| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07966747B2 |
Dance footwear
An item of footwear (10), which exposes a substantial portion of a wearer's foot, is disclosed. The footwear includes a plurality of foot enclosures (110, 112) operably connected to each other via a connector (114), such as a plurality of elastic straps (200, 202). Protective pads (180, 182) may be attached to the footwear, such as leather pads on the plantar surface of the footwear. One advantage offered by this footwear is that the wearer's foot—and particularly the arch and middle of the foot—is substantially exposed to view, achieving a new aesthetic for ballet and dance footwear. |
| US07966745B2 |
Fluid bed granulation process and apparatus
Fluid bed granulation process comprising the step of cooling the granules in a cooling fluid bed (F2). At least part of the fluidizing air coming out from said cooling fluid bed (F2) is fed into the granulation fluid bed (F1). |
| US07966741B2 |
Process and apparatus for manufacture of fertilizer products from manure and sewage
This invention discloses systems and methods for conversion of manure to novel fertilizer and/or soil builder products useful as input for organic farming operations. The equipment systems comprise a gas turbine generator unit (preferred heat source), a dryer vessel and a processing unit, wherein the connection between the gas turbine and the dryer vessel directs substantially all the gas turbine exhaust into the dryer vessel and substantially precludes the introduction of air into the dryer vessel. The dryer vessel receives the manure for contact with the turbine exhaust gases to convert the manure to a dry material, which is passed to the processing unit where it is formed into granules, pellets or other desired form for the final dry fertilizer product. The method comprises drying, heating and converting the manure to form novel self binding fertilizer and soil builder type products for organic farming and other uses. |
| US07966738B2 |
Laser guide
A laser guide for rotating tools comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion. A seal is provided between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. A lens is located in the first housing portion or second housing portion. A seal is provided between the lens and the first housing portion. A method of testing a laser guide comprising applying a pressure to an internal chamber of the laser guide. Monitoring the laser guide for pressure gains or losses in the chamber. |
| US07966736B2 |
Grass-cutting head with spiral guide channels for the cutting line
The grass-cutting head (101) has a body (103) forming a housing for at least one spool of cutting line (F1; F2), provided with at least one outlet hole (111) of an end of the cutting line wound on said spool positioned inside the head. For each outlet hole, a guide channel for the cutting line is also provided, extending from the inside of the housing towards the hole and having an inclined trend, gradually moving away from said axis of rotation. |
| US07966735B1 |
Scissors assembly with rotatable blades
A toy scissors apparatus for modeling compound. The scissors apparatus has two handles, each handle connected to a respective mounting cap and to a respective rotatable scissor blade. Each of the blades is rotatable about its longitudinal axis between two positions about 180° apart so as to enable a choice of two different cutting edge regions for use. To alter cutting edges, the blade is pulled away from the mounting cap against a biasing force created by a spring, and then rotated. |
| US07966734B2 |
Tack strip cutter
A tack strip cutter including a top blade holder and a bottom blade holder having a leverage handle for bringing the blade holders together with a leverage force. A splay inhibition guide on one of the blade holders prevents lateral movement of the blade holders when the tool is used. |
| US07966732B2 |
Safety cutting apparatus
A cutting apparatus has a unidirectionally-locking blade cover that automatically snaps back over the exposed blade after each cut, and a dependent, index finger operated unlocking trigger. |
| US07966729B2 |
Method and device for producing a fuselage cell of an airplane
The invention relates to a method for the economic production of entire fuselage cells of airplanes and to a site for carrying out the method. Differing from the conventional sectional assembly according to the invention separate shells (shell components) are attached to a substantially completed cockpit section and/or rear section. At this the half shell construction and the four shell construction as well as a combination hereof can be applied. Alternatively, the cockpit section and the rear section as well as the central wing box section can be aligned and positioned to each other in a site forming gaps in longitudinal direction. Subsequently, the shell components as well as the floor framework sections are adjusted circularly revolving between the sections and are ideally simultaneously connected to these by means of at least four cross-seams and a plurality of longitudinal seams. |
| US07966726B2 |
Levelling of root bushings on blades for wind turbines
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a blade for a wind turbine, wherein the blade is made in one or more moulds; and wherein the blade has integrally moulded root bushings in the root of the blade for direct or indirect attachment to a hub in a wind turbine. The novel aspect of the invention is that the root bushings (203) in the root (201) of the blade are leveled by shortening of at least one of the root bushings prior to the blade being removed from a supporting mould (205). The invention further relates to a blade made in accordance with the method and a leveling unit (207) for leveling the root of the blade, wherein the leveling unit comprises means for mounting on a mould. |
| US07966725B2 |
Flat gasket and process for the production of a flat gasket
In order to provide a flat gasket, in particular cylinder head gasket, comprising at least one metal gasket sheet made of a spring steel or a metallic material with a percentage elongation after fracture corresponding to the percentage elongation after fracture of a spring steel, which has a novel structure, it is proposed that the gasket sheet is provided with at least one edging fold, which comprises a bending region and a flange region connected in one piece to the gasket sheet via the bending region. |
| US07966716B2 |
Method of assembling direct-drive generator
A method for assembling a direct drive generator assembly includes the steps of placing a rotor over a stator, leaving a gap therebetween. A magnetic hub is assembled using adjacent columns of magnets having opposed orientation, and placed in the air gap. Application of an input torque to generate cogging torque in first direction that offsets coggery torque in second direction. |
| US07966714B2 |
Multi-step systems for processing workpieces
Systems, including method and apparatus, for processing workpieces driven automatically along a linear path to a plurality of positions disposed substantially along the linear path. In some embodiments, a workpiece may be processed at one or more of the positions using two or more processing stations, such as a first processing station that cuts the workpiece into segments and a second processing station that performs another processing operation on the workpiece. |
| US07966712B2 |
System and method of molding and assembling a fluid spray device
A system for molding and assembling a fluid spray device, said system comprising two multi-cavity molds (B, C; B′; C′) for molding two different parts (100, 200) of said fluid dispenser device, the system being characterized in that the first part (100) is a spray head and the second part (200) is an insert for assembling in said spray head (100), said system comprising means for assembling parts coming from each of the cavities of the first multi-cavity mold (B; B′) in pairs always with parts coming from a corresponding respective cavity of said second multi-cavity mold (C; C′), such that the same insert (200) is always assembled in the same spray head, thereby guaranteeing constant spraying performance for each dispenser device assembled from the same pair of cavities. |
| US07966711B2 |
Method and apparatus for fastening components using a composite two-piece fastening system
A method and apparatus for attaching parts. A composite male fastening component is placed through at least a first part and a second part. The composite male fastener component preferably has a threaded portion. A composite female fastener component is positioned adjacent to and surrounding the threaded portion of the male fastener component. A portion of the composite female fastener component is caused to flow around and form into the threaded portion of the composite male fastener component. The portion of the composite female fastener component that flowed around and formed into the threaded portion of the composite male fastener component is re-solidified and re-consolidated such that the composite female fastener component is securely attached to the composite male fastener component thereby joining the mating parts. |
| US07966706B2 |
Swing type electrode chip replacement apparatus
This invention provides a swing type electrode chip replacement apparatus which enables an electrode chip to be attached/detached without damaging a shank even if the shank is bent. The swing type electrode chip replacement apparatus comprises a fixed plate 20 located in the vicinity of a spot welding machine and a movable plate 21 slidable in the back-forth direction on the fixed plate 20, its front end being swingable in the right-left direction. An attaching unit 1 for attaching an electrode chip 95 to the tip of a shank 90 of a spot welding machine or a magazine of the electrode chip 60 for removing the electrode chip 95 is loaded on this movable plate 21, which is slidable in the back-forth direction and swingable in the right-left direction when the shank 90 comes into contact with the attaching unit 1 or the magazine of electrode chips 60. |
| US07966704B2 |
Clasp for jewelry
A clasp which is lockable in both an open and a closed position includes a body having a first opening, a second opening, and an internal space; a connector fixed to the body for linking to a chain; a first spring; and a moveable connector. The movable connector, inseparable from the body, is movable to a locked closed position by the first spring and movable to a locked open position by an external force. The movable connector includes a first latch piece within the internal space of the body, and extends through the first opening. A button extends through the second opening. The button includes a second spring and a second latch piece that interfaces with the first latch piece. In a first position of the button, the second latch piece locks with the first latch piece. In a second position of the button, the second latch piece and the first latch piece disengage and the movable connector can be moved by an external force allowing the second spring to move the second latch piece to a position that keeps the movable connector in the locked open position. |
| US07966701B2 |
Adjustable ratchet buckle
A buckle includes a strap slidably looped around a strut proximate a front opening of a housing, a spring-biased, lever-like ratchet having front and rear sections and a front engagement tooth adapted to matingly engage with one of a plurality of rack teeth on an upper surface of the strap, and two opposite pivotal arms extending outside of the housing. Pressing the arms will push down the rear section to lift the front section to disengage the engagement tooth from the rack tooth, thereby adjusting the buckle in discrete increments to tighten the strap. |
| US07966693B2 |
Hinge apparatus having automatic return function
A hinge apparatus includes an upper body, a lower body, a shaft whose lower end portion is rotatably installed in the lower body, a piston whose outer circumference is slidably installed along the inner surface of the lower body, a rotational/linear motion converter which converts a rotational motion of the shaft into an axial linear motion of the piston, a damping unit provides a damping function selectively where the piston ascends according to return of the door, a torsion spring rotates the shaft in the door closing direction, and a clutch unit for stopping the elastic force due to reverse twisting of the spring or for restoring the elastic force of the spring. |
| US07966691B2 |
Dust collector
To provide a dust collector which, even when it is used in a poor power supply situation, can detect the dust loading of a filter accurately, can remove dust automatically and can reduce power consumption. In the dust collector, there is provided a control circuit which can detect the dust loading of a filter by comparing the threshold value of the dust loading pressure to be determined by the internal pressure of the filter, the operation of a suction device, the power supply frequency of the suction device and the supply voltage of the suction device with the filter internal pressure just before the suction device stops, and, when the filter is dust loaded, can operate a dust removing device. |
| US07966687B2 |
Anti-smear cleaning swab with perforated blade
An anti-smear cleaning swab for cleaning delicate surfaces, comprising a body defining an elongated shaft having two opposite ends. An enlarged blade is carried at one end of the handle. A number of bores are made through the blade, these bores enabling both fluid flow therethrough and also some retensive capture of fluid droplets. A fluid absorbing cloth sheet pocket generally encloses by folding same around the blade, and is sized to fit snugly therearound. |
| US07966685B2 |
Pocket ramp
A pocket ramp for loading objects or cargo onto the floor of a vehicle and which is mounted between the longitudinally extending frame members of the vehicle. The pocket ramp assembly includes a main frame, a primary slide, a secondary slide, a lower ramp section, an upper ramp section and a latching mechanism which selectively locks the pocket ramp assembly in either of its stowed or operative positions. The main frame is fixed to the longitudinally extending frame members of the vehicle, the primary side being slidably mounted therein. The secondary slide is slidably mounted in the primary slide. The upper ramp section is pivotally mounted to the rearward end of the secondary slide and the lower ramp section is pivotally mounted to the rearward end of the upper ramp section. |
| US07966679B2 |
Stretch assisting cushion
A stretch assist cushion includes an upper member with an upper surface serving as a sitting surface in contact with the user's hip directly or through a covering member covering the upper member, the upper member made of an elastic material; and a lower member located below the upper member and with lower surface serving as a bottom surface in contact with a floor directly or through a covering member covering the lower member, the lower member made of a material harder than the material of the upper member. When the cushion is positioned such that the bottom surface is in contact with the floor, the sitting surface has a predetermined tilt angle relative to the floor, and the lower member determines a predetermined distance between the floor and the lowest point of the sitting surface that has the predetermined tilt angle. |
| US07966677B2 |
Adjustable mount for showerhead
A shower mount is mounted to a fixed shower arm in a bathing area for universally receiving a hand-held showerhead. The shower mount is connected to the shower arm and includes a base member with a fluid passageway in communication with the shower arm and a shower hose. Water flows through the fluid passageway and shower hose to a showerhead. A shower saddle is interchangeably mounted the base member to support the showerhead. The shower saddle is selected depending upon the design of the showerhead in order to securely retain the showerhead to the base member. |
| US07966674B2 |
Toilet seat saver
An apparatus for opening and closing a toilet seat and lid. The apparatus comprises a clamp and a handle which attaches to a toilet lid. A user may open and close a toilet seat and/or lid by grasping the handle, in lieu of directly touching the toilet seat or lid. In preferred embodiments, the clamp contains a wireless controlled lever and motion detector which senses when a user moves away from the toilet, and automatically closes the toilet seat and or lid. |
| US07966673B1 |
Protective shield for a cap
An apparatus for use with a cap includes a rigid liner that is secured to an interior or exterior of the cap to provide impact protection over a portion of the forehead region, crown and temple area. An absorbent liner is preferably included if the cap does not include an interior liner. The absorbent liner absorbs perspiration from the brow of the wearer. An optional energy attenuating liner can also be included as an inner layer that is disposed adjacent to the rigid liner and intermediate the head of the wearer to more safely distribute kinetic energy. The energy attenuating liner can include a material that provides single-use only or multiple-use capability. The rigid liner and other components are either permanently attached to the cap or they may be detachably-attachable with respect to the cap or with respect to a remainder of the apparatus and replaced, as desired. Any preferred material may be used for any component part of the protective shield for a cap. |
| US07966672B1 |
Clothing with special access
A garment includes a special access mechanism to enable the inseam to be opened and the legs to be fastened to the main body portion in a raised position. |
| US07966669B1 |
Survival coveralls with adjustable limbs
A survival coverall has a main suit and adjustable telescopic limbs. The main suit is adapted to provide coverage for a torso and shoulders of a wearer. The adjustable telescopic limbs, each comprise a cuff, an outer shell, and a fastener. The cuff and the outer shell extend from the main suit. The outer shell is attached to the cuff at a primary attachment point creating a cuff overlap with an exposed side and inner suit side. The fastener is attached to the cuff overlap on the inner suit side which allows the cuff to attach to the outer shell at an adjustable secondary attachment point either shortening or elongating the adjustable telescopic limb. |
| US07971264B2 |
Authentication of HTTP applications
An apparatus such as an HTTP proxy server compares information of a request by HTTP client logic with a known pattern of information for the client logic. When the information of the request matches the known pattern, the HTTP proxy server causes content and/or software to be communicated to the client in response to the request. Depending upon the results of the comparison, the HTTP proxy may also validate or invalidate the request before communicating it to the server. |
| US07971261B2 |
Domain management for digital media
In accordance with the domain management for digital media, a device accesses a domain administrator in order to obtain a domain membership license. The domain membership license indicates that the device is part of a domain that includes multiple devices associated with a user of the device. The device also obtains multiple pieces of protected content from multiple content providers, with two or more of the multiple content providers employing different digital rights management systems. The device also accesses a license server to obtain, for each piece of protected content, a content license that is bound to the domain. The content license permits the device to play back the piece of content to the user. |
| US07971260B2 |
Matching session records of network users with corresponding transaction data
A system for collecting data regarding network behaviors of users is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system combines session records of users with corresponding transaction records reflective of e-commerce transactions. The session records may, for example, be generated by one or more collection engines deployed by one or more Internet Service Providers. The transaction records may, for example, be obtained through interactions with one or more merchant web sites. By combining these two types of information, the system can, for example, identify a set of user actions that led to a particular purchase transaction. |
| US07971252B2 |
Generating a multiple-prerequisite attack graph
In one aspect, a method to generate an attack graph includes determining if a potential node provides a first precondition equivalent to one of preconditions provided by a group of preexisting nodes on the attack graph. The group of preexisting nodes includes a first state node, a first vulnerability instance node, a first prerequisite node, and a second state node. The method also includes, if the first precondition is equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, coupling a current node to a preexisting node providing the precondition equivalent to the first precondition using a first edge and if the first precondition is not equivalent to one of the preconditions provided by the group of preexisting nodes, generating the potential node as a new node on the attack graph and coupling the new node to the current node using a second edge. |
| US07971249B2 |
System and method for scanning memory for pestware offset signatures
Systems and methods for managing pestware processes on a protected computer are described. In one implementation, a reference point in the executable memory that is associated with a process running in the executable memory is located. A first and second sets of information from corresponding first and second portions of the executable memory are then retrieved. The first and second portions of the executable memory are separated by a defined offset, and each of the first and second portions of the executable memory are offset from the reference point. The process is identifiable as a particular type of pestware when the first and second sets of information each include information previously found to be separated by the defined offset in other processes that are of the particular type of pestware. In some variations, the reference point is a starting address and/or an API implementation in the process. |
| US07971247B2 |
Methods and apparatus for prevention of excessive control message traffic in a digital networking system
Methods and apparatus for use with an integrated circuit device of a processing device of a network node of a digital networking system, configured to monitor one or more control messages received at the processing device from each of a plurality of CPE devices, and limiting the one or more control messages to one or more specified rates for a specified duration. The integrated circuit device is further configured to provide one or more data channels to the plurality of CPE devices from the processing device in response to the one or more control messages processed at the processing device. |
| US07971245B2 |
Method and system to detect externally-referenced malicious data for access and/or publication via a computer system
A method and system to verify active content in a server system include receiving a communication (e.g., an e-mail message or an e-commerce listing) that includes active content to be made accessible by the server system. A reference (e.g., a URL) within the active content is identified, the reference pointing to further data that is not included within the communication. This further data is to be retrieved when the active content is rendered. The reference is stored at the server system, and the further data, to which the reference points, is repetitively and periodically retrieved. Subsequent to each retrieval of the further data, a determination is made as to whether the further data is malicious. |
| US07971240B2 |
Session key security protocol
Exchanging information in a multi-site authentication system. A network server receives, from an authentication server, a request by a client computing device for a service provided by the network server along with an authentication ticket. The authentication ticket includes: a session key encrypted by a public key associated with the network server, message content encrypted by the session key, and a signature for the encrypted session key and the encrypted message content. The signature includes address information of the network server. The network server identifies its own address information in the signature to validate the signature included in the authentication ticket and verifies the authentication ticket content based on the signature included in the authentication ticket. The network server decrypts the encrypted session key via a private key associated with the second network server and decrypts the encrypted message content via the decrypted session key. |
| US07971239B2 |
Device control apparatus
A device control apparatus, comprising a processor for storing first key information, a memory section for storing encrypted second key information which is obtained by encrypting second key information such that the second key information is able to be restored through decryption using the first key information, and an interface section for carrying out authentication using the second key information when an access instruction requiring access to a device is given by the processor, and for controlling the access to the device based on the access instruction when the authentication is established. |
| US07971236B1 |
Method and system for secure remote direct memory access
Method and system are provided where a memory key structure is used for authenticating access to a memory location that is registered for a remote direct memory access (RDMA) operation. The memory key structure not only includes a standard memory key that is expected by an RDMA enabled network interface card (RNIC), but also includes an endpoint network address identifier and a transport identifier. The endpoint network address identifier and the transport identifier are verified before an entity is granted access to the registered memory location. |
| US07971231B2 |
Configuration management database (CMDB) which establishes policy artifacts and automatic tagging of the same
The present invention discloses a solution for managing policy artifacts using a configuration management database (CMDB). Policies can be associated with a number of information technology resources, such as servers, businesses applications and the like. The solution permits automatic tagging of the policies (auto-discovery) as they enter the CMDB. For example, when a policy is added, it can be compared against a set of tagging rules. Multiple rules can match a new policy, which results in multiple tags being added for the policy. The policy specific tags can be optionally indexed for faster searching. Once indexed, the CMDB can support policy and policy tag based queries. In one embodiment, policy artifacts can be manipulated within a CMDB tool in a manner consistent with how the CMDB tool handles configuration items (CIs). |
| US07971229B1 |
Non-obtrusive security system for devices
A security system is provided including providing a device including: storing a security rule for operation of the device when an event occurs; and implementing the security rule upon the occurrence of the event to allow non-obtrusive user access to the device. |
| US07971228B2 |
System and method for providing application-specific on-line charging in a communications environment
An architecture for A method for providing on-line charging in a network environment is provided that includes interacting with an application that is selected by an end user, and with a policy enforcement point to install corresponding policies that are inclusive of charging rules. The method also includes performing, via a policy server, on-line charging interactions on behalf of the selected application itself such that application-specific on-line charging for the application is enabled. In more particular embodiments, the policy server understands which application is interacting with it by use of application tokens, source, or service identifiers. Also, the application element can query the policy server indirectly to grant network resources and the policy server examines an end user's policy profile or a network-wide profile (or both) and recognizes that on-line charging applies to the selected application. |
| US07971227B1 |
Method and apparatus for implementing file transfers to receivers in a digital broadcast system
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing transfer of files to receivers in a digital broadcast system. The data files are partitioned into segments that are interspersed in a broadcast signal. Segment headers are provided to indicate the number of segments that constitute a corresponding data file and to uniquely identify each of segment in a data file. Receivers allocate memory to store segments for a selected data file based on data in the segment headers. The headers can be provided with data to address data files to selected receivers. Receivers are programmed to monitor the progress of storing segments of a selected data file during an initial broadcast and to use rebroadcasts to complete a file transfer. |
| US07971220B2 |
System, method, computer program product, and apparatus for automatically ensuring consistency between program and system information protocol tables and program specific information tables in a digital television stream
A system, method, computer program product, and apparatus for automatically ensuring consistency between program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables and program specific information (PSI) tables in a digital television (DTV) stream, for example, in ATSC DTV stream. Encoders generate MPEG streams including PSI tables. A PSIP generator generates PSIP information from program information. A remultiplexer combines the MPEG information and the PSIP information while resolving any conflicts between the PSI tables and the PSIP tables based on a set of rules. The transport stream output by the remultiplexer includes consistent information in both the PSI tables and the PSIP tables. |
| US07971219B2 |
Display control apparatus and method
The invention relates to a display control apparatus and method that make it possible to easily recognize detailed information relating to an overlap time slot in an apparatus capable of setting recording reservations for programs whose broadcast time slots overlap with each other. Program-11 that will be broadcast from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. on channel-123 and program-14 that will be broadcast from 11:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. on channel-124 have an overlap broadcast time of 11:40 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Of a block of program-11, a portion of the overlap time slot is given a color (hatched) meaning that an action corresponding to a set reservation will be executed in spite of the overlap in broadcast time with the other program. Of a block of program-14, a portion of the overlap time slot is given a color (dotted) meaning that an action corresponding to a set reservation will not be executed because of the overlap in broadcast time with the other program. The invention can be applied to equipment for processing TV programs such as STBs. |
| US07971216B2 |
Method of displaying broadcast channel information and broadcast receiver implementing the same
A method of displaying broadcast channel information on a broadcast terminal. The method includes touching a pointer at a first position on a touch screen of the broadcast terminal and then dragging the pointer to a second position on the touch screen, and displaying information about broadcast channels respectively assigned in advance to the first and second positions while the pointer is dragged from the first position to the second position. |
| US07971207B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for representing and connection-oriented device in a known format
An integrating component exposes a connection interface for creating and maintaining connections. A proxy client component is disclosed that interacts with a known application-level interface and converts known application-level interface commands into appropriate commands for the connection interface of the integrating component. The proxy client component interacts with the integrating component to represent underlying connection-oriented devices and attendant device characteristics to the known application-level interface. This allows an application programmer to take advantage of a connection-oriented I/O subsystem and underlying connection-oriented devices without requiring the programmer to learn another interface. Benefits include the ability to dynamically redirect a data stream received over a created connection from one data transport to another under application control. This is useful in multimedia applications where different types of data may come over the same connection. |
| US07971206B2 |
Protocol for message delivery among independently evolving processes
The present invention relates to a method for message delivery from a sender process to a receiver process within a computer system, comprising performing an atomic check for the receiver process and a parent of the receiver process, returning a first status of the receiver process and a second status of the parent of the receiver process based on the atomic check, and delivering the message according to the first status and the second status, wherein the first status and the second status stay unchanged during the atomic check. |
| US07971205B2 |
Handling of user mode thread using no context switch attribute to designate near interrupt disabled priority status
A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing a no context switch attribute that allows a user mode thread to become a near interrupt disabled priority is disclosed. A thread includes a no context switch attribute. Control of a thread based on the no context switch attribute is much more efficient than the real-time priority because the no context switch attribute bypasses the overhead of scheduling. Moreover, the no context switch attribute may be used to detect whether a thread performs any undesirable operations that can cause the thread to become suspended while in a critical section. The no context switch attribute is configurable to indicate whether execution of the thread can be suspended. |
| US07971204B2 |
System and method of co-allocating a reservation spanning different compute resources types
A system and method of co-allocating resources within a compute environment are disclosed. The method embodiment of the invention comprises receiving a request for a reservation for a first type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the first type of resource, identifying a first group of resources that meet the request for the first type of resource and storing in a first list, receiving a request for a reservation for a second type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the second type of resource, identifying a second group of resources that meet the request for the second type of resource and storing in a second list, calculating a co-allocation parameter between the first group of resources and the second group of resources and reserving resources according to the calculated co-allocation parameter of the first group of resources and the second group of resources. The request may also request exclusivity of the reservation. |
| US07971202B2 |
Method for advanced management of software distribution tasks
The present invention provides a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing a software installation. A graphical user interface is displayed for receiving user input to manage a software installation having multiple software installation tasks. A particular software installation task is initiated in response to the particular software installation task being selected from the multiple software installation tasks. The performance of the particular task is customized based on the selection of the option in response to a selection of an option during execution of the particular software installation task is received. At least one of the multiple software installation tasks may be scheduled and initiated independently from others of the multiple software installation tasks. |
| US07971199B1 |
Mobile device with a self-updating update agent in a wireless network
A mobile device with a self-backup mechanism may conduct an implicit backup of update agent code during an update of firmware in the electronic device, using a package of update information. Another embodiment may perform an explicit backup of update agent code before the update of other firmware is performed. In an electronic device employing NAND flash non-volatile memory for firmware storage, a boot code may copy all firmware, including update agent code, from the non-volatile memory to RAM for execution. A determination may be made whether a backup copy of update agent code exists, and the existing update agent code may be updated by a copy of the update agent code stored in an area in RAM. An updated update agent code may be capable of employing update status data used by old update agent code, as well as update status data used by an updated update agent code. |
| US07971198B2 |
Method for global resource sharing having logically linked means and integrated functionality for building solutions
A resources sharing container having logic-linking mechanism for logically linking program code to pages, pages to applications and applications to solutions. The resources sharing container will have the ability to create finished solutions by using its logic functionalities (logic-linking, resources code, enhancements, etc.), application requirements (application pages and their programming code logic) and preconfigured enhancements (settings, translations, interfacing, securities, etc.), and have the final solution tailored to each user's prerequisites. Moreover, it will permit the creation of a global resource sharing of logically linked software code blocks, application pages and application page's settings that can be shared in house, over a network or globally over the Internet, thus, reducing replication and distribution costs, since all the developments, securities and enhancements are at the resources level at a single location. |
| US07971197B2 |
Automatic instruction set architecture generation
A digital computer system automatically creates an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) that potentially exploits VLIW instructions, vector operations, fused operations, and specialized operations with the goal of increasing the performance of a set of applications while keeping hardware cost below a designer specified limit, or with the goal of minimizing hardware cost given a required level of performance. |
| US07971196B2 |
Extracting information from software
A method and implementing computer system are provided in which selected information is embedded within computer program structures without requiring separate bit strings. In an exemplary embodiment, the embedded selected information includes an identification of a licensed user together with a serial number of the associated licensed program. That information is converted into a binary representation, and a transfer function is used to embed the binary representation into the structure of the licensed program. In the example, when a licensed program is compiled, linked and downloaded over an interconnection network, the order or sequence of the modules of the licensed program is arranged in a manner to correspond to the embedded selected information. The embedded information can then be extracted from the program by analysis of the organization of the modules comprising the program. |
| US07971192B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for analysis of simulation results
A method of analyzing simulation results of a model, the method comprising: obtaining a process model including model elements including tasks, non-reusable sub-processes, and called reusable sub-processes; assigning a unique identifier to each model-element; generating unique model-element-proxies for all model-elements except for model elements corresponding to a model-reusable-sub-process or a model element contained by a model-reusable-sub-process; generating unique model-element-proxies for model-reusable-sub-processes and model-elements contained by model-reusable-sub-processes; associating each generated model-element-proxy with a corresponding model-element; executing simulation of the process model and persisting for each element instance data produced during simulation, the instance data including an element instance identifier and a corresponding model-element-proxy identifier; querying persisted simulation data for information using model-element-proxy identifiers. |
| US07971189B2 |
Automated interaction diagram generation using source code breakpoints
An automated interaction diagram generation using source code breakpoints is presented. A user sets diagram breakpoints at locations in source code using an integrated development environment (IDE) that includes a diagram generation manager. The user sets the breakpoints at locations where the user wishes to capture the interaction between objects on an interaction diagram. The IDE executes the code and the diagram generation manager collects breakpoint data corresponding to the breakpoints. Once the source code finishes executing, the diagram generation manager formats the breakpoint data and generates an interaction diagram based upon the formatted breakpoint data. The user may instruct the diagram generation manager to add or remove detail from the interaction diagram by adjusting breakpoint attributes and/or adding/deleting breakpoints. |
| US07971188B2 |
Method and system for remotely controlling the reporting of events occurring within a computer system
A method and system are provided for remotely controlling the reporting of events occurring within a computer. A remote control file identifying the events and conditions under which the events should be reported is periodically retrieved at a client computer. When an event occurs within a client computer, the remote control file is searched for data indicating that the event should be recorded. If data is located within the remote control file indicating that the event should be reported, data describing the event is collected. The collected data then may be subsequently reported. The remote control file may also include data identifying the type of data to be collected and a date and time after which data for a particular event should not be collected or reported. |
| US07971184B2 |
GUI-based application to web services conversion system
A web service creation system converts legacy application functionality to web services. The system captures the operation of the legacy application through an accessibility layer that monitors operator interaction with the application. The system then defines, creates, and deploys a web service that provides control over the application operation. As a result, the legacy application may be made accessible through web services and an organization may continue to realize a return on their significant investment in the creation of the legacy application. |
| US07971181B2 |
Enhanced statistical measurement analysis and reporting
Project information relating to a project is received, the project information identifying a project type, an authorized write entity, and an authorized approval entity, and a valid metric is selected based at least on the project type, the valid metric measuring an aspect of performance of the project. Base measures corresponding to the valid metric are received from the authorized write entity, the base measures further including periodic base measures corresponding to at least one metric period, and aperiodic base measures corresponding to an aperiodic incident, and the valid metric is calculated based on the base measures. The base measures are sorted into excluded base measures and non-excluded base measures, organizational baseline data is imported, and an organizational indicator is calculated based on the non-excluded base measures and the organizational baseline data. |
| US07971179B2 |
Providing artifact lifespan and relationship representation
A system and method for providing artifact lifespan and relationship representation is disclosed. A timeline portion of a lifespan of at least two artifacts is provided. In addition, a relationship representation portion between the at least two artifacts is also provided. The timeline portion of the lifespan of the at least two artifacts and the relationship representation portion between the at least two artifacts is then combined at a ligature. A browser is then provided for displaying the ligature, wherein the browser is capable of adding, removing or editing the timeline portion and the representation portion of the ligature. |
| US07971178B1 |
System to merge custom and synthesized digital integrated circuit design data
Techniques are present for designing of integrated circuits. Both custom design data and synthesized digital design data are received and merged into a design database in an automated process. The design database is then made accessible to layout tools so that the layout tools may operate upon it. These layout tools can include, but are not limited to, custom tools, digitals, or a combinations of these. |
| US07971174B1 |
Congestion aware pin optimizer
A circuit design process for the reduction of routing congestion is described. This process includes a block placement operation, an initial pin optimization for the block placement, and global routing based upon the initial pin optimization. Congestion data is generated from the global routing and, in an automated process, the pins are re-optimized, based upon the congestion data. This process can be used as part of a custom layout design process, for example. |
| US07971170B2 |
Methods for forming area-efficient scan chains in integrated circuits, and integrated circuits embodying the same
A method of forming a scan chain for testing an integrated circuit includes examining an interconnection of register elements in an integrated circuit design. A register element segment is identified which includes a source register element having an output and a destination register element having an input directly coupled to the output of the source register element. The segment is selectively coupled to another scan register element to form a portion of scan chain. |
| US07971168B1 |
Method for repeated block timing analysis
In various embodiments, each possible different instance of a repeated block can be concurrently optimized for timing. Each instance of a repeated block may be treated as a mode, such as a functional mode or testing mode, allowing implementation calculations to be performed simultaneously. Using multimode timing analysis, all instances of a repeated block can be analyzed and optimized simultaneously. Based on the multimode analysis, instances of a repeated block may be implemented identically or substantially similarly, which can reduce costs associated with implementing the same block more than once (e.g., impact to schedule, CPU/memory resources, ECOs). |
