughness in an image and reduce contouring and coding distortion in the image. The image processing apparatus according to the present invention reduces distortion in an input image, and includes: a masking signal generating unit 101 that generates a masking signal for reducing the distortion; and a masking signal adding unit 102 that adds the masking signal to the input image, wherein the masking signal generating unit 101 includes: a level difference processing unit 105 that smoothes a level difference between pixel values of pixels in the input image; a difference calculating unit 106 that calculates a difference between the input image and an image which has been processed by the level difference processing unit 105; and a random number setting unit 108 that sets an amplitude, creates a is random number having the set amplitude, the amplitude decreasing, as the difference approaches a predetermined value. |
| US07916966B2 |
System and method for contrast extension adjustment and overflow compensation of image signal
This invention provides a system and method for image signal contrast extension and overflow compensation. The system includes contrast extension and overflow compensation look-up tables, an image gray level boundary determining unit, a contrast extension unit, an overflow judging unit, and an overflow compensation unit. The image gray level boundary determining unit defines a maximum and a minimum among the gray levels of the pixels of an image signal and calculates the difference. The contrast extension unit selects corresponding parameter from the contrast extension table for contrast extension of a given image pixel. The overflow judging unit judges whether the pixels are overflowed. The overflow compensation unit compensates the pixel. When a pixel is overflowed, the overflow compensation unit selects, according to the gray level of the pixel, a corresponding overflow compensation parameter to reduce the gray level to overcome the problem of overflow. |
| US07916963B2 |
Method and apparatus for an intuitive digital image processing system that enhances digital images
The present invention introduces an intuitive system for digital processing. The system of the present invention allows a user to enhance digital images that appear dark or dull. In one embodiment, the user activates an image enhancement button on a graphical user interface using cursor control device such as a mouse button. In one embodiment, the digital image enhancement system is implemented using a nonlinear brightness level transformation correction and a pseudo gamma correction. The parameters for both the nonlinear brightness level transformation correction and a pseudo gamma correction are determined from examining the properties of the image to be enhanced. |
| US07916962B2 |
Data transforming apparatus and control method thereof
This invention implements a fast lossless transform almost free from a delay with a small calculation amount. The lossless transform can be used to perform lossless coding and lossy coding quickly. A first calculation unit multiplies data D0, D1, D2, and D3 input to the input terminals by respective weighting coefficients {a0, a1, a2, a3} of {½, −½, −½, −½}, and summates the products. A rounding unit in the first calculation unit rounds the sum into an integer and outputs the integer value E. A second calculation unit multiplies the value E by weighting coefficients {b0, b1, b2, b3} of {−1, 1, 1, 1} set for the respective input data, and adds the products to the respective input data. This invention sets, for the relationship between the first and second weighting coefficients, a condition that a0*b0+a1*b1+a2*b2+a3*b3=−2 or 0. |
| US07916961B2 |
Compression encoder, compression encoding method and program
A rate control unit performs data truncation on a code sequence having been sorted and bit shifted as shown in FIG. 10 so that a desired noise reduction effect is achieved. The data truncation occurs in sequence from the rightmost bit. For example, in FIG. 10, data is truncated from data of bit 0 in a subband VHL4 downwardly in sequence through data of bit 0 in a subband YHH5, and so on. If the desired noise reduction effect can be achieved by truncation of up to bit data in the subband YHH1, data in those subbands in a dotted area in FIG. 10 will be truncated. If the desired noise reduction effect cannot be achieved by truncation of up to bit data in the subband YHH1, data will then be truncated from data of bit 0 in a subband VLL4 downwardly in sequence. |
| US07916960B2 |
Compression encoder, compression encoding method and program
A rate control unit performs data truncation on a code sequence having been sorted and bit shifted as shown in FIG. 10 so that a desired noise reduction effect is achieved. The data truncation occurs in sequence from the rightmost bit. For example, in FIG. 10, data is truncated from data of bit 0 in a subband VHL4 downwardly in sequence through data of bit 0 in a subband YHH5, and so on. If the desired noise reduction effect can be achieved by truncation of up to bit data in the subband YHH1, data in those subbands in a dotted area in FIG. 10 will be truncated. If the desired noise reduction effect cannot be achieved by truncation of up to bit data in the subband YHH1, data will then be truncated from data of bit 0 in a subband VLL4 downwardly in sequence. |
| US07916957B2 |
Line noise eliminating apparatus, line noise eliminating method, and line noise eliminating program
To provide a line noise eliminating apparatus and the like, with which the picture quality of the area that has no line noise is not deteriorated, and a line noise having no periodicity can be eliminated. The line noise eliminating apparatus includes: an image binarizing device which generates a binary image by an input image; a line noise reliability calculating device which calculates an edge feature quantity for each of black-pixel consecutive areas in the rotated images, and calculates line noise reliability based on the edge feature quantities; a line noise area determining device which determines the line noise areas that correspond to each of the rotation angle candidates based on the line noise reliability; a density converting device which generates a density-converted image by applying local image enhancement on an area that corresponds to the line noise area of the input image so as to generate a density-converted image. |
| US07916953B2 |
Removable medium device, medium for controlling removable medium device, and medium for controlling network device
A removable medium device, configured to transmit information stored in a removable medium via a network based on a predetermined communication protocol, includes a reduced image generating system that reduces each of a plurality of original images in the removable medium and generate a reduced screen image in which the plurality of reduced images are arranged, an image file generating system that generates an image file including the reduced screen image and image specifying information for specifying an original image in the removable medium for each of the plurality of reduced images, an image file sending system that sends the image file via the network, and an original image sending system that, in response to receiving image specifying information by which one of the plurality of original images in the removable medium is specified, sends the original image specified by the received image specifying information. |
| US07916950B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus thereof
An image processing method is disclosed for processing a first and a second image area of a video frame or a video field. The image processing method includes performing a first operation on the first image area wherein the first operation corresponds to a first criterion, performing a first image processing procedure on the first image area according to the result of the first operation so as to update the first image area, performing a second operation on the second image area wherein the second operation corresponds to a second criterion, and performing a second image processing procedure on the second image area according to the result of the second operation so as to update the second image area. |
| US07916949B2 |
Method of inspecting granular material and inspection device for conducting that method
A method of inspecting granular material and an inspection device for conducting that method, wherein agents (10a, 10b) to be inspected are imaged, the pixel value of each pixel of images thus picked up is digitized, a plurality of reference points are dispersed along the outlines of massive regions corresponding to the agents (10a, 10b) in digital images, the numbers of other reference points that can be viewed through massive regions from individual reference points are counted, a reference point giving a minimum counted value is extracted as a base point, and the number of these base points is counted as the number of granular materials. Accordingly, the number of granular materials can be counted accurately even if a plurality of granular materials to be inspected overlap each other, are in contact with each other, or any agent having a groove in one surface is erected. |
| US07916948B2 |
Character recognition device, mobile communication system, mobile terminal device, fixed station device, character recognition method and character recognition program
Words possibly included in a scene image shot by a mobile camera can be efficiently extracted using a word dictionary or a map database. Positional information acquiring means 101 measures a current position of the device to acquire positional information. Directional information acquiring means 102 detects a direction of the device to acquire directional information. Character recognizing means 104 determines a range of shooting of a scene image based on the current positional information and the directional information. The character recognizing means 104 extracts from a map database 103 information such as store names, building names, and place names associated with positions in the shooting range. Then the character recognizing means 104 conducts character recognition using word knowledge such as the extracted store names, building names, and place names. |
| US07916940B2 |
Processing of mosaic digital images
A full color output image is estimated from a mosaic digital image, the output image is transformed from an original color space into a luminance/chrominance color space, chrominance components of the transformed output image are smoothed, the image is re-transformed back to its original color space, and corresponding pixels in the re-transformed image are re-set to sampled values. |
| US07916937B2 |
Image processing device having color shift correcting function, image processing program and electronic camera
An image processing device performs image processing to an image represented by a plurality of color component planes and includes a correction unit and an erroneous correction detection unit. The correction unit corrects a color shift in the image. The erroneous correction detection unit judges that the correction unit has made an erroneous correction by comparing the images before and after the correction. More preferably, the erroneous correction detection unit judges the erroneous correction when a chrominance of a portion to be processed of the image after the correction is not within an allowable range which is set using the image before the correction as a reference. |
| US07916935B2 |
Systems and methods for automatically determining 3-dimensional object information and for controlling a process based on automatically-determined 3-dimensional object information
An image containing one or more types of objects to be located is analyzed to locate linear features within the image. The objects have edges having known spatial relationships. The linear features and identified virtual lines are analyzed to find groups of linear features and/or virtual lines that have one of the known spatial relationships. These relationships can include parallel edges, edges that meet at certain angles or angle ranges, the number of lines meeting a vertex and the like. The identified group is compared with projected 2-dimensional representation(s) of the object(s) to determine whether any additional lines appear in the image that are part of the located object. In various exemplary embodiments, two or more hypotheses for how the identified group of linear features maps to the 3-dimensional representation of the object can be generated. The best fitting hypothesis becomes the recognized 3-dimensional shape and orientation for that object. |
| US07916933B2 |
Automatic target recognition system for detection and classification of objects in water
A method of detecting objects in water, comprises the steps of capturing a plurality of images of a region of interest, extracting voxel data from the images, and processing the voxel data to detect items of interest in the region of interest. An apparatus that performs the method is also included. |
| US07916927B2 |
Inspection method and apparatus, lithographic apparatus, lithographic processing cell and device manufacturing method
Building of a model profile for a target is disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes importing an image of a known object and superimposing, on this image, either by hand or automatically, an estimated profile. The estimated profile is defined mathematically and adjusted segment by segment in order to match the image such that the adjusted estimated profile may be stored alongside a diffraction spectrum associated with the image. Alternatively or additionally, a user may trace (or free-draw) the profile of a known image and subsequently map a shape-definer of a mathematical function such as a polynomial equation, a spline or a vector onto the estimated profile in order to obtain a profile and one or more variables of that profile that may be used to reconstruct the profile of an unknown object from its diffraction pattern. |
| US07916925B2 |
System and method for generating magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) testing documents
A system and method for accessing data to generate documents for use in MICR line testing. The system comprises a MICR testing station for testing MICR processing. The MICR testing station comprises a MICR line testing module for generating at least one MICR testing document for use in testing MICR processing. The MICR line testing module further comprises: (1) an application determination module for determining an application based on a bank selection provided by a tester, (2) a routing/transit number determination module for determining a routing/transit number based on the bank and the application determined, and (3) a tran code determination module for determining a tran code based on the routing/transit number determined; and at least one client station connected to the MICR testing station via a communications network, the at least one client station being used by at least one tester to provide particulars about at least one MICR line. |
| US07916924B2 |
Color processing method for identification of areas within an image corresponding to monetary banknotes
A color processing method for identification of areas within an image corresponding to monetary banknotes includes dividing the image into a plurality of sections; extracting color histogram data for each section; assigning a color vector for each section according to the color histogram data for the section; comparing the color vector for each section to a color lookup table to determine a probability of the section corresponding to monetary banknotes; and selecting probable sections having the probability exceeding a first predetermined threshold. |
| US07916923B2 |
Medical image forming method and apparatus with grayscale conversion processing
In an image forming apparatus, an isolated shadow is extracted from image data, and a feature amount is calculated from the extracted isolated shadow. The grayscale conversion characteristic is changed on the basis of the calculated feature amount. Grayscale conversion of the image data is executed on the basis of the changed grayscale conversion characteristic. |
| US07916919B2 |
System and method for segmenting chambers of a heart in a three dimensional image
A system and method for segmenting chambers of a heart in three dimensional images is disclosed. A set of three dimensional images of a heart is received. The shape of the heart in the three dimensional images is localized. Boundaries of the chambers of the heart in the localized shape are identified using steerable features. |
| US07916918B2 |
Diagnostic system for multimodality mammography
A method includes acquiring first imaging information of a region of interest, said first imaging information providing data correlated to three spatial dimensions of a reference frame including said region of interest; acquiring second projection imaging information of said region of interest, said second imaging information providing data correlated to said reference frame but is lacking information concerning at least one spatial dimension; and processing said first and second imaging information such that said first imaging information is registered with said second imaging information. An apparatus includes a first imaging system for acquiring imaging information of a region of interest, said first imaging information providing data correlated to three spatial dimensions of a reference frame including said region of interest; a second imaging system for acquiring second imaging information of said region of interest, said second imaging information providing data correlated to said reference frame but is lacking information concerning at least one spatial dimension; and a processor for processing said first and second imaging information such that said first imaging information is registered with said second imaging information. |
| US07916915B2 |
Image handling and display in x-ray mammography and tomosynthesis
A method and system for acquiring, processing, storing, and displaying x-ray mammograms Mp tomosynthesis images Tr representative of breast slices, and x-ray tomosynthesis projection images Tp taken at different angles to a breast, where the Tr images are reconstructed from Tp images. |
| US07916912B2 |
Efficient border extraction of image feature
Method of segmenting mammography image comprising steps of: scanning along row from outermost pixel towards the breast and comparing grayscale gradient across adjacent pixels until a significant gradient is determined; confirming that variation in gradient indicates a first true boundary pixel by ascertaining gradient across subsequent pixels is still significant;iteratively repeating steps of: (i) scanning next adjacent line in vicinity of boundary pixel, and (ii) determining the boundary pixel of adjacent line by variation in grayscale intensity gradient along row (iii) until failure to find subsequent pixel occurs and (iv) attempting scanning horizontally by repeating steps (i) and (ii), and, if attempt fails, extrapolating to edge of image or to first line, until having determined boundary around the feature to one side of first line; repeating steps (i) to (iv) on other side of line until boundary of breast on the other side of the line is determined. |
| US07916911B2 |
System and method for digital tooth imaging
Method and system for managing multiple impressions of a patient's jaw for an orthodontic treatment is provided. The method includes scanning at least a first impression and a second impression of same jaw for the orthodontic treatment; determining if the first jaw impression and the second jaw impression have distortion in different areas; selecting the first jaw impression or the second jaw impression as a base impression; and replacing a distorted tooth data from the base impression with data for the same tooth from a non-base impression. The method also includes scanning at least a first jaw impression for the orthodontic treatment; scanning a bite impression for the orthodontic treatment; matching the scanned first jaw impression with the scanned bite impression; comparing bite information with a tooth occlusal surface; and determining if reconstruction is to be performed on the tooth occlusal surface. |
| US07916910B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
An image of an individual (2) is obtained via a digital camera (1). The RGB image data is then processed to derive from the image data data representative of the distribution of chromophores resulting in the appearance of the individual (2). A calculated chromophore distribution is then utilised to derive a revised chromophore distribution representing the effect of the desired cosmetic or surgical intervention or medical condition. This chromophore distribution is then processed to generate an output image (34) illustrating the expected result of that intervention. The generated image (34) can be displayed simultaneously with an original image (33) so that the extent of expected improvement can be determined. |
| US07916909B2 |
Method and means for image processing
A method and means enabling identification in an NMR image, being one of a time-sequence of images recording induced changes in pixel values of successive images of a subject (such as post-contrast dynamic images), the contribution to the image arising from the presence within the image subject of a specified tissue (e.g. fat). This identification is done using a statistical measure derived from the dynamic data (e.g. pixel value changes due to contrast agent uptake) taken from a plurality of the separate images forming the time-sequence. |
| US07916907B2 |
System and methods for transforming biometric image data to a consistent angle of inclination
Biometric data are obtained through a biometric input device (120) and subsequently pixelated via a pixelator (130). The pixelator (130) creates an image of the biometric data. Via a processing unit (110), a relationship between pixels of a transformed version of the image is asserted. Thus, the biometric data is rotated to a consistent inclination based on the relationship between pixels regardless of an orientation in which the biometric data were captured in the original image. Once the image has been transformed, features of the biometric data may be extracted and either stored in a data storage unit (140) or compared with previously stored feature values for validation of the biometric data. |
| US07916904B2 |
Face region detecting device, method, and computer readable recording medium
An image capturing section captures a face of an observed person. A position detecting section detects, from a face image expressing the face captured by the image capturing section, one of a position expressing a characteristic of a nose and a position expressing a characteristic of a region between eyebrows. A computing section computes a past relative position of a predetermined region of the face that is based on the position detected in the past by the position detecting section. A region position detecting section detects a position of the predetermined region on the basis of the past relative position computed by the computing section and the current position detected by the position detecting section. |
| US07916902B2 |
Album creating apparatus, album creating method, and album creating program
An album creating apparatus which allows coloring parts other than a captured image in the album suited to a person included in the captured image and an album viewer based on an age of the person included in the captured image and an age of the album viewer. The album creating apparatus includes: an age identifying unit for identifying an age of a person included in a captured image composing the album or an age of a person viewing the album; a color selecting unit for selecting color used for parts other than the captured image in the album based on the age identified by the age identifying unit; and a coloring unit for coloring parts other than the captured image in the album using the color selected by the color selecting unit. |
| US07916901B2 |
Method and apparatus for searching biometric image data
A method for matching biometric data is disclosed. A biometric information source is sensed to provide an image thereof. The image is then analysed to extract features thereform. A feature is selected as a first feature and a plurality of polygons are generated with a location of the first feature as a vertex of each. The polygons are then used to search a lookup table in order to determine an orientation and translation of the image relative to stored reference data. |
| US07916896B2 |
Storage medium having information processing program stored thereon and information processing apparatus
A motion information obtaining step successively obtains motion information from a motion sensor. An imaging information obtaining step successively obtains imaging information from an imaging means. An invalid information determination step determines whether the imaging information is valid information or invalid information for predetermined processing. A motion value calculation step calculates a motion value representing a magnitude of a motion of the operation apparatus in accordance with the motion information. A processing step executes, when the imaging information is determined as the invalid information in the invalid information determination step and when the motion value calculated in the motion calculation step is within a predetermined value range, predetermined processing in accordance with most recent valid imaging information among valid imaging information previously obtained. |
| US07916894B1 |
Summary of a video using faces
A plurality of sets of face images associated with a video is obtained. Each set of face images corresponds to a particular person depicted in the video. Of the people associated with the plurality of sets of face images, one or more of those people are selected to be included in a facial summary by analyzing the plurality of sets of face images and/or the video. For each of the selected one or more people, a face image to use in the facial summary is selected. The facial summary is laid out using the selected face images. |
| US07916891B2 |
Apparatus for measurement of floating body posture of person wearing life jacket
Taught herein is an apparatus for measurement of floating body posture of a person wearing a life jacket, comprising a backpack frame having a plurality of reference points, an image collecting system, and an image processing system; wherein the image collecting system collects image sequence information of the person wearing the life jacket via the reference points; the image processing system processes the image sequence information, so as to obtain the dynamics of a movement of the person and the quasi-static parameters of such movement. The system is capable of reflecting the dynamics of a movement of a body in water and the quasi-static parameters thereof. |
| US07916889B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing including a top wall, a keyboard supported on the top wall, and a speaker contained in the housing. A region of the top wall positioned on the front side of the keyboard comprises a palm-rest surface on which a user's hand is to be placed, and a speaker exposure surface including an opening part exposing the speaker to an outside of the housing. The speaker exposure surface is depressed and lower than the palm-rest surface. |
| US07916888B2 |
In-ear headphones
An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber including a reactive element and a resistive element in parallel, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.A cushion includes a first material and a second material and is formed into a first region and a second region. The first region defines an exterior surface shaped to fit the concha of a human ear. The second region defines an exterior surface shaped to fit the ear canal of a human ear. The first and second regions together define an interior surface shaped to accommodate an earphone. The first material occupies a volume adjacent to the interior surface. The second material occupies a volume between the first material and the first and second outer surfaces. The first and second materials are of different hardnesses. |
| US07916886B1 |
Microphone with low frequency noise shunt
The present invention provides for a microphone. The microphone includes a housing, a port disposed in the housing leading to an interior chamber, and a diaphragm with a first side and a second side. The first side of the diaphragm faces the port. The microphone includes a shunt channel from the port to the second side of the diaphragm. The shunt channel receives a wind noise signal to reduce the effects of the wind noise signal on the diaphragm. |
| US07916883B2 |
Hearing aid with battery door
The invention comprises a hearing aid with a casing and a battery with a battery access door in the casing. According to the invention: the door is hingedly connected to the casing to allow a pivotal motion between the battery door and the casing, a flexible locking latch having a proximal end and a distal end is provided in either casing or battery door, the distal end of the flexible locking latch is arranged to flex along a path in order to release the battery door when an opening force is applied to the door, and an arrest pin is insertable in the moving path of the distal part of the flexible locking latch to block the movement of the latch when a child-resistant battery enclosure is desired. |
| US07916882B2 |
Hearing aid with automatic switching between modes of operation
The present application relates to a hearing aid, especially a hearing aid with multiple modes of operation and efficient switching between these modes of operation. The hearing aid comprises means for performing a first mode of operation, means for performing a second mode of operation, first and second quality measuring means for providing first and second quality measures corresponding to the first and second modes of operation, respectively, and selecting means for automatically selecting one of said first and second modes of operation by applying a predetermined selection criterion to the first and second quality measures, and wherein the selecting means is programmed to select the mode of operation for which the estimated quality measure is largest when the difference between the first and second quality measures exceeds a predetermined threshold value. |
| US07916878B2 |
Acoustic device and method of making acoustic device
An acoustic device comprising a diaphragm (10) having an area and having an operating frequency range and the diaphragm (10) being such that it has resonant modes in the operating frequency range, an electromechanical transducer having a drive part coupled to the diaphragm (10) and adapted to exchange energy with the diaphragm, and at least one mechanical impedance means (20,22,24) coupled to or integral with the diaphragm, the positioning and mass of the drive part (26) of the transducer and of the at least one mechanical impedance means (20,22,24) being such that the net transverse modal velocity over the area of the diaphragm (10) tends to zero.A method of making an acoustic device having a diaphragm having an area and having an operating frequency range which includes the piston-to-modal transition, comprising choosing the diaphragm parameters such that it has resonant modes in the operating frequency range, coupling a drive part of an electro-mechanical transducer to the diaphragm to exchange energy with the diaphragm, adding at least one mechanical impedance means to the diaphragm, and selecting the positioning and mass of the drive part of the transducer and the positioning and parameters of the at least one mechanical impedance means so that the net transverse modal velocity over the area tends to zero. |
| US07916876B1 |
System and method for reconstructing high frequency components in upsampled audio signals using modulation and aliasing techniques
A system and method is disclosed for reconstructing high frequency components of a digital audio signal using a harmonic enhancer in a baseband integrated circuit of a receiver handset. The original spectrum of the digital audio signal is upsampled in a times two (2) upsample unit to double the size of the bandwidth. A low pass filter then removes a high frequency alias of the original spectrum. The spectrum is then modulated with a first carrier frequency and sent to a first filter bank where a low pass filter and a high pass filter shape the modulated harmonic spectrum. After gain adjustment, the modulated harmonic spectrum is added to a delayed version of the original spectrum. Additional harmonic spectra are similarly created at other carrier frequencies and added to the audio output spectra to reconstruct high frequency components of the audio signal. |
| US07916871B2 |
Technique for split knowledge backup and recovery of a cryptographic key
In a secure cryptographic environment, a private key in a private/public key cryptographic scheme needs to be backed up and recovered in case of a loss or corruption of the private key. To back up the private key, multiple key segments are generated based on the private key which are distributed to a corresponding number of trusted individuals, each of whom has knowledge of only his or her key segment. The key can be restored only when all of the trusted individuals provide the respective key segments, based on which the original private key is reconstructed. In addition, each trusted individual is uniquely identifiable by a personal identification number. Advantageously, the private key which is secret can be backed up and restored without any individual having knowledge of the full key. |