| US07971162B2 |
Verification of spare latch placement in synthesized macros
A method to assess spare latch placement in a macro, the method comprises steps of: determining a location for each spare latch in the macro; examining local clock buffers associated with the macro to locate any local clock buffers without a spare latch directly attached to clock nets driven by said local clock buffer; measuring a distance between each of the local clock buffers without spare latches and a closest spare latch; running statistics for the local clock buffers from the measuring step; and locating macros with inadequate spare latch placement using the statistics. |
| US07971161B2 |
Apparatus and method for implementing speculative clock gating of digital logic circuits
A method for implementing speculative clock gating of digital logic circuits in a multiple stage pipeline design includes generating, in a first pipeline stage n, a valid control signal that is input to a first register in a second pipeline stage n+1, the valid control signal indicative of when an operation is qualified to be performed by the second pipeline stage n+1; and generating, in the first pipeline stage, a speculative valid control signal that is used to gate a clock signal to a plurality of additional registers in the second pipeline stage, wherein the speculative valid control signal is generated using only a subset of a total number of control inputs used in generating the valid control signal, and wherein the clock signal is sent directly, without gating, to the first register in the second pipeline stage. |
| US07971158B2 |
Spacer fill structure, method and design structure for reducing device variation
A design structure is provided for spacer fill structures and, more particularly, spacer fill structures, a method of manufacturing and a design structure for reducing device variation is provided. The structure includes a plurality of dummy fill shapes in different areas of a device which are configured such that gate perimeter to gate area ratio will result in a total perimeter density being uniform across a chip. |
| US07971156B2 |
Controlling resource access based on user gesturing in a 3D captured image stream of the user
A computer-implemented method, system, and program product comprises a gesture processing system for capturing a three-dimensional movement of a user, wherein the three-dimensional movement is determined using at least one stereoscopic image device aimed at the user to identify and track at least one particular three-dimensional movement of the user. The gesture processing system predicts at least one defined movement within the captured three-dimensional movement matching at least one gesture definition of at least one gesture type from among a plurality of gesture definitions. A resource control system receives a request to access a resource based on the predicted at least one gesture type. The resource control system only allows user access to the resource by matching the predicted at least one gesture type with at least one required gesture type. |
| US07971155B1 |
Dropdown widget
A data processing system and method of presenting data on a graphical user interface. A dropdown widget with multiple lists is provided. According to an embodiment, items are grouped into multiple lists, and the lists are presented in an alternating or cyclic fashion in response to a user input. In a certain embodiment, a particular list may be selected for display by choosing the corresponding button on a widget. In some cases, multiple lists may be displayed at the same time. The present invention enables the user to select one or more items from mutually exclusive or hierarchically organized lists. |
| US07971154B2 |
Text box numbering and linking visual aids
A graphical user interface is disclosed for tracking and managing the use of text boxes by providing visual aids that make it easy for a user to see which text boxes are linked to which, as well as the order of text boxes in a linked chain. The present system also makes it easy to track the creation and breaking of linked text box chains. |
| US07971153B2 |
Weather information display apparatus and program
A weather information display apparatus comprising a map information retrieving device, a weather information retrieving device, a display device, a command receiving device, and a display controlling device. Each of weather information sets has a predetermined display priority. When a first region of a map associated with first weather information overlaps with a second region associated with second weather information via an overlapped section, the display controlling device controls a display condition of the overlapped section such that the overlapped section is displayed under the display condition associated with the first weather information. Here, the first information has the display priority higher than that of the second information. When the display controlling device receives a certain command, the display controlling device controls the display condition of the overlapped section such that the overlapped section is temporarily displayed under the display condition associated with the second weather information. |
| US07971147B2 |
Methods and systems for automatically creating a site menu
A method, system and computer program product for organizing and presenting web page information to a user. A browser plug-in extracts a domain name for the web page. Subsequently, a web page category is determined based on the menu table stored in the central repository. The browser plug-in captures the web links included in the web page based on the category of the web page. The captured web links are presented to a user on the browser plug-in. |
| US07971145B2 |
Systems and methods for adapting service interface behaviors
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of adapting software component interfaces by providing a user interface for specifying a provided interface, a required interface and interface operators. In another embodiment the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of adapting interfaces comprising receiving an adapter specification, receiving a plurality of communication actions from a first software component, transforming one or more of the communication actions in accordance with predefined interface operations; and sending transformed communication actions to a second software component. |
| US07971138B2 |
Common design for web pages through employment of master specifications
A master specification is provided to specify a common design for a number of resultant web pages to be generated. The common design includes common content placement, and at least one of a common style and a common navigation arrangement. The content of a first resultant web page is defined employing a first subordinate web page specification, including reference to the master specification for content placement, and at least one of style and navigation. The content of a second resultant web page is similarly defined. In turn, the first and second resultant web pages are generated with first and second contents being placed, styled and/or having the common navigation arrangement in accordance with the master specification. |
| US07971131B1 |
System and method for iterative denoising and error correction decoding
Systems and methods for iterative denoising and error correction decoding are presented. In an embodiment, a system iteratively processes a noisy signal formed by a noise-introducing channel in response to an error correction coded input signal. A denoiser generates reliability information for symbols in the input signal. The reliability information is generated by forming a product of received reliability information and an estimate of the distribution of metasymbols in the input signal, each metasymbol includes context symbols and a corresponding input symbol, and summing over values for the context symbols corresponding to the particular input symbol. An error correction decoder performs error correction decoding using the generated reliability information. In another embodiment, the reliability information is generated by forming a hard-decision decoded signal from received reliability information, determining metasymbol counts from the hard-decision decoded signal and solving an equation whose coefficients are obtained from the received reliability information and the metasymbol counts. |
| US07971130B2 |
Multi-level signal memory with LDPC and interleaving
Embodiments of the present invention provide multi-level signal memory with LDPC and interleaving. Thus, various embodiments of the present invention provide a memory apparatus that includes a memory block comprising a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell adapted to operate with multi-level signals. Such a memory apparatus also includes a low density parity check (LDPC) coder to LDPC code data values to be written into the memory cells and an interleaver adapted to apply bit interleaved code modulation (BICM) to the LDPC coded data values to generate BICM coded data values. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07971129B2 |
Code generator and decoder for communications systems operating using hybrid codes to allow for multiple efficient users of the communications systems
A method of encoding data for transmissions from a source to a destination over a communications channel is provided. The method operates on an ordered set of source symbols and may generate zero or more redundant symbols from the source symbols, wherein data is encoded in a first step according to a simple FEC code and in a second step, data is encoded according to a second FEC code, more complex than the first FEC code. The first FEC code and/or the second FEC code might comprise coding known in the art. These steps result in two groups of encoded data in such a way that a low-complexity receiver may make use of one of the groups of encoded data while higher complexity receivers may make use of both groups of encoded data. |
| US07971119B2 |
System and method for defect-based scan analysis
A method for defect-based scan analysis comprises, determining a neighborhood net for a circuit node, injecting defects into the neighborhood net, modeling the defects with stuck-at-0 and stuck-at-1 fault models, generating and applying test patterns to the neighborhood net, determining whether the injected defects are observable as faults, adding the test patterns to a set of effective test patterns if the defects are observable, mapping the test patterns to possible stuck-at-0 faults or stuck-at-1 faults, collecting stuck-at-0 and stuck-at-1 fault test patterns, performing stuck-at-0 and stuck-at-1 fault simulations using the stuck-at-0 and stuck-at-1 fault test patterns, respectively, generating first and second fault lists, combining first and second fault lists into combined fault lists, deriving a description of the combined fault lists using a complete set of fault models, filtering the combined fault lists to yield a collection of effective faults, and determining a defect for each of the effective faults. |
| US07971118B2 |
Conversion device, conversion method, program, and recording medium
Provided are a conversion device and others for converting a test vector set so as to reduce a logic value difference generated before and after scan capture in outputs of scan cells included in a full scan sequential circuit. A conversion device converts a test vector set corresponding to the full scan sequential circuit. The conversion device comprises a setting unit for setting a candidate bit which can be a don't care bit and a fixed bit which cannot be the don't care bit according to predetermined constraint conditions based on an input-output relationship in the logic circuit in order to identify the don't care bit identifiable as don't care from each test vector of the test vector set, and a logic value deciding unit for deciding a logic value for the don't care bit in view of a relationship in a plurality of bit pairs in relation to a test cube including the don't care bit identified by the setting unit. |
| US07971116B2 |
Semiconductor storage device and test method therefor
Disclosed is a semiconductor device including a BIST provided with a plurality of scan FFs (flip-flops), a data address signal generation circuit unit which respectively generates a data signal and an address signal based on a set value of a scan FF, WEB generation circuit unit which generates a signal WEB which controls writing to and reading data from the semiconductor memory based on an scan FF value, and a test signal control circuit unit which controls the data address signal generation circuit unit and the WEB generation circuit unit, based on a received control signal, controls selectors, and selects and controls, as data and address signals to be supplied to the memory, data signal and address signals from the data address signal generation circuit unit or data and address signals via a user defined circuit. |
| US07971111B1 |
Automated scan testing of DDR SDRAM
A controller for scan testing a memory. The controller includes a control state machine for controlling the scan process, a test sequence stored in a random access memory used by the control state machine for controlling an actual memory test, a pattern generation data unit responsive to the control state machine for generating a test pattern that is written to and read from a memory under test, a configuration register read by the control state machine for configuring the controller and a fault location register written to by the control state machine for storing locations of defects in the memory. The controller is used to auto scan a memory in real time, interleaved with other processes accessing the memory. The controller has several modes of operation including operating in a periodic burst mode to conserve power and in a background mode so as not to interfere with other processes accessing the scanned memory. |
| US07971106B2 |
Method and apparatus for maintaining the status of objects in computer networks using virtual state machines
A network appliance for monitoring, diagnosing and documenting problems among a plurality of devices and processes (objects) coupled to a computer network utilizes periodic polling and collection of object-generated trap data to monitor the status of objects on the computer network. The status of a multitude of objects is maintained in memory utilizing virtual state machines which contain a small amount of persistent data but which are modeled after one of a plurality of finite state machines. The memory further maintains dependency data related to each object which identifies parent/child relationships with other objects at the same or different layers of the OSI network protocol model. A decision engine verifies through on-demand polling that a device is down. A root cause analysis module utilizes status and dependency data to locate the highest object in the parent/child relationship tree that is affected to determine the root cause of a problem. Once a problem has been verified, a “case” is opened and notification alerts may be sent out to one or more devices. A user interface allows all objects within the network to be displayed with their respective status and their respective parent/child dependency objects in various formats. |
| US07971105B2 |
Device and method for detecting and correcting timing errors
A device that includes an error detection circuit that is configured to detect a timing error resulting from a fast voltage drop by comparing a signal from a critical path to a signal from a replica path; and a clock signal provider that is adapted to receive a clock signal and to delay, by a fraction of the clock cycle and in response to a detection of the timing error, the clock signal to provide a delayed clock signal that is provided to a clocked circuit that is coupled to the critical path; and a controller that is configured determine a level of a supply voltage in response to a capability of the error detection circuit and the clock signal provider to manage fast voltage drops; wherein the supply voltage is provided to at least one component of the critical path. |
| US07971099B2 |
Method for enabling faster recovery of client applications in the event of server failure
A system and method are provided for improving recovery times in fallover conditions in a multinode data processing system by sending notification of the failure of a server node, which is acting as server for a client application running on a client node, to the client application. In the present invention, this notification is provided by the fallover node acting as backup for the server node. When a client application receives no response from a server for a long time, it assumes that the server has failed and initiates reconnection. The present invention speeds-up the reconnect initiated by the client application by having system level software proactively notify the client application about the server failure. This results in faster recovery for client applications. |
| US07971097B2 |
Data restoring method and an apparatus using journal data and an identification information
A host and a storage system each keep a shared identifier indicating a state of a system. The storage system acquires, at update of data, a data pair including data for a change through processing of the host and data before the update. The storage system relates the data pair to a shared identifier. When the host indicates an identifier, the storage system restores data using the data pair. |
| US07971096B2 |
System and article of manufacture for system recovery
Provided are a system, and article of manufacture for system recovery. An operating system and a backup copy of the operating system are both maintained in a partition of a computational device. A boot loader receives an indication to load the backup copy of the operating system. The boot loader loads the backup copy of the operating system. The computational device is rebooted with the loaded backup copy of the operating system. |
| US07971093B1 |
Apparatus and method to proactively address hard disk drive inefficiency and failure
The input/output (I/O) performance of a hard disk drive in a mass storage computer system is evaluated to maintain efficiency by addressing I/O commands to sectors of the disk drive, evaluating the execution of the I/O commands to the sectors to obtain performance information for the sectors to which the I/O commands are addressed, comparing the performance information to a predetermined I/O performance criterion, and identifying any impaired sectors in which the performance information indicates less than the predetermined I/O performance criterion. Thereafter, further I/O commands to the impaired sectors are avoided. |
| US07971092B2 |
Methods and devices for high performance consistency check
Methods and devices for reading data from a plurality of storage devices belonging to a plurality of spans and checking consistency (e.g., XOR parity check) of data belonging to each span independently of another span in one embodiment. Methods and devices for reading data from a plurality of stripes and checking consistency of the data from the plurality of stripes in another embodiment. |
| US07971088B2 |
Clock skew controller and integrated circuit including the same
A clock skew controller for adjusting a skew between a first clock, which is input to a first clock mesh, and a second clock mesh input to a second clock mesh, includes a pulse generator adapted to output a pulse signal corresponding to a delay time between a first output clock output from the first clock mesh and a second output clock output from the second clock mesh, a pulse width detector adapted to generate a digital signal corresponding to a pulse width of the pulse signal, and a clock delay adjuster adapted to delay one of the first and second clocks by a time corresponding to the digital signal. |
| US07971084B2 |
Power management in electronic systems
In one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises at least one processor and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising logic instructions encoded in the computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed in a processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising initializing a direct memory access profiler in an electronic system, wherein the direct memory access is coupled to a policy manager in the electronic system, measuring at least one memory consumption characteristic of the electronic system, communicating the at least one memory consumption characteristic to a policy manager of the electronic system, and using the at least one memory consumption characteristic to adjust a power state of the electronic system. |
| US07971083B2 |
Output system, printing system, printing device management device and printing device, print instruction program, printing device management program and printing device control program, and printing method
An output system having an output device that performs output based on output data so that the output device performs the output after having acquired authentication. In the system, an operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing a power-saving state to be changed into an active state to a power-save switching unit after a device having an output data storing unit acquires the output data, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the output process of the output data is completed by an output process completion detecting unit. |
| US07971080B2 |
Power savings for a network device
An example embodiment is illustrated to reduce power consumed by inactive connections. This embodiment may include detecting a connection condition signifying a requirement for an active connection between one network device and another network device. Thereafter, an enable instruction may be retrieved based upon the detecting of the connection condition, and a port may be enabled based upon the retrieved enable instruction resulting in increased electrical power consumption by a port component. The electrical power consumption may be increased relative to a prior level of electrical power consumption in which the port is disabled. |
| US07971077B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program for executing the method
An information processing apparatus is disclosed as an example. The information processing apparatus sends data to an image forming apparatus and causes the image forming apparatus to generate an image. The information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive information that is sent from an image forming apparatus and indicates whether the image forming apparatus has a power saving function, a determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of the information received by the receiving unit, whether the image forming apparatus has the power saving function, and a setting unit configured to perform setting on a communication program in the information processing apparatus so as to reduce a number of times a power saving mode of the image forming apparatus having the power saving function is released due to communication between the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus. |
| US07971076B2 |
Circuitry and method for monitoring a supply voltage
A method for monitoring the supply voltage of an electronic device includes the steps of: determining an operating condition of the electronic device, adjusting a plurality of reference voltages dependent on the operating condition of the electronic device, wherein each of the plurality of reference voltages is adjusted at a different time, and comparing the supply voltage of the electronic device with at least one of the plurality of reference voltages. |
| US07971074B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for a core activity detector to facilitate dynamic power management in a distributed system
A system and method to provide source controlled dynamic power management. An activity detector in a source determines expected future resource usage. Based on that expected usage, the source generates a power management command and sends that command to a destination. The destination then adjusts the power level of the resource based in the command. |
| US07971073B2 |
Adaptive real-time methodology for optimizing energy-efficient computing
Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is an effective way to reduce energy and power consumption in microprocessor units. Current implementations of DVFS suffer from inaccurate modeling of power requirements and usage, and from inaccurate characterization of the relationships between the applicable variables. A system and method is proposed that adjusts CPU frequency and voltage based on run-time calculations of the workload processing time, as well as a calculation of performance sensitivity with respect to CPU frequency. The system and method are processor independent, and can be applied to either an entire system as a unit, or individually to each process running on a system. |
| US07971070B2 |
Read/write media key block
A recorder system contains a media key block (MKB) and selectively writes protected content into a recording medium according to the following content protection logic, to combat theft of the protected content: If the medium does not have a MKB, then the recorder writes its stored MKB into the medium and writes protected content into the medium. If the medium has a MKB that is older than the stored MKB in the recorder, then the recorder writes its stored MKB into the medium before re-encrypting and writing protected content into the medium. If the medium has a MKB that is newer than the stored MKB, then the MKB in the medium is used for content protection. The recorder may store the newer MKB in non-volatile memory, effectively updating its previous stored MKB, so the recorder will have the most recently observed MKB for content protection use. |
| US07971069B2 |
Security system for replicated storage devices on computer networks
A replicated networked storage domain of an original data partition and one or more replica data partitions in which each partition is stored on a storage device having a network address, is secured by associating with each partition a secret key; sharing the secret keys between the storage devices and a file manager; requesting access to a specific partition by a client; and accessing the specific partition by the client using a credential encrypted by the key associated with the specific partition and including a network address of a storage device which stores the partition. |
| US07971062B1 |
Token-based encryption key secure conveyance
A hand-held token for secure conveyance of encryption keys includes memory for holding a media key and at least one device key. Control logic reads the media key from memory, encrypts the media key based on the device key, and transmits the encrypted media key to a data storage device. The data storage device decrypts the encrypted media key using its own device key, which may have previously been downloaded from a token. |
| US07971059B2 |
Secure channel for image transmission
Systems, devices, and methods for establishing a secure session for the transmission of data from an input device to a remote server device is disclosed. The input device may be an electronic check scanner attached to a banking customer's home personal computer. The customer may visit a bank's Internet website using the web browser or other application on their personal computer, and then submit scanned images of check to the bank. The bank, however, to ensure security and prevent fraud, may wish to establish a secure session between the devices and components in the system before the image data may be scanned and transmitted. |
| US07971057B2 |
Exclusive access for secure audio program
Executing a monitor on a platform, the monitor capable of providing exclusive, secure access to an audio I/O device of the platform, executing a first partition on the platform, providing an audio device model in the first partition by directly mapping the audio I/O device from the monitor to the first partition for applications executing in the first partition, and providing exclusive, secure access to the audio I/O device to a program performing an audio function in a secure mode in the first partition. |
| US07971054B1 |
Method of and system for real-time form and content classification of data streams for filtering applications
A digital-content-analysis system includes a network services component adapted to receive a remote service request, a stream monitor adapted to form digital content into at least one data stream, and a stream analyzer interoperably coupled to the network services component and the stream monitor and adapted to receive and analyze the at least one data stream. The stream analyzer includes a lexical analyzer adapted to separate the at least one data stream into a plurality of tokens, a classifier adapted to classify the at least one data stream into at least one category by processing at least a subset of the plurality of tokens and computing a classification rating for at least one category, and a set of parameters. At least a subset of the parameters contains information developed from previous operation of the stream analyzer. |
| US07971053B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for intrusion detection
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for detecting an intrusion to a communications network. One embodiment describes a system for detecting intrusions. The system has a peripheral card coupled to a host computer system. The peripheral card has a communications portion and a processor managing the communications portion. The communications portion has only a capability for receiving data packets via a communications network. The communications portion lacks capability of transmitting the data packets via the communications network. The communications portion of the peripheral card reduces intrusion of the communications network. |
| US07971052B2 |
Configuration system using security objects in a process plant
A configuration system uses process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant to assist in configuring, organizing, and changing the control and display activities within the process plant. Access to the items may be controlled by associating access control data with the items. The configuration system may also use objects that represent, or may be capable of representing, one or more steps to be performed by entities in the process plant. Access to these objects may be controlled by associating access control data with the objects. The access control data may indicate whether users or certain users may be able to, for example, view or modify all or some data associated with the process plant items or the objects. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant, composite templates, module templates, etc. The objects that represent, or may be capable of representing, one or more steps to be performed by entities in the process plant may comprise, for example, phase classes or unit phases. |
| US07971051B2 |
FPGA configuration protection and control using hardware watchdog timer
An apparatus and method provides automatic reconfiguration of an FPGA, such as in case of lost configuration or configuration error, and software-controlled reconfiguration may be provided that does not require the use of additional devices. An apparatus for FPGA configuration protection comprises watchdog signal generator circuitry in the FPGA configured to output a watchdog signal when the FPGA is properly configured and watchdog circuitry configured to receive the watchdog signal and to initiate reconfiguration of the FPGA if the watchdog signal is not received for or within a predetermined time. The circuitry in the FPGA may be configured to receive a signal from a processor and to output the watchdog signal when the signal from the processor is received. |
| US07971048B2 |
System and method for establishing a trust domain on a computer platform
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods associated with a measurement engine in a server platform. In one such embodiment of the invention, the measurement engine hardware verifies/authenticates its own firmware and then system initialization firmware by measuring such firmware and storing measurement results in a register that is not spoofable by malicious code. In this instance, the measurement engine holds the host CPU complex in a reset state until the measurement engine has verified the system initialization firmware. In another such embodiment of the invention, the measurement engine hardware also measures firmware associated with one or more system service processors and stores such measurement results in a register. In this case, the measurement engine holds the system service processors and the host CPU complex in reset until the measurements are completed. Other embodiments are described. |
| US07971046B2 |
Method and device for initializing a booting procedure of a mobile device
A method of initializing a booting procedure of a mobile platform having a certain NAND flash memory. The method comprises sending (304) an initial read command sequence to the NAND flash memory and detecting (305) if the NAND flash memory is responsive to the read command sequence. If the NAND flash memory is responsive to the read command sequence the mobile platform will be configured (306) to interface with the NAND flash memory. If the NAND flash memory is not responsive to the initial read command sequence, the method further comprises sending (307) another read command sequence to the NAND flash memory. The another read command sequence is associated with the initially sent read command sequence. Next, it is detected (308) if the NAND flash memory is responsive to the another read command sequence, and if so the mobile platform will be configured (309) to interface with the NAND flash memory. |
| US07971045B1 |
System and method for selecting a network boot device using a hardware class identifier
Embodiments of the invention provide a method for selecting a network boot device using a hardware class identifier. Generally, embodiments of the invention enable a diskless client to communicate a hardware class identifier in a network connection request. The hardware class identifier is used to determine the proper boot server to provide a boot image to the diskless client. |
| US07971044B2 |
Link stack repair of erroneous speculative update
Whenever a link address is written to the link stack, the prior value of the link stack entry is saved, and is restored to the link stack after a link stack push operation is speculatively executed following a mispredicted branch. This condition is detected by maintaining a count of the total number of uncommitted link stack write instructions in the pipeline, and a count of the number of uncommitted link stack write instructions ahead of each branch instruction. When a branch is evaluated and determined to have been mispredicted, the count associated with it is compared to the total count. A discrepancy indicates a link stack write instruction was speculatively issued into the pipeline after the mispredicted branch instruction, and pushed a link address onto the link stack. The prior link address is restored to the link stack from the link stack restore buffer. |
| US07971042B2 |
Microprocessor system and method for instruction-initiated recording and execution of instruction sequences in a dynamically decoupleable extended instruction pipeline
Systems and methods for recording instruction sequences in a microprocessor having a dynamically decoupleable extended instruction pipeline. A record instruction including a record start address is sent to the extended pipeline. The extended pipeline thus begins recording the subsequent instruction sequence at the specified address until an end record instruction is encountered. The end record instruction is recorded as the last instruction in the sequence. The main pipeline may then call the instruction sequence by sending a run instruction including the start address for the desired sequence to the extended pipeline. This run instruction causes the extended pipeline to begin autonomously executing the recorded sequence until the end record instruction is encountered. This instruction causes the extended pipeline to cease autonomous execution and to return to executing instructions supplied by the main pipeline. |
| US07971039B2 |
Conditional memory ordering
A system for conditional memory ordering implemented in a multiprocessor environment. A conditional memory ordering instruction executes locally using a release vector containing release numbers for each processor in the system. The instruction first determines whether a processor identifier of the release number is associated with the current processor. Where it is not, a conditional registered is examined and appropriate remote synchronization operations are commanded where necessary. |
| US07971036B2 |
Methods and apparatus for attaching application specific functions within an array processor
A multi-node video signal processor (VSPN) is describes that tightly couples multiple multi-cycle state machines (hardware assist units) to each processor and each memory in each node of an N node scalable array processor. VSPN memory hardware assist instructions are used to initiate multi-cycle state machine functions, to pass parameters to the multi-cycle state machines, to fetch operands from a node's memory, and to control the transfer of results from the multi-cycle state machines. |
| US07971035B2 |
Using temperature data for instruction thread direction
A data processing system having a memory for storing instructions and several central processing units for executing instructions, each central processing unit includes an adaptive power supply which provides, among other data, temperature information. Circuitry is provided that receives the temperature information from the many central processing units, selects a central processing unit which has the lowest temperature and which is available to execute instructions and dispatches instructions to the selected central processing from the memory. |
| US07971034B2 |
Reduced overhead address mode change management in a pipelined, recycling microprocessor
A method, system, and computer program product for reduced overhead address mode change management in a pipelined, recycling microprocessor are provided. The recycling microprocessor includes logic executing thereon. The microprocessor also includes an instruction fetch unit (IFU) supporting computation of address adds in selected address modes and reporting non-equal comparison of the computation to the logic. The microprocessor further includes a fixed point unit determining whether the mode has changed and reporting changes to the logic. Upon determining the comparison yields an equal result but the mode has changed, a recycle event is triggered to ensure subsequent ofetches are relaunched in the correct mode and that no execution writebacks occur from work performed in an incorrect mode. For comparisons yielding a non-equal result and a changed mode, the logic clears bits set in response to the determinations, and a serialization event is taken to reset a corresponding pipeline for operation in the correct mode. |
| US07971033B2 |
Limiting entries in load issued premature part of load reorder queue searched to detect invalid retrieved values to between store safe and snoop safe pointers for the congruence class
A method for reducing the number of load instructions in the load reorder queue (LRQ) that are searched when a load instruction is executed by a processor, including dispatching the load instructions; inserting the load instructions in the LRQ in program order; clearing a load received data field; executing the load instructions; checking load reorder queue (LRQ) entries; re-executing the load instruction of the matching LRQ entry; continuing execution; getting the load data; setting the load received data field; comparing a load sequence number (LSQN) of each load instruction to a snoop_safe register contents; ANDing all the load received data bits if the LSQN is greater in magnitude to the snoop_safe; setting the snoop_safe register to the LSQN of the load instruction; searching the LRQ entry; and setting a load_peril_snoop register to the LRQ index value where the first load instruction younger to the snoop_safe was found. |
| US07971031B2 |
Data processing system and method
A method, system and computer program for modifying an executing application, comprising monitoring the executing application to identify at least one of a hot load instruction, a hot store instruction and an active prefetch instruction that contributes to cache congestion; where the monitoring identifies a hot load instruction, enabling at least one prefetch associated with the hot load instruction; where the monitoring identifies a hot store instruction, enabling at least one prefetch associated with the hot store instruction; and where the monitoring identifies an active prefetch instruction that contributes to cache congestion, one of disabling the active prefetch instruction and reducing the effectiveness of the active prefetch instruction. |
| US07971029B2 |
Barrier synchronization method, device, and multi-core processor
A barrier synchronization device for realizing barrier synchronization of at least 2 processor cores belonging to a same synchronization group among a plurality of processor cores is included in a multi-core processor having a plurality of processor cores, and when two or more processor cores in that multi-core processor belong to the same synchronization group, the included barrier synchronization device is used for realizing barrier synchronization. |
| US07971028B1 |
Virtualized computer platform providing hosting services
A computer cluster for providing hosting services includes a plurality of nodes, and a control center coordinating activity of the nodes. Each node includes a plurality of virtual servers such that each virtual server responds to user requests and appears to the user as having its own operating system. Multiple virtual servers running on the same node share the same host operating system and root application software of the node. |
| US07971027B2 |
Mark page-out pages as critical for cooperative memory over-commitment
Disclosed is a computer implemented method and apparatus for marking as critical a virtual memory page in a data processing system. An operating system indicates to a virtual memory manager a virtual memory page selected for paging-out to disk. The operating system determines that the data processing system is using a cooperative memory over-commitment. The operating system, responsive to a determination that the data processing system is using cooperative memory over-commitment, marks the virtual memory page as critical, such that the virtual memory page remains in physical memory. The operating system, responsive to marking the virtual memory page as critical, sets the virtual memory page to a page-out state. |
| US07971025B2 |
Method and apparatus for chunk allocation in a thin provisioning storage system
Physical storage space in a storage system is not allocated to a segment of a targeted volume until the segment of the volume is first targeted for storing write data. When write data is received, the storage system determines whether the targeted volume is designated for storing a first data type that is accessed frequently by I/O operations or designated for storing a second data type that is accessed less frequently than the first data type. Physical storage space for storing the write data is allocated from a first logical partition of the physical storage designated for storing the first data type when the targeted volume is of the first data type and from a second logical partition of the physical storage designated for storing the second data type when the targeted volume is of the second data type. Allocation of frequently accessed data is controlled and performance bottlenecking avoided. |
| US07971024B2 |
Off-chip micro control and interface in a multichip integrated memory system
A communication interface, coupling a controller device to one or more memory devices, provides a high-voltage reset interface. The high-voltage reset interface provides a high-voltage signal to reset the one or more memory devices. The high-voltage reset interface is implemented using a single interconnect line. The reset voltage signal is greater than a maximum voltage representing a high logic value. The communication interface may also include a bi-directional data and address interface that is used to send address, data, and commands between the controller device and the one or more memory devices. A method of transferring information between the controller device and the one or more non-volatile memory devices includes resetting the one or more non-volatile memory devices by asserting a high-voltage signal on the high-voltage reset interface and sending a command from the controller device to the one or more non-volatile memory devices via the data and address interface. |
| US07971022B2 |
Apparatus and method of processing data of non-volatile memory using transaction block
An apparatus for processing data of a non-volatile memory includes a non-volatile memory having a plurality of blocks, an operation processing unit which, when a write operation is requested from a user, writes data in the plurality of blocks, and a block managing unit which collectively converts the plurality of blocks, where the data is written, to a plurality of data blocks and manages statuses of the plurality of blocks to correspond to an operation process performed by the operation processing unit. |
| US07971019B2 |
System and method for controlling access to multiple physical media libraries
Embodiments of the present invention provide a media library controller that can communicate with multiple physical libraries that are physically separate from each other (i.e., that cannot pass media back and forth). The media library controller can maintain a virtualized aggregate media library representing the physical media libraries with which it is in communication. From the physical media libraries, the media library controller can establish a virtual media library and associate a host with the virtual media library. The virtual media library can represent the portions of a physical media library to which the host is allowed access. |
| US07971013B2 |
Compensating for write speed differences between mirroring storage devices by striping
A method and system for data storage provides a digital fast-write storage device, a plurality of digital slow-write storage devices, and a controller. The digital fast-write storage device might be a solid state drive. The digital slow-write storage devices might be conventional rotational media drives. Typically, read operations are directed to the fast-write storage device. The slow-write storage devices provide redundancy by mirroring the contents of the high-speed storage device. Data on the slow-write storage devices is organized in stripes, allowing data to be written in parallel. The number of slow-write storage devices can be chosen to compensate for the speed differential on write operations. In some embodiments, the controller will represent the storage system as a virtual disk drive. |
| US07971012B2 |
Mail processing computer automatic recovery system and method
An improved method and system to return a mail processing control computer back into operation after a hard drive failure. A first phase is a back-up process for the primary drive of the mail processing computer. A second phase is the recovery process when a primary hard drive failure occurs. The back-up process includes copying the primary drive to be protected to a spare backup drive. The data copied to the backup drive reflects data of the primary drive at a particular point in time. Once the backup drive is installed, the machine returns to normal operation. In the course of normal operation, incremental changes to the primary hard drive are recorded to a backup computer. When there is a failure of the primary drive, a new primary drive is installed in its place. An image of the backup drive is then copied to the new primary drive, thereby causing the new primary drive to reflect the original primary drive at the particular point in time. Next, the incremental changes recorded in the backup computer are updated to the primary drive from the backup computer. |
| US07971007B2 |
Downgrade memory apparatus, and method for accessing a downgrade memory
A method for accessing a downgrade memory and a downgrade memory apparatus are provided. The downgrade memory apparatus comprises at least one management unit and a controller. The management unit comprises a plurality of blocks, each block having a plurality of pages, and each page having a plurality of sectors, the downgrade memory having a plurality of non-accessible sectors. The controller is configured to parse a write command corresponding to a special block, to select at least one accessible sector according to a status information of the special block and to program the write command to the special block, wherein the status information indicates at least one non-accessible sector in the special block. Thereby the method and the apparatus of downgrade memory may as well omit the non-accessible sectors as enhance the usage memory capacity in accordance with the status information. |
| US07971002B1 |
Maintaining instruction coherency in a translation-based computer system architecture
Methods and systems for maintaining instruction coherency in a translation-based computer system architecture are described. A translation coherence cache memory can be used to store a memory page reference that identifies a memory page. The cache memory also stores a permission bit corresponding to the memory page reference. The permission bit indicates whether the memory page comprises code that has been translated into another form. |
| US07970998B2 |
Parallel caches operating in exclusive address ranges
A cache memory of the present invention includes a second cache memory that is operated in parallel with a first cache memory, a judgment unit which, when a cache miss occurs in both of the first cache memory and the second cache memory, makes a true or false judgment relating to an attribute of data for which memory access resulted in the cache miss, and a controlling unit which stores memory data in the second cache memory when a judgment of true is made, and stores the memory data in the first cache memory when a judgment of false is made. |
| US07970996B1 |
Concentrated parity technique for handling double failures and enabling storage of more than one parity block per stripe on a storage device of a storage array
A method for constructing an array of storage devices is disclosed. A number of storage devices is selected. Each storage device stores data in data blocks. A redundancy is established, the redundancy being a number of data blocks for a parity block. A plurality of parity sets is established, a parity set having the number of data blocks for a parity block and having a set parity block. The set parity block for each parity set is computed. Each set parity block is stored on one of the data storage devices that does not store one of the data-block members of the parity set, to store more than one parity block on each storage device, with an exception that two parity blocks for the same data storage location are precluded from being stored on the same data storage device. |
| US07970995B2 |
Storage system
A storage group configured by a plurality of storage devices is configured by a plurality of storage sub-groups, and the respective storage sub-groups are configured from two or more storage devices. A sub-group storage area, which is the storage area of the respective storage sub-groups, is configured by a plurality of rows of sub-storage areas. A data set, which is configured by a plurality of data elements configuring a data unit, and a second redundancy code created on the basis of this data unit, is written to a row of sub-storage areas, a compressed redundancy code is created on the basis of two or more first redundancy codes respectively created based on two or more data units of two or more storage sub-groups, and this compressed redundancy code is written to a nonvolatile storage area that differs from the above-mentioned two or more storage sub-groups. |
| US07970991B2 |
Storage control apparatus and storage control method
A storage control apparatus capable of rapidly carrying out data processing according to requests from upper order apparatus, and capable of rapidly returning the results of processing to the upper order apparatus is provided. A computer system comprised of upper order apparatus and storage control apparatus is disclosed. The upper order apparatus accesses a virtual volume. A pool volume is allocated to the virtual volume. The pool volume is provided with a storage region of storage discs. The pool volume classifies data sent from the upper order apparatus for every type into text data, block data, and large sized data. The storage control apparatus then recognizes the types of data and stores the data on respective volumes. |
| US07970990B2 |
Memory module with optical interconnect that enables scalable high-bandwidth memory access
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates scalable high-bandwidth memory access using a memory module with optical interconnect. This system includes an optical channel, a memory buffer, and a random-access memory module. The memory buffer is configured to receive a request from a memory controller via the optical channel. The memory buffer handles the received request by performing operations on the random-access memory module and then sending a response to the memory controller via the optical channel. Hence, the memory module with optical interconnect provides a high-speed serial link to the random-access memory module without consuming a large number of pins per channel on the memory controller. |
| US07970989B2 |
Write ordering on disk cached platforms
A hard disk cache includes entries to be written to a disk, and also includes ordering information describing the order that they should be written to the disk. Data may be written from the cache to the disk in the order specified by the ordering information. In some situations, data may be written out of order. Further, in some situations, clean data from the cache may be combined with dirty data from the cache when performing a cache flush. |
| US07970984B2 |
Method for using a multi-bit cell flash device in a system not designed for the device
A computerized system is booted from a flash memory device configured to always operate one or more of its blocks only in a M-bit-per-cell mode and the rest of its blocks in a N>M-bit-per-cell mode. When the system is powered up, an initialization program is retrieved from the M-bit-per-cell block(s), corrected for errors using a first error correction method, and executed. Data accessed subsequently from the N-bit-per-cell blocks are corrected using an error correction method that corrects more errors per block than the first error correction method. |
| US07970982B2 |
Memory card and memory system having the same
A memory card includes: a first memory chip responding to all commands input externally; and a second memory chip responding to commands, among the commands input externally, relevant to reading, programming, and erasing operations with data. Card identification information stored in the first memory chip includes capacity information corresponding to a sum of sizes of the first and second memory chips. The plurality of memory chips of the memory card are useful in designing the memory card with storage capacity in various forms. |
| US07970978B2 |
SSD with SATA and USB interfaces
In one embodiment, a data storage system, includes a controller and a plurality of solid state memory devices each including at least one memory unit. The controller includes a data interface of a first type, a data interface of a second type, and a first serial data bus. Each of the data interfaces of the first and second types is configured to be coupled to a corresponding data interface of a host device. The first serial data bus is coupled to each of the data interfaces of the first and second types and to the plurality of solid state memory devices. The controller is configured to manage data flow between the plurality of solid state memory devices and the host device through the data interfaces of the first and second types. |
| US07970977B1 |
Deadlock-resistant bus bridge with pipeline-restricted address ranges
A method of bridging a plurality of buses within a bus bridge can include determining whether a queue of the bus bridge includes a transaction request directed to a restricted address range and, for each received transaction request, determining whether an address to which the transaction request is directed is within the restricted address range. Each transaction request received by the bus bridge can be selectively rejected according to whether the address to which the transaction request is directed is within the restricted address range and whether the queue includes a transaction request directed to the restricted address range. |
| US07970975B2 |
Secure module recorder system and method
Embodiments of a secure module recorder system and method for securing recording and storing of information is provided. The system may include at least one secure module and a docking station having at least one receptacle for holding one of the secure modules. The secure module may include a tamper-resistant case, an input port for receiving an analog signal, a recording circuit for converting the analog signal into digitally formatted data, a memory device for storing the digitally formatted data, a playback circuit for reading the digitally formatted data from the memory device and converting the digitally formatted data into an analog playback signal, and an output port for transmitting the analog playback signal. The docking station may further include a first interface for receiving the analog signal from an external device and a second interface disposed within the receptacle for interfacing with the input port of the secure module. |
| US07970969B2 |
Method for communication on a multidrop bus of a magnetic resonance system
In a method of communication on a multidrop bus of a magnetic resonance system, an adaptive protocol script for telegrams on the multidrop bus is used, that implements adaptive protocol matching using telegram start characters, addresses and frame-type binding. For this purpose, a telegram frame is divided into a link layer and a service layer, the link layer being device-based and being responsible for differentiating addresses and frame types, and enabling devices that use different communication protocols to be simultaneously present on the bus. The service layer represents the load of the link layer, and its service script is operation-based, and the service layer provides, for the exterior, interfaces that are independent of the communication protocols used by the devices. |
| US07970965B2 |
Method and system for compression of data for block mode access storage
For use in a storage network comprising a plurality of network elements and operable with a block mode access storage protocol, a method of operating a compression system operatively coupled to at least one computer and to one or more storage devices configured as at least one storage logical unit accommodating data compressed by the compression system, the computer, the storage devices and the compression system are configured as separate network elements. According to the method, the compression system is configured to hold a virtual logical unit, the virtual logical unit is configured to virtually represent in non-compressed form the compressed data stored in the at least one storage logical unit. The size of the virtual logical unit corresponds to an estimated size of raw data which, being compressed, would substantially amount to a size of the storage logical unit. The method includes intercepting one or more data access-related requests from the at least one computer addressed to said storage logical unit, addressing the requests to the virtual logical unit, and facilitating mapping between the compressed data and their virtual representation at the virtual logical unit. |
| US07970964B2 |
Methods and systems to accomplish variable width data input
Disclosed are methods and systems for variable width data input to a pattern-recognition processor. A variable width data input method may include receiving bytes over a data bus having a first width and receiving one or more signals indicating the validity of each of the one or more bytes The valid bytes may be sequentially provided to a pattern-recognition processor in an 8-bit wide data stream. In an embodiment, a system may include one or more address lines configured to provide the one or more signals indicating the validity of the bytes transferred over the data bus. The system may include a buffer and control logic to sequentially process the valid bytes. |
| US07970962B2 |
Method and apparatus utilizing a tail bus to solve back-to-back data burst problems
A network device includes a port and a bus transmission calculation module. The port is connected to the network device to receive a data burst. The bus transmission calculation module connects to the port for calculating a first number of bytes to be transmitted from a first bus and a second number of bytes to be transmitted from a second bus. The first and second bus connect to the network device and transfer data from the network device. |
| US07970961B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed direct memory access for systems on chip
A distributed direct memory access (DMA) method, apparatus, and system is provided within a system on chip (SOC). DMA controller units are distributed to various functional modules desiring direct memory access. The functional modules interface to a systems bus over which the direct memory access occurs. A global buffer memory, to which the direct memory access is desired, is coupled to the system bus. Bus arbitrators are utilized to arbitrate which functional modules have access to the system bus to perform the direct memory access. Once a functional module is selected by the bus arbitrator to have access to the system bus, it can establish a DMA routine with the global buffer memory. |
| US07970960B2 |
Direct memory access controller and data transmitting method of direct memory access channel
Provided is a direct memory access (DMA) controller. The DMA controller includes a plurality of channel groups and a channel group controller. Each of the channel groups has a plurality of DMA channels, and the channel group controller controls enablement of the DMA channels in units of channel groups. Herein, the channel group controller enables the DMA channels of at least one of the channel groups in data transmission. |
| US07970955B2 |
Recording/reproducing apparatus
A device, including a first storage unit configured to store a first plurality of files and a first management data corresponding to the first files; a connector configured to connect to an external storage device, the external storage being configured to store a second plurality of files and second management data corresponding to the second files; a controller configured to generate new management data by merging the first management data and the second management data, and to store the new management data in a memory; and a display unit configured to display contents of the first and second plurality of files based on the new management data without indicating to the user where the respective files are stored. |
| US07970954B2 |
System and method of providing a user-friendly device path
A method can include, during a boot flow at an information handling system, receiving an initial device path related to a device that is integrated with or coupled to the information handling system. The method can also include identifying a system-specific device location table based on a node included in the initial device path and receiving a particular alternate location string associated with the node at the system-specific location table. Further, the method can include adding the particular alternate location string to an alternate device path string related to the device and outputting the alternate device path to a user after the alternate device path includes an alternate location string associated with each node of the initial device path. |
| US07970940B1 |
Domain name system lookup latency reduction
A technique to reduce the latency of a remote DNS lookup operation is disclosed. More specifically, a machine-readable medium, method, device, and system are described that scan a document when it is retrieved from the Internet. The scan takes place for one or more patterns, where each pattern denotes an Internet host name. The technique then asynchronously causes an Internet Domain Name System (DNS) server to translate each Internet host name pattern discovered from the document scan to an associated Internet Protocol (IP) address. The technique then asynchronously stores each translated IP address in a local DNS cache. |
| US07970939B1 |
Methods and systems for addressing DNS rebinding
A computer-implemented method comprising detecting a resolution of an internet address to a first computing-device address, the internet address being associated with a first domain. The method may also comprise storing a domain-name record, the domain-name record associating the internet address with the first computing-device address. The method may comprise using the domain-name record to bind the first domain to the first computing-device address and preventing, until a request to leave the first domain is detected, the first domain from being rebound to a second computing-device address. Systems and computer-readable media for addressing DNS rebinding are also disclosed. |
| US07970937B2 |
Method and system for redirecting a request to a server-selected domain
Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a domain management system, apparatus and method for hosting and assigning domain names. Embodiments of the domain management system comprise a name assignment system and a hosting system, wherein the hosting system comprises a domain retrieval system and a data storage apparatus. The name assignment system verifies availability and assigns domain names to requesting clients. The name assignment system comprises an input component, a confirmation mechanism and a name storage means. Preferred embodiments of the domain retrieval system comprise a scheduler, a parsing member having a plurality of redirectors and a plurality of servers. The domain retrieval system locates the domain referenced by the domain name by parsing header information and utilizing a wildcard DNS. Once the domain is located, the domain retrieval system forwards the domain to the user computer. |
| US07970932B2 |
View-upload decoupled peer-to-peer video distribution systems and methods
View-upload decoupled (“VUD”) peer-to-peer (P2P) video distribution is provided, in which each peer is assigned to one or more channels to upload, with the assignments made independent of what the peer is viewing. For each assigned channel, the peer distributes (that is, uploads) the channel. This effectively creates semi-permanent distribution swarms for each channel, which are formed by peers responsible for uploading that channel. This can minimize problems associated with channel churn because peers may remain in their assigned distribution groups even if they switch channels. To minimize cross-channel overhead associated with VUD P2P video distribution, substream swarming, in which a peer in a distribution swarm only downloads a small portion of the video stream, called a substream, and uploads the substream to multiple viewers, may be provided. To minimize video streaming quality degradation that may occur during a reconfiguration transient period upon sudden and large increases in video download demands for some channel, VUD P2P video distribution may be integrated with tradition ISO P2P video distribution (which is self-adaptive to the sudden increases in channel popularity). |
| US07970927B1 |
Concurrent transmit processing
A method and system for concurrent processing transmit requests uses transmit queue including a circular buffer and a queue state including a producer index, a consumer index, and a producer list. Producer processes write to the circular buffer concurrently. The producer list signals which portion of the circular buffer are allocated to each of the producer processes. |
| US07970923B2 |
Systems and methods for accelerating delivery of a computing environment to a remote user
The present invention is directed towards a method and system for accelerating delivery of a computing environment to a remote client. The computing environment may include a plurality of files comprising an application program and may be streamed to a remote client from a server. Responsive to a determination of whether transmission of the application may be accelerated, an appliance, intercepting the plurality of files, may accelerate transmission of the application program by applying one or more transport layer transmission acceleration techniques to the plurality of files. |
| US07970922B2 |
P2P real time media recommendations
Systems and methods are described for providing peer-to-peer (P2P) media recommendations. In one embodiment, a central streaming media service operates to stream media presentations to user devices of users. For each user desiring to send and receive recommendations, each time a media presentation is streamed to and played by a user device of the user, the central media service provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to one or more other users associated with the user. Similarly, the central media service provides media recommendations to the user from one or more other users. Once streaming and playback of the media presentation is complete or substantially complete, the central streaming media service automatically selects a next media presentation for the user from a group of media presentations including those identified by the recommendations provided to the user and begins streaming the next media presentation to the user device of the user. |
| US07970920B1 |
Dynamic two-dimensional coding for applications
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for selecting a coding scheme for application-session content in an application session between a server and a client device. In an exemplary embodiment, the client device receives application-session content from the server via a communication path that comprises a wireless link. An exemplary method may involve (a) at the client device, determining current values of one or more quality-of-service indicators, wherein the quality-of-service indicators are indicative of quality of service over the wireless link; and (b) using the current values of the quality-of-service indicators as a basis for selecting a coding scheme that should be used to encode forthcoming applicant-session content. Further, if the selected coding scheme differs from the coding scheme being used by the server, the client device may request that the application server use the selected coding scheme. |
| US07970918B2 |
End-to-end publish/subscribe middleware architecture
Message publish/subscribe systems are required to process high message volumes with reduced latency and performance bottlenecks. The end-to-end middleware architecture proposed by the present invention is designed for high-volume, low-latency messaging by, among other things, reducing intermediary hops with neighbor-based routing, introducing efficient native-to-external and external-to-native protocol conversions, monitoring system performance, including latency, in real time, employing topic-based and channel-based message communications, and dynamically optimizing system interconnect configurations and message transmission protocols. |
| US07970916B2 |
Register clustering in a sip-based network
In one embodiment, a method can include: receiving a request for service in a first edge proxy; applying a hash function to a source address of an endpoint; and forwarding the request to a second edge proxy in response to a first result of the hash function, or servicing the request in the first edge proxy in response to a second result of the hash function. |
| US07970914B2 |
Methods and systems for provisioning network services
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: automatically detecting at an agent an installation of a communications device to a local network coupled to the agent; automatically offering via the communications device a plurality of user-selectable service options relating to a service provider's network and relating to at least one capability of the communications device, the at least one capability detected by the agent; in response to a selection of at least one service option from the plurality of service options, providing via the agent a user connection address. |
| US07970911B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for modulating an application based on proximity
A method, system and apparatus for modulating an application associated with at least one of a first communication device and a second communication device is provided. Proximity between the first communication device and the second communication device is determined. The application associated with at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device is modulated based on the proximity. |
| US07970908B2 |
Media search engine for a personal media network
A system providing search functionality supporting the exchange and consumption of media is disclosed. The searching of media on storage belonging to any of a pre-defined group of users of a personal media network is provided. In addition, media stored on designated servers may also be included in a search. The media stored may include audio, still images, video, and data. A user may search the stored media using a number of criteria including the time period of the media, the type of device, and the type of media. The system also provides support for the search of one or more media peripherals, which may be searched when the media peripherals are communicatively coupled to the system. |
| US07970906B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating resources in a wireless communication system and system thereof
A method is provided for allocating resources by a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method includes persistently allocating one or more resource slots among a plurality of resource slots, the persistently allocated one or more resource slots being allocated to corresponding one or more Mobile Stations (MSs), de-allocating at least one persistently allocated resource slot of the one or more persistently allocated resource slots, determining whether a hole is created due to the de-allocation among the one or more persistently allocated resource slots not de-allocated, and shifting a location of at least one of the one or more non-de-allocated persistently allocated resource slots when it is determined that the hole is created due to the de-allocation. |
| US07970899B2 |
Integrated data flow packet admission and traffic management apparatus
There are methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for defining a policy including a set of rules for a packet forwarding device by receiving information sufficient to enable a first rule related to one of security or traffic management to be defined, and based on the received information, enabling a corresponding second rule related to the other one of security or traffic management to be defined. |
| US07970898B2 |
System and method to publish information from servers to remote monitor devices
To assist in monitoring the intelligent messaging network, a system and method for publishing logging and status information from the servers is provided. A list of available servers accessible for monitoring by persons, devices, and applications via a remote monitor device can be provided. The remote monitor device may forward selected servers from the list of available servers in which they are interested. Also, particular information about the selected servers can be requested. Access to certain servers and information may be restricted to those with authorization. Authorization can be verified by the use of digital certificates. The requested information can then be gathered and provided to authorized persons or devices. Typically, the information includes logging and status information from the servers. The information can be provided as an XML page and viewed using, for example, a standard web browser. Further, if the information is provided to the remote monitor device as an XML page, a standard XML parser may be used to extract particular information from the XML page. |
| US07970890B1 |
Extendable telemetry service
In accordance with one embodiment, there are provided mechanisms and methods for creating a telemetry process for a service in a computing environment. With these mechanisms and methods, it is possible to deploy telemetry processes for the service based upon a specification of one or more operational metrics for determining the status of the service. This ability to deploy telemetry processes for the service based upon a specification of one or more operational metrics for determining the status of the service makes it possible to attain improved monitoring capabilities and more efficient usage of computing resources assigned to monitoring tasks for a service in a computer system. |
| US07970888B2 |
Allocating priority levels in a data flow
A method of allocating a priority level in an information flow in a data transmission system including receiving a plurality of data packets and allocating a priority level to each data packet is provided with a controller employing such method. The priority level may be determined in accordance with determining a class of loss of the data packet and a class of service for the data packet. The priority level is also a function of the current load of the information flow. It has been established that the choice for each degree of freedom should preferably be made independently and concurrently. The invention, therefore, provides a method for performing such a composite choice. |
| US07970886B1 |
Detecting and preventing undesirable network traffic from being sourced out of a network domain
The present invention provides for a novel approach to protecting a system owner's system(s) from being exploited and providing involuntary assistance to a DOS attack. The present invention provides the protection by detecting and preventing undesirable or inappropriate network traffic from being sourced from a network domain. More specifically, a monitor/regulator is provided to monitor network traffic leaving a network domain. The monitor/regulator determines if undesirable/inappropriate network traffics are leaving the network domain based on the observed characteristics of the outbound and inbound network traffics. If it is determined that undesirable/inappropriate network traffics are leaving the network domain, the monitors/regulator, in one embodiment, at least warns system owners of the detection. In another embodiment, the monitors/regulator further issues regulation instruction(s) to boundary routing device(s) of the network domain(s), thereby preventing the network domain(s) from being exploited to source such undesirable/inappropriate network traffics. |
| US07970881B2 |
Bypassing uploading of data from a wireless device using outbound attachment caching
A method comprising: storing outbound attachments uploaded from a wireless device in a cache memory of a wireless service; receiving, over the wireless network, an electronic message that includes an attachment from a wireless device; determining whether the attachment is stored within the cache memory; and sending the electronic message to one or more addressees based on the determining. |
| US07970879B1 |
Task-based automatic network management system with distributed control and management information base
The invention provides a network automatic management method and a corresponding system for executing the method. The system according to the invention comprises a management server connected to a plurality of devices nodes, a management information database (MIB) connected to the management server system; an plurality of event tables stored in the MIB, each corresponding to an event that occurred in the network system and having a task leader selection base for selecting task leaders from at least one of the device nodes for performing a task. Work to be executed in a network is realized by a task which is a work package for indicating devices in the lower layers of the network system to execute work assigned by the management server. At least one task leader is assigned in the system for executing work performed by the management server in optimally reducing the burden thereof. |
| US07970878B1 |
Method and apparatus for limiting domain name server transaction bandwidth
A method of limiting domain name server (DNS) transaction bandwidth comprises intercepting one or more DNS packets, examining said one or more packets for the presence of a suspect transaction criterion and, if said suspect transaction criterion is present, implementing a transaction bandwidth limitation action. |
| US07970877B1 |
System and method for interfacing with a component located in a network environment
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user in a network environment can connect to a device on the network and automatically learn at least one detail regarding the device software image details. Examples of the software image details may include software version number, size in bytes, device model/family name, software filename, interface hardware details, and supported software feature set such as Internet Protocol (IP), Internet Packet Exchange (IPX), and AppleTalk. Additionally, an embodiment of the present invention may determine if the software image version or feature set is supported by a product which the user desires to use, suggest an upgrade to an appropriate software version or feature set to accommodate the product if the current version is not supported by the product, and automatically upgrade the software if the user approves of such action. |
| US07970871B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamically configuring node behavior in a sensor network
The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for controlling sensor networks. A sensor network has a plurality of sensor nodes, which have sensors for monitoring operational parameters of devices within an application-specific system. A wireless communication module is provided for each node to enable the node to wirelessly communicate with other nodes of the network. A user defines various scripts for controlling the behavior of one or more nodes, and the network distributes the scripts, as appropriate, to various nodes thereby implementing the behavior defined by the scripts. Accordingly, a user can easily and dynamically configure or re-configure the behavior of any node without having to physically access the node that is being configured or re-configured. |
| US07970863B1 |
Using a home-networking gateway to manage communications
Techniques are provided for managing communications from an external computer system to a gateway device on a home network. Content is downloaded to the home network, stored on the home-networking gateway and then made available to a device on the home network that is capable of using the stored content. Additionally, a home-networking gateway manages communications between external computer systems and the home network to give priority to human interactive communications over the downloading of entertainment content for future use. |
| US07970858B2 |
Presenting search engine results based on domain name related reputation
Disclosed methods provide for presenting search engine results based on domain name related reputation data. The search engine may sort or order search engine results based on domain name related reputation data. In some cases links connected to low reputation domain names may be excluded from search engine results. Alternatively, the search engine may show reputation ratings next to the links in the search engine results. Thus, allowing the Internet user to determine whether to visit the link or not. The reputation data may be tracked on the domain name itself, URLs, domain name purchaser or registrant, or email addresses associated with the domain name. The reputation data may include various categories, such as email practices, website content, privacy policies and practices, fraudulent activities, domain name related complaints, overall reputation, etc. The reputation data may be digitally signed for authenticity. The reputation data may be stored in a digital certificate. |
| US07970857B2 |
Method and an apparatus to record web transactions using a proxy server
Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus to record web transactions in a proxy server have been presented. In one embodiment, responses and requests are routed between a web server and a client via a proxy server communicatively coupled between the web server and the client during a web transaction. The proxy server further records transaction information of the web transaction. |
| US07970856B2 |
System and method for managing and distributing assets over a network
A system and method of managing assets on a distributed grid enabled network. The system and method includes sending, to a content provider, a conditional request to obtain a requested asset. The system and method further includes receiving, in response to the conditional request, information to identify a most recent copy of the requested asset, and transferring the requested asset to at least one grid enabled peer for subsequent downloading to a requesting client. |
| US07970847B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing data on a computing device
A method and computing device for processing data are provided. Rule data for visually coding incoming data is stored. First and second profile data are stored, independent of the rule data. Each profile data comprises a respective range of time and a respective recurrence pattern that repeats indefinitely. Each profile data is associated with a respective subset of the rule data. Respective indications are received that first profile data and second profile have been activated. In response, the respective subset is automatically applied during the respective range of time such that incoming data is visually coded at the display device according to the respective subset during the respective range of time. Automatic application of the respective subset during the respective range of time repeats indefinitely according to the respective recurrence pattern until another indication that the respective profile data has been deactivated is received. |
| US07970846B2 |
Address book for integrating email and instant messaging (IM)
Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, the email services and IM services are integrated through an address book database. The address book database correlates email information of a contact with a reference identifier (ID). Additionally, one or more IM addresses of the contact are also correlated to the reference ID, thereby permitting further correlation of a contacts IM information with the contacts email information. |
| US07970843B2 |
E-mail messaging system and method for enhanced rich media delivery
A multi-user e-mail messaging system is described that is interfaced through the Internet and includes a first user group sharing a first server, which first server is interfaced to the Internet. In this system, after an e-mail message has been originated by an originating user of the first user group, the e-mail message is directed onto an e-mail enhancement path, and additional content is added to the e-mail message using the e-mail enhancement path to produce an enhanced e-mail message. Thereafter, the enhanced e-mail message from the e-mail enhancement path to the intended recipient. In one feature, the path taken by an incoming e-mail message is different from an outgoing path taken by an e-mail message sent from the first user group. The outgoing path defined to the intended recipient includes the enhancement path. |
| US07970842B2 |
Tagging and tracking non-hypertext markup language based E-mail
A method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for tagging and tracking non-hypertext markup language based e-mail. An e-mail is converted from a non-hypertext markup language format to an encoded format. An item is identified in the e-mail. A tag is added to the item in the e-mail. The e-mail is converted from the encoded format back to the non-hypertext markup language format. |
| US07970839B2 |
Automatic download of images from online storage
Various technologies for automatically downloading one or more high resolution image files from online storage. In one implementation, an e-mail client desktop application (stored at a sender's computer) may receive a request from the sender to send an e-mail with one or more high resolution image files added to the e-mail. Although the high resolution image files may be uploaded to a server, the files may be added as lower resolution image files with hidden Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses that may indicate the location on the server of the corresponding high resolution image files. Prior to sending the e-mail, the e-mail client desktop application may concatenate each high resolution image file's URL address with an extension or tag such as “?download” so that the address may later be easily identified. |
| US07970838B2 |
Mobile remote device management
A mail relay server decodes a received command electronic message to produce and issue a command to a service manager server which is directed to a device manager server for a target printing device. The device manager server produces and issues instructions to the target printing device. If the command includes a request for the reply, the process of executing the instruction in the target printing device includes the target printing device producing and issuing, the reply to the device manager server. The device manager server collects any multi packet reply and transmits the reply to the service manager server which directs the reply to the mail relay server. The mail relay server encodes the received reply to produce and issue a reply electronic message to the requestor. |
| US07970836B1 |
Method and apparatus for parental control of electronic messaging contacts for a child
Method and apparatus for parental control of electronic messaging contacts of a child is described. One aspect of the invention relates to communication of an electronic message from sender to recipient over a text-based communication channel established between sender and receiver clients on a network. A host on the network is configured to generate a unique identifier for the sender and maintain a log for the recipient. A first proxy module is configured to receive the electronic message from the sender client, embed the unique identifier associated with the sender therein, and forward the electronic message towards the receiver client over the text-based communication channel. A second proxy module is configured to receive the electronic message from the text-based communication channel, remove the unique identifier from the electronic message, send the unique identifier to the host for storage in the log, and forward the electronic message to receiver client. |
| US07970831B2 |
Intelligent email services
An intelligent email service for a web-based intranet server such as a ColdFusion server that automatically generates emails is provided. The intelligent email service provides a periodic verification of normal email spooler activity. Should the spooler be malfunctioning, the intelligent email service restarts the spooler and notifies the server's system administrator. The intelligent email service also processes any undeliverable email messages by determining, for each undeliverable email, whether mail server or the email itself was at fault. Should the mail server be at fault, the undelivered email is resent. Otherwise, the faulty email is emailed back to the originating party. |
| US07970828B2 |
Liveness monitoring in a publish/subscribe messaging system
A variety of techniques are disclosed for efficient liveness monitoring in a reliable publish/subscribe multicast system having at least one broker and at least one subscriber, by: at the broker, sending (310) a status request message to the subscriber, and at the subscriber, sending (350) a status response message to the broker to indicate liveness. Status responses by subscribers may be suppressed when at least a chosen minimum number (>=1) of subscribers send a response. This suppression (320-340) uses a system of “response claim” messages and random back-off timers. These provide the advantage that the efficiency of network usage is improved by reducing the number of unwanted packets that are sent. |
| US07970827B1 |
Providing notifications to an individual in a multi-dimensional personal information network
A method for providing notifications to an individual within a multi-dimensional personal information network includes obtaining itinerary information corresponding to a first individual within a multi-dimensional personal information network. A second individual that is included in a projection of the multi-dimensional personal information network that also includes the first individual is identified. Itinerary information corresponding to the second individual is obtained. One or notifications based on the itinerary information corresponding to the first individual and the itinerary information corresponding to the second individual are provided to the first individual. |
| US07970826B2 |
Transformational conversation definition language