| US07916867B2 |
Content receiving apparatus
A content receiving apparatus, capable of resuming transmission of a content without assigning a new key even when transmission of the content is suspended, is provided. A content receiving apparatus is an apparatus which receives contents. The content receiving apparatus includes: a key exchange unit which exchanges, with a content transmitting apparatus for transmitting a content, a key which is to be used in encrypting a content and which is valid only for a prescribed period; a reception unit which receives the content encrypted by using the key; a detection unit which detects when a time during which the key is not used reaches a prescribed time; and a transmission unit which transmits, to the content transmitting apparatus, information for not making the key invalid, when it is detected that the time during which the key is not is used has reached the prescribed time. |
| US07916866B2 |
Apparatus for descrambling a data retrieved from an optical storage medium, and method therefor
An apparatus for descrambling a data retrieved from an optical storage medium comprises a decoder, a memory and a descramble engine. The decoder decodes the data and generates address information corresponding to an address on the optical storage medium, wherein the address responding to a part of the data having been decoded. The memory stores the address information and the part of the data. The descramble engine continuously descrambles the part of the data by retrieving the address information. A method for descrambling a data retrieved from an optical storage medium comprises the following steps: decoding the data; generating address information corresponding to an address on the optical storage medium; storing the address information and a part of the data having been corrected; and descrambling the part of the data continuously by retrieving the address information after the data decoding is interrupted. |
| US07916863B2 |
Security printing method and system for enhancing security printing
A security printing method includes generating a security file having a plurality of metadata fields and an information field concatenated together in an initial sequence. A security file identification is generated from the plurality of metadata fields and the information field. The security file identification corresponds to the initial sequence and is a one-way function of the plurality of metadata fields and the information field. The method further includes selecting a custom scrambling technique based on the security file identification, and scrambling the initial sequence using the selected custom scrambling technique, thereby creating a scrambled sequence of the plurality of metadata field and the information field. |
| US07916862B2 |
Stegotext encoder and decoder
The invention comprises an encoder for encoding a stegotext and a decoder for decoding the encoded stegotext, the stegotext being generated by modulating the log power spectrogram of a covertext signal with at least one key, the or each key having been added or subtracted in the log domain to the covertext power spectrogram in accordance with the data of the watermark code with which the stegotext was generated, and the modulated power spectrogram having been returned into the original domain of the covertext. The decoder carries out Fast Fourier Transformation and rectangular polar conversion of the stegotext signal so as to transform the stegotext signal into the log power spectrogram domain; subtracts in the log power domain positive and negative multiples of the key or keys from blocks of the log power spectrogram and evaluates the probability of the results of such subtractions representing an unmodified block of covertext in accordance with a predetermined statistical model. |
| US07916861B2 |
System and method for establishing secondary channels
A method for establishing a secondary communication channel between at least two computing devices over a network medium through use of a primary channel connects a first computing device with a first telephonic unit and a second computing device with a second telephonic unit. If the two telephonic units are in communication with each other over a primary channel, and communication channels are established between the computing devices and their respective telephonic units, then the first computing device transmits its location information to the second computing device over the primary channel. A connection is then established between the second computing device and the first computing device over a secondary communication channel. |
| US07916859B2 |
System and method for obtaining telecommunication access numbers
A method for determining a user intended number from a partial phone number includes steps for receiving a partial phone number, determining whether the partial phone number corresponds with at least one database number based on at least one selected criteria list and performing a system action based on the determination. The method may include prioritizing a list of database numbers that correspond to the partial number. |
| US07916850B2 |
IMS subscriber access control
A method of controlling subscriber access to SIP-based services facilitated by an IP Multimedia Subsystem. The method comprises defining at a Serving Call Session Control Function node at least one default screening trigger, and downloading from a Home Subscriber Subsystem, specific screening triggers allocated to at least certain subscribers. At the Serving Call Session Control Function node, at least certain SIP messages originating at subscriber terminals are intercepted and, for each intercepted message and in the absence of a matching specific screening trigger, the default trigger is activated so as to cause the SIP message to be forwarded to a specific SIP application service. |
| US07916849B2 |
Systems and methods for managing the gating of microphones in a multi-pod conference system
This disclosure describes a method of gating a multi-pod conferencing system for local conference participants to communicate with remote conference participants that includes providing a plurality of pods where an individual pod connects to one or more plurality of pods through a data communication means. The individual pods further include: pod processor means, digital to analog converter means, analog to digital converting means, virtual microphone means, pod echo cancellation means, and microphone gating means. The disclosed method further includes providing a base unit that uses data communication means and base controller means. The disclosed method further includes the computed values of the pod gating means being distributed to other pods to gate the pods on and or off. |
| US07916841B2 |
Method and apparatus for joint detection
A joint detection system and associated methods are provided. The joint detection system is configured to perform joint detection of received signals and includes a joint detector accelerator and a programmable digital signal processor (DSP). The joint detector accelerator is configured to perform front-end processing of first data inputted to the joint detector accelerator and output second data resulting from the front-end processing. The joint detector accelerator is further configured to perform back-end processing using at least third data inputted to the joint detector accelerator. The programmable DSP is coupled to the joint detector accelerator, and the programmable DSP is programmed to perform at least one intermediate processing operation using the second data outputted by the joint detector accelerator. The programmable DSP is further programmed to output the third data resulting from the intermediate processing operation to the joint detector accelerator. |
| US07916837B2 |
Grid control system for eliminating soft radiation emissions from an X-ray tube
A system and method for controlling the radiation emissions from an x-ray tube having an anode, a cathode, and a grid is disclosed. The system and method uses a continuous high voltage across the cathode and the anode of the x-ray tube, so that a high voltage is continuously applied to the x-ray tube between the cathode and the anode. The flow of electrons between the cathode and the anode is then controlled by a pulsed high voltage to the grid, the pulsed high voltage being of substantially the same magnitude as the continuous high voltage and being switched at a frequency of about one microsecond to provide alternate the polarity of the switched high voltage to the grid, so that voltage between the cathode and the anode is switched by the voltage applied to the grid by the source of pulsed high voltage, so that soft radiation emissions from the x-ray tube are minimized or eliminated. |
| US07916824B2 |
Loop bandwidth enhancement technique for a digital PLL and a HF divider that enables this technique
A method of operating a phase locked loop (FIG. 5) for a wireless receiver is disclosed. The method includes receiving a reference signal (503) having a first and a second plurality of cycles and receiving a feedback signal (512) having the first and the second plurality of cycles. The feedback signal is compared (504) to the reference signal. A plurality of phase errors is produced for each cycle of (UP, FIG. 10A) the first plurality of cycles in response to the step of comparing. |
| US07916815B2 |
Method and apparatus for a multicarrier receiver circuit with guard interval size detection
A method and apparatus for a multicarrier receiver circuit with guard interval size detection described. The invention allows the FFT size and guard interval size to be detected quickly even in the presence of relatively noisy input signals. The method is robust in noise environments, and also sufficiently robust to process signals having severe multipath and/or co-channel interference. Moreover, the method is of low complexity, and can be implemented in a VLSI circuit. |
| US07916812B2 |
Determining modulo count in sleep capable system
Apparatus and methods of determining a modulo count of a synchronization number in a sleep capable system. The synchronization number is stored in a comparison register, and a comparison number equal to the largest power of two multiple of the modulus within a predetermined range is subtracted from the synchronization number. If the difference is zero, the difference is stored in the comparison register, replacing the previous number stored in the register. If the difference is less than zero, the number stored in the register remains unchanged. The comparison number is right shifted, resulting in division by two. The process is repeated for a number of loops equal to the power of two, or until the difference is less than the modulus. |
| US07916809B2 |
Digital receiver apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide a digital receiving apparatus for providing useful information to its user without interruption when reception quality deteriorates.It includes: an information separating unit 4 for reproducing a stream of demodulation signal S3, and separating it into stream signals S4 on multiplexed respective channels for output; a decoding unit 5 for decoding and outputting the stream signals S4; and a control unit 6 for switching and controlling a stream signal for the decoding unit 5 to decode out of the stream signals on the respective channels, and the control unit 6 switches to the stream signal on another channel and makes the decoding unit 5 decode it when physical information for indicating reception quality under reception and the data type of the stream signal on the channel selected out of the channels do not conform to a predetermined relationship. |
| US07916808B2 |
8PSK modulator
A modulation circuit uses pre-calculated and stored data to generate the modulated output. The modulator architecture uses pre-calculated, Gaussian filtered sine and cosine responses that are stored in a ROM (read-only memory) or other memory structure. The modulator output is then calculated as a simple sum of values read from the ROM and controlled by the input burst data stream. |
| US07916806B2 |
Transmitter diversity technique for wireless communications
A simple block coding arrangement is created with symbols transmitted over a plurality of transmit channels, in connection with coding that comprises only simple arithmetic operations, such as negation and conjugation. The diversity created by the transmitter utilizes space diversity and either time or frequency diversity. Space diversity is effected by redundantly transmitting over a plurality of antennas, time diversity is effected by redundantly transmitting at different times, and frequency diversity is effected by redundantly transmitting at different frequencies: Illustratively, using two transmit antennas and a single receive antenna, one of the disclosed embodiments provides the same diversity gain as the maximal-ratio receiver combining (MRRC) scheme with one transmit antenna and two receive antennas. The principles of this invention are applicable to arrangements with more than two antennas, and an illustrative embodiment is disclosed using the same space block code with two transmit and two receive antennas. |
| US07916804B2 |
Method and system for a fast-switching phase-locked loop using a direct digital frequency synthesizer
Aspects of a method and system for a fast-switching Phase-Locked Loop using a Direct Digital Frequency synthesizer may include generating a second signal from a first signal by: translating an inphase component of said first signal in frequency via a filtered fast-switching oscillating signal generated using at least a direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS), and translating a corresponding quadrature component of said first signal in frequency via a phase-shifted version of said generated filtered fast-switching oscillating signal. The inphase and quadrature components of the first signal may be multiplied with the filtered fast-switching oscillating signal and a phase-shifted version of the filtered fast-switching oscillating signal, respectively. The filtered fast-switching oscillating signal may be obtained by removing at least one frequency-sum term of the fast-switching oscillating signal, where the fast-switching signal oscillating signal may be generated from a signal generated by the DDFS that may be multiplied with an oscillating reference signal. |
| US07916803B2 |
Modified preamble structure for IEEE 802.11a extensions to allow for coexistence and interoperability between 802.11a devices and higher data rate, MIMO or otherwise extended devices
A modified preamble is used by extended devices that operate at higher rates, MIMO or other extensions relative to strict 802.11a-compliant devices. The extended devices might use multiple antenna techniques (MIMO), where multiple data streams are multiplexed spatially and/or multi-channel techniques, where an extended transmitter transmits using more than one 802.11a channel at a time. Such extensions to IEEE 802.11a can exist in extended devices. The modified preamble is usable for signaling, to legacy devices as well as extended devices, to indicate capabilities and to cause legacy devices or extended devices to defer to other devices such that the common communication channel is not subject to unnecessary interference. The modified preamble is also usable for obtaining MIMO channel estimates and/or multi-channel estimates. The modified preamble preferably includes properties that facilitate detection of conventional and/or extended modes (“mode detection”) and provides some level of coexistence with legacy IEEE 802.11a devices. |
| US07916793B2 |
Picture searching apparatus
The picture input section 12 fetches image data from the storage device 11, and then, inputs image data on sequential n images into the section 13 for measuring correlation between sequential images and the section 14 for measuring correlation between sampled images. The section 13 for measuring correlation between sequential images measures the correlation between sequential images based on video data. The section 14 for measuring correlation between sampled images measures the correlation between sub-sampled images. The short shot determining section 15 determines short cut points by using the correlation between the sequential images and the correlation between the sub-sampled images. Otherwise, short cut points may be determined in consideration of motion amount between the sequential images or the sub-sampled images. |
| US07916787B2 |
Method of processing a current field macroblock