A computer language for facilitating communication between web services, where web services may use disparate input and output document formats, and system using same. A Conversation Definition Language (CDL) is extended with transformational information to a Transformational Conversation Definition Language (TCDL). The CDL defines document types, transitions and interactions of a conversation between two or more web services. In a preferred embodiment, the transformational information is a subset of the interaction information. Stylesheets are used to define the semantics of the required transformation and the appropriate stylesheets are identified in the TCDL file. A conversation controller component reads the TCDL files that correspond to a given conversation and utilizes the transformation information, when necessary to transform documents between web services without human intervention. |
| US07970825B2 |
Metasearching a client's request by sending a plurality of queries to a plurality of social networks for displaying different lists on the client
A process and system for metasearching on a distributed network activated by a request executed on a client device to request a metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries to a plurality of social network server devices, each of the plurality of search queries comprising a keyword phrase, each of the keyword phrases comprising at least one keyword, at least two of the keyword phrases of the plurality of search queries being different from each other, comprising incorporating, by the metasearch engine, received search results into at least two different display lists corresponding to the at least two different keyword phrases, communicating a response comprising the at least two different display lists to the client device, optionally incorporating at least one advertisement associated with at least one of the at least two keyword phrases into the response and/or means for inputting and ordering at least one item. |
| US07970824B1 |
Capacity planning tool for the web
The current invention is a Capacity Planning Tool for the Web. This tool is developed and integrated to be within an Internet browser tool. The tool is used as an XML markup language for describing multimedia presentations. It can be used to examine the capacity of the server and network to transmit the entire requested multimedia document smoothly without interruptions. Also, the system can be utilized as part of an interactive e-learning tool for Web page development. |
| US07970814B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a synchronous interface for an asynchronous service
Methods and apparatus for providing a synchronous interface for an asynchronous service including, in a synchronous interface engine executing on a processor, receiving a request from a client for the asynchronous service, issuing an asynchronous service request to perform the asynchronous service, the asynchronous service request including a unique client identifier, and associating a wait condition with the unique client identifier to indicate to the client to wait for a result of the asynchronous service. Methods and apparatus further include receiving the result of the asynchronous service, the result including the unique client identifier, removing the associated wait condition, and sending the result to the client. |
| US07970811B2 |
Continuous-time multi-gigahertz filter using transmission line delay elements
An analog equalization filter is disclosed which permits higher speed and linearity than existing designs, allowing for filtering operation to the hundreds of gigahertz range. Possible applications include fixed and adaptive equalization filtering and radio frequency filtering. The filter can be entirely implemented on an integrated circuit chip. The filter is based on transmission line based delay elements and transconductance amplifiers. |
| US07970804B2 |
Journaling FAT file system and accessing method thereof
A journaling file allocation table (FAT) file system includes an FAT file system module, a storage device and a driver. The FAT file system module includes a journaling module and receives a file operation instruction sent by an operating system. The storage device has an FAT file system and an FAT journaling cache. The driver is coupled to the FAT file system module, the journaling module and the storage device in order to access the storage device. When the FAT file system stored in the storage device is a journaling FAT file system, the FAT file system module enables the journaling module to receive and execute the file operation instruction sent by the operating system and to accordingly produce a corresponding file operation instruction to the driver for performing a journaling file operation on the storage device. |
| US07970801B1 |
Data packaging system and method
A method for communicating data includes selecting a portion of data for communication to a remote computer with the data portion in device-dependent format and comprising at least an integer, a real number, or a binary value. A portable buffer is generated based on the selected data portion, the portable buffer comprising at least one device-independent data representation. The portable buffer is communicated to the remote computer for processing the data portion in a second device-dependent format. |
| US07970798B2 |
Updating elements in a data storage facility using a predefined state machine, with serial activation
A technique for updating elements in a data storage facility, including a single server or a multi-server system, such as by providing updated internal code packages to the elements. The update is performed using a fixed state machine, where the elements are updated in a coordinated manner within the constraints of the state machine. In a multi-server device, code packages are distributed to elements associated with the different servers in one traversal of the state machine, during distribute states of the state machine. The distributed code packages are activated in activate states of the state machine in multiple traversals of the state machine, so there is a serial activation. The code packages can be grouped in a flexible way by configuring an external update bundle used by the state machine. The distributing of the code is based on the grouping. |
| US07970790B2 |
Cell-based security representation for data access
Architecture for cell-based security on a per-user basis. A security model for this capability includes not only dimension level tables, but is extended to include cell level tables. The security model can include existing dimension tables, plus cell security tables that include a cell permissions table, a cell qualifiers table and a table that includes both the cell permissions table, a cell qualifiers. Metadata associated with the security applied to the cells for a given user can be stored locally in a local metadata store for retrieval and application against a data cube that an authenticated and authorized user is querying. In a specific implementation, the cell level security is employed in a performance management server application, where authentication is performed remotely by an authentication service, but the authorization function is performed local to the performance management server application. |
| US07970788B2 |
Selective local database access restriction
A nonintrusive database access monitoring mechanism employs a hybrid approach that disallows, or blocks, the access mediums which are not feasible to intercept or analyze, as well as intercepting and analyzing access mediums for which interception and interrogation is available. Accordingly, various configurations provide the hybrid coverage approach to identifying access mediums, and either block or intercept the access attempts. In this manner, access mediums, such as interprocess communication (IPC) system calls, which may be efficiently intercepted and analyzed are captured and substantively processed, while other access mediums that are excessively burdensome or intrusive to capture are unselectively blocked from any communication, avoiding the need to analyze such access attempts. |
| US07970784B2 |
Multi-lingual information display in a single language portal
A multi-lingual search and display system and/or methodology. The system providing a single point of access to information in multiple languages by executing a query against a set of targets, where the set of targets can include continents, countries, regions, geographic areas, languages, cultures, economies, markets, and so forth. Additionally, the subject invention translates the resulting documents and renders the translated results in a single view. |
| US07970779B2 |
Application interface including dynamic transform definitions
An application programming interface configured to transform data responsive to a transform process definition. The transform process definition is interpreted concurrently with the transformation process. This interpretation dynamically determines navigation within, and processing of, the data to be transformed. Under control of the transform process definition, a transform engine is configured to transform input data using recursive calls to a transformation process. The recursive approach is responsive to data structures within the transform process definition and simplifies operations such as parallel processing, load-balancing of transformation tasks, nesting, un-nesting, filtering, and the like. |
| US07970777B2 |
Model-driven database query
A system receives a model for a database to be queried and determines a first component-type and a first data-type for a first search criterion based on the model. The system generates at least one search criterion component that corresponds to the first search criterion and renders a query component that comprises the search criterion component. |
| US07970776B1 |
Apparatus, method and computer readable medium for identifying and quantifying database disk-sort operations
Apparatus, methods, and computer code for monitoring a database and for determining estimated aggregate disk-sort wait times for a database statement and/or database table and/or database index and/or database session are described. A description of database performance may be presented to a user in accordance with the determined aggregate disk-sort wait time(s). |
| US07970773B1 |
Determining variation sets among product descriptions
Systems and methods for determining a set of variation-phrases from a collection of documents in a document corpus is presented. Potential variation-phrase pairs among the various documents in the document corpus are identified. The identified potential variation-phrase pairs are then added to a variation-phrase set. The potential variation-phrase pairs in the variation-phrase set are filtered to remove those potential variation-phrase pairs that do not satisfy a predetermined criteria. After filtering the variation-phrase set, the resulting variation-phrase set is stored in a data store. |
| US07970772B2 |
Methods and apparatus for data stream clustering for abnormality monitoring
Techniques for monitoring abnormalities in a data stream are provided. A plurality of objects are received from the data stream and one or more clusters are created from these objects. At least a portion of the one or more clusters have statistical data of the respective cluster. It is determined from the statistical data whether one or more abnormalities exist in the data stream. |
| US07970770B2 |
Extension of write anywhere file layout write allocation
A write allocation technique extends a conventional write allocation procedure employed by a write anywhere file system of a storage system. A write allocator of the file system implements the extended write allocation technique in response to an event in the file system. The extended write allocation technique efficiently allocates blocks, and frees blocks, to and from a virtual volume (vvol) of an aggregate. The aggregate is a physical volume comprising one or more groups of disks, such as RAID groups, underlying one or more vvols of the storage system. The aggregate has its own physical volume block number (pvbn) space and maintains metadata, such as block allocation structures, within that pvbn space. Each vvol also has its own virtual volume block number (vvbn) space and maintains metadata, such as block allocation structures, within that vvbn space. The inventive technique extends input/output efficiencies of the conventional write allocation procedure to comport with an extended file system layout of the storage system. |
| US07970764B1 |
GUI for subject matter navigation using maps and search terms
A system, method and computer program product for navigating categorized information, including (a) a two-dimensional map displayed to a user on a screen, the map showing search terms relating to a subject matter, where the display of the search terms corresponds to relationship between the terms, and wherein a manner of display of the terms corresponds to their relative importance to the subject matter; and (b) a neural network underlying the map, wherein the manner of display and a selection of the search terms is derived from the neural network. The manner of display includes font color, font size, font transparency, distance between search terms and positioning of the search terms within the map. Positioning of a cursor over one of the search terms rearranges the search terms on the map to correspond to an increased relevance of the one of the search terms, while the cursor is over the one of the search terms. Clicking on the one of the search terms corresponds to navigating into a sub-subject matter of the one of the search terms. |
| US07970759B2 |
System and method for deriving a hierarchical event based database optimized for pharmaceutical analysis
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for inferring a probability of a first inference absent from a database at which a query regarding the inference is received. Each datum of the database is conformed to the dimensions of the database. Each datum of the plurality of data has associated metadata and an associated key. The associated metadata includes data regarding cohorts associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding hierarchies associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding a corresponding source of the datum, and data regarding probabilities associated with integrity, reliability, and importance of each associated datum. The query is used as a frame of reference for the search. The database returns a probability of the correctness of the first inference based on the query and on the data. |
| US07970754B1 |
Optimizing, distributing, and tracking online content
The subject matter described herein relates to systems and techniques for optimizing, distributing, and tracking the use of content online in, for example, Internet search engines and other Internet distribution networks. |
| US07970752B2 |
Data processing system and method
A data processing method comprises receiving a search term, accessing a data store, the data store including at least one searchable element, selecting components of the search elements, each component containing the search term, and creating a list of the components, the list including an indicator of the occurrence of the component. |
| US07970751B2 |
System and method for performing local searches across user defined events
The instant invention presents a system and method for performing local searches across one or more events created by one or more users. The system of the present invention comprises an event data structure comprising one or more user defined events, each event associated with a zip code. A zip list processor is provided to receive a zip code and a distance value, e.g., from user defined input, which are used to calculate a zip list comprising all zip codes geographically located with the distance value from the zip code. An event list generator to receives the zip list and queries the event data structure to retrieve events associated with zip codes contained in the zip list. The method of the present invention comprises creating an event data structure comprising one or more user defined events, each event associated with a zip code, calculating a zip list comprising all zip codes geographically located within a distance equal to a received distance value from a received zip code, and querying the event data structure to retrieve events associated with zip codes contained in the zip list. |
| US07970749B2 |
Method and system for using geographic data in computer game development
A system and method are disclosed for facilitating development of computer games that depict or represent actual, real world geographic areas as part of the play scenarios of the games. A source database contains data that represent geographic features in a region including roads in the region. The data in the source database includes attributes suitable for use for providing navigation-related functions. In addition to providing data from the source database for navigation-related functions, data from the source database are also provided for computer game development. An application programming interface, as well as other tools for handling geographic data, is provided for accessing and processing of the geographic data. |
| US07970745B2 |
Schema version management for database management
Creating a relational database table that identifies at least one application as belonging to a logical group. All components that belong to the logical group are listed and a unique schema name is created for each component by combining a logical schema name of each component with a designated system name for the component. Each component co-exists in a single database instance. |
| US07970738B2 |
Always on and updated operation for document logs
A method and an apparatus for handling updated or new entries for a document log are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a user input of a document identifier for a document and displaying information from metadata entries associated with the identifier. |
| US07970735B2 |
Cross varying dimension support for analysis services engine
A data processing and analysis system is provided. The system includes an analysis engine that queries one or more components of data. A rules component specifies a relationship between at least one dimension of the data with respect to at least one other dimension of the data in order to facilitate an analysis of the data. In one example, the analysis engine is provided as an online analytical processing component. |
| US07970734B2 |
Data collection and storage device
A data collection apparatus includes a network of sensing units for sensing a parameter. Each sensing unit of the network of sensing units includes a sensor, a first data storage device, a first receiving device, and a first transmitting device. The first data storage device is for storing data from the sensor. The first transmitting device is for transmitting data derived from the sensor. The apparatus also includes a single control unit. The single control unit includes a second receiving device, a second transmitting device, and a second data storage device. The second receiving device is for receiving data transmitted from the network of sensing units. The second data storage device is for storing the data received from the network of sensing units. The sensing units of the network of sensing units are each configured so a real time signal triggers a change in at least one from the group consisting of: (a) sensor data handling, (b) sensor data collection, (c) sensor data storage in the sensing unit, and (d) sensor data transmission to the single control unit. |
| US07970733B2 |
Method for communicating data in xDSL using data retransmission
A method for transmitting data in an xDSL system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes defining a data transmission unit (DTU) to be sent in an xDSL data stream, defining a retransmit container as a time slot that corresponds to a sent DTU, maintaining a copy of the sent DTUs and an index of corresponding retransmit containers in retransmission buffer, transmitting the DTUs in the xDSL data stream, determining whether a transmitted DTU should be retransmitted, identifying each corrupted DTU by its corresponding retransmit container, and retransmitting an uncorrupted copy of the DTU as identified by the corresponding retransmit container. The retransmission is deferred until the DTU is at a predefined position in the retransmission buffer. |
| US07970731B2 |
Enhanced trade compliance system: country of origin certifications
Methods and systems are described that allow supplier information to be captured and processed for imported or exported products that have multiple supply sources. Each of the products may be classified under a plurality of HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) codes, which may then be assigned to the product. The assigned HTS codes may be entered and stored in a database of a trade compliance system. A plurality of certifications may be requested and obtained from the suppliers of the product. The certifications, which may include a COO certification or a NAFTA certification, for example, may be entered and stored in the database. Each certification may identify and certify one of the multiple supply sources for the product. Each certification may be associated with one of the plurality of HTS codes. |
| US07970729B2 |
Enterprise architecture analysis framework database
A method of modeling an enterprise includes storing core objects, where the core objects include an information object defining information used in the enterprise, a participant object defining a participant in the enterprise, an enabler object defining a tool used in the enterprise, and an activity object defining a process performed in the enterprise, and storing relationship objects that define interactions between two or more of the core objects. |
| US07970724B1 |
Execution of a canonical rules based agent
A method for executing an agent utilizing a rule engine and a set of canonical rules in an execution environment comprising collecting an initial set of data, asserting the initial data into a working memory, executing the rule engine utilizing the working memory and the set of canonical rules and firing an applicable rule by the rule engine. |
| US07970720B1 |
System and method to facilitate user thinking about a multidimensional arbitrary problem with output and interfaces to external systems
The invention provides systems and methods to facilitate user thinking about an arbitrary problem and particularly about a complex or multiple part arbitrary problem or related problems. Preferred embodiments of the systems and methods include outputs and interfaces to external systems, components and resources. Preferred embodiments may include creation and compositing capabilities regarding multiple, subdivided and complex or combined arbitrary problems, with regard to individual or multiple users or teams. |
| US07970719B2 |
Method and simulation device for structurally individualized simulation of the introduction of a wall support element into a section of a tubular structure
A method is described for structurally individualized simulation of the introduction of a wall support element into a section of a tubular structure. To this end, image data of the interior of the section of the tubular structure are provided. A start point and an end point of the section of the tubular structure are then determined, and a lumen and a profile line of the tubular structure are determined between the start point and the end point. Furthermore, an individual elastic structure model for the section of the tubular structure is identified by adapting a tubular elastic initial model to the section of the tubular structure on the basis of the identified lumen and the profile line, and a tubular elastic wall support element model which is positioned inside the individual structure model is provided. In at least one embodiment, the wall support element model is then virtually expanded stepwise, a check for collisions between the wall support element model and the individual structure model being carried out in each expansion step. At the positions where a collision is identified, the wall support element model and the individual structure model are modified at least locally while taking into account the elasticity of the individual structure model. A method for driving an image display device, by using such a simulation method, and a simulation device are furthermore described. |
| US07970713B1 |
Method and apparatus for automatic pricing in electronic commerce
An automatic pricing method and apparatus for use in electronic commerce environments is described. Automatic pricing uses live price testing to estimate and measure demand for specific products—taking into account where appropriate, a vendor selected segmentation scheme. The results of live price testing are compared using a vendor selected goal function, e.g. profit maximization, to select a new price. A goal function that balances short term gains versus long term gains based on customer lifetime value is described. The live price testing approach used is designed to minimize losses due to price testing through statistical methods. Additionally, methods for distributing price testing across time so as to avoid problems caused by too many ongoing tests as well as side effects from testing are described. The selected price is a win for both purchasers and vendors as the automatic price will approximate the efficiency of a reverse auction without the inconvenience of the auction format while being goal maximizing for the vendor. For example, a vendor that normally sets prices of items for sale to customers can use embodiments of the invention to great effect. |
| US07970708B2 |
Value information management system, recording medium, printer device, account adjusting device, electronic data printing method, and computer program
The present invention provides a value information management system capable of printing electronic data (e.g. electronic receipt) representing value information while restricting the electronic receipt to one of printed form and unprinted form so as to prevent fraudulent billing.A secure memory card 13 securely stores therein a payment-related electronic receipt, a printer 14 prints the electronic receipt, and deletes the electronic receipt from the secure memory card 13 after completion of the printing, and transmits a receipt ID identifying the electronic receipt to a receipt management server 17, so that the receipt management server 17 can manage the electronic receipt identified by the receipt ID as being printed out. |
| US07970707B2 |
Shared royalty platform for content royalty management
Systems and methods for the dynamic processing of royalties are disclosed. Sales records are processed on a transaction basis rather than in batch mode. This process also allows correction of information retroactively, rather than delaying the entire processing of the information. One embodiment includes a system comprising a message broker in communication with a plurality of clients and services, a state machine, a processor and a time manager. The message broker interacts with the processor to execute a common service based on events produced by the state machine. Another embodiment includes a method comprising providing a rate matrix, receiving a sales record from a database and calculating a royalty payment using the sales record and the rate matrix. |
| US07970706B2 |
System and method for check exception item notification
A system mainframe receives a payee check file and a payor check file and produces an exception file including at least one exception item. A server receives the exception file and generates a Web file including information relating to the exception item and generates an address for the Web file. The server further sends an exception client an e-mail which notifies the exception client of the exception item and provides the exception client with the address for the Web file. |
| US07970699B1 |
Customized consumer loan search and optimized loan pricing
The invention relates to methods that create and update a centralized and searchable database of lenders' underwriting and pricing guidelines that can be utilized by the consumer and to a system that matches the consumer's qualifications and needs to the best available loan products with associated rate pricing. |
| US07970697B2 |
System and method for providing market updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently. |
| US07970696B2 |
Method, apparatus and interface for transaction toggling
A method for submitting transactions from an automated trading tool to an electronic exchange. The method includes defining a proximity limit and automatically generating a transaction for a tradeable object. The method further includes applying the proximity limit to the transaction. When the transaction falls within the defined proximity limit, the transaction is submitted to the exchange. An apparatus and interface for transaction toggling based on proximity limits are also provided. |
| US07970684B1 |
Fund for hedging real estate ownership risk using financial portfolio theory and data feed for analyzing the financial performance of a portfolio that includes real estate
A method for creating an investment fund and selling shares in the fund to individual investors, each of whom has an investment ratio defined by a dollar amount of direct real estate investments held by the investor outside of the fund divided by a dollar amount of shares in the fund held by the individual investor. A target range of the investment ratio is selected for the fund. A target geographical region is selected where individual investors in the fund hold the direct real estate investments. A model composite portfolio is identified having an asset combination that includes: (i) direct real estate investment held by an individual investor in the target geographical region, and (ii) shares in the fund held by the individual investor. The asset combination in the model composite portfolio has an investment ratio that is within the target range. An optimal fund asset allocation is selected for the composite model portfolio in order to diversify and/or hedge risks associated with the direct real estate investment held by the model composite portfolio. Shares of the fund are sold to individual investors that hold direct real estate investments in the target geographic region and have investment ratios in the target range. |
| US07970683B2 |
System and method for multi-state tax analysis
In an embodiment one or more alternate entity structures are created in response to a base entity structure. A tax liability is determined for each alternate entity structure and the base entity structure; furthermore, a result is generated in response to comparing each of the determined tax liabilities with one another. |
| US07970681B1 |
Reduction of financial instrument volatility
An earnings volatility reduction procedure includes determining a first sensitivity value of a portfolio to underlying market conditions, trading in an immunizing instrument having a second sensitivity value substantially equal in magnitude and opposite in value of the first sensitivity value, and trading in a qualifying instrument having a third sensitivity value substantially equal to the first sensitivity value. A derivative portfolio (in particular, one that includes a financial instrument for which changes in value are characterized as earnings pursuant to FAS 133) is structured by determining a sensitivity of the derivative portfolio with respect to financial conditions in a trading market, executing an immunizing purchase of a second trading instrument in an amount equal to the magnitude of the current sensitivity and opposite in value, and executing a qualifying sale of a third trading instrument in an amount equal to amount of the current sensitivity. |
| US07970678B2 |
Biometric financial transaction system and method
Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant. These steps accomplish a biometrically authorized electronic financial transaction without the consumer having to present any personalized man-made memory tokens. |
| US07970677B1 |
Systems and methods for financial deposits by electronic message
An image of a negotiable instrument may be communicated from a user to a financial institution using a messaging application so that funds associated with the negotiable instrument may be deposited into a user's bank account. A user may launch an instant messaging application and establish a communications session with a predetermined account at the financial institution to communicate the image. The image may be stored in a file or created by a capture device under control of the instant messaging application. The image file may be processed and verified by the financial institution, where it may be deposited in an account associated with the user. |
| US07970674B2 |
Automatically determining a current value for a real estate property, such as a home, that is tailored to input from a human user, such as its owner
A facility procuring information about a distinguished property from its owner that is usable to refine an automatic valuation of the distinguished property is described. The facility displays information about the distinguished property used in the automatic valuation of the distinguished property. The facility obtains user input from the owner adjusting at least one aspect of information about the distinguished property used in the automatic valuation of the distinguished property. The facility then displays to the owner a refined valuation of the distinguished property that is based on the adjustment of the obtained user input. |
| US07970673B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for repository data maximization
A financial institution may use the bank routing and account number information (ABA/DDA) of a checking account or the like, obtained from paper checks previously submitted by a customer, in an electronic payment program. When a customer who has previously paid a credit balance by check, for example, wants to enroll in the electronic payment program, an abbreviated enrollment process is provided in which the consumer only enters a portion of bank routing information, instead of having to enter the full ABA/DDA as in the standard enrollment procedure. In some cases, the customer may leave such information blank and needs only to confirm that the stored bank account information corresponds to the account being used for the electronic payment. |
| US07970672B2 |
Real-time marketing of credit-based goods or services
Systems and methods are described that determine which offers for credit-based transactions (if any) to market to a person. Each offer is associated with a set of third party demographic information criteria, a set of lender demographic information criteria, and a set of lender credit data criteria. The set of third party demographic information criteria is applied to a set of offers to determine a first subset of offers. The set of lender demographic information criteria is applied to the first subset of offers to determine a second subset of offers. The set of lender credit data criteria is applied to the second subset of offers to determine a third subset of offers. |
| US07970670B2 |
Electronic credit default futures market
Systems and methods are provided for providing a credit default futures market. A system providing the credit default futures market includes a processor, memory and an interface. The interface is configured to display credit default futures contracts that subscribe to a set of standard terms and conditions. The processor is configured to settle certain credit futures contracts in kind and other in cash, depending on, at least in part, the maturity date of the futures contract. A method is presented for electronically clearing and settling probability of default futures contracts. |
| US07970667B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for a geometric search of a configurable product structure
A method for searching a bill of materials (BOM) in a data processing system, a data processing system configured to perform a corresponding method, and a computer program product encoded with instructions for performing the method. The method includes retrieving BOM data in a data processing system, and forming a wavefront queue of a plurality of proto lines corresponding to the BOM data. The method also includes determining the cumulative geometric bounds of multiple ones of the plurality of proto lines and performing a geometric bounds test on the cumulative geometric bounds of multiple ones of the plurality of proto lines. The method also includes producing a BOM line to each proto line that passes the geometric bounds test, and adding the produced BOM lines to a candidate results list stored in the data processing system. |
| US07970664B2 |
Content personalization based on actions performed during browsing sessions
Various methods are disclosed for monitoring user browsing activities, and for using such information to provide item recommendations to users. In one embodiment, a monitoring component of a merchant's Web site maintains a record of products viewed by each user during a current browsing session—preferably based on visits to product detail pages. A recommendations component uses the resulting history of viewed products to identify additional products to recommend, preferably using a pre-existing table that maps products to related products. In one embodiment, this table is generated by periodically analyzing user browsing histories to identify correlations between purchases, viewing events, and/or other actions performed with respect to particular products. The recommended items may be displayed together with an option to individually deselect the recently viewed items on which the recommendations are based. Embodiments are also disclosed that use recent browse node visits, and recent searches, to generate the recommendations. |
| US07970663B2 |
Method of calculating an estimated market value of a character
There is provided a character training and development system for a virtual environment and related method. A character can be purchased by a user and then registered on a communication network via a unique code. Once registered, a set of attributes can be assigned to the character based on the type and class of the character. Attribute values can be assigned to the attributes by default or by user preferences. The characters can be manipulated within the virtual environment. In particular, the characters can be trained in order to improve their skills, to add new skills, and to increase their overall value and worth in the virtual environment. In addition, the characters can be traded among users for a price based on their skills. Fees can be charged for each trade. Traded characters are given a new code to transfer all control of the character to the new owner. |
| US07970662B2 |
Method for providing online submission of requests for proposals for forwarding to identified vendors
An online system and method for allowing a prospective buyer to complete an electronic RFP document and to have the RFP document transmitted to one or more appropriate prospective sellers of goods and services. The system and method provide the prospective buyer with the option of automatically identifying potentially appropriate sellers by means of key word searches in a compiled database of vendor information and product and services descriptions. The prospective buyer may also elect to review the database contents “manually” by means of selecting specific subject matter areas or incrementally reviewing a list of database vendors one at a time. The system directs the buyer's RFP to the selected vendors for review and consideration. This transmission is made electronically, typically by email protocols, for review by appropriate personnel at the selected vendor's business. Such review is carried out by an individual or automatically by the vendor's own system which identifies the appropriateness of the match with its range of offered goods and services. A proposal or price quote is then transmitted electronically back through the system to the prospective buyer for consideration, again typically by email protocols. The buyer may then review the various proposals and price quotes it receives back for consideration and may select an appropriate vendor with which to carry out the commercial transaction. |
| US07970661B1 |
Method, medium, and system for allocating a transaction discount during a collaborative shopping session
A collaborative shopping group can be established within a social networking web site. This initially established group can consist of individuals with whom the establishing user has a social networking affiliation. After an initial establishment of the collaborative shopping group, each individual within the group is able to add additional individuals to the collaborative shopping group. A shared shopping cart can be established for the collaborative shopping group. A set of different members of the collaborative shopping group can individually and independently add items from a set of different e-commerce sites to the shared shopping cart. An e-commerce purchase of items in the shared shopping cart can be completed. The completed e-commerce purchase can receive a transaction discount greater than or equal to a sum of discounts that would have resulted from discrete purchases of the items of the shared shopping cart by the individuals of the collaborative shopping group. |
| US07970659B2 |
Method and computer readable medium for providing gift registry services through a gift registry network
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that provides gift registry services to a user. During operation, the system enrolls a business with a registry system and identifies a first set of items offered for sale by the business. Next, the system populates the registry system with the first set of items. Finally, the system presents the first set of items to the user for inclusion in a gift registry associated with the user. |
| US07970656B2 |
Methods for determining customer motivations in purchasing decisions
Methods provide for auditing of on-line commercial transactions to determine what products are the primary motivations for a customer to begin an on-line shopping session. When a purchase is made during a shopping session, the method determines whether a purchased product is related to a previous “prime motivator” product. If so, the product is designated as a derivative product and a derivative count associated with the product is incremented. If not, the product itself is designated a prime motivator product and a prime motivator count associated with the product is incremented. The method may be repeated for every purchase fielded by an on-line commercial site. |
| US07970655B2 |
Secure interactive digital system for displaying items to a user identified as having permission to access the system
Methods and apparatus are described which provide secure interactive communication of text and image information between a central server computer and one or more client computers located at remote sites for the purpose of storing and retrieving files describing and identifying unique products, services, or individuals. A feature of the system is the ability to associate an identification image with a plurality of accounts, transactions, or records and identify a user not physically present at the client computer. Textual information and image data from one or more of the remote sites are stored separately at the location of the central server computer, requests for information are entered from remote terminals, the system being able to respond to multiple user requests simultaneously, and the information requested is recalled and downloaded for review to be displayed at the remote site. |
| US07970654B2 |
System and method for processing single sale transactions involving one or more payors
A system for processing sales transactions may include a first computing device in communication with a buyer-operated computing device, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the first computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include programming instructions for receiving an order including one or more of a commitment of a buyer to purchase an item, and a preferred share value associated with the buyer, receiving contact information associated with one or more third parties, receiving a fractional share value associated with each of the one or more third parties, and in response to a sum of the fractional share values associated with each third party and the preferred share value equaling the purchase price associated with the item, using the received contact information to send a message to each third party. Each message may include the fractional share associated with the third party. |
| US07970652B1 |
Apparatus and method for remote sellers to initiate auction instances at an auction facilitator system and receive or make payment for items bought and sold with the system by book entry accounting between participant accounts accessible to the system
An apparatus and method for an internet-based auction and payment system for facilitating participant initiated autonomous auction instances and book entry payment transfers between participant accounts maintained, tracked or accessible by the system for participants to make payments to other participants on the system for items won at the autonomous auction instances. Furthermore, categories for the classification of items at auction may be selected by a seller while the seller is isolated from communication with the auction system to facilitate the asynchronous creation of data records by user for subsequent bulk listing and auction initiation. Data records may include data headers when transmitted to the auction system to provide authorization and program interface usage measurements. |
| US07970651B2 |
System for presenting information for commercial articles put in a basket using electronic tag
A commercial article information presenting system includes a shopping basket device and a shopping server communicating with the shopping basket device. The shopping basket device acquires a tag ID from an electronic tag attached to a commercial article put in a shopping basket and transmits the tag ID to a shop server. The shop server stores the tag ID received from the shopping basket device, generates screen data for an itemization screen for indicating a commercial article identifier and a unit price corresponding to the stored tag ID, a total of unit prices. The shop server transmits the screen data for the itemization screen to the shopping basket device. |
| US07970650B2 |
POS device
A POS device includes a rotation shaft vertically fixed, a rotary plate provided so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft, a rotating portion placed on the rotary plate and having at least a barcode scanner and a receipt printer, and a display device for clerk and a display device for customer both provided at the top end of the rotation shaft. |
| US07970648B2 |
Advertising campaign and business listing management for a location-based services system
The present invention discloses a method and system for creating advertising content and business listing content in a location-based services system. An advertising campaign or a business listing is created with a business remote terminal using a campaign management interface application or a business profile interface application. The advertising campaign or business listing is then transmitted to an advertiser portal. The advertiser portal then directs the advertising campaign or business listing to a create campaign application or a business profile application for processing. The advertising campaign or business listing is then stored in a business database or a business profile database using a data access component. |