In one embodiment, the method includes determining reference picture index numbers in a reference picture list. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having a decreasing display order with respect to a picture including the macroblock. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having an increasing display order with respect to the picture including the macroblock. The reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having a decreasing display order are less than the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having an increasing display order. A field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock is obtained , and a frame reference picture index is determined based on the field reference picture index. The frame reference picture index is based on the field reference picture index divided by 2. The method further includes selecting a frame reference picture based on the frame reference picture index and the reference picture index number, selecting a field reference picture based on the selected frame reference picture and the field reference picture index, and decoding the current macroblock based on the motion vector information and the selected field reference picture. |
| US07916785B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
This invention provides a coding method and apparatus capable of increasing the coding efficiency. According to this invention, an image processing apparatus which performs predictive coding using image data of a different frame as a reference picture includes a prediction unit which performs motion compensated prediction for each reference picture in at least one reference list formed from a set of reference pictures for prediction, a reference list update unit which updates the reference list by adding or deleting the reference picture, a reference counter unit which measures, for each reference picture, a count at which the reference picture is used for motion compensation predictive coding, and an update picture determination unit which determines a reference picture to be updated in the reference list by using the measurement result of the reference counter unit. |
| US07916784B2 |
Method and system for inverse telecine and field pairing
Certain aspects of a method and system for inverse telecine and field pairing may comprise receiving a plurality of fields of alternating polarity. A current field may be weaved with its corresponding adjacent field of opposite polarity. A polarity change count value may be calculated based on the weaving of the current field with its corresponding adjacent field of opposite polarity. The method may determine whether to utilize a progressive scheme or an interlaced scheme to encode the received plurality of fields of alternating polarity based at least in part on the calculated polarity change count value. At least one of a top field first (TFF) scheme, a bottom field first (BFF) scheme, a top field first-repeat first field (TFF-RFF) scheme and a bottom field first-repeat first field (BFF-RFF) scheme may be chosen to pair the plurality of fields of alternating polarity. |
| US07916781B2 |
Serial concatenation of interleaved convolutional codes forming turbo-like codes
A serial concatenated coder includes an outer coder and an inner coder. The outer coder irregularly repeats bits in a data block according to a degree profile and scrambles the repeated bits. The scrambled and repeated bits are input to an inner coder, which has a rate substantially close to one. |
| US07916780B2 |
Adaptive equalizer for use with clock and data recovery circuit of serial communication link
An adaptive equalizer system for use in a serial communication link uses timing information generated by a phase detector of a clock and data recovery circuit of the serial communication link and a frequency pattern of the recovered data to determine whether the data received over the serial communication link is over-equalized or under-equalized. The equalizer strength of the adaptive equalizer system is adjusted based on such determination. |
| US07916777B1 |
VUTP hybrid command authority
An Autointelligent sensing and analysis method that comprises: differentiating between digital and analog communication; controlling access authorities both locally and remotely; and making intelligent analysis on the Static or Dynamic utilization of the electrical utility under management on a parallel computational basis. |
| US07916774B2 |
Method and system for estimating channel of a mobile station in a communication system
A method of estimating a channel between a desired Mobile Station (MS) and a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) antenna of a one of a plurality of sectors of a BTS. The method includes receiving a composite signal at the BTS antenna. The composite signal comprises a desired MS signal and an interfering MS signal. Thereafter, a known desired random sequence and a known interfering random sequence is applied to pilot symbols of the composite signal, resulting in a first de-randomized signal and a second de-randomized signal. Finally, the channel estimate is obtained by weighting and summing the first de-randomized signal and second de-randomized signal. |
| US07916769B2 |
Optical package having deformable mirrors for focus compensation
An optical package includes a semiconductor laser, an adjustable mirror and a wavelength conversion device comprising a waveguide portion. The semiconductor laser, adjustable mirror, and wavelength conversion device are oriented to form an optical pathway between an output of the semiconductor laser and an input of the wavelength conversion device. The beam of the semiconductor laser is directed along the optical pathway and onto the adjustable mirror where the beam is reflected by the adjustable mirror onto the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The adjustable mirror may also be either thermally or mechanically deformable such that, when the adjustable mirror is deformed, the path of the beam along the optical pathway is altered thereby focusing the beam on the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The adjustable mirror may be adjusted such that the beam of the semiconductor laser is positioned on the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. |
| US07916767B2 |
Integration of laser sources and detectors for a passive optical network
Various methods and apparatuses are described in which an array of optical gain mediums capable of lasing are contained in a single integral unit. The array may contain four or more optical gain mediums capable of lasing. Each optical gain medium capable of lasing supplies a separate optical signal containing a band of wavelengths different than the other optical gain mediums capable of lasing in the array to a first multiplexer/demultiplexer. A connection for an output fiber exists to route an optical signal to and from a passive optical network. |
| US07916766B2 |
Semiconductor laser device and manufacturing method thereof
A first semiconductor laser element is formed on a surface of the first substrate and including a first active layer. A second semiconductor laser element is bonded to the first semiconductor laser element with a first insulating film interposed therebetween. A first electrode is connected to the first semiconductor laser element. A second electrode is arranged on the surface of the first semiconductor laser element with the first insulating film interposed therebetween and connected to the second semiconductor laser element. The first semiconductor laser element has an optical waveguide formed in a region where the second semiconductor laser element is not bonded while the first electrode is arranged on the region, and the second electrode is formed to extend from between the second semiconductor laser element and first insulating film toward the region. |
| US07916765B2 |
Control circuit for a laser diode and a method to control a laser diode
A control circuit for a laser diode is disclosed, in which the driving current may be suppressed even when the monitor PD breaks down to make the APC feedback control inoperable. The control circuit comprises an LD driver to supply the driving current to the LD, a monitor PD to detect a portion of output light from the LD, and the APC controller to adjust the driving current. The current limiter, when the driving current reaches or exceeds the threshold, controls the driving current Id so as to keep the current in a preset value or a value just before the extraordinary increase of the driving current occurs. |
| US07916764B2 |
Output power control for harmonic-generating laser
In harmonic-generating laser apparatus, plane-polarized fundamental radiation of a laser is converted to harmonic radiation by an optically nonlinear crystal. The power of harmonic radiation generated by the apparatus is selectively varied by selectively rotating the plane of polarization of fundamental radiation entering the optically nonlinear crystal. |
| US07916757B2 |
Stackable routers employing a routing protocol
A stack of network routers is composed of at least one (elected) master unit and one or more slave units each capable of running a routing protocol. Only the master unit runs the entire routing protocol at a given time. It forwards direct update messages via a transmission control protocol to each of the slave units. These direct update messages may include specific packet formats for the protocol state machinery where such machinery is required by the routing protocol, e.g., the interface state machine and the neighbor state machine for the OSPF protocol, and for the net databases, e.g. the link state databases for the OSPF protocol, in each of the slave units. Each slave unit may run its protocol state machinery (where provided) based purely on the direct update messages received from the master. The synchronisation of the net databases may be based on snooping net update packets and a comparison of the information received thereby with verification data messages sent from the master unit. The synchronization allows the running of the routing protocol on multiple physical routers in a stack without requiring the overhead of a back-up unit that would not perform routing unless a master router unit became unavailable. |
| US07916756B2 |
Transmission apparatus
A transmission apparatus is disclosed, which performs positive/negative stuffing with 8-bit/10-bit (8B/10B) codes being kept intact while retaining the normality of 8B/10B codes and the continuity of running disparity (RD) without termination of 8B/10B codes of a plurality of Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) signals received. The apparatus then executes multiplexing and separation after synchronization of the plurality of signals, thereby achieving the “transparent” transport of management information which is contained in the 8B10B codes between user devices. |
| US07916755B2 |
Methods and apparatus for selecting digital coding/decoding technology for programming and data delivery
Methods and apparatus for selecting digital coding and/or decoding technology for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different capabilities profiles. The server determines the one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE based on its profile. The server generates a list of programs or content based on this evaluation, and transmits this list to the CPE, which displays the list for viewing by a user. The user is therefore offered a list of available content that is compatible with their specific configuration. A business and operational rules engine is also optionally employed to control the operation of the foregoing processes to accomplish particular business or operational goals. |
| US07916748B2 |
Method and system for initialization configuration of managed device
A method for initialization configuration of a managed device, includes: predefining and storing initial configuration information of the managed device; detecting a message requesting for IP address assignment broadcasted from the managed device; searching in the initial configuration information for the message requesting for IP address assignment, to obtain an IP address of a Device Management (DM) interface of the managed device; sending the IP address to the managed device; upon determining that the managed device has configured its IP address as the IP address, sending an initial configuration command to the managed device; and performing automatically the initialization configuration of the managed device in accordance with the initial configuration information. A system for initialization configuration of a managed device is also provided. |
| US07916741B2 |
System and method for preventing count-to-infinity problems in ethernet networks
A system and method for preventing a count-to-infinity problem in a network using epochs of sequence numbers in protocol messages to eliminate stale protocol information in the network and to allow the forwarding topology to recover in merely one round trip time across the network. |
| US07916740B2 |
Access network system, access equipment, ARP proxy method and an IP bridging forwarding method
An access network system, an address resolution protocol proxy method and an IP bridging forwarding method for the access network system are disclosed. The access network system comprises: one or more access network edge nodes that connect to one or more access nodes; one or more access nodes that connect to user terminals to the access network, and a reference point that is introduced between two adjacent access nodes for the access nodes interconnection. With this system, the multi-cast or broadcast flow in the network can be reduced and the communication delay and path can also be decreased. Therefore the communication bottleneck brought by BRAS/BNG can be avoided. |
| US07916735B2 |
Method for applying macro-controls onto IP networks using intelligent route indexing
Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain. |
| US07916734B2 |
Method for determining transmission path of router system
Disclosed is a method for determining a transmission path of a router system, in which a forwarding table of the router system is managed with a dualized address system including an absolute address indicating a physical port and a relative address indicating the place of the absolute address. Only the absolute address in a relative forwarding table can be changed without changing the relative address when traffic congestion occurs on a certain port of the router system or when load-balancing is needed, so that the router can actively cope with a real-time change of a destination address. |
| US07916726B2 |
Controlling transportation of data packets
A method for transport control in a packet switched communication system is disclosed. In the method a data packet assigned with a destination address is received at a node. It may then be detected that the destination address does not meet a filtering criteria. It may then be checked if at least one further destination address has been assigned for the data packet. If it is found that at least one further destination address is assigned for the data packet, the filtering criteria is applied to the at least one further destination address. The data packet is forwarded from the node to a next node in response to detection that the data packet is assigned with a further destination address that meets the filtering criteria. |
| US07916725B2 |
Packet forwarding to a connection-oriented network
The present invention relates to a method, routing device, and access device for forwarding a data packet with multicast purpose to a connection-oriented network, wherein a predetermined broadcast address is added to the data packet if the address of the data packet to be sent is a network-layer multicast address. Based on the broadcast address, the data packet is forwarded to a plurality of access devices (31-3n) of the connection-oriented network, arranged to check whether the destination address of the data packet is supported. Then, the data packet is forwarded from a supporting access device (32) to the destination address. Thereby, the data packet does not have to be sent to every possible destination address one by one, and link capacity can be saved. |
| US07916722B2 |
Method for indirect access to a support interface for memory-mapped resources to reduce system connectivity from out-of-band support processor
A method and apparatus are provided for a support interface for memory-mapped resources. A support processor sends a sequence of commands over and FSI interface to a memory-mapped support interface on a processor chip. The memory-mapped support interface updates memory, memory-mapped registers or memory-mapped resources. The interface uses fabric packet generation logic to generate a single command packet in a protocol for the coherency fabric which consists of an address, command and/or data. Fabric commands are converted to FSI protocol and forwarded to attached support chips to access the memory-mapped resource, and responses from the support chips are converted back to fabric response packets. Fabric snoop logic monitors the coherency fabric and decodes responses for packets previously sent by fabric packet generation logic. The fabric snoop logic updates status register and/or writes response data to a read data register. The system also reports any errors that are encountered. |
| US07916719B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling hybrid ARQ memory in broadband wireless access communication system
A method and HARQ memory apparatus in a BWA communication system are provided where the HARQ memory apparatus includes a memory configured to partition the entire memory area in units of slots corresponding to the size of a concatenation block, to input/output a plurality of channel data to the slot in units of the concatenation block, to store a new concatenation block in an empty slot, and to combine a retransmitted concatenation block with a prestored concatenation block and store the combined concatenation block at a prestored location. Accordingly, the required amount of memory can be reduced by using a buffer efficiently. In particular, when a memory is embedded in an integrated circuit, the size and power consumption of the integrated circuit can be reduced. |
| US07916718B2 |
Flow and congestion control in switch architectures for multi-hop, memory efficient fabrics
A shared memory switch and switch fabric architecture are described which employ partitions of the shared memory to implement multiple, independent virtual congestion domains, thereby allowing congestion to be handled for different classes of traffic independently. |
| US07916708B2 |
Automatic partitioning of wireless access points into overlay and underlay networks
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to partitioning access points into two or more network access layers, such as overlay and underlay network access layers. According to one implementation of the present invention, a wireless network management system partitions a set of wireless access points into an overlay network for low-functionality clients and an underlay network for high-functionality clients. As described in further detail below, each of the overlay and underlay networks provides a class of network service, where each class of network service differs relative to at least one attribute (e.g., type of 802.11 access, data rates, High-Density, Quality-of-Service, encryption, compression, etc.). For didactic purposes, the overlay network is also referred to as the overlay network service layer (NSL) and the underlay network is referred to as the underlay NSL. In one implementation of the present invention, a partitioning algorithm is used to partition wireless access points into overlay and underlay networks. As described in further detail below, the partitioning algorithm, in one implementation, automatically assigns access points to the overlay and underlay networks based on the coverage needs of each network and the coverage parameters of each access point. In one implementation, the partitioning algorithm can be configured such that the overlay network provides maximum coverage for low-functionality clients, and the underlay network enables maximum performance for high-functionality clients. |
| US07916704B2 |
Method of communication scheduling in a multihop network
A method of communication scheduling in a multihop network is provided. The multihop network comprises a base station and at least one relay station. The method includes allocating a downlink relay to a relay station; assigning a first one or more connection identifiers to be locally scheduled at the relay station for communication on a first portion of the downlink relay; and assigning a second one or more connection identifiers to be centrally scheduled by the base station for communication on a second portion of the downlink relay. |
| US07916703B2 |
Wireless local area network (WLAN) and method of transmitting frame in the WLAN
In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a method of transmitting a frame in the WLAN, mode information and an available data transfer rate of each wireless terminal located within a coverage of an Access Point (AP) are collected. A determination is made as to whether or not the AP transmits a Clear To Send (CTS) frame depending upon an existence of wireless terminals corresponding to the collected mode information before the AP transmits a data frame to at least one wireless terminal. A data transfer rate of the CTS frame is adjusted based on the collected available data transfer rate of each of the wireless terminals to transmit the CTS frame at the adjusted data transfer rate. Therefore, both the stability and the bandwidth effectiveness may be enhanced. |
| US07916699B2 |
CDMA communication system and method
In CDMA communications, a base station detects a difference between a reference phase of a spreading code and a phase of a received signal of each terminal station, and feeds a phase jump signal PJ-i representative of the phase difference back to each terminal station. After timing acquisition, the reception operation is performed using the reference phase, and a shift amount between the phase of a received signal and the reference phase is fed back to each terminal station as phase synchronization control information PC-i. Each terminal station coarsely adjusts the phase of the spreading code in accordance with the phase jump signal PJ-i, and thereafter finely adjusts the phase of its transmitting signal in accordance with the phase synchronization control information PC-i. It is therefore possible to synchronize the phases of the signals transmitted from terminal stations and received at the base station. Accordingly, an orthogonal code is used for spreading on the reverse links. |
| US07916695B2 |
Smart buffering for policy enforcement
The present invention discloses a method for smart buffering for a policy resolution and policy enforcement system. The invention can be applied to a communication system with one or several available communication network(s). The trigger events and policy actions form input and output buffers to be processed in the invention. Causal relationships between the trigger events and policy actions are stored. Priorities can be set to the trigger events and policy actions. Sorting is made according to priorities. The buffer data can be scheduled, in other words delayed, in order to rationalize the policy management. The buffer data is combined if several trigger events affect the same target or quantity. The buffer data is filtered in the last step in order to simplify chained trigger events. The trigger events of filtered input buffer are sent to the policy resolution mechanism and the policy actions of filtered output buffer are sent to the policy action enforcement. |
| US07916693B2 |
System and method for selecting spectrum
A system and method comprise a spectrum selector, an unlicensed transceiver, and a licensed transceiver. The spectrum selector determines whether communications will be transmitted over unlicensed spectrum or licensed spectrum. Based upon the determination, the spectrum selector transmits the communications to the unlicensed transceiver or the licensed transceiver. In addition, the spectrum selector may transmit a first portion of the communications to die unlicensed transceiver and a second portion of the communications to the licensed transceiver. On the receiving side, the spectrum selector monitors the unlicensed transceiver and the licensed transceiver, receives the communications from the licensed transceiver and/or the unlicensed transceiver, and transmits the communications to an access device. The unlicensed transceiver transmits and/or receives communications over unlicensed spectrum. The licensed transceiver transmits and/or receives communications over licensed spectrum. |
| US07916690B2 |
Graphical display of status information in a wireless network management system
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to, or facilitating, the graphical display of status information in wireless network management systems. In one implementation, the present invention provides a graphical user interface that allows a network administrator to readily ascertain the overall status of a wireless network, and quickly identify the network element(s) within the network that are associated with any potential problem or condition. In another implementation, the present invention provides a graphical user interface that provides status icons that efficiently convey status information for corresponding access points. In another implementation, the present invention provides a hierarchical network model that facilitates network data management, configuration and display tasks associated with wireless network management systems. |
| US07916685B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for supporting database access in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network environment
Methods, systems, and computer program products for supporting database access in an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network environment are disclosed. At least one call state control function (CSCF) entity generates subscriber-related queries according to an abstracted profile (AP) protocol. At an abstracted profile server (APS), a CSCF-generated, subscriber-related query is received, subscriber information is gathered related to the CSCF-generated, subscriber-related query from at least one subscriber information database using a native protocol of the subscriber information database, a reply message for the CSCF-generated, subscriber-related query is generated based on the gathered subscriber information and the reply message is forwarded to a respective CSCF that generated the CSCF-generated subscriber-related query, the reply message being forwarded according to the AP protocol. |
| US07916684B2 |
Wireless communication network providing communication between mobile devices and access points
A wireless communication network is provided that includes a plurality of access points. A plurality of the access points are configured as local access points that are each configured to operate at one of a set of frequencies and within a communication range. The local access points may communicate with a mobile device within the corresponding local access point communication range. The wireless network further includes an access point configured as a master access point to communicate with each of the plurality of local access points at a frequency that is outside the set of frequencies of the local access points. |
| US07916683B2 |
Wireless network system and method of transmitting/receiving data in wireless network
Provided are a wireless network system and a method of transmitting/receiving data in the wireless network system, which separately set a period where a packet for requesting and approving bandwidth allocation of a network in a super frame period is transmitted/received, and as a result, transmit/receive data through the allocated bandwidth. Also provided is a wireless network coordinator, which includes an MAC unit which generates a beacon frame for organizing a super frame including at least one or more channel time blocks, and bandwidth management unit which sets a specific channel time block among the channel time blocks as a period where a bandwidth allocation packet in the network is transmitted/received, and a physical unit which transmits the beacon frame including information on the setting by the bandwidth management unit through a designated communication channel. |
| US07916674B2 |
Method and apparatus for intermittent communication
When an intermittent communication mode is entered, a check period and intermittent reception mode period thereof are determined and the intermittent reception mode is reentered through an ignored process, that is, when the intermittent reception mode is entered, the check period and intermittent reception mode period are determined in overhead 101 thereof and data 102, 103 is transmitted/received thereafter through an ignored process. |
| US07916667B2 |
Method for detecting RF link imbalances in a wireless communications network
A method for determining an RF link imbalance between an Uplink Path and a Downlink Path of an RF Link formed between a User Equipment (UE) and a Node in a wireless network is provided. The method includes determining the UE receive power levels and the UE transmit power levels for the RF Links at the UE side of the radio interface and identifying one or more RF Links having AvgSumTx+Rx values deviating from the AvgSumTx+Rx values of other RF Links, as one or more RF Links having an RF Link imbalance. |
| US07916666B2 |
Reliable broadcast protocol and apparatus for sensor networks
A method for broadcasting messages in an ad hoc wireless network having a tree-based architecture is provided. When a node receives a broadcast message for re-broadcasting to other nodes in the network, it builds a list of identifiers of other nodes in the network from which the node requires reception of a broadcast message as an implicit acknowledgment that said other nodes in the network have received said broadcast message. The node builds this implicit acknowledgment list based on stored data pertaining to an existing tree-based topology of the network. After this list is built, the node re-broadcasts the broadcast message. Each node in the network executes this broadcasting protocol and in so doing a broadcast message quickly and efficiently propagates through the network with minimal redundancy and impact on the topology of the network. |
| US07916664B2 |
Reverse engineering peering at Internet exchange point
A technique for examining the relationships of autonomous systems (ASes) participating in an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) utilizes packet tracing servers proximate the IXPs. Where such packet tracing servers cannot be found in the participating ASes, the methodology identifies additional vantage points by looking at a list of ASes that are one hop away from the ASes at the IXP. The choice of one-hop away ASes is made judiciously by picking ones that have better connectivity, based on past-data. Plural-hop ASes may also be used where necessary. |
| US07916657B2 |
Network performance and reliability evaluation taking into account abstract components
Network performability characteristics with improved accuracy are derived by taking into account, in the various analyzed network failure states, attributes of elements at the logical level other than just the capacities of edges, as well as by taking into account one or more “abstract components,” such as scheduled maintenance, and by using multiple traffic matrices. |
| US07916654B2 |
Communication terminal and method used therein
A communication terminal which modulates and demodulates a packet for transmission and reception based on a communication parameter for modulation and demodulation determined according to a communication-medium characteristic. The communication terminal includes: an extracting unit which extracts, during every occurrence of a predetermined cycle, information indicative of either one of transmission efficiency and reception quality of the packet as an information element; a calculating unit which calculates a difference between a first information element extracted by the extracting unit and a second information element previously extracted by the extracting unit; and detecting-scheme performance determining unit which determines, based on the difference between the first information element and the second information element whether a scheme of detecting the communication-medium characteristic is to be performed. |
| US07916652B1 |
Analyzing network traffic to diagnose subscriber network errors
A service provider network includes an automated support module that receives stream of network packets from subscribers and separates this streams into packet flows for analysis. The automated support module may be an intermediate device that examines each packet flow to detect subscriber characteristics for each subscriber. The automated support module may apply a set of analysis rules to the detected characteristics to aid diagnosis of reported or potential network errors. |
| US07916651B2 |
Services convergence among heterogeneous wired and wireless networks
A system and method for heterogeneous network communication including wired, and wireless communication mediums for seamless data, voice, as well as multimedia applications independent of the actual communication medium, type of device, and protocols running over such communication channels. The devices are structured to operate over both wired and wireless communication mediums individually or simultaneously in the intermittent or continuous fashion in secure or non-secure mode, after obtaining explicit, implicit or no permission for usage. The system and method described herein allow the communication channels operate in their native mode of operation independent of converged application perception by user of the application, a user being a person, a machine, or any other such entity that can be identified as user. |