| US07970646B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing and/or for fulfilling subscription services
A computer-implemented method, including receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good, a service, or a printed issue of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, at a retail facility or a store pursuant to a subscription, processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good, any service, or any issue or any issues of the at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription, and transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a point-of-sale transaction device located at the retail facility or the store. |
| US07970645B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing targeted advertisements
Techniques to deliver targeted advertisements and multimedia contents to viewers. Various types of advertisements are encoded and transmitted. The advertisements may be targeted for different coverage areas (e.g., national and local levels) and may further include various categories (e.g., kids, sports, business, and so on). At the terminal, one or more advertisements may be selected for display based on various selection schemes. The particular advertisement to be selected for display at a terminal may be based on the terminal's assigned profile or user interaction at the terminal. The profile may be assigned based on the last program viewed at the terminal, a particular filter icon selected at the terminal, the observed television viewing habits of the viewer at the terminal, and so on. The techniques may also be advantageously used for delivery of other multimedia contents and for other applications. |
| US07970644B2 |
Electronic toll management and vehicle identification
Identifying a vehicle in a toll system includes accessing image data for a first vehicle and obtaining license plate data from the accessed image data for the first vehicle. A set of records is accessed. Each record includes license plate data for a vehicle. The license plate data for the first vehicle is compared with the license plate data for vehicles in the set of records. Based on the results of the comparison of the license plate data, a set of vehicles is identified from the vehicles having records in the set of records. Vehicle fingerprint data is accessed for the first vehicle. The vehicle fingerprint data for the first vehicle is based on the image data for the first vehicle. Vehicle fingerprint data for a vehicle in the set of vehicles is accessed. Using a processing device, the vehicle fingerprint data for the first vehicle is compared with the vehicle fingerprint data for the vehicle in the set of vehicles. The vehicle in the set of vehicles is identified as the first vehicle based on results of the comparison of vehicle fingerprint data. |
| US07970641B2 |
Automated bundle package pricing
An automated system and method for pricing a bundle package based on a weight of a bundle includes an interface, a point of entry and a processor. The interface requests information and displays information. Data relating to the requested information is submitted through the point of entry. The requested information includes dimensions of a booth and a weight of a bundle to be displayed within the booth. The processor receives and controls the data and includes a rules database, a transaction processing system and a calculator. The rules database stores a pre-established set of rules for classifying data into one of a plurality of bundle packages and for associating the bundle packages with a price. The transaction processing system stores and analyzes the submitted data and the pre-established set of rules in the rules database. The calculator determines a bundle package price based on the submitted data and the pre-established rules in the rules database. |
| US07970638B2 |
Planning parts demand coverage based on variable percentage of substitution parts
A method is provided for meeting anticipated parts demands, by controlling substitute part inventory coverage based on percentage requirements. The method is characterized by substitution sets determined as a ratio of the current PN level. In one embodiment, current parts of specified type and substitute parts functionally equivalent to the current parts are respectively kept in inventory. This embodiment includes specifying a maximum percentage of demand for the current parts that is allowed to be filled using substitute parts. The number of additional parts needed to cover a demand is determined, when the demand specifies a total number of current parts exceeding the number thereof in inventory. A number of substitute parts is then assigned from inventory to cover the demand, up to a number that does not exceed the specified maximum percentage of the specified total number. When the number of additional parts needed is greater than the number of assigned substitute parts, a number of current parts equal to the difference therebetween is then purchased. |
| US07970636B2 |
Replacement part order processing apparatus, method for ordering replacement parts and computer-readable recording medium
A controlling unit of a replacement part management server specifies a maintenance target equipment and acquires order conditions from a responsible personnel terminal. The controlling unit acquires maintenance information and part information both relating to the maintenance target equipment. The controlling unit calculates prediction residual regarding target parts of an initial value setting process, and compares the prediction residual with the shortest cycle. When the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle, the controlling unit sets the number of replacements in the part order data storing unit. When an initial value setting process regarding all the parts is completed, an order input screen is output. When an order request is received from the responsible personnel terminal, an order management server acquires part order data and transmits a preparation instruction of a PM kit to the purchaser. |
| US07970633B2 |
System and method for delivering medical examination, treatment and assistance over a network
A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a health care practitioner to a patient over a network includes a plurality of health care practitioner terminals and a plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over the network with any of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals. Each of the plurality of health care practitioner terminals includes a display device. The system also includes a call center in communication with the patient terminals and the health care practitioner terminals. The call center routs a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available health care practitioner at one of the health care practitioner terminals so that the available health care practitioner may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient. The available health care practitioner may make an assessment of the patient and treat the patient. |
| US07970632B2 |
Health insurance subrogation data management
A computer-implemented method where a party other than the patient's health plan, requests patient records from a health provider, thereby triggering the health provider to submit identifying demographic data of the requesting party and additionally, if different, the name of the health provider's patient for whom the party requested records on, where the submission by the health provider is made to the patient's health plan, allowing the health plan to gain improved knowledge on the patient's involvement in an injury claim, thereby improving the health plan's subrogation operations. |
| US07970629B2 |
Adaptive system for financial claim reimbursement processing
A system improves payment claims transactions by analyzing payments transactions to update payment edit rules according to information derived from the transactions. A system adapts rules used for processing claim adjudication data provided by a payer organization concerning a claim for reimbursement for provision of healthcare to a patient previously submitted to the payer organization in a claim. The system includes a data processor for parsing claim adjudication data provided by a specific payer organization in an electronic transaction message to identify data comprising, (a) a payer organization identifier and (b) a reason for rejection of a claim. A rules processor automatically generates a payer specific rule for use in pre-processing a claim for submission to the specific payer identified by the payer organization identifier by translating data comprising the reason for rejection into a logical expression resolvable using data elements in a claim. A rules repository accumulates data representing automatically generated payer specific rules for pre-processing a claim for submission to the specific payer. |
| US07970628B2 |
Method and system for providing dynamic orthodontic assessment and treatment profiles
Method and system for receiving one or more dentition conditions of a patient, associating a first set of one or more treatment goals based on the one or more dentition conditions, generating a case difficulty assessment based on the one or more treatment goals, detecting a modification to the case difficulty assessment, retrieving a second set of one or more treatment goals associated with the modified case difficulty assessment, and displaying the second set of one or more treatment goals are provided. |
| US07970624B2 |
System and user interface for presenting treatment information
A workflow system and user interface coordinates information concerning a course of treatment of a patient, as well as data from a treatment device and links appointment data from a scheduling system with actual treatment activity information in order to show a complete timeline of a course of treatment. A user interface system for presenting medication dosage and treatment information includes a display processor for providing data representing a single display image. The single display image presents information identifying treatment received by a patient and treatment scheduled to be received by the patient together with a timeline. The single display image also presents information identifying cumulative dosage of a medication received by a patient and an associated date the cumulative dosage is received by the patient. A command processor initiates presentation of the single display image in response to user command. |
| US07970619B2 |
System and method for determining a weight of an arriving aircraft
A method for receiving data for an aircraft landing at an airport, the data including an aircraft type and one of an owner and an operator of the aircraft, the data excluding a unique identifier for the aircraft, retrieving additional data related to the aircraft based on the data, the additional data including a landing weight and reporting the landing weight and the landing to an airport operator. |
| US07970615B2 |
Turn-taking confidence
A method for managing interactive dialog between a machine and a user. In one embodiment, an interaction between the machine and the user is managed by determining at least one likelihood value which is dependent upon a possible speech onset of the user. In another embodiment, the likelihood value can be dependent on a model of a desire of the user for specific items, a model of an attention of the user to specific items, or a model of turn-taking cues. The values can be used to determine a mode confidence value that is used by the system to determine the nature of prompts provided to the user. |
| US07970614B2 |
Continuous adaptation in detection systems via self-tuning from target population subsets
The present invention provides a system and method for treating distortion propagated though a detection system. The system includes a compensation module that compensates for untreated distortions propagating through the detection compensation system, a user model pool that comprises of a plurality of model sets, and a model selector that selects at least one model set from plurality of model sets in the user model pool. The compensation is accomplished by continually producing scores distributed according to a prescribed distribution for the at least one model set and mitigating the adverse effects of the scores being distorted and lying off a pre-set operating point.The method for treating distortion propagated though a detection system includes receiving a signal from a remote device, and compensating the signal for untreated distortions. The compensation includes selecting at least one relevant model set from a plurality of model sets, producing scores distributed according to a pre-described distribution for the at least one model set, and mitigating the adverse effect of the scores being distorted by rejecting a signal if it lies off a preset operating point. |
| US07970613B2 |
Method and system for Gaussian probability data bit reduction and computation
Use of runtime memory may be reduced in a data processing algorithm that uses one or more probability distribution functions. Each probability distribution function may be characterized by one or more uncompressed mean values and one or more variance values. The uncompressed mean and variance values may be represented by α-bit floating point numbers, where α is an integer greater than 1. The probability distribution functions are converted to compressed probability functions having compressed mean and/or variance values represented as β-bit integers, where β is less than α, whereby the compressed mean and/or variance values occupy less memory space than the uncompressed mean and/or variance values. Portions of the data processing algorithm can be performed with the compressed mean and variance values. |
| US07970611B2 |
Speaker authentication in digital communication networks
Example embodiments provide a speaker authentication technology that compensates for mismatches between enrollment process conditions and test process conditions using correction parameters or correction models, which allow for correcting one of the test voice characterizing parameter set and the enrollment voice characterizing parameter set according to a mismatch between the test process conditions and the enrollment process conditions, thereby obtaining values for the test voice characterizing parameter set and the enrollment voice characterizing parameter set that are based on the same or at least similar process conditions. Alternatively, each of the enrollment and test voice characterizing parameter sets may be normalized to predetermined standard process conditions by using the correction parameters or correction models. |
| US07970609B2 |
Method of estimating sound arrival direction, sound arrival direction estimating apparatus, and computer program product
Sound signals from sound sources present in multiple directions are accepted as inputs of multiple channels, and signal of each channel is transformed into a signal on a frequency axis. A phase component of the transformed signal is calculated for each identical frequency, and phase difference between the multiple channels is calculated. An amplitude component of the transformed signal is calculated, and a noise component is estimated from the calculated amplitude component. An SN ratio for each frequency is calculated on the basis of the amplitude component and the estimated noise component, and frequencies at which the SN ratios are larger than a predetermined value are extracted. Difference between arrival distances is calculated on the basis of the phase difference at selected frequency, and the arrival direction in which it is estimated that the target sound source is present is calculated. |
| US07970608B2 |
Providing contextual information for spoken information
Techniques are described for providing relevant information to users (e.g., information that is at least potentially of interest to the users). Relevant information for a user may be automatically determined based on a determined context of the user and/or on a request for that information from the user. For example, voice-based information may be obtained from a user in one or more ways, and then analyzed to identify requests or other indications of information of interest and/or to otherwise determine a context of the user that corresponds to potential information of interest. Relevant information for a user may be provided to the user in various ways, such as via a voice-based response during a telephone call and/or via one or more electronic messages sent to the user (e.g., via emails, instant messages, paging messages, SMS or other text messages, etc.). |
| US07970607B2 |
Method and system for low bit rate voice encoding and decoding applicable for any reduced bandwidth requirements including wireless
An implementation of the present invention comprises a voice encoder and decoder method and system that uses voice excitation, eliminating the voice/unvoiced pitch tracking, and the first formant up to 2400 Hertz for synchronous and up to 1600 Hertz for asynchronous, does not use pulse code modulation encoding, but uses the zero crossings only of the first formant, frequency dividing by two and sampling at the formant frequency. The resulting combination uses half or less of the bit rate for excitation and the remainder for short-term spectrum analysis. The spectrum could be updated each 20 milliseconds using 49 bits for the spectrum frame and 49 bits for excitation and one frame bit for synchronous Asynchronous operation could be update at 21.25 milliseconds using 49 bits for the spectrum information and 34 bits for excitation with one bit for frame synchronization. The decoder extracts the excitation, multiplies it by two and uses a Hanning modified sawtooth and spectral flattening to excite the spectrum generator. This waveform produces both even and odd harmonics for both periodic (voiced) and aperiodic (unvoiced) frequencies and gives naturalness to all languages and speakers. |
| US07970598B1 |
System for automated translation of speech
The present invention allows subscribers to an online information service to participate in real-time conferencing or chat sessions in which a message originating from a subscriber in accordance with a first language is translated to one or more languages before it is broadcast to the other conference areas. Messages in a first language are translated automatically to one or more other languages through language translation capabilities resident at online information service host computers. Access software that subscribers use for participating in conference is integrated with speech recognition and speech generation software such that a subscriber may speak the message he or she would like to share with other participants and may hear the messages from the other participants in the conference. Speech-to-speech translation may be accomplished as a message spoken into a computer microphone in accordance with a first language may be recited by a remote computer in accordance with a second language. |
| US07970597B2 |
Event-driven emulation system
A circuit emulator includes emulation resources programmed to emulate a circuit, a clocking system for clocking logic implemented by the emulation resources, a resource interface circuit, a logic analyzer, and a debugger. The resource interface circuit supplies input signals to the emulation resources, stores data representing behavior of signals generated by the emulation resources produces in response to the input signals and configures operating characteristics of the clocking system. Upon detecting a specified event in the selected signals of the emulation resources, the logic analyzer asserts a trigger signal telling the clocking system to stop clocking the emulation resources. Communicating with the resource interface circuit and the logic analyzer via a packet routing network, the debugger acquires and processes the data stored by the resource interface circuit and transmits commands to the resource interface circuit and the logic analyzer specifying clocking system operating characteristics, controlling signal data transfer to the debugger, and defining the signal events the logic analyzer is to detect. |
| US07970596B2 |
Method and system for virtual prototyping
An integrated design environment (IDE) is disclosed for forming virtual embedded systems. The IDE includes a design language for forming finite state machine models of hardware components that are coupled to simulators of processor cores, preferably instruction set accurate simulators. A software debugger interface permits a software application to be loaded and executed on the virtual embedded system. A virtual test bench may be coupled to the simulation to serve as a human-machine interface. In one embodiment, the IDE is provided as a web-based service for the evaluation, development and procurement phases of an embedded system project. IP components, such as processor cores, may be evaluated using a virtual embedded system. In one embodiment, a virtual embedded system is used as an executable specification for the procurement of a good or service related to an embedded system. |
| US07970594B2 |
System and method for using model analysis to generate directed test vectors
A mechanism for exploiting the data gathered about a system model during the system design phase to aid the identification of errors subsequently detected in a deployed system based on the system model is disclosed. The present invention utilizes the coverage analysis from the design phase that is originally created to determine whether the system model as designed meets the specified system requirements. Included in the coverage analysis report is the analysis of which sets of test vectors utilized in simulating the system model excited individual components and sections of the system model. The present invention uses the information associated with the test vectors to select appropriate test vectors to use to perform directed testing of the deployed system so as to confirm a suspected fault. |
| US07970590B1 |
Parametric timing analysis
Electronic Design Automation tools are used to aid in the design and verification of integrated circuits. As part of the verification process, circuit designs are analyzed with respect to their timing performance. Timing analysis is susceptible to variation in circuit components due to fabrication process variation. Process variation is introduced as worst-case conditions or statistical probabilities. More accurate process variation is modeled by for timing sensitivity with Parametric Elmore Delay. Parametric Elmore Delay introduces effects on circuit components as parameters in the conventional Elmore Delay definition to model fabrication process variation in the timing analysis. Delay variance demonstrates sensitivities to process and design factors. Parametric timing analysis is used to anticipate fabrication yield and identify potential improvements in the design or fabrication process. |
| US07970588B2 |
Method, system and medium for controlling manufacturing process using adaptive models based on empirical data
A method, system, and medium of modeling and/or for controlling a manufacturing process is disclosed. The method includes the steps of identifying one or more input parameters that cause a change in output characteristics, defining global nodes using estimated maximum and minimum values of the input parameters, and defining a mathematical equation that calculates a predicted output characteristic for each node. The method also includes the steps of receiving at least one empirical data point having one or more input parameter values and at least one empirical output value and adjusting the predicted output values at the nodes based on a difference between the at least one empirical output value and the predicted output characteristic calculated using the mathematical equation based on the one or more input parameter values. |
| US07970585B2 |
Method and system for remote monitoring and control of wireless cell-sites
A method and system for remotely monitoring and controlling one or more cell-sites are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes (a) receiving data indicative of a status of at least one battery of at least one cell-site at a remote processing device, where the status relates to at least one of a voltage status, a conductance status, and a temperature status. Additionally, the method includes (b) processing the data at the processing device, and (c) determining at least one further action that should be taken by the at least one cell-site in response to the data. Further, the method includes (d) sending from the processing device at least one control signal to the at least one cell-site configured to cause the at least one cell-site to take the at least one further action. Also, in other embodiments, the method involves remote monitoring and controlling of devices other than batteries. |
| US07970583B2 |
Degraded actuator detection
An actuator control system is disclosed that includes an actuator continuously movable between multiple positions. The controller is configured to command the actuator to a desired actuator position and to apply the command to an actuator model. The controller is configured to compare the modeled and actual actuator positions to determine if the position difference exceeds a fault detection accommodation limit and if the position difference is within a band that is different than the fault detection accommodation limit. The controller is configured to calculate a threshold, which is based upon an estimated load on the actuator. The controller is configured to calculate a band comprised of the threshold applied to the modeled position and to determine if the actual actuator position is within the calculated band. The threshold is calculated at regular intervals, and a fault is declared if the actual actuator position is outside the band for a number of consecutive intervals. |
| US07970580B2 |
Methods of calculating differences of binding affinities between congeneric pairs of ligands by way of a displaced solvent functional
Described is a technique to exhaustively enumerate the thermodynamic properties of the water molecules solvating the active site of a protein in its apostate and calculate the relative binding affinities of congeneric compounds that bind to this protein. The subject matter includes sampling the configurations of the solvating water in the active site; extracting the thermodynamic information about the solvating water from these configurations by clustering the observed water configurations into regions of high water occupancy (e.g., “hydration sites”), computing the average system interaction energies of water molecules occupying the various hydrations sites, computing excess entropies of water molecules occupying the hydration sites; constructing a 3 dimensional hydration thermodynamics map of the protein active site; and computing relative binding affinities of congeneric ligands based on the principle that tighter binding ligands can displace more entropically structured and energetically depleted hydration sites from the active site into the bulk fluid. |
| US07970576B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
An orientation measurement value acquisition unit (145) acquires an orientation measurement value measured by an orientation sensor (110) mounted on an image capturing apparatus (120), and an orientation measurement value measured by a sensor (115) mounted on a physical object (125). An image processing unit (135) acquires the image coordinates, on a captured image, of indices allocated on the physical object (125). A calibration unit (160) calculates at least one of allocation information of the sensor (110) with respect to the image capturing apparatus (120) and allocation information of the sensor (115) with respect to the physical object (125) using the two orientation measurement values and image coordinates. |
| US07970574B2 |
Scalable sensor localization for wireless sensor networks
Adaptive rule-based methods to solve localization problems for ad hoc wireless sensor networks are disclosed. A large problem may be solved as a sequence of very small subproblems, each of which is solved by semidefinite programming relaxation of a geometric optimization model. The subproblems may be generated according to a set of sensor/anchor selection rules and a priority list. The methods scale well and provide improved positioning accuracy. A dynamic version may be used for estimating moving sensors locations in a real-time environment. The method may use dynamic distance measurement updates among sensors, and utilizes subproblem solving for static sensor localization. Methods to deploy sensor localization algorithms in clustered distributed environments are also provided, permitting application to arbitrarily large networks. In addition, the methods may be used to solve sensor localizations in 2D or 3D space. A preprocessor may be used for localization of networks without absolute position information. |
| US07970571B2 |
Hand held pointing device with roll compensation
A pointing device includes accelerometers and rotational sensors that are coupled to a processor. The processor samples the accelerometers and rotational sensors to detect gravity and pointing device motion and uses algebraic algorithms to calculate roll compensated cursor control signals. The processor transmits the cursor control signals to a receiver that is coupled to an electronic device that moves the cursor on the visual display. |
| US07970567B2 |
Self calibrating cable for a high definition digital video interface
An HDMI cable may exhibit frequency dependent signal attenuation, inter symbol interference, and inter-pair skew. A boost device integrated with the cable can compensate for such impairments of the cable. A self calibrating cable with a boost device of the embodiment of the invention is described, in which parameters that control the response of the boost device are set optimally in a self-calibrating process comprising looping the boosted cable on itself through a calibration fixture that contains a calibration control device. The boost device includes pattern generators and a sampling circuit. Each high speed channel of the cable is separately tested and calibrated with the help of one of the other channels serving as a sampling channel. |
| US07970565B2 |
Measuring device, test device, electronic device, program, and recording medium
A measurement apparatus that measures a signal under measurement, including a strobe timing generator that sequentially generates strobes arranged at substantially even time intervals, a level comparing section that detects a signal level of the signal under measurement at a timing of each sequentially provided strobe, a capture memory that stores therein a data sequence of the signal levels sequentially detected by the level comparing section, a frequency domain converting section that converts the data sequence into a spectrum in the frequency domain, and a jitter calculating section that calculates jitter of the signal under measurement based on a value obtained by integrating levels of frequency components in a predetermined frequency range of the spectrum. |
| US07970562B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for monitoring power
A system, method and apparatus for monitoring a processing system is disclosed. The method includes obtaining N parameter-value pairs that include a first parameter value and a second parameter value; obtaining, for each parameter-value pair, the product of the first parameter value and the complex conjugate of the second parameter value to obtain N products defined by a real part and an imaginary part; obtaining, for each parameter-value pair, a product of the second parameter value and the complex conjugate of the second parameter value to obtain N real numbers; calculating an average reflection coefficient by dividing an imaginary number by an average of the N real numbers, the real component of the imaginary number being equal to the average of the real parts of the N products and the imaginary part of the imaginary number being equal to an average of the imaginary parts of the N products. |
| US07970559B2 |
Identifying damage to a wire
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention determine the type of damage to a wire, the amount of damage, and the location of the damage based on the wire's broadband impedance measured from a single measurement point. The type of damage is determined by comparing the wire's calculated dielectric function, resistance and inductance to known values that correspond to types of wire damage. The amount of damage is determined by comparing the wire's low-frequency impedance phase to known low-frequency impedance phase information that corresponds to a known amount of wire damage. The location of damage is determined by comparing the wire's high-frequency impedance phase to known high-frequency impedance phase information that corresponds to a known location of wire damage. |
| US07970558B1 |
Fluid flow monitor and control system
A method for monitoring a signal from a cycle switch mounted to a lubrication divider block system. The method comprises receiving a signal from a remotely located cycle switch that is mounted to a divider block, wherein the cycle switch is responsive to the motion of a piston in the divider block. The number of cycles of the cycle switch are counted based on the signal from the cycle switch. The number of cycles is stored in a computer readable medium and the amount of lubricant used is calculated based on the number of cycles. The amount of lubricant used is then stored in the computer readable storage medium. |
| US07970557B2 |
Gas appliance judgment apparatus and method
A gas appliance judgment apparatus and method by which a type of gas appliance in use and the existence of a gas leak can be identified. In operation, noise is removed from measured instantaneous flow volume, whereupon the “length”, “initial flow volume” and “sequence of transited regions” of the variable portion of the flow volume and the “length”, “average value” and “gradient” of the flat portion of the flow volume are extracted. A rule having characteristics data which matches the characteristics of the variable portion and the flat portion of the flow volume is then searched, and points are added respectively for the type of gas appliance and for the existence of a gas leak. When the added points are not less than a previously established threshold value, then the type of gas appliance in use is determined, and appliance type information is output as a judgment result. |
| US07970544B2 |
Method and apparatus for characterizing and estimating permeability using LWD Stoneley-wave data
Stoneley-wave data acquired in the LWD environment are used to characterize/estimate formation permeability. Real-time Stoneley-wave time-delay/slowness and center-frequency/attenuation data are used to indicate/characterize formation permeability even during drilling. The use of stabilizers mounted at the tool ends helps maintain the tool position from severe decentralization, reducing ambiguities in the permeability characterization/estimation. |
| US07970542B2 |
Method of detecting, locating, and classifying lightning
There is discloses a new method for identifying an electromagnetic signal having a known waveform. The method includes using a lightning matched filter receiver having a bank of filters matched to nominal but arbitrary lightning waveforms for detecting lightning. The use of a lightning matched filter receiver facilitates detection of lightning discharges below the noise level. Positioning three or more monitoring stations at different spaced apart geographic locations where each monitoring station has a lightning matched filter receiver where the filters are matched to nominal but arbitrary lightning waveforms can be used to detect and determine the location of a lightning discharge. |
| US07970540B2 |
System and method of vehicular wireless communication using an integrated coordinating access point
A system and method of vehicular wireless communication over a Dedicated Short Range Communication service band. The system and method include a vehicle having a navigation system, a processor, and a communication system for transmitting a message via a wireless communications link. The system and method also include a control channel for communicating a safety communication and a service channel for communicating a non-safety communication. |
| US07970538B2 |
Accurate global positioning system for deliveries
An accurate global positioning system having a receiver, a display screen, an input device, having capabilities for visual calibration of the system is disclosed. Further methods of operating that system are disclosed. |
| US07970537B2 |
System and method for navigation using visible light communications
A navigation system and a navigation method inside of a building using Visible Light Communications (VLC) are provided. The navigation system includes a map server, in which map information required to provide a navigation function is stored, for transferring the map information to each lamp, a plurality of lamps, installed in each zone inside of the building and having their respective identifiable and unique IDentifications (IDs), for receiving the map information required to provide the navigation function from the map server, and for generating a visible light signal in response to the received map information by using a VLC module, and a mobile terminal, equipped with a visible light Rx module, for being provided with the map information upon receiving the visible light signal generated from the lamp, and for displaying a map image in response to the provided map information. |
| US07970536B2 |
Navigation system
A navigation system includes: a search unit that executes a search for a route from a start point to a destination; a display unit at which the route determined through the search is displayed together with a roadmap; and a specification unit that specifies a range on the roadmap. If an entrance interchange into an express highway, present on the route determined through the search executed by the search unit and the start point are contained within the range specified via the specification unit, the search unit executes a search within the range to determine a first route from the start point to the entrance interchange present within the range and also executes a search for a second route from the entrance interchange to the destination; and the first route and the second route having been searched by the search unit are displayed at the display unit. |
| US07970533B2 |
System and method for matching participants in a rideshare program
A method and system for matching participants in a rideshare program is provided. A participant rating is identified in a rideshare environment. A rideshare participation score is generated for the identified participant. The identified participant is assigned to a rideshare transaction with at least one other participant in the rideshare program based on the rideshare participation score. |
| US07970531B2 |
Electronic kit bag
The Electronic Kit Bag (EKB) is a computerized, portable pilot “kit bag” that accepts input data, manipulates said data, and outputs solutions. The EKB consists of standard and state-of-the-art computer parts and peripherals, interfaced for maximum utility. The central operating program of the device assesses the relationships of input data through logic based, three-dimensional decision-making algorithm. Data output is utilized either directly by the user, by the user through an aircraft system, or directly from the EKB to an aircraft system or autopilot. |
| US07970530B2 |
Relieving urban traffic congestion
A system for reducing congestion on a roadway is provided. Selected lengths of selected normal lanes of a roadway are divided into two commuter lanes, distinctive lane markings identify the commuter lanes, and selected lengths of selected lanes are dynamically designated as either normal lanes or pairs of commuter lanes. In order to dynamically change lane configurations, a set of indicators can be provided as lane markers together with a control system to alter particular lane configurations between normal lanes and commuting lanes both cyclically according to a preprogrammed schedule and dynamically in response to sensed vehicle traffic volume, unusual events such as accidents, weather, and so on.A commuter vehicle is required for use on commuter lanes. A typical commuter vehicle weighs less than 650 lbs., has at least three wheels, an enclosed seating compartment, and a low center of gravity with at least one occupant. Occupants sit in a near-kneeling or recumbent position to provide a low center of gravity. Occupants can be positioned in-line, one behind the other. |
| US07970522B2 |
Gear shifting control system for work machine
A work machine gear shifting control system provides gear shifting conditions for an automatic gear shifting mode in accordance with work site conditions. An area 62 of a display device 49 displays a permissible velocity setting range and setup operation guidance, and another area 64 shows guidance to indicate whether the setting is acceptable or unacceptable. When the traveling velocity falls within the permissible velocity setting range, the displayed guidance changes to indicate that the setting is acceptable. When, in this instance, an operator presses a setup switch 23 with desired timing, a transmission gear shifting control section 45 acquires the prevailing vehicle velocity and velocity ratio (or vehicle velocity), and stores adjustment values in an adjustment value storage section 43 so that the vehicle velocity and velocity ratio become the gear shifting control threshold values for normal gear shifting control (steps S535 to S545). |
| US07970521B2 |
Combined feedback and command shaping controller for multistate control with application to improving positioning and reducing cable sway in cranes
Disclosed are algorithms for controlling multiple states of a dynamic system, such as controlling positioning and cable sway in cranes. Exemplary apparatus and methods may be implemented using first and second serially coupled feedback loops coupled to a plant and payload that are to be controlled. The first feedback loop comprises a first control module. It generates a filtered actuator command from an error signal derived from a signal representing a desired system state and a feedback signal indicative of the actual system state. The generated signal is operative to position the payload. The second feedback loop comprises a second control module that generates a second actuator command that is operative to cause the plant to have an output of zero, to eliminate disturbance-induced oscillations. Input shaping may be employed in the first loop for eliminating motion-induced oscillations. The first control module is used for precise payload positioning, and the second control module is used to reject disturbance-induced oscillations. A model reference loop may be employed that outputs a modeled response that is an estimate of the response of the plant in the absence of external disturbances, and which may be used to generate a second actuator command for causing the plant to follow the modeled response. |
| US07970518B2 |
Method and system for keyless machine operation
The keyless power system has an ignition system including an ignition switch having an “OFF” position and one or more electrical components associated with a work machine. The keyless power system also has one or more alternate power sources configured to provide electrical power to the one or more electrical components. The keyless power system also has a controller configured to determine a power-level requirement of the one or more electrical components and activate at least one of the one or more alternate power sources to at least partially satisfy the power-level requirement based on whether the ignition switch is in the “OFF” position. |
| US07970515B2 |
Vehicle electronic control unit
Power is supplied to an ECU (20) from an on-vehicle battery (41). When an ignition switch (42) is switched from the OFF state to the ON state upon vehicle engine start, the ECU (20) is switched from the power saving mode to the normal mode and a CPU (31) executes initial processing. Moreover, when a user puts on a seat belt and a seat belt switch (44) is switched from the ON state to the OFF state, the ECU (20) is switched from the power saving mode to the normal mode and the CPU (31) executes the initial processing. Thus, the initial processing is executed at a comparatively short interval and it is possible to improve the reliability of the CPU (31). |
| US07970514B2 |
Vehicle adapted for disabled people
A vehicle including a controller with a steering input module and a brake input module is disclosed. The steering input module (11) has a mechanical interface to which the exchangeable operating elements (12) for steering the vehicle can be attached. The brake input module (21) has a mechanical interface with touchless sensors (211a, b), to which the exchangeable operating elements (22) for braking can be attached. Per the steering input module (11) and/or brake input module (21), at least one main controller board (131a, b, 231a, b, 321, 332) is provided. For the steering input module, the main controller board sets the individual parameters with respect to the steering angle and straight-ahead position of the exchangeable operating elements (12) for steering the vehicle. For the brake input module, the main controller board sets the individual parameters with respect to the brake distance of the exchangeable operating elements (22) for braking. The invention further relates to a method for subsequently retrofitting a vehicle with the control system. |
| US07970511B2 |
Electronic steering damper systems and vehicles including same
An electronic steering damper system is provided for a vehicle. The electronic steering damper system can be supported with respect to the vehicle's frame and can selectively impose resistance to steering of one or more of the vehicle's wheels in response to a vehicle condition signal received from a sensor such as, for example, a vehicle speed sensor. An actuator connected with the electronic steering damper system can be configured for use by an operator to adjust the manner in which the electronic steering damper system selectively imposes resistance to steering of the wheel(s) in response to the vehicle condition signal. Vehicles including an electronic steering damper system are also provided. |
| US07970505B2 |
Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle drive system
A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle drive system including (a) an engine, (b) an electrically controlled differential portion having an input shaft connected to the engine, an output shaft, a differential mechanism, and an electric motor which is operatively connected to a rotary element of the differential mechanism and an operating state of which is controlled to control a differential state between rotating speeds of the input and output shafts, (c) a hydraulically operated automatic transmission portion which constitutes a part of a power transmitting path between the electrically controlled differential portion and a drive wheel of a hybrid vehicle, (d) a hydraulic control unit for controlling the hydraulically operated automatic transmission portion, (e) a mechanical oil pump operable by the engine to deliver a pressurized working fluid to the hydraulic control unit, and (f) an electric oil pump electrically operated independently of the mechanical oil pump, to deliver a pressurized working fluid to the hydraulic control unit, the control apparatus including a hybrid-drive-system starting portion configured to operate the engine, upon starting of the hybrid vehicle drive system, for operating the mechanical oil pump to deliver the pressurized working fluid of a predetermined pressure to the hydraulic control unit. |
| US07970503B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting anomalies in landing systems utilizing a global navigation satellite system
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for detecting anomalies in a landing system. In one embodiment, a magnitude difference between a blended inertial deviation magnitude and a raw deviation magnitude is identified to form a magnitude difference. The magnitude difference is compared to a magnitude threshold. If the magnitude difference exceeds the magnitude threshold, an anomaly in the data is detected. |
| US07970499B2 |
Method and apparatus for moving a swing tail cargo door on an aircraft
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for a mobile tail support control system. An apparatus comprises a data processing system, an output device, a set of load sensors, a set of position sensors, and a computer program product executing on the data processing system. The output device is capable of generating signals for managing movement of a mobile tail support apparatus. The set of load sensors may be coupled to the data processing system and may be capable of detecting loads associated with a swing tail cargo door. The set of position sensors are coupled to the data processing system and detect a position of the mobile tail support apparatus relative to the swing tail cargo door. The computer program product may receive information from the set of load sensors and the set of position sensors and generate signals to manage the mobile tail support apparatus. |
| US07970497B2 |
Smart hybrid electric and bleed architecture
An aircraft architecture may be designed to create an optimal balance between electric power and bleed power in order to match or improve current more electric architecture (MEA) performance while simplifying power extraction from the engines as well as simplifying the electrical system. Conventional aircraft architectures may use electric only ECS and cabin pressurization systems (so-called “no bleed” systems). Alternatively, older conventional aircraft may use strictly engine bleed air to provide power for ECS and cabin pressurization systems. The present invention, on the other hand, provides an architecture which may optimize the use of both engine bleed air and MEA designs to provide a system that may be simpler and potentially more reliable and available as compared to conventional aircraft architectures. |
| US07970496B2 |
System and method for provisioning a vehicle interface module
The present invention provides systems and methods for provisioning a vehicle interface module comprising receiving a VIM from a VIM manufacturer and entering appropriate VIM data into a dealer inventory, activating a SIM card for the VIM and installing the VIM in a predetermined vehicle, selecting a wireless activated VIM from the dealer inventory and connecting the VIM to an OBD-II port of the vehicle, connecting a configuration PC to the VIM and downloading a modem configuration, selecting and downloading a vehicle-specific configuration file, accessing a telematics services provider's web portal, entering appropriate vehicle data, and associating the vehicle with the VIM, installing the VIM in the predetermined vehicle, and conducting an installation verification test. |
| US07970495B2 |
Method for regulating airflow in a rodent containment system
Provided are animal containment systems and components, including single-use animal containment cages and modular rack units. Also provided are methods for assembling and using components of the animal containment systems. |
| US07970492B2 |
Mobile robot control system
In a mobile robot control system, it is configured to input at least one of the desired position and orientation of the robot at a time when the robot reaches the desired position by manipulation of the operator, to control the motion of the robot based on the inputted desired position and orientation, and to display a first image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by numeric values or language including at least the numeric values and a second image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by graphics on a display. With this, the operator can check the desired position and orientation of the robot with both of the numeric values and graphics. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent the operator from manipulating erroneously and operate the robot to be moved or turned as desired by the operator. |
| US07970488B2 |
Machine tool workpiece inspection system
A workpiece inspection system is disclosed for determining measurements of a workpiece on a machine tool. The system utilizes a measurement device which outputs data relating to the workpiece (e.g. in place of a conventional cutter). The problem of obtaining real time data relating to the position of the machine tool is overcome by recording a machine tool position data set and a measurement device data set at selected instants which are defined by a synchronization signal. The data sets are combined later in the correct relative position because the synchronization signal was used. The synchronization signal can issue from the machine tool controller, an interface, measurement device or another part of the system. |
| US07970486B2 |
Method for controlling semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and control system of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
A method for controlling a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing wafers divided for each lot, has acquiring quality control value data group containing quality control value data of wafers in a plurality of lots previously processed, and an equipment engineering system parameter group containing equipment engineering system parameters corresponding to the wafers; creating a prediction formula of quality control value data, acquiring a first equipment engineering system parameters; inputting the first equipment engineering system parameters to the prediction formula, and performing calculation to predict first quality control value data of the wafers in the first lot; determining processing of the wafers corresponding to the first quality control value data; acquiring measured first quality control value data of the wafers in the first lot; replacing the quality control value data corresponding to the wafers in the first processed lot; updating the prediction formula. |
| US07970483B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improving operation of an electronic device manufacturing system
In one aspect of the invention, a method for the improved operation of an electronic device manufacturing system is provided. The method includes providing information to an interface coupled to an electronic device manufacturing system having parameters, processing the information to predict a first parameter, and providing an instruction related to at least a second parameter of the electronic device manufacturing system wherein the instruction is based on the predicted first parameter. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US07970481B2 |
Process for manufacturing electronically conductive components
A method of forming a device, such as an electrode array for a cochlear implant. The method comprises a step of forming a predetermined pattern of relatively electrically conductive regions and relatively electrically resistive regions in a sheet of biocompatible electrically conductive material, such as platinum foil. The method can comprise a step of working on the sheet to remove predetermined portions therefrom to form the one or more discrete relatively conducting regions. The step of working on the sheet can comprise embossing the sheet, cutting or slicing the sheet, or using electrical discharge machining (EDM) to remove unwanted portions of the sheet, the EDM equipment having a cutting tool comprising an electrode. |
| US07970480B2 |
Self-folding paddle lead and method of fabricating a paddle lead
In one embodiment, a medical lead comprises a lead body for conducting electrical pulses and a paddle. The paddle includes an intermediate metal layer, at least an insulative polymer backing layer, and an insulative polymer covering layer. The intermediate metal layer comprises a plurality of features defined by gaps in the metal material in the metal layer such that each feature is electrically isolated from each other feature, wherein each feature includes a respective connector element that is electrically coupled to at least one conductor within the lead body, wherein a portion of the insulative polymer covering layer is exposed above each feature to define a respective electrode for the corresponding feature. Also, the paddle possesses shape memory to cause the paddle to assume a substantially planar orientation when the shape memory is in a relaxed state. |
| US07970476B2 |
Method and apparatus for guiding movement of a freely roaming animal through brain stimulation
Movement of a freely roaming animal (190), such as a rat, is guided using electric stimulation of the animal's brain. Cues are provided to the animal to move forward by stimulating a reward center of the brain. Cues are provided to the animal to change its direction by stimulating portions of the animal's brain that control right and left movements, such as a cortical representation of whiskers of the animal. Multi-channel, remotely controlled equipment (140, 145, 150, 350) may be carried by the animal to enable independent energizing of electrodes attached to different regions of the animal's brain. A transmitter carried by the animal may report back data to allow monitoring. A component may be carried by the animal for carrying out a mission, such as for search and rescue or surveillance. Groups of animals may be controlled in real-time by coordinating their movements and tracking their locations. |
| US07970475B2 |
Device and method for biasing lung volume
A device and method is provided for biasing lung volume by electrically stimulating tissue associated with the diaphragm or phrenic nerve at a low level. |
| US07970470B2 |
Diagnosis and/or therapy using blood chemistry/expired gas parameter analysis
Methods and systems for diagnosing disorders, including, for example, disordered breathing, involve sensing one or more of a blood chemistry parameter and/or an expired gas parameter, such as expired respiratory gas concentration, blood gas concentration, and blood pH. Diagnosis of the disorder may be performed by a medical device, such as a respiratory therapy device or a cardiac therapy device, based on implantably detected blood gas/pH concentration/level or externally detected expired respiratory gas concentration. Cardiac and respiratory therapies for addressing the disorder may be adjusted based on the detected parameters. |
| US07970469B2 |
Closed loop programming for individual adjustment of electro-mechanical synchrony
An implantable therapy system including implantable stimulation and control components. The implantable components operate under a set of variable parameters that can be adjusted for improved performance for an individual patient. The implantable components are adapted to self-evaluate the patients physiologic performance and autonomously adjust an existing set of parameters to improve performance throughout an implantation period without requiring intervention of a clinician, for example with a physicians programmer. The implantable components can compare a patient's exhibited activity to a desired template of that activity to determine when adjustments are indicated. The template can be based on observations of one or more third parties exhibiting normal activity. The implantable components can adjust the operating parameters to improve synchrony of multiple heart chambers and/or to increase a peak contractility. |
| US07970467B2 |
Method for exclusion of ectopic events from heart rate variability metrics
Heart rate variability metrics are derived from the intervals between successive heart beats, referred to as BB intervals. A method implementable by an implantable cardiac device for excluding BB intervals due to ectopic beats based on a function of preceding BB intervals is presented. It is desirable to remove such BB intervals from a BB interval time series used to calculate a heart rate variability metric. |
| US07970465B1 |
Decision paradigms for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators
New decision paradigms for ICDs are described. In one implementation, an implantable system senses cardiac output and arterial pressure parameters and shocks the heart in inverse relation to the arterial pressure, if the cardiac output is insufficient. In another implementation, the implantable system applies atrial anti-tachycardia pacing before applying ventricular anti-tachycardia pacing, if the heart rate is tachycardic. |
| US07970458B2 |
Integrated disease diagnosis and treatment system
Designs, implementations, and techniques for optically measuring a sample and integrated systems that provide CT-scan, optical probing and therapy by electromagnetic radiation treatment (e.g. laser, RF, or microwave). Light at different wavelength bands may be used to detect different absorption features in the sample. Multiple light sources may be used including tunable lasers. |
| US07970456B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting the presence of dermal melanin in epithelial tissue
An image of an individual (2) is obtained using a digital camera (1). The image data is then processed by ratio determination module (10) and an image conversion module (12) to analyze the image and determine data representative of the distribution of blood and melanin in the skin of the imaged individual. This chromophore distribution data is then processed by an image generation module (18) which generates an image representative of the expected appearance of epithelial tissue having the determined distribution of chromophores where the epithelial tissue is under fixed illumination and has a flat spatial geometry and where all the identified melanin is present solely in the epidermis. The presence of dermal melanin can then be identified by comparing the original image data and the image derived from processing the calculated chromophore distributions and identifying where the ratio of these images differs by more than a threshold, the threshold being set at a level above the amount of variation expected due to lighting and geometry differences. |
| US07970454B2 |
Marker delivery device with releasable plug
The invention is directed to marker delivery devices and methods of using such devices. The delivery devices embodying features of the invention include a delivery cannula with a discharge opening and a releasable plug disposed in the inner lumen of the delivery cannula so as to at least partially occlude the discharge opening. The releasable plug prevents ingress of tissue, body fluids and the like into the bore of the tube, and prevents the premature discharge of any markers proximal to the releasable plug from passing through the discharge opening before the distal end of the cannula is properly positioned at a desired location within a patient's body. The releasable plug preferably has an MRI detectable element. Preferably, at least one remotely detectable marker mass is provided in the inner lumen of the cannula proximal to the releasable plug. |
| US07970451B2 |
Textile-based electrode
Textile-based electrodes include a fabric portion having stretch-recovery non-conductive yarns and an electrically conductive region having stretch-recovery electrically conductive yarn filaments. The electrodes can further include float yarns and can be configured in a textured or ribbed construction. When incorporated into a garment, the electrodes can be used to monitor biophysical characteristics, such as the garment wearer's heart rate. |
| US07970450B2 |
Wireless medical monitoring apparatus and system
An apparatus for monitoring an electrical signal from a patient's body includes a disposable electrode patch having a thin flexible housing with an adhesive exterior, a power source, a printed circuit board, a plurality of electrodes, a converter for converting a detected electrical signal from the patient's body to a digital signal, a processor for processing the digital signal, and a transmitter connected for transmitting the processed digital signal as a wireless signal. A monitoring unit communicating with the electrode patch includes a power source, a transceiver, a global positioning receiver, a processor, at least one communication port for external communications, and a display. A system of the invention includes a plurality of patients having medical monitors wirelessly communicating biometric information to a central processor for archiving and accessing. |
| US07970447B2 |
High frequency filter having a solid circular shape resonance pattern with multiple input/output ports and an inter-port waveguide connecting corresponding output and input ports
A resonance pattern (21) made of conductive material and having a circular plan shape is formed over the principal surface of a dielectric substrate. First and second virtual straight lines mutually crossing at a right angle are defined. A first input port (22) and a first output port (23) are electromagnetically coupled to the resonance pattern at two cross points between the first virtual straight line and an outer circumference line of the resonance pattern. A second input port (24) and a second output port (25) are electromagnetically coupled to the resonance pattern at two cross points between the second virtual straight line and the outer circumference line of the resonance pattern. A first inter-port waveguide (26) propagates a high frequency signal output to the first output port to the second input port. |
| US07970445B2 |
Semiautomatic sliding structure
A semiautomatic sliding structure of an electronic device includes a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a guide member with pillar shape, and an extension spring. The first sliding member has a first sliding structure. The second sliding member is arranged on the first sliding member. The guide member with pillar shape is arranged between the first sliding member and the second sliding member, and pivoted on the first sliding member. The extension spring is slipped onto the guide member and hooked onto the second sliding member. |
| US07970442B2 |
Chain-shaped foldable cellphone
A chain-shaped foldable cellphone capable of expanding functions and changing shape during usage comprises a mainframe module, a display module, more than one dual-spindle connecting block and an expansible module or an extensive module, wherein the extensive module is a complementary connector of the expansible module, and the neighboring ends of the two modules can be connected mutually while the distant ends thereof can be connected to one of the spindles of one dual-spindle connecting block respectively; by using the pivotal connection of the dual-spindle connecting block, the mainframe module is pivotally connected to the display module, and a plurality of extensive module and expansible module of various functions can be further pivotally connected to construct a chain-shaped foldable cellphone. |
| US07970437B2 |
Wireless terminal device with user interaction system
A wireless terminal device having network access is disclosed. Selection of menus is simplified by allowing selection of more than one input such as direct touching of the screen, virtual keyboards or roller buttons. A focus marker in the form of a border around a field may be used to limit the area of selection. An object menu icon is visible without needing a right click of a mouse to make selection of the menu easier. The selection of options is localized and parsed at the network server before a response to the user selection is sent back to the terminal. |
| US07970436B1 |
Wireless interface extension for mobile devices
A wireless interface extension for mobile devices is provided. The wireless interface extension includes a user interface, a wireless communication link, and a processor. The processor communicates with a mobile device over the wireless communication link and enables a user to use the user interface to interact with at least one user application on the mobile device. |
| US07970435B2 |
Printing an advertisement using a mobile device
A system for printing an advertisement on a print medium, the system comprising: a mobile telecommunications device which comprises: a printer module to print the advertisement on the print medium; and, a sensor module to sense a print media identifier of the print medium. |
| US07970422B2 |
System and method for frequency planning
A system and method for frequency planning is provided. In systems with consecutive frequency channels, half-channel frequency reuse can be provided between channels employed by different cells. Specifically, two channels in two proximately located cells can overlap within the frequency spectrum by one-half of the frequency of a channel. Half-channel overlap can increase frequency reuse, and in turn, system capacity. |
| US07970421B2 |
Session management system and method for use with stateless messaging services
The present system uses dynamic assignment of key codes to select options of response content in request messages prior to transmission from an application server to a communication device. Dynamic assignment of key codes to selection options can occur according to a list of key codes having a predefined order also known as a predefined key code series. A key code series could be ordered according to ergonomic considerations or other considerations such as according to an alphabetic or numeric ordering. Communication occurs between one or more server applications running on an application server and a particular communication device, such as a cell phone. Dynamic key code assignment addresses problems raised when one communication device is concurrently carrying on more than one session with one or more server applications since the communication device identifier, such as a phone number, will be the same for all sessions. |
| US07970417B2 |
On demand multicast messaging system
An on-demand message system includes a profile proxy server and a plurality of message servers coupled to a wireless network for sending messages to mobile users under conditions specified by the users and sellers. Users provide profile information specifying categories and conditions for which they will receive messages. Sellers also provide profile information specifying conditions under which they want messages to be sent. A multicast message is sent and processed by target users in response to a predetermined event, e.g., location update, conveying information related to a seller for which target users have expressed an interest in receiving. |
| US07970416B2 |
Broadcasting channel handover in mobile communication terminal
A mobile communication terminal for receiving a multimedia broadcast signal comprises a controlling unit adapted to extract channel information associated with a first mobile communication terminal location from a signal at the first mobile communication terminal location. The mobile communication terminal also comprises a comparing unit adapted to compare extracted channel information associated with the first mobile communication terminal location against channel information associated with a second mobile communication terminal location in response to movement of the mobile communication terminal from the first mobile communication terminal location to the second mobile communication terminal location. The mobile communication terminal may further comprise a memory adapted to store channel information received from a base station and a broadcasting network. |
| US07970415B2 |
Location caching with expiration based on location
A system for locating a device in a wireless network that caches a known location and sets an expiration time based on the location. The system correlates the location with known places, such as movie theaters, restaurants, etc. to set the expiration time. For example, if a device was known to be at a movie theater, the expiration time would be set to a longer period of time. However, if the device was determined to be in a moving location, the expiration time would be set to a shorter period of time. The system also includes a mechanism to query the cached location based on a current time of the query and a granularity variable the accounts for a geographic area in which the device is located. The system also accounts for special locations where the mobile device will likely not be moving for long periods of time, or locations where the mobile device may move great distances between determinations of actual location. |
| US07970411B2 |
Aided location communication system
An Aided Location Communication System (“ALCS”) is described that may include a geolocation server and a wireless communication device having a GPS section where the GPS receiver section is capable of being selectively switched between a standalone mode and at least one other mode for determining a geolocation of the wireless communications device. An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”) is also described. The ALCD includes a position-determination section having a GPS receiver and a communication section where the position-determination section is selectively switchable between a GPS-standalone mode and at least one other mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD. |
| US07970408B2 |
Wireless switched network
An access point in a wireless network includes an external indication of the access point's proximity to another access point. The external indication can be a LED that blinks at a rate that is related to the proximity of the access point to the other access point. An access point is also capable of producing a network map that indicates the access point's proximity relative to other access points that are coupled to the network. The access point is further capable of monitoring wireless network traffic to ascertain whether wireless network traffic has exceeded a threshold, and if so, releasing some client devices so that wireless network traffic no longer exceeds the threshold. The access point is also capable of automatically choosing one of a plurality of radio frequencies on which to operate. The access point chooses a frequency after evaluating frequencies on which other access points may be operating. |
| US07970406B2 |
Method for transferring data
The method for transferring data sends the data as part of first and second permanent identifiers during a communication procedure prior to establishing a traffic channel in the communication system. Besides the data, the first permanent identifier includes routing information to a home system forming part of the communication system. The second permanent identifier is an expanded permanent identifier with the data forming at least part of the expanded portion thereof. Based at least on recognizing a portion of the second permanent identifier, a home system sends the first and second permanent identifiers to a destination entity. The destination entity extracts the data from the first and second permanent identifiers. In this manner, a traffic channel does not need to be established to transmit the data. |
| US07970405B2 |
Method of transmitting data in handover between base stations in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method of transmitting data in a handover between base stations. When a mobile terminal performs a handover between base stations in a wireless communication system, a gateway transmits data traffic to be transmitted to a mobile terminal by using an IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) to a serving base station being serviced to the mobile terminal and a target base station to which a handover of the mobile terminal is made in a bi-casting method. Accordingly, when the mobile terminal performs the handover between the base stations, the gateway transmits the data traffic in the bi-casting method. As a result, it is possible to efficiently use a resource of a user plane connection interval between the gateway and the base station, thereby minimizing the loss of data traffic transmitted in a downlink, that is, data. |
| US07970404B2 |
Automatically selecting a base station identifier for a base station
An automated technique for configuring a neighbor set for a base station (32) includes initializing the neighbor set based upon reported measurements from a mobile station (22). In a disclosed example, a newly installed base station (32) transmits a cell information list to a mobile station (22) requesting measurement reports regarding a plurality of candidate base station identifiers. Based upon the reported measurements, a determination is made regarding which of the base stations should be included in the neighbor set for the base station (32). A disclosed example includes the capability of automatically initializing the neighbor set and automatically updating the set. Disclosed examples include utilizing information from a plurality of mobile stations. |
| US07970403B2 |
Mobile station, mobile exchange station and mobile communication method
A mobile station includes a cell selector unit for performing a cell reselection procedure for a predetermined period after a failure of detection of a radio link with a first radio base station which manages a first cell, a connection re-establishment request signal transmitter unit for transmitting a connection re-establishment request signal to a second radio base station managing a selected second cell, when it is determined that the second cell is a cell using a same radio access scheme as that of the first cell, and a connection recovery procedure starter unit for starting a connection recovery procedure for a mobile exchange station managing the second radio base station, when it is determined that a response signal received from the second base station in response to the connection re-establishment request signal indicates rejection of connection re-establishment. |
| US07970400B2 |
Connection type handover of voice over internet protocol call based on resource type
A telecommunications network comprises a base station node (28) which provides plural sets of radio transmission resources (52) for communicating with mobile stations (30) in a cell (40). At least one set (521) of radio transmission resources of the cell is a non-hopping set of radio transmission resources including a resource which may carry the BCCH, and other sets (521-52n) of radio transmission resources of the cell are hopping sets of radio transmission resources. A base station controller (26) node schedules calls comprising voice over internet protocol packet flows on the non-hopping sets of radio transmission resources in accordance with capacity of the non-hopping set of radio transmission resources. When the non-hopping set of radio transmission resources lacks capacity for a further call with a mobile station, the base station controller (26) node requests that the call be changed from a voice over internet protocol packet flow to a circuit switched connection. |
| US07970399B2 |
Method and arrangement for improved inter-RAT handover
Method and arrangements for enabling improved handover of a user equipment (3) communicating in a first radio access network (1) utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT), where the user equipment (3) measures a first parameter and a second parameter for a plurality of neighboring cells (20) of at least a second radio access network (2) utilizing WCDMA, reports the measured parameters to a node (10) in the first network (1) and handover is initiated to one of the cells (20) in the second network (2) based on both of the reported first parameter and second parameters. |
| US07970389B2 |
Presentation of sponsored content based on mobile transaction event
A system and computer-implemented method for positioning targeted sponsored content on a mobile communication facility includes the steps of: (a) receiving data corresponding to a transaction event having occurred via the interaction of a user with the mobile communication facility, wherein the transaction event includes transmission of data representative of a first product or a first service being purchased by the user; (b) selecting advertising content based at least upon a relevance between an advertisement for a second product or a second service and the purchased first product or first service in the transaction event, wherein the relevance is further based on information relating to compatibility of the advertising content, second product, or second service with the mobile communication facility; and (c) presenting the selected advertising content on a display of the mobile communication facility. |
| US07970388B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing multiple communications services with unified parental notification and/or control features
Methods and apparatus for supporting real time parental screening of a variety of different types of communications which may be directed to or sent from children are described. The methods and apparatus may be used with voice, text messaging and/or E-mail communications individually or as part of a unified parental control system. Parents can set restrictions preventing text messages, E-mails and/or voice calls being sent to or received from particular individuals, sources or destinations. In addition, parents can configure the system to support real time parental screening of individual communications, e.g., messages or calls, with the parent being provided a real time notification of an incoming or outgoing communication and the parent being provided an opportunity to control in real time the disposition of the individual communication. Disposition options may include blocking an outgoing or incoming call, video communication such as point to point video, text message, or E-mail, or sending the communication to a storage device, e.g., voice mail system. |
| US07970387B2 |
Method and system for personalizing a call set-up period
A method of personalizing a call set-up of a mobile radio terminal includes acquiring contact information associated with a callable device. The contact information includes call set-up audio data corresponding to audio content selected by a user of the device. The contact information is stored as an entry in a database maintained by the mobile radio terminal. The audio content corresponding to the call set-up audio data is played back when the entry is selected. |
| US07970386B2 |
System and method for monitoring and maintaining a wireless device
A system is disclosed in which a wireless device is monitored and maintained over a network. One embodiment of the system comprises a wireless device including: a service to maintain data objects, provide messaging capability, and provide data access capability on behalf of a user of the wireless device; and a rules engine communicatively coupled to the service to execute a set of rules transmitted to the wireless device from a server, the set of rules to instruct the rules engine to gather information related to the wireless device and to take action on the wireless device based on the gathered information. |
| US07970384B1 |
Active phone book enhancements
The present invention is a phonebook system including a mobile, wireless communications device having a microprocessor and user interface giving the user the capability of inputting, accessing, and modifying communication recipient identities, state data required to establish and/or enhance a communication session between the communications device and one or more recipients, and expanded information data. |
| US07970380B2 |
User authentication in a communications system
A method in a communication network wherein users are authenticated based on network originated user identities is disclosed. The authentication method comprising the steps of receiving a network originated identity from a user and associating the network originated identity with at least one non-network originated identity stored in a data storage. When a non-network originated identity is received from the user, the non-network originated identity from the user is compared with the at least one non-network originated identity from the data storage. The user is authenticated if the comparison is valid. |
| US07970376B2 |
Charging efficiency
A method for performing charging in a telecommunications system, comprising: storing at a subscriber information store subscription information including charging arrangement information indicative of the charging arrangement for a first communication terminal operating in the telecommunications system; providing by means of packet data interface apparatus packet data communication services to the first terminal, the packet data interface apparatus being capable of interfacing between the first communication terminal and a packet-switched data link to another communications terminal; generating by means of packet data interface apparatus charging messages indicative of the usage of the packet data communication services by the first terminal; transferring the charging messages to charging apparatus; and performing by means of the charging apparatus a charging operation to attribute to a subscriber for the first communications terminal a charge for use of the communication services by the first terminal; the method further including the steps of: transferring the charging arrangement information to the packet data interface apparatus; and storing at the packet data interface apparatus the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal; and wherein the stop of generating charge messages comprises generating the said charging messages dependant on the charging arrangement information for the first communication terminal. |
| US07970375B2 |
System and method for expiring modular software components for wireless communication devices
A system and method for expiring a software module on a wireless communication device is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, at the wireless communication device, an expiration notice for the software module and determining if license renewal of the software module is automatic. If the license renewal is not automatic, then the method includes notifying a user of the wireless communication device of the receipt of the expiration notice, and de-activating the software module upon receipt of instructions to not renew. In certain embodiments, the software module is de-activated after an expiration of a trial period if no instructions are received from the user in response to the notifying step. The method may further include sending the renewal instructions to the software module server upon receipt of instructions to renew, receiving an activation key from the software module server in response to sending the renewal instructions, and activating the software module utilizing the activation key. If the license renewal is automatic or receipt of instructions to renew are received, then the method includes sending the renewal instructions to the software module server, receiving an activation key from the software module server, and activating the software module utilizing the activation key. |
| US07970366B2 |
Diversity receiver
A diversity receiver is provided with antennas (1a) and (1b) in a first branch and antennas (1c) and (1d) in a second branch each of which antenna gains is controlled so that the offset between the directions of directional radiation patterns for the first and second branches becomes approximately π/2. Thereby, the diversity receiver can obtain a sufficient diversity gain even when it is incorporated into an indoor television with the antennas being built thereinto in close vicinity to one another. |
| US07970364B2 |
Strategy for using the envelope information within a closed loop power control system
A power control system includes a reference path filter used to suppress high frequencies in an input signal and generate a filtered envelope signal, a reference path amplifier to scale the filtered input signal based on a gain signal and generate a reference signal, a signal path amplifier to amplify an RF modulated signal and generate a signal path output signal scaled by a gain of an actuator signal, and a power detector to detect a power associated with the signal path output signal. The system includes an ADC to receive, pre-filter and convert the detected envelope signal into a measurement signal, and a comparator block to receive the reference signal and the measurement signal, and generate an error signal based on the difference, and a controller to generate the actuator signal for controlling the gain of the signal path amplifier based on the error signal. |
| US07970363B2 |
Terminal and method for controlling transmission power
A terminal of a communication system includes a power amplifier, an open-loop power controller, a gain controller, a modulator, and a digital/analog converter. The power amplifier amplifies transmission power of a transmission signal. The open-loop power controller measures a received signal strength to control the transmission power, and increases a gain of the power amplifier according to the received signal strength. The gain controller sets a power concentration gain and applies the power concentration gain to the transmission signal when the gain of the power amplifier is maximized. The modulator modulates the transmission signal. The digital/analog converter converts an input signal to an analog signal. The gain controller applies the power concentration gain to the trans mission signal modulated by the modulator, and transmits the power concentration gain to the digital/analog converter. |
| US07970361B2 |
Frequency band recognition methods and apparatus
A user equipment (UE) without service in a communication system measures the radio-frequency (RF) power in a bandwidth received by the UE on the possible downlink carriers in a frequency band that is supported by the UE. The bandwidth is typically the bandwidth of communication channels in the communication system. If the UE supports more than one frequency band, the UE may scan more than one of those frequency bands. The UE processes the measurement results with a noise-reducing enhancement technique, such as a median filter, and then examines the processed results for a particular spectral shape, e.g., a shape that corresponds to a cell signal. |
| US07970358B2 |
Adaptive radio transceiver with a local oscillator
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US07970349B2 |
Packet communication system, packet communication method, base station, mobile station, control device, and packet communication program
The present invention improves a system capacity and satisfaction rate with a quality of service in packet communications performed through a radio link established between a transmitting station and a receiving station by dynamically limiting transmission power of packets in the transmitting station and keeping an increase of an interference level in the receiving station, which belongs to another cell, within a TPC margin. The present invention includes a resource allocator 115 configured to set transmission power of packets in a next step period, by use of transmission power of packets in a preceding step period (slot) and an interference level of the receiving station. |
| US07970346B2 |
Methods of reducing interference including calculation of weights based on errors and related systems
Methods of reducing interference in a satellite communications system may include receiving a plurality of feeder link signals and time aligning the plurality of feeder link signals to provide time aligned feeder link signals. At least two of the time aligned feeder link signals may be combined to provide reduced interference of at least one of the feeder link signals. Related systems are also discussed. |
| US07970341B2 |
Satellite LNB power supply adaptive load
A method of processing an LNB power supply output signal comprising providing an LNB selection signal to select a first of the plurality of LNB signals as the input signal, superimposing a tone onto the LNB selection signal to select a second of the plurality of LNB signals as the input signal, providing a first transponder selection voltage to select a first set of transponders within the input signal, providing a second transponder selection voltage to select a second set of transponders within the input signal, and activating an adaptive load to preserve the tone if the second of the plurality of LNB signals is selected. |
| US07970336B2 |
Powder housing unit and image forming apparatus with powder housing unit
A powder housing unit includes a plate-shaped agitating unit that is horizontally arranged inside of a casing to accommodate a powder, a rotating shaft that causes the agitating unit to slide back and forth, and a powder conveying unit that conveys the powder in a horizontal direction during the sliding. The rotating shaft is supported by a shaft supporting unit in a rotatable manner such that a space is formed between the rotating shaft and the shaft supporting unit. |
| US07970330B2 |
Fusers, printing apparatuses and methods of fusing toner on media
Fusers, printing apparatuses and methods of fusing toner on media are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the fusers includes a pressure roll; a fuser belt; a nip formed by the fuser belt contacting the pressure roll, the nip including an inlet end where the medium enters the nip, an outlet end where the medium exits the nip, and a nip width defined between the inlet end and the outlet end; a mechanism for moving the pressure roll toward or away from the fuser belt to adjust the nip width; and a stripping member for stripping the medium from the fuser belt after the medium exits from the outlet end of the nip. |
| US07970329B2 |
Image heating apparatus including a belt member for heating an image on a recording material
An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material at a nip; magnetic flux generating means, disposed opposed to an outer surface of the endless belt, for generating a magnetic flux to cause the belt to generate heat; a metal member disposed inside the belt and supporting a member which is disposed inside the belt; and a magnetic flux reducing member, disposed between the metal member and an opposing portion of the belt which is opposed to the magnetic flux generating means, for reducing a magnetic flux actable on the metal member. |
| US07970326B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image printing system for borderless printing