| US07916650B2 |
Network device and data transmission method thereof in wireless sensor network
A wireless sensor network and data transmission method thereof provides for improving channel access efficiency and energy saving effect by using inventive carrier sensing mechanism. The data transmission method includes assessing a channel after initializing, when a packet to be transmitted is generated, a number of carrier sensing attempts (Ns) and a backoff value (W); determining, when the channel availability is assessed to be idle, whether W reaches 0; transmitting the packet if W reaches 0; and reassessing, if W does not reach 0, the channel after a duration corresponding W/(Ns-1) slot. |
| US07916648B2 |
Method of call routing and connection
A method of radio communications and routing and connection in a mobile radio system consisting of the steps of providing nodes for transmitting and receiving signals wherein the nodes are positioned in a free form fashion within a defined area, and the routing of a communication is determined based on selecting the most desirable and normally the shortest path between the communication source and the destination drop. |
| US07916647B2 |
Automatic adjustment of logical channels in a fibre channel network
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates automatic adjustment of logical channels in a Fiber Channel (FC) network. During operation, the system receives FC data frames. A respective data frame is associated with a logical channel. The bandwidth on an FC link can be allocated into a plurality of logical channels, and a respective logical channel is associated with a dedicated buffer and can transport a plurality of data flows with data frames of variable length. The system then identifies a slow data flow in a first logical channel. Next, the system assigns the slow data flow to a second logical channel, thereby preventing the slow data flow from slowing down other data flows in the first logical channel. The system subsequently forwards the data frames in the slow data flow on the second logical channel onto an outgoing link. |
| US07916646B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing queue delay internal overload control
A method and apparatus for handling an overload condition in a communication network are disclosed. For example, the method calculates a call target rate by at least one core signaling network element. The method then uses the call target rate by the at least one core signaling network element to start throttling signaling traffic if a total queueing delay of the at least one core signaling network element exceeds a predefined high threshold in a measurement interval. |
| US07916645B2 |
System and method for dynamically adjusting a RSVP reservation
A communication system includes a call agent that coordinates and supervises communications between endpoints. The call agent allocates a QoS agent for each endpoint involved in a call. The QoS agents generate reservations for the call in order to provide the call with a guaranteed amount of bandwidth and an established QoS. Each endpoint or location associated with an endpoint has a reservation policy that determines how calls are to be handled when a reservation is or is not obtained and when a reservation is lost or obtained during a call. The communication system is able to handle reservations, or the lack thereof, during various situations like on hold, call transfer, call forwarding, conference call, and shared line services. |
| US07916642B2 |
System and method for congestion control signaling
Systems and methods for controlling congestion on a packet data network are provided. The congestion control may be implemented between any two network nodes where a regulation of a data flow is desired to prevent a device overload from occurring. In order to provide regulation of a data flow, congestion control states are used where each state regulates the data flow in a specified manner. State transitions may occur in response to messages that include congestion information detected at a network node. |
| US07916628B2 |
Trunking for fabric ports in fibre channel switches and attached devices
N_Ports and F_Ports are provided with logic allowing designation of multiple virtual interfaces on a single host bus adaptor or other Fiber Channel interface, one virtual interface for each VSAN operating on the node interface. Node ports with this additional functionality are referred to as trunking N_Ports or TN_Ports. These ports have a functional design allowing creation of the multiple virtual interfaces as appropriate for the application at hand. This port design also includes logic for communicating with a peer fabric port to initialize and modify the configuration of the virtual interfaces on the TN_Port. A corresponding functional design and communication logic is provided for fabric ports, referred to herein as trunking F_Ports or TF_Ports. |
| US07916627B2 |
Coordinated fault protection system
A power distribution protection system and method uses communications to coordinate operation of fault protection devices. Communications may be prioritized wherein messages of a lower priority are held or discarded in favor of messages of a higher priority, for example, messages indicating a fault condition. The devices may use multiple channel access schemes in accordance with a priority of a message to be communicated. |
| US07916622B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating resources in mobile communication system
Provided are an apparatus and method for allocating resources in a mobile communication system. The apparatus includes a modulating/coding unit for modulating transmission data of one or more users according to a predetermined modulation scheme and for outputting a complex signal; a 2-Dimensional (2D)/1-Dimensional (1D) converter for converting the complex signal into a 1D signal; and a re-modulator for reconstructing the 1D signal to a 2D signal and for allocating two components of the 2D signal to two different frequency bands. |
| US07916621B2 |
MIMO control signaling in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method for data transmission in a communication system. The method including, determining, at the transmitter, whether to transmit data signal using a single codeword or two codewords, when it is determined that the single codeword transmission is used, coding, by the transmitter, a control signal by using a first signal format, with the control signal coded by the first signal format carrying information regarding the single codeword, when it is determined that the two codewords transmission is used, coding, by the transmitter, the control signal by using a second signal format, with the control signal coded by the second signal format carrying information regarding both of the two codewords, transmitting the data signal and the control signal according to the determined transmission format from the transmitter to the receiver. |
| US07916611B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
A light blocking unit includes a plate-like member which is different from a housing member, and a light blocking portion formed on the plate-like member, for blocking light. A light detector has a light receiving portion for receiving light which is partitioned into four divided regions, by a Y-axis-wise parting line and an X-axis-wise parting line in X-Y coordinates, and outputs photoelectric output signals for the respective divided regions in accordance with intensity of the light received by the respective divided regions of the light receiving portion. Of light beams emitted from a polarization beam splitter, a part of the light beams are blocked by the light blocking unit while the other part of the light beams are not blocked and thus emitted to the light detector excluding a region defined by two sides parallel to the parting lines. |
| US07916607B2 |
Optical disc drive
In a recordable data storage medium on which property data was recorded after having been modulated and on which data that is decodable by a cryptographic key to be generated from the property data was recorded, the property data was preferably modulated by a different method from that applied to a read-only data storage medium. Then, an optical disc drive, having no ability to distinguish the recordable data storage medium from the read-only data storage medium, cannot read the recordable data storage medium. Consequently, a greater number of drives should be equipped with the function of recognizing the type of a given data storage medium and the copyright protection function should be consolidated. |
| US07916606B2 |
Information recording medium, mastering device, identification information recording device, identification information reproduction device, mastering method, identification information recording method, and identification information reproduction method
Identification information is recorded by irradiating a laser beam to a predetermined area of an information recording medium by securely changing a land to a pit.A pair of land and pit is formed in the predetermined area of the information recording medium. A laser beam is irradiated to this pair to record the identification information. Accordingly, by applying a laser beam to this area, a land serving as one of the pair is surely changed to a pit so that the identification information can surely be recorded by irradiating a laser beam to the predetermined area. The remaining pit of the pair remains as a pit even when the laser beam is irradiated. Moreover, the laser beam may not be irradiated to the pit. |
| US07916602B2 |
Optical recording and reproducing apparatus and optical recording and reproducing method
An optical recording and reproducing apparatus includes a recording-pulse-shift setting unit that shifts a front edge and a rear edge of a recording pulse and sets a write strategy of the recording pulse, an mark-edge-position evaluating unit that detects a front edge and a rear edge of a mark formed and detects a front mark edge position error and a rear mark edge position error, an assuming unit that assumes that the front mark edge position error is represented by a first linear function and assumes that the rear mark edge position error is represented by a second linear function, a sensitivity calculating unit that executes test recording and calculates sensitivities, and a write-strategy calculating unit that calculates a write strategy of the recording pulse on the basis of the sensitivities. |
| US07916600B2 |
Optical writing device, optical reading device, recording-medium writing method, including wobble signal evaluation features
When performing writing and/or reading of information to/from an optical disk provided with a wobble including time axis information, an occurrence of a reading error of the time axis information from the wobble is suppressed so that disabled reading of information from the optical disk and an occurrence of a writing error can be prevented. Evaluated parameters such as a CRC error rate of an ATIP signal, an FMDT jitter amount and a phase error between an ATIP synchronization signal and a frame synchronization signal of writing data are evaluated based on a range of set values. When the evaluated parameter is deviated from the range of set values, writing and reading speeds are changed, thereby increasing the reading accuracy of the wobble signal. |
| US07916598B2 |
Method for determining type of disk and apparatus thereof
A method for determining a type of a disk and an optical storage apparatus thereof are provided. The method includes when the disk placed in the optical storage device is not a blank disk, determining whether the phases between a first signal and a second signal of the disk are the same or not; and determining that the disk is a low to high (LTH) data disk or a high to low data disk (HTL) data disk upon whether the phases of the first signal and the second signal are the same or not. Therefore, the reading parameters are correspondingly loaded in the optical storage device according to the type of the disk. |
| US07916592B2 |
Fluid mediated disk activation and deactivation mechanisms
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms. |
| US07916589B2 |
Control method of optical disc drive
The present invention provides a control method of an optical disc drive, including the steps of: (a) entering a writing state; (b) checking if a reading command for requesting recorded data is received, wherein when the reading command is not received, then continuing a writing process, and when the reading command is received, then going to step (c); (c) interrupting the writing process; (d) switching to a reading state; (e) reading the recorded data according to the reading command; and (f) switching to the writing state. |
| US07916585B2 |
Optical disc drive and method of controlling focal position
An optical disc drive for recording and/or reading information on or from an optical disc is disclosed. The optical disc drive includes: a position controller which controls the position of the objective lens based on the position-controlling light beam reflected by the reflective surface by condensing the position-controlling light beam by the objective lens such that the position-controlling light beam is brought to a focus at a target guide position on the reflective surface corresponding to the target recording position; a tilt angle detector which detects tilt angle of the optical disc relative to optical axis of the position-controlling light beam; and a focal position corrector which makes a correction such that a focal position obtained when the information light beam is condensed by the objective lens is aligned to the target recording position according to the tilt angle. |
| US07916583B2 |
Optical disk reproducing device having an intermittent reproducing unit
An optical disk device includes an intermittent reproducing unit to perform an intermittent reproducing process to reproduce data recorded on an optical disk in a forward or reverse direction and at specific time intervals, each removing predetermined amount of data, an intermittent reproduction start instruction unit, upon receiving an instruction to start the intermittent reproducing process, to designate an intermittent reproduction start position and an intermittent reproducing direction, and to issue an instruction, and a storage unit to store the intermittent reproduction start position as information concerning a recording position for data skipped and unreproduced during a current intermittent reproducing process, when the instruction is issued. When an instruction is received to restart the intermittent reproducing process, the intermittent reproduction start instruction unit employs the information to start the intermittent reproducing process beginning at a head of data skipped and unreproduced during a preceding intermittent reproducing process. |
| US07916579B1 |
Digital audio devices
An alarm clock radio is provided that handles downloaded audio files and streaming digital audio files. The alarm clock radio may have buttons and displays that allow the user to adjust various alarm clock radio settings. The user may also adjust settings remotely over the Internet or over an in-home network. The user may customize the audio content that is provided with the alarm clock radio. Advertisements may be provided to the user. The user may be provided with an opportunity to subscribe to a content service. Content such as Internet radio station content, e-mail, news and other audio content may be provided to the user from the service. The user may set reminders for particular times and dates using the alarm clock radio. The alarm clock radio may also have a telephone handset. The alarm clock radio may have buttons and knobs and may provide on-screen options that allow the user to tune to AM and FM and Internet radio stations and to control the operation of the alarm clock radio. |
| US07916576B2 |
Optimizing a seismic survey for source separation
A technique includes determining at least one parameter that characterizes a seismic survey in which multiple interfering seismic sources are fired and seismic sensors sense energy that is produced by the seismic sources. The determination of the parameter(s) includes optimizing the seismic survey for separation of the sensed energy according to the seismic sources. |
| US07916574B1 |
Circuit providing load isolation and memory domain translation for memory module
A circuit is configured to be mounted on a memory module connectable to a computer system so as to be electrically coupled to a plurality of memory devices on the memory module. The memory module has a first number of ranks of double-data-rate (DDR) memory devices activated by a first number of chip-select signals. The circuit is configurable to receive bank address signals, a second number of chip-select signals, and row/column address signals from the computer system. The circuit is further configurable to generate phase-locked clock signals in response to clock signals received from the computer system, to selectively isolate one or more loads of the first number of ranks from the computer system, and to translate between a system memory domain and a physical memory domain of the memory module. |
| US07916572B1 |
Memory with addressable subword support
Integrated circuits are provided that have memory arrays. The memory arrays may include rows and columns of data byte storage locations. To implement algorithms that that process data subwords, a memory array may be partitioned into individual memory banks each of which has its own associated data register and its own associated address decoder. Each address decoder may receive address signals from an associated multiplexer. Address mapping circuits may be used to distribute address signals to multiplexer inputs using an non-blocking memory architecture. The memory architecture allows collections of data bytes to be written and read from the memory array using column-wise and row-wise read and write operations. The data bytes that are written to the array and that are read from the array may be stored in adjacent data byte locations in the array. |
| US07916570B2 |
Low power memory device
In a memory device having a memory core and a signal interface, receiving a command that specifies at least a portion of a memory access. During the memory access, transferring data between the memory core and the signaling interface, and transferring the data between the signaling interface and an external signal path, and prior to transferring the data between the signaling interface and the external signal path, receiving enable information to selectively enable at least a first memory resource and a second memory resource, wherein each of the first memory resource and the second memory resource performs a control function associated with the memory access. |
| US07916569B2 |
Dynamic random access memory with fully independent partial array refresh function
A dynamic random access memory device includes a plurality of memory subblocks. Each subblock has a plurality of wordlines whereto a plurality of data store cells are connected. Partial array self-refresh (PASR) configuration settings are independently made. In accordance with the PASR settings, the memory subblocks are addressed for refreshing. The PASR settings are made by a memory controller. Any kind of combinations of subblock addresses may be selected. Thus, the memory subblocks are fully independently refreshed. User selectable memory arrays for data retention provide effective memory control programming especially for low power mobile application. |
| US07916568B2 |
Semiconductor memory device changing refresh interval depending on temperature
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory core circuit having memory cells for storing data, a circuit configured to refresh the memory core circuit at a refresh interval, a temperature detecting unit configured to detect temperature, and a control circuit configured to shorten the refresh interval immediately in response to detection of a predetermined temperature rise by the temperature detecting unit and to elongate the refresh interval after refreshing every one of the memory cells at least once in response to detection of a temperature drop by the temperature detecting unit. |
| US07916564B2 |
Multi-chip semiconductor device providing enhanced redundancy capabilities
A semiconductor device including a plurality of semiconductor chips is provided. A semiconductor device includes a storing unit in which redundancy information portions are stored, and a comparing unit comparing a current address to the redundancy information portions and enabling or disabling operation of a semiconductor device based on the comparison result. |
| US07916563B2 |
Programmable control block for dual port SRAM application
A dual-port static random access memory (SRAM) includes a multitude of programmable delay elements disposed along the paths of a number signals used to carry out read, write or read-then-write operations. At least one of the programmable delay elements controls the timing margin between a pair of clock signals that trigger a read/write enable signal. A second programmable delay element coarsely adjusts the delay of a first signal associated with a dummy bitline. A third programmable delay element finely adjusts the delay of a second signal associated with the dummy bitline. A fourth programmable delay element controls the delay of a signal used to reset the read/write enable signal. During a read operation, the voltage level of the second signal is used as an indicator to activate the sense amplifiers. During a write operation, the voltage level of the second signal is used to control the write cycle. |
| US07916562B2 |
Clock driver device and semiconductor memory apparatus having the same
A clock driver device includes a driving controller configured to generate a clock output enable signal enabled in response to an internal read pulse signal and disabled in response to a data output enable signal and an internal clock signal, and a clock driver configured to generate a driving clock signal by driving the internal clock signal in response to the clock output enable signal and a power-down signal. |
| US07916561B2 |
DLL circuit, imaging device, and memory device
A variable delay circuit successively delays an input clock to generate a plurality of delayed clocks having different phases. A phase comparison circuit receives a first reference clock, which is either one of the delayed clocks or the input clock, and a second reference clock, which is one of the delayed clocks and whose phase lags behind that of the first reference clock, specifies a validated interval for the second reference clock, and compares the phases of the first and second reference clocks according to voltage levels of the first and second reference clocks only during the validated interval. A delay control circuit controls a delay time in the variable delay circuit according to a result of the comparison obtained by the phase comparison circuit. |
| US07916557B2 |
NAND interface
A NAND interface having a reduced pin count configuration, in which all command and address functions and operations of the NAND are provided serially on a single serial command and address pin adapted to receive all commands and addresses, and data communication is performed on a number of data communication pins. |
| US07916554B2 |
Multi-bank memory accesses using posted writes
Systems and methods for reducing delays between successive write and read accesses in multi-bank memory devices are provided. Computer circuits modify the relative timing between addresses and data of write accesses, reducing delays between successive write and read accesses. Memory devices that interface with these computer circuits use posted write accesses to effectively return the modified relative timing to its original timing before processing the write access. |
| US07916551B2 |
Method of programming cell in memory and memory apparatus utilizing the method
A method of programming a first cell in a memory, wherein the first cell has a first S/D region and shares a second S/D region with a second cell that has a third S/D region opposite to the second S/D region. The channels of the first and the second cells are turned on, a first voltage is applied to the first S/D region, a second voltage is applied to the second S/D region and a third voltage is applied to the third S/D region. The second voltage is between the first voltage and the third voltage, and the first to third voltages make carriers flow from the third S/D region to the first S/D region and cause hot carriers in the channel of the first cell to be injected into the charge storage layer of the first cell. |
| US07916549B2 |
Memory self-test circuit, semiconductor device and IC card including the same, and memory self-test method
In a semiconductor device, a self-test circuit includes a write part for writing data in a given address of a special region of a nonvolatile memory; a read part for reading the written data from the given address; a verify part for determining whether or not the written data accords with the read data; and a decision part for determining soundness of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of a result of determination made by the verify part. In the case where the written data accords with the read data, the decision part determines that the nonvolatile memory is sound, and in the case where the data do not accord with each other, it determines that the nonvolatile memory is unsound. |
| US07916546B2 |
Methods for programming a memory device and memory devices using inhibit voltages that are less than a supply voltage
Methods for programming a memory array and memory devices are disclosed. In one such method, inhibited bit lines are charged to an inhibit voltage that is less than a supply voltage. The word lines of memory cells to be programmed are biased at a programming preparation voltage that is less than a nominal programming preparation voltage as used in the conventional art. Programming pulses can be applied to selected word lines of the memory cells to be programmed when the uninhibited bit lines are at 0V. |
| US07916545B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including stacked gate having charge accumulation layer and control gate and method of writing data to semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes memory cells, word lines, a driver circuit, and a control circuit. The driver circuit repeats a programming operation of selecting any one of the word lines, of applying a first voltage to selected one of the word lines, and of applying a second voltage to unselected one of the word lines, to write data to selected one of the memory cells connected to the selected one of the word lines. The control circuit, while the driver circuit is repeating the programming operation, steps up the first voltage and keeps the second voltage constant until the first voltage reaches a first threshold. The control circuit steps up the second voltage after the first voltage has reached the first threshold. |
| US07916540B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices and systems including bad blocks address re-mapped and methods of operating the same
A method of operating a non-volatile memory device included in a memory card can be provided by re-mapping addresses of bad blocks in a first non-volatile MAT in a memory card and re-mapping addresses of bad blocks in a second non-volatile MAT in the memory card, the second non-volatile MAT including blocks that are address mapped with blocks in the first non-volatile MAT. Also a method of scanning a non-volatile memory device for bad blocks can be provided by sequentially scanning blocks in a non-volatile memory device for data indicating that a respective block is a bad block starting at a starting block address that is above a lowermost block address of the non-volatile memory device, wherein the starting block address is based on a yield for the non-volatile memory device. |
| US07916535B2 |
Data encoding approach for implementing robust non-volatile memories
Data encoding system and method for implementing robust non-volatile memories. A data bit is stored using two memory cells. The data bit is represented by setting a voltage level of a first memory cell to a first voltage level and setting a voltage level of a second memory cell to a second voltage level. In one embodiment, the first voltage level and the second voltage level are of opposite polarity. In one embodiment, to store a data bit having the value “0,” the first memory cell is set to a first voltage level and the second memory cell is set to a second voltage level of opposite polarity to the first voltage level, and to store a data bit having the value “1,” the first memory cell is set to a third voltage level and the second memory cell is set to a fourth voltage level of opposite polarity to the third voltage level. In an illustrative embodiment, the first voltage level is of substantially equal magnitude, and of opposite polarity, to the second voltage level, the third voltage level is of substantially equal magnitude, and of opposite polarity, to the fourth voltage level, the first voltage level is substantially equal to the fourth voltage level, and the second voltage level is substantially equal to the third voltage level. In one embodiment, the data stored according to the present invention is read out by comparing the relative voltages of the first and second memory cells with a differential sense amplifier. |
| US07916530B2 |
SCR matrix storage device
In various embodiments, an addressable storage matrix includes a first plurality of intersection points, at least some of which are bridged by two-terminal non-linear elements that exhibit a threshold below which current flow is significantly lower than if the threshold is exceeded, as well as, disposed at each intersection point bridged by a non-linear element, a programmable material in series with the non-linear element and determining a bit state for the corresponding intersection point. |
| US07916522B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes n resistance change elements which are arranged in one cell, have a low-resistance state and a high resistance state, are connected in series or parallel, have different resistance values in the same resistance state, and change between the low-resistance state and the high-resistance state under different conditions, and a write circuit which is connected to one end of the n resistance change elements, and applies a pulse current m (1≦m≦n) times to the n resistance change elements during a write operation. Letting Im be a current value of an mth pulse current, condition I1>I2> . . . >Im holds. |
| US07916516B2 |
Nonvolatile memory apparatus and method for writing data in nonvolatile memory apparatus
A nonvolatile memory apparatus comprises a memory array (102) including plural first electrode wires (WL) formed to extend in parallel with each other within a first plane; plural second electrode wires (BL) formed to extend in parallel with each other within a second plane parallel to the first plane and to three-dimensionally cross the plural first electrode wires; and nonvolatile memory elements (11) which are respectively provided at three-dimensional cross points between the first electrode wires and the second electrode wires, the elements each having a resistance variable layer whose resistance value changes reversibly in response to a current pulse supplied between an associated first electrode wire and an associated second electrode wire; and a first selecting device (13) for selecting the first electrode wires, and further comprises voltage restricting means (15) provided within or outside the memory array, the voltage restricting means being connected to the first electrode wires, for restricting a voltage applied to the first electrode wires to a predetermined upper limit value or less; wherein plural nonvolatile memory elements of the nonvolatile memory elements are connected to one first electrode wire connecting the first selecting device to the voltage restricting means. |
| US07916515B2 |
Non-volatile memory read/write verify
An apparatus and associated method for writing data to a non-volatile memory cell, such as a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell. In some embodiments, a control circuitry is configured to write a logic state to a resistive sense element while simultaneously verifying the logic state of the resistive sense element. |
| US07916513B2 |
Non-destructive read back for ferroelectric data storage device
A data storage device comprising a ferroelectric layer, a perovskite structure, and at least one sensor, where the perovskite structure has a polarity discontinuity configured to generate capacitance voltages in the perovskite structure based on polarization charges of the ferroelectric material, and where the at least one sensor is configured to read the capacitance voltages from the perovskite structure. |
| US07916511B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including plurality of memory chips