An image forming apparatus includes a determining unit, an image forming unit, a fixing member, a pressing member, a separating member and a release agent applying member. The determining unit determines whether to print a borderless image or not. The image forming unit forms a developer image on a recording medium in accordance with the printing data so that the developer image reaches the vicinity of a leading end of the recording medium. The fixing member fixes the developer image to the recording medium. The pressing member is pressed against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween. The separating member is disposed on a downstream side of the nip portion so that the separating member has no contact with the fixing member. The separating member separates the recording medium from the fixing member. The release agent applying member applies a release agent to the fixing member. |
| US07970325B2 |
Transfer fixing member, transfer fixing device and image forming apparatus
A transfer fixing member containing a base, and an outermost surface layer composed of an elastic material in which a conductive material is dispersed, wherein when a pressure applied to a surface of the transfer fixing member by making a toner image bearing member in contact with the transfer fixing member upon transferring of a toner image on the toner image bearing member onto the transfer fixing member is 0.2 kg/cm2 to 2.0 kg/cm2, the transfer fixing member has a volume resistance of 106 Ω·cm or more to less than 1012 Ω·cm, and when a pressure applied to the surface of the transfer fixing member by making the transfer fixing member in contact with the recording medium located between the transfer fixing member and a pressurizing member upon transfer-fixing of the toner image onto the recording medium is 3.0 kg/cm2 to 20 kg/cm2, the transfer fixing is member has a volume resistance of less than 106 Ω·cm. |
| US07970324B2 |
Developing device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus for preventing an abnormal image due to abnormal fluidity of a developer
A developer carrier is provided in a rotatable manner. A layer-thickness control member makes a layer thickness of a developer carried on the developer carrier uniform. An accelerated agglomeration degree of the developer is equal to or less than 40%. The layer-thickness control member is formed with a blade. An angle between a rolling direction of the blade and a rotating direction of the developer carrier is set to 5 degrees to 80 degrees. |
| US07970321B2 |
Sealing member, toner accommodating container and image forming apparatus
A toner container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, includes a main body for containing toner; a toner discharging portion having an opening; and a coupling member. The coupling member includes a supporting portion and an engaging portion. The engaging portion is configured and positioned to displace in an inward direction with the supporting portion as the engaging portion enters a hollow cylindrical driving member of an assembly of the image forming apparatus, and is also configured and positioned to engage with a slot of the hollow cylindrical driving member when the supporting portion elastically restores in an outward direction. The engaging portion includes a rotational force receiving portion capable of being abutted in a circumferential direction of the hollow cylindrical driving member to receive a rotational drive force from the hollow cylindrical driving member to rotate the main body with the toner discharging portion. |
| US07970316B2 |
Method for advancing a media sheet through a nip in a media processing device
A method for processing a media sheet by advancing the media sheet through a nip in a media processing device is disclosed. The nip is capable of being configured by abuttingly coupling a heater device to a pressure roller. A first heater device temperature of the heater device and a pressure roller temperature of the pressure roller are determined. A signal for configuring the nip is generated upon determining the first heater device temperature and the pressure roller temperature. A second heater device temperature of the heater device is determined on generating the signal. A closure of the nip is verified for advancing the media sheet through the nip based on the first heater device temperature, the second heater device temperature and the pressure roller temperature. The media sheet is advanced through the nip on verifying the nip as closed. |
| US07970314B2 |
Image forming apparatus with translation cam member
An image forming apparatus includes a detaching and pressing mechanism for releasing developing rollers of developer cartridges mounted in a drum unit from photosensitive drums and pressing the developing rollers on the photosensitive drums. The detaching and pressing mechanism includes a pair of translation members, intermediate members provided on the translation members, cam holders for holding the translation members in such a manner as to be linearly movable in an anteroposterior direction, and a synchronous movement mechanism for allowing the pair of translation members to linearly move in synchronization. |
| US07970313B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a first opening and a second opening which are directed in a same direction; a plurality of developing units which are disposed in parallel with each other in the housing along an oblique direction inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, the developing units which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing along the oblique direction through the first opening; and a plurality of developer cartridges which correspond to the plurality of developing units, each of the developer cartridges being disposed in parallel with each other in the housing to be opposite to an end of a respective one of the developing units along a substantially horizontal direction in a longitudinal direction of the developing units, the developer cartridges which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing through the second opening. |
| US07970312B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, an openable/closable cover panel, a unitary assembly, a holder, and a fastener. The openable/closable cover panel covers an opening in the main body. The unitary assembly is detachably attached to an inner side of the cover panel. The fastener fastens the assembly in place on the cover panel. The holder includes a positioning surface and first and second guide surfaces to hold the assembly on the cover panel. The positioning surface receives a positioning pin projecting from the assembly. The first and second guide surfaces are disposed on opposite sides of the positioning surface, and each guide surface slidably guides the positioning pin onto the positioning surface. The second guide surface is elastically displaceable to cause the positioning pin to slide off onto the positioning surface as the positioning pin presses against the second guide surface. |
| US07970311B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus using the same
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developing device including: a roller that develops an electric latent image formed on an image holding body; a chamber that stores a toner; a case that houses the roller and the chamber; a concave portion that is inwardly concaved from the case and that includes: a sidewall, a bottom, and a filling port formed in the bottom; and a first lid that closes the filling port. |
| US07970301B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems to compensate for distortions caused by fusing
Disclosed are printing methods, apparatus and systems to compensate for distortion caused by fusing toner to a media substrate. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes processing image data according to media characterization data for a measured fuser temperature. The media characterization data provides a basis to compensate for media substrate shrinkage due to fusing the printed image on the media substrate. |
| US07970300B2 |
Image forming apparatus having toner charge amount control
An image forming apparatus including a toner charge amount control portion for controlling the toner charge amount based on the property of a recording material; a recording material charging section for charging the surface of the recording material based on the toner charge amount controlled by the aforementioned toner charge amount control portion; and a recording media charge amount control portion for controlling the amount of charge on the surface of a recording material applied by the recording material charging section. |
| US07970299B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of detecting surface temperature rotating body without contact
The aim of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that accurately detects surface temperature of a rotating body using a noncontact temperature detection section and corrects the detected temperature according to the temperature of the surrounding area. The present invention detects the temperature of a thermal unit and the temperature of a holding unit and corrects the temperature of the thermal unit based on the temperature of the holding unit so that effects from the temperature of a surrounding area can be corrected and the temperature can accurately be detected without scarring a surface of the rotating body. Accurate regulation of the surface temperature of the rotating body can therefore be performed. |
| US07970297B2 |
Powder container and image forming apparatus
A powder conveying unit conveys powder input from a powder inlet of a powder containing chamber into the powder containing chamber. A powder detecting unit detects a full state of the powder conveyed by the powder conveying unit in the powder containing chamber. A sensor chamber is provided outside the powder containing chamber connected with each other. The powder detecting unit is provided in the sensor chamber, a bottom surface of the sensor chamber is at higher level than a bottom surface of the powder containing chamber, and the bottom surface of the sensor chamber is inclined downward toward the powder containing chamber. |
| US07970296B2 |
Image forming apparatus with developer amount determining unit having rotational period equal to integral multiple of image supporter rotational period
An image forming unit includes an image supporter configured to be rotatable, and an amount detecting unit configured to rotate with a predetermined period to detect an amount of remaining developer. A rotation period of the amount detecting unit is an integral multiple of a rotation period of the image supporter. |
| US07970295B2 |
Document processing system and method for adjustable print consumable refill level
Document processing systems and methods are presented in which a graphical user interface is used to set a user-selectable refill level for a print engine consumable, such as toner, replenisher, paper, etc. Once the user-selectable level has been reached, the user is notified and is prompted to either refill the print consumable or to continue use of the document processing system without refilling. |
| US07970294B2 |
Document feeding apparatus and method
A document feeding apparatus includes a first delivery roller delivering a document sheet discharged from a fixing unit, a second delivery roller discharging the document sheet to a paper delivery tray, a motor driving the second delivery roller, a lever installed at the downstream, or upstream, side of the first delivery roller out of a document sheet transporting pathway, which rotates at a predetermined angle when contacting the document sheet and returns to an original position when not contacting the document sheet, a sensor sensing a rotation time and a returning time of the lever, and a controller determining a double feeding or slipping state of the document sheet based on a signal transferred from the sensor regarding the rotation time and the returning time of the lever, and controlling the driving speed of the motor according to the determination result. |
| US07970293B2 |
Methods and systems relating to image forming apparatuses
The invention describes an image forming apparatus having a cartridge configured to be removably attached to a main body. The cartridge has a rotational body positioned within the cartridge and an extension portion protruding outward from the rotational body in an axial direction. The device body has a main body, which has a driving member that rotates the rotational body and the extension portion, a detecting unit for detecting a movement of the extension portion, and a determining unit for determining a type of the developer cartridge using either a time elapsed between a time in which the driving member begins driving the rotational body and a time in which the detecting unit detects the movement of the extension portion, or a drive amount of the drive device occurring during an elapsed time. |
| US07970292B2 |
Consumable unit and image forming apparatus including memory storing consumable item information
A consumable unit and an image forming apparatus for controlling a consumable includes a first memory that stores consumable item information regarding the consumable and provides the consumable item information through password authentication, and a second memory that rewrites recycling prevention information, which indicates that recycling is impossible, a limited number of times. Therefore, if the consumable is replaced, it is possible to prevent the first memory and second memory from being recycled. |
| US07970291B2 |
Optical-receiving apparatus and bias-voltage-control method used for the optical-receiving apparatus
According to an optical-receiving apparatus including an APD converting input light into an electric signal and a bias-voltage-control method used for the optical-receiving apparatus, a multiplication factor appropriate for the APD is predetermined and a multiplication factor used for the APD can be maintained at the level of the predetermined multiplication factor at all times according to a change in the ambient temperature of the APD so that the intensity of input light-transmitted to the APD can be monitored with accuracy. The optical-receiving apparatus further includes a bias circuit generating a bias voltage applied to the APD based on a control signal, a temperature-monitor circuit monitoring the ambient temperature, and an operating circuit that stores data on the predetermined multiplication factor and that controls the bias circuit so that the multiplication factor corresponding to the monitored temperature becomes the predetermined multiplication factor. |
| US07970286B2 |
Optical transmission device
In a wavelength-division multiplexing communications system including a plurality of optical transmission devices having an optical amplifier, downstream optical transmission devices transmit gain wavelength characteristic information of an optical amplifier in each of the downstream optical transmission devices to an upstream optical transmission device. The upstream optical transmission device controls gain wavelength characteristics on the basis of the received gain wavelength characteristic information. |
| US07970273B2 |
Diaphragm control apparatus of interchangeable lens camera
A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. |
| US07970271B2 |
Brightness correction apparatus for moving images, and method and program for controlling same
In order to perform a brightness correction that is suited to a face image in a moving image, a still-image brightness correction parameter for performing a brightness correction suited to a subject image is calculated from a face image in the subject image and the overall subject image. A moving-image brightness correction parameter is calculated using the calculated still-image brightness correction parameter and a moving-image brightness correction parameter that has been calculated in a subject image of a previous frame. By using the moving-image brightness correction parameter calculated, the brightness of a subject image obtained subsequent to the first-mentioned subject image is corrected. |
| US07970263B1 |
Seamless integration of video capture in demonstration applications
A method is disclosed for recording steps performed in a computer environment to produce an electronic demonstration movie. The method includes recording at least one screen shot corresponding to at least one of the steps using a still motion recorder. The method also monitors the steps for the presence of detail criteria. In response to the detection of detail criteria in the steps, the still motion recorded is paused and a video recorder is initiated for recording full motion video clips of a detailed process. In response to the end of the detail criteria, the video recorder is paused and the still motion recorder is re-instated in response to the pausing of the video recorder. The recorded screen shots and recorded full motion video are then compiled into an electronic demonstration movie. |
| US07970261B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining title of recorded content
An apparatus and method thereof determines a title of a recorded program. After a desired video content that is transmitted through a channel has been recorded upon user's request of timer recording, it is checked if more than one program is scheduled for broadcast on that channel during the preset timer recording interval based on broadcast program time information obtained from the channel. If it is determined that more than one programs is scheduled, the title of the recorded desired video content is determined on the basis of time length, data size, and/or minimum ratio. |
| US07970259B2 |
Recording and / or reproducing apparatus and editing method
A portable recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data to and/or from a storage medium are provided. The medium has a data area and a management area. The data area stores data and the management area stores management information for managing the data. The apparatus includes stopping means for stopping reproduction of the data according to a user's input. Updating means for updates the management information so that an address of the storage medium corresponding to the stop position of the reproduced data determined by the user's input becomes the end address of the reproduced data. |
| US07970253B2 |
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. |
| US07970248B2 |
Photonic bandgap fibers
Included among the many structures described herein are photonic bandgap fibers designed to provide a desired dispersion spectrum. Additionally, designs for achieving wide transmission bands and lower transmission loss are also discussed. For example, in some fiber designs, smaller dimensions of high index material in the cladding and large core size provide small flat dispersion over a wide spectral range. In other examples, the thickness of the high index ring-shaped region closest to the core has sufficiently large dimensions to provide negative dispersion or zero dispersion at a desired wavelength. Additionally, low index cladding features distributed along concentric rings or circles may be used for achieving wide bandgaps. |
| US07970246B2 |
Efficient collimation of light with optical wedge
Embodiments of optical collimators are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises an optical waveguide having a first end, a second end opposing the first end, a viewing surface extending at least partially between the first end and the second end, and a back surface opposing the viewing surface. The viewing surface comprises a first critical angle of internal reflection, and the back surface is configured to be reflective at the first critical angle of internal reflection. Further, a collimating end reflector comprising a faceted lens structure having a plurality of facets is disposed at the second end of the optical waveguide. |
| US07970245B2 |
Optical biosensor using SPR phenomenon
An optical biosensor using a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon includes an input optical waveguide including a first optical mode converting unit for converting a core mode to a cladding mode; and an optical sensing unit for allowing a specific wavelength among wavelengths constituting the converted cladding mode to be lost according to density of bio-material. The optical biosensor can accurately measure density of bio-material by using an optical signal. |
| US07970242B2 |
Fiber-based electric device
A fiber-based electric apparatus includes an elongate, flexible fiber core. The apparatus also includes an electric device layered on the fiber core. |
| US07970241B2 |
High efficient silicon-on-lithium niobate modulator
A modulator includes an electro-optical substrate and a first and second waveguide formed of a doped semiconductor material positioned on a surface of an electro-optical substrate forming a slot therebetween. A doping level of the semiconductor material being chosen to make the first and second waveguide conductive. A dielectric material is positioned in the slot which increases confinement of both an optical field and an electrical field inside the slot. A refractive index of the semiconductor material and a refractive index of the dielectric material positioned in the slot being chosen to reduce the Vπ·L product of the modulator. |
| US07970237B2 |
Spatially-varying convolutions for rendering glossy reflection effects
Glossy reflections may include areas that are less clear (more blurry) than other regions. For instance, an area of reflection that is closer to the object being reflected may appear clearer than a region that is farther from the object. When generating a glossy reflection, the total amount of light reaching each point on the reflecting surface is calculated according to a spatially-varying convolution kernel of the transparency information for the image being reflected. Ray-tracing, traditionally used to determine a spatially varying convolution, can be very CPU intensive. Instead of using ray-tracing, data structures, such as MIP-maps and summed-area tables, or separable linear filters may be used to compute the spatially-varying convolution. For example, a two-dimensional convolution may be computed as two spatially-varying, separable, linear convolution filters—one computing a horizontal component and the other a vertical component of the final 2D convolution. |
| US07970235B1 |
Automatic replacement of undesirable pixels in an image
In a method of automatically replacing undesirable pixels in an image, a local neighborhood of pixels is identified around an undesirable pixel. In addition, secondary neighborhoods of pixels are identified and feature values of the pixels contained in the local neighborhood and each of the secondary neighborhoods are calculated. The secondary neighborhoods having feature values within a predetermined range of the local neighborhood feature value are classified as candidates for pixel value replacement. Moreover, a replacement pixel value from at least one of the secondary neighborhoods classified as a candidate for pixel value replacement is determined and the undesirable pixel value is replaced with the replacement pixel value. |
| US07970233B2 |
Distortion of digital images using spatial offsets from image reference points
A method for distorting a digital image comprising receiving the coordinates of one or more than one image reference point defined by a user within the digital image, receiving one or more than one spatial offset assigned by the user and associated with the coordinates of the one or more than one defined image reference point, providing a mixing function algorithm embodied on a computer-readable medium for distorting the digital image, calculating an offset matrix by applying the mixing function algorithm based on the one or more than one spatial offset and the coordinates of the one or more than one defined image reference point; and distorting the digital image by application of the offset matrix. A graphic tag may be associated with each of the defined image reference points and displayed over the digital image, and the assignment of the spatial offset may be accomplished by movement of the graphic tag with the pointing device. Abstract image reference points may be used to limit distortion. |
| US07970231B2 |
Image processing method
An image processing method has an edge intensity value calculating section (4) for calculating an edge intensity value in a neighborhood of a pixel of interest from feature values of micro regions calculated by a feature value calculating section (3); an edge intensity value correcting section (5) for correcting the edge intensity value calculated by the edge intensity value calculating section (4) in accordance with an edge intensity correction curve; and a filter value calculating section (6) for calculating a low-pass filter value of the pixel of interest from image signal values of neighboring pixels having the same color component as the pixel of interest. It corrects the image signal value of the pixel of interest by carrying out weighted addition of the image signal value of the pixel of interest and the low-pass filter value using the edge intensity values before and after the correction. |
| US07970230B2 |
Image processing with minimization of ringing artifacts and noise
A method of reducing ringing artifacts in image data that has been filtered with a high frequency emphasis filter. For each filtered data value, a local variance is calculated from data values at neighboring filter taps. This variance is compared to a threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, the filtered data value is limited between local minimum and maximum values. A method of reducing noise, also using the local variance, is also described. |
| US07970228B2 |
Image enhancement methods with consideration of the smooth region of the image and image processing apparatuses utilizing the same
An image processing method applied in an image processor for processing an image including first pixels each having a corresponding pixel value. The pixel values of first pixels are distributed within a first distribution range. Second pixels comprise a region and are obtained from first pixels when a difference between pixel values of adjacent second pixels is less than a predetermined value. Gained pixel values are obtained after applying a gain to the image. An amount of distortion is obtained by summing up weighted differences between a reference pixel value and gained pixel value of first pixels having gained pixel value not distributed within first distribution range. A weighting factor does not equal to 1 when first pixel is within the region, and equals to 1 when first pixel is outside the region. The gain is updated according to the distortion. Processed image is obtained by applying the updated gain. |
| US07970227B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program
An image processing apparatus that generates one output image front plural input images includes a detecting unit that detects a positional relation among the plural input images, a pixel-value calculating unit that calculates a pixel value of a pixel of the output image using pixel values of pixels of the input images and an interpolation function, a determining unit that determines whether the pixel of the output image is a motion pixel, and an adjusting unit that adjusts a high-pass characteristic of the interpolation function on the basis of a result of the determination on whether the pixel of the output, image is a motion pixel. |
| US07970224B2 |
Efficient rate allocation for multi-resolution coding of data
A method and an apparatus relates to examining respective collections of coefficients out of a plurality of collections of coefficients according to a global coding order of the plurality of collections of coefficients, the respective collections of coefficients having respective priority levels as well as respective pluralities of coding units and truncation points which correspond to the coding units. In response to determining that an examined collection of coefficients out of the plurality of collections of coefficients has a priority level equal to a global priority level, encoding a first un-encoded coding unit according to a local coding order of the collection of coefficients and reducing the priority level of the collection of coefficients; and after each of the collections of coefficients in the plurality are examined, decreasing the global priority level. Repeating the examining, the encoding, the reducing and the decreasing for the plurality of collections of coefficients, and terminating the examining, the encoding, the reducing, and the decreasing in response to determining that a total amount of bits used is greater than a target bit rate. |
| US07970220B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for performing decoding process on coded data of motion picture based on a plurality of attributes thereof
An image processing apparatus includes a decoding unit for performing a decoding process on coded data of a moving picture on a frame-by-frame basis, and a controller for controlling the decoding unit. The controller designates a first decoding condition using multiple attributes, such as resolution level, precinct, component, or layer, for each frame, and causes the decoding unit to perform the decoding process on those code streams that satisfy the first decoding condition among the coded data. If a decoding time required to perform the decoding process under the first condition is equal to or longer than a prescribed time period, the controller allows the decoding unit to finish the decoding process for a current frame. If the coding time is shorter than the prescribed time period, the controller designates a second condition as to the attributes for the current frame to cause the decoding unit to perform the decoding process on those codes streams that satisfy the second condition. |
| US07970217B2 |
Image coding apparatus, image coding method, image decoding apparatus and image decoding method
A coded bit stream generated on a coding side consists of a VO header, a VOL header, a GOV header, a VOP header and VOP data, and the VOL header multiplexes an object intra-coded indicator signal indicating whether all the VOP data contained in a VOL or GOV are intra coded or not. This enables a decoding side to recognize whether all the VOP data contained in the VOL or GOV in the coded bit stream are intra coded or not by only analyzing the object intra-coded indicator signal. This can facilitate such processings as frame skip control or random access of the VOPs. |
| US07970215B2 |
Automatic generation of compact code tables
An apparatus includes a compact table generator module and a storage medium. The compact table generator creates a compact code table having multiple code word groups arranged in one or more hierarchies. Each of these code word groups includes a group mask that corresponds to one or more code words in a variable length code table. The storage medium stores information regarding the code word groups, such as a group mask for each of the code word groups, and a code index for each code word in the variable length code table. |
| US07970214B2 |
Rotate and slant projector for fast fully-3D iterative tomographic reconstruction
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a rotate-and-slant projector that takes advantage of symmetries in the geometry to compute truly volumetric projections to multiple oblique sinograms in a computationally efficient manner. It is based upon the 2D rotation-based projector using the fast three-pass method of shears, and it conserves the 2D rotator computations for multiple projections to each oblique sinogram set. The projector is equally applicable to both conventional evenly-spaced projections and unevenly-spaced line-of-response (LOR) data (where the arc correction is modeled within the projector). The LOR-based version models the exact location of the direct and oblique LORs, and provides an ordinary Poisson reconstruction framework. Speed optimizations of various embodiments of the projector include advantageously utilizing data symmetries such as the vertical symmetry of the oblique projection process, a coarse-depth compression, and array indexing schemes which maximize serial memory access. |
| US07970212B2 |
Method for automatic detection and classification of objects and patterns in low resolution environments
The invention is a method of using Wavelet Transformation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) systems for automatic detecting and classifying objects. To train the system in object recognition different images, which usually contain desired objects alongside other objects are used. These objects may appear at different angles. Different characteristics regarding the objects are extracted from the images and stored in a data bank. The system then determines the extent to which each inserted characteristic will be useful in future recognition and determines its relative weight. After the initial insertion of data, the operator tests the system with a set of new images, some of which contain the class objects and some of which contain similar and/or dissimilar objects of different classification. The system learns from the images containing similar objects of different classes as well as from the images containing the class objects, since each specific class characteristic needs to be set apart from other class characteristic. The system may be tested and trained again and again until the operator is satisfied with the system's success rate of object recognition and classification. |
| US07970209B2 |
Holographic data storage using oversampling and balanced codewords
There is provided an optical information detecting method. The method includes: detecting an image of a source data page coded with balanced codewords by the use of 1:N (where N is greater than 1) excessive detection pixels; determining a distribution pattern of valid detection pixels and invalid detection pixels to be corrected in the detected image by the use of a light intensity distribution of the detected image; and dividing the detected image into balanced codeword detecting areas corresponding to the balanced codewords and sampling data of the balanced codeword detecting areas by the use of the determined distribution pattern and an optical distribution characteristic of the balanced codewords. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently detect optical information by the use of a 1:N over-sampling method. Specifically, the distribution pattern of valid detection pixels and invalid detection pixels in the detected image of a data page can be properly used to sample a balanced code. |
| US07970207B2 |
Apparatus and program for evaluating images
An image evaluating apparatus capable of evaluating photographic images with expressions that approach human perception is provided. Boundaries among subjects are extracted from a digital photographic image in which a plurality of subjects are pictured. Image regions, which are divided by the boundaries, are extracted from the image. The position of each region is judged by determining which of a plurality of sections each image region is included in. The features of subjects pictured within each image region are judged. Then, the digital photographic image is evaluated based on the extracted boundaries, the sections in which each image region is included, and the features of the subjects pictured within each image region. |
| US07970202B2 |
Method and arrangement for detecting surface and structural defects of a long moving product
A method for detecting defects of a material moving in a rolling mill generally comprises illuminating product, obtaining (ACQ) image thereof in at least one spectral band, in pre-processing the formed image, in detecting and extracting (DTEXTR) eventually suspected areas of the pre-processed image, and in classifying (CLASS) the suspected areas into one or several defect or defect-free categories. For hot-rolled materials, the product is inspected in three disjointed spectral bands, including infrared, red and, for instance, green band in such a way that the suspected areas are classified into one or several defect-free or defect categories including the surface and structural defects. |
| US07970199B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting defect on a surface of a specimen
A surface inspection apparatus is provided based on an optical interference scheme using a wide-band laser light source, such as diode laser, for an interferometer. In the apparatus, a diode laser with a large spectrum width having a short coherence length is used as an emitted light source; modulation optical elements for performing modulation with slightly different frequencies, and optical path length varying optical elements for adjusting the optical path length are located in each of two optical paths between a branching optical element and a combining optical element; and the above-mentioned optical path length varying optical elements are adjusted, while measuring an interference intensity, so as to maximize the interference intensity. |
| US07970193B2 |
Image processing system for displaying information relating to parameters of a 3-D tubular object
An image processing system, for processing a 3-D image of a 3-D substantially tubular structure (AAA), formed of a lumen (LUM) limited by a wall (5,6), comprising processing means (102) for segmenting the 3-D external or internal surface of the structure; estimating a local parameter such as the local wall thickness (T) or diameters; and display means (105) for displaying the 3-D surface of segmentation with zones colorized according to a color code, so that to indicate the local parameter values in said zones. The system may comprise processing means to generate (107) a 3-D virtual cylinder and projecting (108) the color-coded 3-D segmentation surface onto the 3-D virtual cylinder surface colorized according to the same color-code; and projecting the 3-D virtual cylinder surface onto a 2-D color-coded map; and display means for displaying the 2-D color-coded map with colorized zones indicating the local parameter values (T) in said zones (109). |
| US07970192B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling an imaging modality
A method is described for controlling an imaging modality. The method includes acquiring data specific to an examination object and automatically selecting a raw data record from a number of raw data records on the basis of the data specific to the examination object. The method further includes producing an image on the basis of the selected raw data record and by using a selected control parameter set. The produced image is then output to a user. Thereafter, a change command of the user is detected, for altering the control parameter set, or detecting a confirmation command for confirming the control parameter set. Next, the control parameter set is changed in accordance with a detected change command. The method then includes repeating the method steps of producing, outputting, detecting and changing with the respectively current, changed control parameter set until a confirmation signal is detected. Finally, image data is acquired by using the current control parameter set when a confirmation command is detected. An apparatus suitable for controlling an imaging modality is also described. |
| US07970190B2 |
Method and device for determining the location of pelvic planes
A method for determining a location of a frontal pelvic plane of a pelvic bone includes ascertaining a position of a pubic point of the pelvic bone; generating at least one x-ray recording of the pelvic bone; ascertaining a straight line in the at least one x-ray recording that passes through the pubic point and a contour of the pelvic bone; and ascertaining the location of the frontal pelvic plane from a rear-projection of the straight line. |
| US07970187B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for contour detection of vessels using x-ray densitometry
A method has been described for deriving contour data in X-Ray images for vessels with differential absorption through applying a contour-finding algorithm on a shadow image and finding the vessel borders through segmentation based on image intensities. In particular, the method uses the following steps: finding a densitometric area of an above mentioned vessel, and displacing one or both of the borders inward until the densitometric measurement result between the borders after such displacing will start to change significantly. Furthermore, a specific procedure is introduced to automatically determine the conversion factor to equate the densitometrically based diameter to the contour based diameter of the vessel and to discriminate bifurcating or parallel vessels. |
| US07970185B2 |
Apparatus and methods for capturing a fingerprint
An apparatus and methods for capturing a fingerprint are provided. In a first example method, first fingerprint image may be obtained in a guard region within a captured image, the guard region including less than all of the captured image. A fingerprint region may be extracted from the captured image based on a predicted color distribution, the predicted color distribution based on color information associated with the first fingerprint image, the extracted fingerprint region including the first fingerprint image within the guard region and at least a portion of the fingerprint region extending beyond the guard region within the captured image. In a second example method, guard region may be defined within a picture boundary area, the defined guard region including less than all of the picture boundary area. At least one image may be captured, the captured image spanning the picture boundary area. Information associated with the captured image may be extracted from within the guard region. Portions of the captured image associated with a user's fingerprint may then be extracted based on the extracted information, the identified portions including a first portion within the guard region of the captured image and a second portion within the picture boundary area of the captured image outside of the guard region. In another example, an apparatus may be configured to perform either of the above-described first and second example methods. |
| US07970183B2 |
Two stage detection for photographic eye artifacts
A digital image acquisition device is for acquiring digital images including one or more preview images. A face detector analyzes the one or more preview images to ascertain information relating to candidate face regions therein. A speed-optimized filter produces a first set of candidate red-eye regions based on the candidate face region information provided by the face detector. |
| US07970181B1 |
Methods and systems for example-based image correction
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for correcting new images using example image sets, automatically or with user interaction, to produce corrected images in a manner that can be adapted to individual preferences, different image object orientations, image illumination conditions, and/or human and non-human features. In one embodiment, example image sets are provided that include information. The information can include a corrected example image, an original example image, and an example image mask. The example image mask includes information regarding the pixels corrected in the corrected example image. A new image is received that includes a defective area that needs to be corrected. The new image can be corrected using the information associated with the example image set. |
| US07970175B2 |
Method and apparatus for assessing head pose of a vehicle driver
The head pose of a motor vehicle driver with respect to a vehicle frame of reference is assessed with a relative motion sensor positioned rearward of the driver's head, such as in or on the headrest of the driver's seat. The relative motion sensor detects changes in the position of the driver's head, and the detected changes are used to determine the driver's head pose, and specifically, whether the head pose is forward-looking (i.e., with the driver paying attention to the forward field-of-view) or non-forward-looking. The determined head pose is assumed to be initially forward-looking, and is thereafter biased toward forward-looking whenever driver behavior characteristic of a forward-looking head pose is recognized. |
| US07970174B2 |
Medical marker tracking with marker property determination
A method for tracking at least one medical marker is provided, wherein actual properties of the at least one marker are compared with nominal properties of the at least one marker. A basis for subsequent use of information obtained from the at least one marker is formed based on the comparison. |
| US07970173B2 |
Object-detecting device and method of extracting operation object
An object-detecting device detects an operation object for operating an operating apparatus. The object-detecting device includes an imaging portion for imaging the operation object and an image processor for extracting the operation object. The operation object has a first face, on which outside light falls from outside into the operating apparatus, and a second face opposite to the first face. The imaging portion images the second face of the operation object. The object-detecting device can stably detect the operation object, even when an illuminance variation of outside light is large. |
| US07970172B1 |
Electrically controlled optical shield for eye protection against bright light
An active device provides protection from the sun or other bright light source for improved vision, using a variable opacity medium that is electronically controlled to cast a shadow on an eye of a user and/or to otherwise reduce the amount of the light incident on the eye, thereby reducing glare. Miniature cameras monitor the user's eye movements and the scene in front of the user. If a bright light is detected, one or more dark spots is created in the variable opacity medium that acts as a shade or light filter for a pupil of the eye. The variable opacity medium, cameras, and associated electronics can be used in connection with eyeglasses (including sunglasses), as part of a device worn by the user (such as a helmet), a windshield, mirror, or other optical element having a view port through which light can be seen by the user. |
| US07970166B2 |
Steganographic encoding methods and apparatus
The presently claimed invention relates generally to steganographic encoding. One claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing a first graphic; utilizing a multi-purpose computer processor configured for steganographically data hiding to hide a signal in the data representing the first graphic; obtaining a copy of the first graphic including a steganographically hidden signal therein; storing the copy of the first graphic in electronic memory or integrated circuitry. A steganographically hidden signal in the data representing the first graphic and the steganographically hidden signal in the copy of the first graphic are related. Of course, other combinations are provided as well. |
| US07970161B2 |
Acoustic transducer having reduced thickness