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory chips each including a chip identification (ID) generation circuit. The chip ID generation circuits of the respective memory chips are operatively connected together in a cascade configuration, and the chip ID generation circuits are activated in response to application of a power supply voltage the memory device to sequentially generate respective chip ID numbers of the plurality of device chips |
| US07916510B1 |
Reformulating regular expressions into architecture-dependent bit groups
An apparatus and method of programming a search engine to implement regular expression search operations are disclosed that selectively transform a source regular expression into an equivalent reformulated regular expression in response to a determination of the architectural characteristics of the search engine. In this manner, the regular expression can be reformulated to optimize the configuration and available resources of the associated search engine. |
| US07916507B2 |
High voltage electron tube inverter with individual output phase current control
Disclosed is a high voltage inverter for converting DC power to AC power with one or more AC output phases. The inverter has for each AC output phase an AC input phase circuit comprising first and second cold cathode field emission controllable electron tubes of triode, tetrode or pentode structure. Each electron tube has a first input node for connection to a high voltage DC potential in excess of 20 KV and a second input node for connection to ground. First electron tube is serially connected between a first end of a primary winding and ground, and second electron tube is serially connected between a second end of the primary winding and ground. Control circuitry controls the electron tubes so that the first and second electron tubes alternatively conduct so as to alternately bring the first and then second end of the primary winding approximately to the potential of ground. |
| US07916506B2 |
Control device for use in a resonant direct current/direct current converter
A control device for controlling a switch unit of a resonant direct current/direct current converter includes a frequency modulation controller and a pulse selector. The frequency modulation controller is adapted to be coupled electrically to the converter for receiving a correcting threshold value and output information of the converter, and for generating a synchronization signal according to the correcting threshold value and the output information received thereby. The pulse selector is adapted to be coupled electrically to the converter and the frequency modulation controller for receiving the correcting threshold value, the output information and the synchronization signal, and for generating a driving signal according to the correcting threshold value, the output information and the synchronization signal received thereby. The driving signal is adapted to drive the switch unit and has a working period. The driving signal switches between high and low signal levels at a frequency that is substantially equal to that of the synchronization signal during the working period. |
| US07916505B2 |
Method and apparatus for a leakage energy recovery circuit
A method and apparatus for recovering leakage energy during DC power to AC power conversion. The apparatus comprises a leakage energy recovery circuit for storing leakage energy from a transformer and selectively coupling stored leakage energy to an input of the transformer. |
| US07916503B2 |
DC-DC converter, power supply voltage supplying method, and power supply voltage supplying system
According to one aspect of the invention, a DC-DC converter including a soft-start function of a soft start in response to a soft-start signal, comprises: a detection circuit that detects whether the soft-start signal is active at an end of a soft-start operation; and an output voltage control circuit that controls an output voltage based on detection result of the detection circuit. |
| US07916502B2 |
Stackable cable tray
A cable tray is provided comprising a housing defining an interior portion, the housing having at least one positioned opening formed therein and also having plural, open ends in communication with the interior portion and the at least one positioned opening for passage of at least one cable therethrough. The housing is adapted to be coupled to at least one external surface, such that at least one of the plural, open ends substantially aligns with at least one open end of a housing of at least one further cable tray. |
| US07916499B2 |
Apparatus for holding printed circuit boards
In one embodiment, a holder for holding printed circuit boards includes a base plate with a plurality of holding unit formed thereon. Each of the holding units includes a spring member, a securing member, and a blocking structure. The spring member includes a first end and a second end. The first end is attached to the base plate. The securing member is slideably mounted on the base plate. The securing member includes a connecting end and a securing end. The connecting end is connected with the second end of the spring member. The blocking structure is located on the base plate. The spring member is configured for pressing the securing member to move toward the blocking structure such that a printed circuit board is retainable between the securing end of the securing member and the blocking structure on the base plate. The holder is capable of holding printed circuit boards in batches. |
| US07916495B2 |
Universal solder pad
A universal solder pad is used with a plurality of SMD components having different sizes. Each SMD component includes a first conductive part and a second conductive part. The universal solder pad includes a first pad unit and a second pad unit. The first and second pad units are electrically connected to the first and second conductive parts of the SMD component, respectively. Each of the first and second pad units includes a main portion and a first extension portion. The first extension portion is extended from a first sidewall of the main portion and includes a first border, a second border and a third border. The second border and the third border of the first extension portion are parallel with each other for facilitating alignment of the first and second conductive parts of the SMD component with respect to the first pad unit and the second pad unit. |
| US07916488B2 |
Chip card holding module and electronic device using the same
A chip card holding module (24) having a connector portion (26) and a securing member (28) is described. The connector portion includes a base (261) defining two latching slots (263) on two lateral sides and a plurality of terminals (30) arranged on two opposite ends (261c, 261d) of the base. The securing member comprising a resisting plate (281) and a pair of connecting plates (282) respectively extends from two ends of the resisting plate, the connecting plates being inserted into the latching slots so as to define a space for receiving a chip card. |
| US07916487B2 |
Method and apparatus for the enhanced disaster survivability of a networked computer server
An apparatus for protecting a digital electronic data processor or stored digital data from damage includes a digital data unit comprising a data storage medium, a protective housing having side, top, and bottom walls defining a closed compartment which contains the digital data unit to shield the digital data therein from environmental damage. Active and passive protection from overheating and data encryption provides further data protection. The housing has at least one access port for supplying electrical power or for information transfer to or from the data unit therein. The port is sealed to prevent the introduction of environmental substances into the housing in the event of potential damage from an environmental disaster or other cause. The invention thus makes possible the safe storage of digital information in a computer data storage system which therefore has substantially increased capacity to survive disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes, and theft, as well as more common computer problems such as disk drive failures. The invention can employ multiple computer network data access mechanisms that store digital data, including but not limited to Microsoft Windows File Sharing, Common Internet File Systems (CIFS), Network File Systems (NFS), Novell Netware File Systems, iSCSI, Storage Area Network Protocol, and Network SQL Database Mechanism or other data processing units. |
| US07916485B2 |
Fin-type heat sink and electronic device using same
A heat sink includes two heat spreaders spaced from each other and a heat dissipation fin disposed and connected between the two heat spreaders. The heat dissipation fin includes a plurality of hollow tubular heat dissipation units arranged linearly from one of the heat spreaders to the other one of the heat spreaders. The heat dissipation units are connected together with their axes along length directions thereof being parallel to each other. Each of the heat dissipation units can resiliently deform to change a distance between the two heat spreaders. The present disclosure also discloses an electronic device incorporating such a heat sink. |
| US07916482B2 |
Loop heat pipe and electronic device
According to one embodiment, a loop heat pipe including a fluid circulating channel containing fluid, includes: an evaporating portion configured to vaporize the fluid by heat from a heat generating component; a condensing portion configured to liquefy the vaporized fluid; a first fluid channel connecting the evaporating portion and the condensing portion, the vaporized fluid flowing through the first fluid channel; a second fluid channel connecting the evaporating portion and the condensing portion, the fluid liquefied by the condensing portion flowing through the second fluid channel; a liquid accumulating portion formed on an inner wall of the second fluid channel, and provided between the evaporating portion and the condensing portion, the liquid accumulating portion being configured to accumulate the liquid liquefied by the condensing portion; and a wick provided between the evaporating portion and a position where the liquid accumulating portion is formed. |
| US07916478B2 |
Electronic device
The invention discloses an electronic device comprising a casing and a stand. The stand is detachably disposed on the casing for supporting the electronic device on a plane and rotatably disposed at a first position or a second position with respect to the casing. The casing has a first engaging portion located on a first side thereof. The stand comprises a second engaging portion pivotally connected to the first engaging portion along a first direction. An incline extending along a second direction different from the first direction is disposed on the casing. Once the electronic device is hit by a force and the stand is at the second position, the stand will slide along the incline and then the second engaging portion will depart from the first engaging portion, so as to make the stand depart from the casing. |
| US07916476B2 |
Securing apparatus for expansion cards
A securing apparatus is provided for securing an expansion card with a shielding plate to an enclosure of an electronic device. The securing apparatus includes a panel, a limiting member, a locking member, and the latch member. The limiting member is pivotably mounted to the panel to abut the shielding plate in cooperation with the panel. A first locking portion is formed on the limiting member. The locking member is pivotably attached to the limiting member and overlaps on the limiting member. A second locking portion is formed on the locking member to engage with the first locking portion. The latch member is pivotably mounted to the locking member. A hook is formed on the panel to catch the latch member, thereby securing the expansion card to the enclosure. |
| US07916471B2 |
Storage device
In a storage device accommodating a plurality of memory devices in a general-purpose chassis provided from both surface sides thereof, a cooling device is provided on the front of the memory devices. This cooling device is allowed to freely move to leave available the area in front of the memory devices, thereby enabling maintenance and replacement of the memory devices from the both surface sides of the chassis. With such a storage device of a type using a general-purpose chassis, and inserting therein a plurality of memory devices from the both surface sides thereof, even if a cooling device is located on the front of the chassis, the memory devices can be subjected to maintenance and replacement. |
| US07916470B2 |
Docking Plenum for a Rack
A docking plenum for a rack is disclosed. The docking plenum includes a pair of sides that are coupled to first and second panels at the top of the docking plenum. The panels at the top of the docking plenum are separated from one another by an aperture. The docking plenum includes a front opening and a rear opening between the two sides. Each of the front opening and the rear opening are sized to receive a rack. The placement of a first rack in the front opening and a second rack in the rear opening creates a heated air cavity that is formed by the racks, the floor of the docking plenum, and the panels at the top of the docking plenum. When the racks are placed in the opening, and when one or more fans in the computer systems are activated, the fans draw air from outside the plenum across the interior of the computer systems. Heated air exits the computer systems and enters the heated air cavity. The heated air exits the heated air cavity through the aperture in the top of the docking plenum. Each rack may include wheels. |
| US07916466B2 |
Computer enclosure with input/output module
A computer enclosure includes an inner chassis, an input/output (I/O) module defining a number of I/O interfaces, a latching unit attached to the inner chassis, a resilient member connected between the I/O module and the inner chassis, a gear rack attached to the I/O module, and a damping gear assembly attached to the inner chassis and engaging with the gear rack. The I/O module is pivotably mounted to the inner chassis. The latching unit is capable of keeping the I/O module at a closed position where the I/O interfaces of the I/O module are unexposed. A movement of the I/O module is restrained by the damping gear. |
| US07916465B2 |
Hard disk fixing rack
A hard disk fixing rack, which is used to emplace and fix the hard disks used in a computer, is composed of a seat which is fixed in an interior of a computer casing, a rack body, and a plurality of elastic gliding members which are installed on the hard disk. An interior of the rack body is formed with a plurality or rails, such that after the hard disk is gliding on the aforementioned rails, it can be fixed into locking slots at tail ends of the rails. |
| US07916463B2 |
Information processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, the information processing apparatus includes a main housing, a display housing containing a display panel, a hinge section provided between an end part of the main housing and an end part of the display housing and rotatably coupling the display housing to the main housing, a first antenna section, and a second antenna section. The first antenna section is provided in the end part of the display housing and electrically connected to the display panel, and at least a part of the first antenna section is located below the display panel in a state where the display housing is in a raised position relative to the main housing. The second antenna section is provided in the main housing, and is configured to perform wireless communication with the first antenna section. |
| US07916460B2 |
Ergonomic lay flat folding remote control with keyboard
An ergonomic folding remote control with keyboard is disclosed. The folding remote control with keyboard has an ergonomic angled typing surface and thicker forward section along with a lay flat design. The remote controller may be conveniently held in one hand of a user when in the folded or closed position and conveniently rested on a support surface when in the opened position and used as a keyboard. |
| US07916458B2 |
Modular irrigation controller
The present invention provides a modular controller that connects to irrigation modules with varying station terminals and a standard footprint size. Additionally, the modular controller includes surge protection options, wireless communication with PDA's and other external devices, no required position for each controller module to be connected, immediate display of station modules on the LCD display, retention of a water program if module is removed, communications module for flow monitoring, a modular transformer, rain sensor receiver within the housing, an improved 9-volt batter holder, and other aspects described in the present application. |