A transducer for a hearing aid includes a housing, a relatively thin membrane having a free end suspended in the housing for vibration in response to a motor. The motor has a coil and a magnet assembly, the coil being mounted in the housing beneath the membrane; the magnet assembly being mounted in the housing coaxially with the coil and to one edge of the membrane. |
| US07970152B2 |
Method and device for matching the phases of microphone signals of a directional microphone of a hearing aid
The phase differences of microphones of a hearing aid microphone are to be reduced. To do this, the level of an output signal of a directional microphone is compared with an omnidirectional signal. If the level of the output signal of the differential directional microphone is above the level of the omnidirectional signal, this level difference is minimized by an adaptive, frequency-selective transit time compensation in individual frequency bands and phase matching of the microphones is thus achieved. By means of an alternative method, microphone matching is achieved in that the measurable delay of the two microphone signals is adaptively limited in individual frequency bands to a maximum value corresponding to the sound transit time between the microphones. Phase matching without knowing the position of a sound source can thus be achieved. |
| US07970151B2 |
Hybrid beamforming
A system such as a speakerphone may include a processor, memory and an array of microphones. The processor may be configured (via program instructions stored in the memory) to perform automatic echo cancellation, self calibration and beam forming. In particular, the processor may receive input signals from the microphone array and operate on the input signals with a highly directed virtual beam which is a composite of two or more beams which are restricted to respective frequency ranges. The two or more beams may include beams of different kinds, e.g., superdirective beams and delay-and-sum beams. |
| US07970149B2 |
Audio speaker with partially spherical speaker housing and escutcheon
A speaker housing assembly including an adapter and a speaker enclosure is disclosed. The adapter has an escutcheon and a partially spherical recessed concave portion. The speaker enclosure has a partially spherical sidewall that is received in the recessed concave portion of the adapter. A lock assembly secures the speaker enclosure to the adapter through an arcuate slot. Flanges of the lock assembly are placed in registry with teeth formed on opposite sides of the arcuate slot to lock the speaker enclosure in place. An elastomeric pad is provided between the recessed concave portion and the partially spherical sidewall to dampen vibrations and supplement the locking engagement of the lock assembly. |
| US07970147B2 |
Video game controller with noise canceling logic
A method for reducing noise disturbance associated with an audio signal received through a microphone is provided. The method initiates with magnifying a noise disturbance of the audio signal relative to a remaining component of the audio signal. Then, a sampling rate of the audio signal is decreased. Next, an even order derivative is applied to the audio signal having the decreased sampling rate to define a detection signal. Then, the noise disturbance of the audio signal is adjusted according to a statistical average of the detection signal. A system capable of canceling disturbances associated with an audio signal, a video game controller, and an integrated circuit for reducing noise disturbances associated with an audio signal are included. |
| US07970143B2 |
System, method and apparatus to obtain a key for encryption/decryption/data recovery from an enterprise cryptography key management system
A technique for obtaining a key for encryption/decryption/data recovery from an enterprise key management system. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by connecting a client mobile device to a cryptography key management using a UID, a UDID, the names of one or more data files to encrypt, a password Pswd, and a KeyID to obtain the key for encryption/decryption/data recovery. |
| US07970142B2 |
System, method and apparatus for decrypting data stored on removable media
A technique that decrypts data stored on removable media, if the device on which the encryption was performed is lost, unavailable, or the user credentials are lost. In example embodiment, this is achieved by using the administrator UID, the administrator UDID, the removable media, the names of one or more data files to be decrypted, the administrator Pswd, and a KeyID to decrypt data stored on the removable media associated with a lost or unavailable mobile device on which encryption was performed. |
| US07970141B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracing the source of decryption keys used by a decoder
The present invention relates to a method for traitor tracing. One embodiment of a method for determining at least one traced private key used by a decoder to decrypt an encrypted message includes defining an input ciphertext, the input ciphertext being associated with a tracing private key and having a sublinear size, calling the decoder on the input ciphertext, and associating the tracing private key with a set of traced private keys if the decoder is able to correctly decrypt the encrypted message in accordance with the input ciphertext, the set of traced private keys including at least one private key. |
| US07970140B2 |
Method and system for encrypted communications using multi-valued modulation
A transmitting node produces synchronization data to be inserted into plain text and encrypts the thus generated data into multi-valued data so as to transmit the data. The synchronization data indicates the position of a running key used for encryption. A receiving node decrypts a signal including the synchronization data using the running key and detects the synchronization data from the signal to confirm synchronization of the running key between transmitting and receiving nodes. Then, the receiving node transmits a synchronization confirmation signal to the transmitting node. If the transmitting node does not receive the synchronization confirmation signal, it determines that synchronization of the running key is shifted, and re-synchronization is performed. To perform re-synchronization, a running key ahead of the position of the running key associated with synchronization data that has been stored is generated. |
| US07970138B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting broadcast efficiency and security enhancements
A method and apparatus for providing conditional access to media programs is described. An exemplary method comprising the steps of transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) to a receiver station, transmitting entitlement management information (EMI) to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap, and transmitting entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including the control word (CW) encrypted according to a key (K) and an index to an element of the service bitmap, wherein the control word (CW) is decrypted by the receiver stations according to a value of the indexed element of the service bitmap. |
| US07970132B2 |
Reduced hierarchy key management system and method
A controller receives an encrypted media stream (“EMS”) and an identifier indicative of a selected content key from a headend. The EMS is encrypted with an encryption key and can be decrypted with a corresponding decryption key which is determinable from the selected content key. The controller receives indexes and content keys from the headend prior to receiving the EMS. Each index respectively corresponds to an identifier with one index corresponding to the identifier indicative of the selected content key. The content keys correspond to the indexes with one content key corresponding to the index corresponding to the identifier indicative of the selected content key. The controller selects the index corresponding to the identifier indicative of the selected content key upon receiving the EMS, determines the selected content key from the selected index, determines the decryption key from the selected content key, and decrypts the EMS with the decryption key. |
| US07970125B2 |
Output stacking architecture for an amplifier
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an operational amplifier having a first input to receive a first current formed of an input current and an offset current. A first MOSFET device having a gate terminal may be coupled to an output of the operational amplifier. An output stack including one or more cascoded devices to provide an output current corresponding to a gain of the operational amplifier may be coupled to a first terminal of the first MOSFET device. The operational amplifier may be used in various circuitry, such as a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC). |
| US07970123B2 |
Adaptive coupling equalization in beamforming-based communication systems
A method and system for rapid adaptive coupling equalization in beamforming-based communication systems, particularly sector-based beamforming systems, provides smooth transitions for AEC when the look direction of the communication system changes and when the acoustic environment varies with time. The coefficients of inactive beamformers are modified in real-time, using adaptive beamforming techniques based on the real-time loudspeaker-coupling signal, in order to force the outputs of inactive beamformers to have the same response to the loudspeaker coupling signal as the active beamformer does. |
| US07970118B2 |
User-defined priority call router
A priority routing process is provided for routing calls received via a call routing system to a live call center agent. Routing is determined through collection of Automated Call Distribution (“ACD”) real-time performance based data and subjective non-ACD data, normalization and weighting of the ACD and non-ACD data through application of certain algorithms resulting in a derived priority score for each call center, and selection of a call center based upon the highest priority score. |
| US07970117B2 |
Method and system for handling calls at an automatic call distributor
A method for handling calls at an automatic call distributor includes receiving from a first caller a first call for distribution to one of a plurality of agents and receiving from the first caller a first request associated with the first call. The method includes linking the first request to one or more additional requests associated with one or more additional calls from one or more additional callers. The method also includes distributing for handling to a first agent of the plurality of agents the first call and the one or more additional calls associated with the one or more additional requests linked to the first request. |
| US07970116B2 |
Method and apparatus for notifying an end user of a messaging event in a multi-user setting
A method and apparatus for notifying an end user of a messaging event in a multi-user setting is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that selectively identifies one or more parties to whom a messaging event is directed according to one or more matches between a caller identifier associated with the messaging event and one or more entries in a plurality of contact books corresponding to a plurality of users of the terminal device. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US07970115B1 |
Assisted discrimination of similar sounding speakers
A communications system is provided that includes: (a) a speech discrimination agent 136 operable to generate a speech profile of a first party to a voice call; and (b) a speech modification agent 140 operable to adjust, based on the speech profile, a spectral characteristic of a voice stream from the first party to form a modified voice stream, the modified voice stream being provided to the second party. |
| US07970114B2 |
Consistency of state model visualization across different standard attributes
A system, apparatus and method are described for displaying multiple attributes relative to objects in a network management program. In one embodiment, multiple attributes from a plurality of different standards are coalesced together and the coalesced attributes are displayed by a user interface. These coalesced attributes may be shown in such a manner so that inconsistencies between attributes of objects from different standards are reduced or obviated. |
| US07970112B1 |
Telephonic voting system
A computer system has a CPU, a registration terminal and a plurality of telephones. The CPU has an office registration section, an initial phone-in registration section and a vote section. A registration office contains the registration terminal whereat a voter provides appropriate identification and proof of citizenship, if necessary, and then enters a personal identification number into the office registration section through the registration terminal. A first link is between one of the plurality of telephones and the initial phone-in registration section, preferably through a computer, whereby the voter enters into the initial phone-in registration section the personal identification number, an identifying name and a password. A second link is between one of the plurality of telephones and the vote section, preferably through a computer, whereby the voter enters into the vote section the personal identification number and provides the identification name and the password and then votes. |
| US07970110B2 |
Voice over IP method for developing interactive voice response system
A personal Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system includes a plurality of IVR servers communicating personal IVR service node information in a network and a plurality of personal IVR service node clients coupled to the plurality of IVR servers communicating the personal IVR service node information. The plurality of personal IVR service node clients have a client-server relationship with the plurality of IVR servers. The personal IVR system further includes facilities for managing transmission of the personal IVR service node information using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. |
| US07970109B2 |
Auto block and auto discovery in a distributed communication system
A voicemail system enabling various components of the voicemail system to be distributed geographically yet operate as a seamlessly integrated system is disclosed. A signal gateway interfaces with a telephone network. In addition, one or more media servers interface with the signal gateway as well as the telephone network. The signal gateway is configured to block calls to malfunctioning media servers. The signal gateway monitors the media servers, and responsive to determining that a media server has malfunctioned, the signal gateway initiates auto-blocking such that the telephone network does not route calls to the malfunctioning media server. In addition, the signal gateway is configured to auto-detect a media server responsive to the media server being initialized. The voicemail system can include a variety of other elements, such as one or more system management units and one or more central data and message store systems. Each of the elements in the voicemail system communicate with each other over an internet protocol type network. Any functions in the various elements that require interfacing with the telephone network are simply handled through the signal gateway. |
| US07970106B2 |
Employing VXML to provide enhanced voicemail system
An enhanced Voice eXtensible Markup Language (VXML) based voicemail system that has a distributed architecture and methods for implementing enhanced VXML based voicemail systems are disclosed. The voicemail system includes a media server, which is in communication with a telephone network. The media server is adapted to invoke a voicemail service of the distributed voicemail system and adapted to render at least a first portion of a Voice eXtensible Markup Language (VXML) page. An application server, which is in communication with the media server, is adapted to generate a VXML page and provide the VXML page to the media server. The XVML page has a tag embedded therein, and the media server processes the tag. A voicemail-account monitorer, which monitors at least a portion of the voicemail system, is invoked by the media server processing the tag. |
| US07970097B2 |
Method for producing tomographic images, control device, tomography unit and computer program product
A method is disclosed for producing tomographic images relating to different movement phases of a periodically moving object with the use of a tomography unit that includes a recording system that is arranged rotatably about a z-axis of the tomography unit, the recording system including an X-ray tube to which a tube current can be applied and a detector (17, 18) for acquiring projections. In at least one embodiment, the recording system is initially positioned relative to the object at a first z-position, and projections are acquired from a multiplicity of different projection dimensions at this z-position, in a fashion triggered by a movement signal representing the movement of the object, projections relating to a first movement phase of the object being acquired in a prospectively defined first time window and projections relating to at least a second movement phase of the object being acquired in a prospectively defined second time window. In at least one embodiment, a modulation of the tube current is performed in such a way that different tube current values are set in the first and the second time window to attain a prescribable different signal-to-noise ratio in the produced images. The recording system is then positioned sequentially at further z-positions, and respectively corresponding projections are acquired there for the two movement phases until a prescribed examination area is scanned at the desired z-positions. Tomographic images are reconstructed in real time or subsequently on the basis of the obtained projections. |
| US07970092B2 |
Phase comparator and regulation circuit
A phase comparison process in a timing recovery process for high-speed data communication defines a data window and compares the phase of a clock in the window with the phase of an edge of data so as to realize a parallel process, wherein the phase comparison and the process of determining whether a data edge lies within the window are performed in parallel to each other, and the phase comparison result is output only if the data edge lies within the window. With this configuration, it is possible to perform an accurate phase comparison process with no errors without requiring high-precision delay circuits. |
| US07970088B2 |
Systems and methods for sample rate conversion
Systems and methods are provided for converting input data streams having variable input sample rates to an output sample rate, which systems and methods are used in processing the data streams. In one embodiment, a system includes a clock source, a counter configured to count cycles for a corresponding data stream, and a data processor. The data processor is configured to read the number of cycles counted by the counter between received frame sync signals and to convert the first data stream to the predetermined output sample rate based on the corresponding number of cycles counted. |
| US07970083B2 |
Estimating doppler frequency in ISDB-T systems
A technique for estimating maximum Doppler frequency of a wireless signal in a wireless communication system, wherein the method comprises receiving a wireless signal; determining an impulse response of the received wireless signal; determining an auto-correlation function (ACF) value of the impulse response of the received wireless signal; determining a power spectrum density of said received wireless signal based on the ACF value; and selecting an algorithm for performing demodulation of the received wireless signal by utilizing the determined power spectrum density. |
| US07970082B2 |
Frequency offset correction when decoding a packet encoded in a frequency modulated signal
Embodiments include frequency offset correction when decoding a packet encoded in a frequency modulated signal. Different symbols encoded in the packet may be corrected by different frequency offsets. In an embodiment, the frequency modulated signal is received on one of the signals of a multi-carrier signal (e.g., based on Orthogonal Frequency Domain Multiplexing, OFDM) and each packet is encoded according to 802.11(a) having the same long sequence repeating multiple times in a header portion. The repetitive sequence is used to compute the different offsets for different symbols. |
| US07970075B2 |
Apparatus and method for up-conversion of radio signals
Apparatus and method for up-conversion of radio signals are disclosed. For example, an apparatus for up-conversion of radio signals is disclosed. The apparatus includes a signal conversion unit operable to convert an input signal to a plurality of single bits of data, a narrow pulse generator unit coupled to the signal conversion unit, the narrow pulse generator unit operable to generate a narrowly defined pulse for a single bit of data of the plurality of single bits of data, and a digital-to-analog conversion unit coupled to the narrow pulse generator unit, the digital-to-analog conversion unit operable to up-convert a frequency of the single bit of data. |
| US07970072B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing a signal
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing a signal. An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a method and apparatus for processing a signal, which allows a signal having optimized signal transmission efficiency to be transmitted/received. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing a signal including receiving a broadcasting signal including audio data coded using a pilot reference value and a pilot difference value, demodulating the broadcasting signal in consideration of a scattered pilot which varies over time and a continual pilot which is fixed over time in a frame of the received broadcasting signal and decoding the demodulated signal to obtain a broadcasting transmission stream, demultiplexing the broadcasting transmission stream to obtain coded audio data in an Internet protocol (IP) packet and an identifier for identifying a method of decoding the audio data, obtaining the pilot reference value corresponding to a plurality of data and the pilot difference value corresponding to the pilot reference value from the coded audio data and obtaining the audio data using the pilot reference value and the pilot difference value. |
| US07970069B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
A wireless communication apparatus and a wireless communication method wherein even when the permissible delay amount of data is small, the permissible delay thereof can be satisfied. A data type determining part (101) determines whether the delay of transport data or control information should be allowed or not. A pilot signal insertion control part (102) decides, based on pilot insertion interval information and allowable delay information, that a pilot signal is placed adjacently to data that is not allowed to delay. A multiplexing part (106) multiplexes encoded and modulated transport data with the pilot signal generated by a pilot signal generating part (105) in such a manner that realizes the placement decided by the pilot signal insertion control part (102). |
| US07970065B2 |
Communication apparatus and program
A communication apparatus includes unit measuring a first interference feature quantity indicating a state of an interference signal in a transmission frequency band (TFB), unit determining from the first interference feature quantity whether the interference signal exists in the TFB, unit acquiring, after measurement of the first interference feature quantity, a transmission channel from a second interference feature quantity measured by the measuring unit, the transmission channel corresponding to at least one of a frequency orthogonal to the interference signal, a time orthogonal to the interference signal, a space orthogonal to the interference signal, and a spreading code orthogonal to the interference signal, and unit performing a first transmission using the TFB when it is determined that no interference signal exists in the TFB, and to perform a second transmission using the transmission channel when it is determined that the interference signal exists in the TFB. |
| US07970063B2 |
Variable liftoff voltage process field device
A field transmitter includes field device circuitry configured to measure or control a process variable. A first process control loop terminal is configured to couple to a two-wire process control loop which carries a loop current. A second process control loop terminal configured to couple to the two-wire process control loop. A switching regulator has an input and an output. The output is coupled to the transmitter circuitry and arranged to provide power to the transmitter circuitry. A variable voltage source having an input electrically coupled to the first process control loop terminal, and a voltage output coupled to the input of the switching regulator and a control input. The voltage output is a function of the control input. |
| US07970061B2 |
Block distortion detection method, block distortion detection apparatus, block distortion removal method, and block distortion removal apparatus
A video decoder is connected with a block distortion detector for specifying the boundary of blocks where block boundary occurs, using decoded image data and information of motion vectors, which are supplied from the video decoder; and a block distortion remover for subjecting pixels in the vicinity of the block boundary of the decoded image to filtering on the basis of the result of detection from the block distortion detector, thereby removing the block distortion. Therefore, block distortion is accurately detected when a compressed and coded image is decoded, and the detected block distortion is removed while minimizing the blurriness of the image. |
| US07970060B2 |
Contents generator and method
Time stamped streams respectively generated by an AV stream generating means and data stream generating means are combined by a time-stamped contents generating means. Consequently, a time-stamped contents stream is generated which synchronizes the processing of an AV stream and multimedia data. |
| US07970058B2 |
Moving picture encoding method and decoding method
Conventionally, there has been a case that the direct mode cannot be applied effectively depending on the block. With such being the case, information indicating whether a backward reference frame set by default can be utilized in the direct mode is provided to a decoder. A switching procedure to switch to a compensation method applicable when a collocated block has no forward motion vector for effective use, and the compensation method are also provided to the decoder. Thus, it is possible to clearly determine whether the reference frame can be used in the direct mode. Further, when the frame number has no time information, it is possible to effectively send information indicating the relationship between the reference frame and the current frame. Furthermore, the alternative mode and its switching procedure of the present invention make it possible to improve the prediction performance when the direct mode cannot be applied. |
| US07970056B2 |
Method and/or apparatus for decoding an intra-only MPEG-2 stream composed of two separate fields encoded as a special frame picture
A method for decoding a bitstream comprising the steps of (A) generating a first field picture in response to a frame picture of a first bitstream, (B) generating a second field picture in response to the frame picture of the first bitstream and (C) generating a second bitstream containing the first field picture and the second field picture. |
| US07970055B2 |
Method and apparatus for compressing image data
There is provided an image data compression apparatus capable of effectively suppressing an image data volume after compression processing. A bit rate value is detected according to the image data volume after the compression processing. According to the bit rate size value detected, a quantization step size value used in the compression processing is modified. According to the quantization step size value, a skip frame number is set and a frame skip of the image data before or after the compression processing is performed according to the number of frame skip frames which has been set. |
| US07970045B2 |
Method and device for adapting a signal
A method and device for adapting a signal is provided. The signal includes a number of recurring samples of data. In one example embodiment, the method receives recurring samples of data. Each of the samples of data includes a first number of elements. A second number of elements are selected from at least one of the recurring samples. The second number of elements is approximately less than the first number of elements. The selected second number of elements are substituted with respective phase altered elements. The subject matter also provides a method and device for identifying a signal property(ies) and a computer system for implementing these methods. |
| US07970042B2 |
Spread spectrum clock interoperability control and inspection circuit
A spread spectrum clock generator (SSCG) control and inspection circuit provides a system and method for inspecting and controlling an external SSCG, and for verifying the modulation profile waveform of an external SSCG. An electronic circuit is included that can check for the presence of an optimal SSCG modulation profile in product subsystems, and in attached modular systems, including electronic plug-in features such as internal network adapters and cartridges. In one mode of the invention, an electronic circuit ensures continued radiated emissions compliance for field replaceable units or consumable parts within a product, such as a printer, a scanner, or a combination (or all-in-one) printer/scanner. In another mode of the invention, an electronic circuit may also act as a secondary security device for consumable products, such as toner cartridges or ink jet cartridges. In yet another mode of the invention, an electronic circuit may also adjust the attached SSCG clock. |
| US07970041B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus
A wavelength variable laser smaller in size than the conventional one can be achieved by arranging a gain chip, an etalon filter and a fifth reflective mirror on an AlN submount and longitudinally integrating the gain chip in which a 45° mirror and a lens are integrated and the etalon filter. A laser cavity has a structure in which light passes through an active layer from a first reflective mirror realized by an end surface of the gain chip, is reflected by the 45° mirror at an angle of 90° and then passes through the lens. The light having passed through the lens is converted into parallel light, passes through the etalon filter and reaches the fifth reflective mirror and is then reflected. The reflected light returns through the same optical path and reaches the first reflective mirror realized by the end surface of the gain chip. |
| US07970038B2 |
Slab laser with stand-off for ceramic spacers
An RF excited gas discharge laser is disclosed including a housing holding the lasing gas. An electrode assembly is mounted within the housing. The electrode assembly includes a pair of elongated planar electrodes mounted in face to face relationship with a narrow gap therebetween. A pair of planar dielectric plates are positioned along the side edges of the gap to seal the discharge region. The plates extend part of the way into the gap from both sides edges of the electrodes. The inner surfaces of the electrodes are provided with an opposed trench in the region surrounding the inner edges of the plates. In this way, the exposure of the inner edges of the plates to the discharge is minimized improving performance. |
| US07970036B2 |
Organic semiconductor laser and method for producing it
An organic semiconductor laser, which is produced integrally with an electrically operable inorganic LED (1), and also the method for producing said laser. |
| US07970035B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser element and external-cavity semiconductor laser device
Disclosed are a nitride semiconductor laser element including a light emitting portion made of a nitride semiconductor, and an external-cavity semiconductor laser device using it. In the nitride semiconductor laser element, a coat film made of silicon oxynitride is formed on the light emitting portion, and the reflectance of the coat film to feedback light of laser light emitted from the light emitting portion is 0.5% or less. |
| US07970034B2 |
Laser diode device
A laser diode device with which a low voltage is realized is provided. The laser diode device includes: a substrate; a semiconductor laminated structure including a first conductive cladding layer, an active layer, and a second conductive cladding layer on one face side of the substrate and having a contact layer as the uppermost layer, in which a protrusion is formed in the contact layer and the second conductive cladding layer; and an electrode provided on the contact layer. The contact layer has a concavo-convex structure on a face on the electrode side, and the electrode is contacted with the contact layer at contact points of a top face, a side face, and a bottom face of the concavo-convex structure. |
| US07970031B2 |
Q-switched laser with passive discharge assembly
Embodiments of the invention concern a passive discharge assembly comprising one or more substantially sharp electrode pins that are positioned proximate to a charged, insulating surface, such as the optical entrance and exit surface of a Q-switch crystal, e.g., lithium niobate (LiNbO3). The electrode pins are connected either to the ground or, alternatively, to a static source of neutralizing charge. The purpose of the electrodes is to ionize the air near the tips due to the high electric field generated by the surface charge. The air ions, in turn, neutralize the surface charge as they are attracted to the surface due to the electrical attraction. In the absence of a surface charge, no air ionization occurs. In one embodiment, the electrode pins are located near the Q-switch crystal surface, but outside the path of the laser beam propagating into and out of the Q-switch crystal. |
| US07970019B2 |
Low latency digital audio over packet switched networks
Method and Apparatus for delivering audio signals from a source node to a destination node on a network. The apparatus uses a number of switches that transmit prioritized data on a packet network. The switches are coupled to a number of send/receive nodes for sending and receiving digital audio signals on the data network. The audio packet size and the receive buffers are sized to store a minimum possible number of audio samples to minimize latency in processing audio signals arriving at said receive node, but still ensure audio delivery without interruption due to packet data network delay. An additional feature of the invention is recovery of clock synchronization over the same data network by novel arrangement of transmission of timing packets on the network. By sending a multiplicity of packets at irregular intervals a minimum network transit delay can be determined by each of the receive nodes which allows the receive nodes to filter out packet network transit delay error and maintain accurate local clocks. |
| US07970018B2 |
PCR jitter reduction in a VSB and/or EVSB multiplexer system
Program clock references in first and second MPEG data streams are re-stamped in accordance with delays introduced into the first and second MPEG data streams. Accordingly, the program clock references in the first MPEG data stream are re-stamped according to a variable delay in the first MPEG data stream, and the program clock references in the second MPEG data stream are re-stamped according to a variable delay in the second MPEG data stream. The re-stamped program clock references in the second MPEG data stream are corrected according to a fixed delay in the second MPEG data stream. The first and second MPEG data streams are multiplexed, and the multiplexed first and second MPEG data streams are transmitted and received. |
| US07970015B2 |
Method for transmitting a message by compressed data transmission between a sender and a receiver via a data network
A method for transmitting a message by compressed data transmission between a sender and a receiver using connectionless or connection oriented protocols. The sender gateway assures that the appropriate handling of the message data is made by knowing the transmission protocol(s) used. T The rules and structures of the protocol(s) must be known to be able to use a compression method ideally suited to the needs of the particular protocol. Both gateways analyze the data stream between sender and receiver, compress outgoing and decompressing incoming data. For connection oriented protocols, differently structured data structures are transmitted during a connection. To distinguish different data structures, the gateway providing for compression examines the data to be transmitted and, by knowing the definition of the protocol used and the state of the machine, it can control the compression to use a file-oriented compression on certain parts of the data stream. |
| US07970013B2 |
Systems and methods for wireless network content filtering
Systems and methods of determining the content of frames transmitted on a wireless network through comparison of captured frames to predetermined statistical patterns. |
| US07969997B1 |
Video communications in a peer-to-peer network
Packet-based delivery of video content is facilitated using a peer-to-peer network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a packet-based video stream is passed over a peer-to-peer network, with the packets in the stream scheduled and delivered in accordance with a priority assigned to the packets; this priority is based upon a determined or estimated effect that the packet will have upon video quality at a recipient peer. In some applications, the packets are temporally spaced to mitigate congestion and/or distortion of video associated with congestion in the delivery of the packets. |
| US07969992B2 |
Method and system for optimizing routing of data packets
A method and system for determining a route for a packet traveling over at least one system from a source to a destination is disclosed. A first geographic area corresponds to the source and a second geographic area corresponds to the destination. The destination further has an address which does not indicate the second geographic area. In this aspect, the method and system include associating an address for the destination with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet based on the second geographic area and selecting the route based on a second geographic area. In a second aspect, the method and system include providing a direct link having a controllable amount of traffic and selecting the direct link as at least a portion of the route when a data packet to the destination is to be routed. The method and system also facilitate selection of a route for a data packet. In this aspect, the method and system include obtaining information relating to an autonomous system. The autonomous system has a geographic area. The information includes the geographic area. In this aspect, the method and system also include associating the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the geographic area. |
| US07969991B2 |
Session announcement system and method
A cluster system and method. The cluster includes a first and a second interface and two or more nodes, wherein each node is connected to the first and second interfaces, wherein exactly one node includes a first redirector and wherein exactly one node includes a second redirector. The first and second redirectors include means for establishing and tracking sessions and means for forwarding packets to the chosen node. The chosen node receives a packet from the first redirector and uses the packet to send a Session Announcement to the second redirector. |
| US07969989B2 |
High performance ethernet networking utilizing existing fibre channel arbitrated loop HBA technology
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a device which may be used for communication through an Ethernet network. The device may comprise two modules. A first module may be based on an existing Fibre Channel arbitrated loop HBA technology. The second module may be configured to provide a virtual Fibre Channel arbitrated loop network for the first module utilizing the Ethernet network. In other words the second module may process communications generated by the first module as well as incoming communications from the Ethernet network in order to make it appear to the first module that it is communicating with an actual Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop network (whereas it is actually communicating through an Ethernet network). Thus, existing Fibre Channel technology can be used for the first module and the overall design cost of the device can be reduced. |
| US07969988B2 |
Method and independent communications subnet for determining label-switched routes a communications subnet of this type
A method and system are provided for determining label-switched routes between a source router and a target router of an independent communications subnet, over which information packets having a predetermined IP target address are to be transmitted. An independent communications subnet suitable for implementing the method as well as to routers used therein also is provided. In an embodiment, the label-distributing multi-protocol, hitherto only used in IP backbone networks, is coupled with an internal subnet route protocol that is used in independent communications subnets so as to be able to design a more efficient and faster routing of information packets over different route topologies in an independent communications. |
| US07969987B1 |
Internet service node incorporating a bandwidth measurement device and associated methods for evaluating data transfers
The present invention is directed to an intranet for providing on-demand Internet access to subscribers which includes a service node and a plurality of subscriber terminals coupled to the service node by corresponding xDSL lines. In turn, the service node includes a switch coupled to the xDSL lines, a gateway coupled to the Internet, a router which couples the switch to the gateway and a bandwidth measurement server coupled to the gateway. The bandwidth measurement server determines upload and/or download data transfer rates between the service node and requesting ones of said the subscriber terminals coupled thereto. |
| US07969985B1 |
Method and system for scheduling, transporting, and receiving inbound packets efficiently in networks with cyclic packet scheduling
An improved system, method, and computer-readable instructions for scheduling, transporting, and receiving inbound packets efficiently in networks with cyclic packet scheduling is provided. The method provides for scheduling upstream packet transmission slots for each node in the network so that the spacing between the packet transmission slots is reduced; for each node in the network, if there is a locally originated packet of the node to be transmitted upstream, selectively activating a forwarding buffer to receive and temporarily store a packet received from a neighboring downstream node during upstream transmission of a locally originated packet of the node; and upon completion of the upstream transmission of the locally originated packet, transmitting upstream the packet stored in the forwarding buffer. |
| US07969972B2 |
System for receiving packet stream
A system including input circuitry for receiving from one of a plurality of sources at least one packet stream including a plurality of packets for providing audio, video, private data and/or associated information; at least one output for outputting at least one packet of the at least one packet stream to circuitry arranged to provide an output stream; wherein the system is arranged to provide a tag indicative of the source, the tag being associated with the at least one packet. |
| US07969970B2 |
Switch device and communication network comprising such switch device as well as method for transmitting data within at least one virtual channel
In order to provide a switch device (100; 100′) connecting at least one first point (10, 12), in particular connecting at least one source device and/or at least another switch device, to at least one second point (20, 22, 24), in particular to at least one destination device and/or to at least another switch device, the switch device (100; 100′) comprising at least one virtual channel (30, 32), wherein it is possible to arbitrate and/or differentiate data, in particular data packets or data streams, being transmitted within the same virtual channel (30, 32), it is proposed that the switch device (100; 100′) comprises at least two ports (40, 42), in particular input ports, for receiving and/or at least two ports (50, 52), in particular output ports, for sending the data, in particular the data packet or data stream, the ports (40, 42, 50, 52) being respectively assigned to the virtual channel (30, 32). |
| US07969969B2 |
Signalling gateway
A signalling gateway for transmitting messages between a first network and a second network, where the first network comprises an SS7 network and the second network comprises an IP network, the second network comprising a plurality of application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to store SS7 characteristic information corresponding to the application servers, the signalling gateway being operable to receive a message via the first network, the message comprising destination information and origin information identifying a calling entity, read the destination information and identify an application server in accordance with the destination information, transmit the message to the application server, the message comprising the destination information and origin information, receive a response from the application server, the response comprising a destination identifier corresponding to the origin information and an origin identifier corresponding to the destination information, substitute the SS7 characteristic information in the response for the origin identifier, and forward the response via the first network to the calling entity. |
| US07969968B2 |
Lawful interception in wireline broadband networks
Systems and methods are provided for lawful interception of data transmissions through at least one broadband network. Data transmissions, including voice and data services as well as high bandwidth transmissions such as multimedia and video, are intercepted and routed to authorized agencies such as law enforcement monitoring facilities. The systems and methods also enable interception of data transmissions such as peer to peer type data transmissions that pass through broadband networks from source to recipient without passing through centralized core network elements. These transmissions are intercepted at access points distributed throughout the broadband networks and forwarded to lawful intercept node elements for transmission to authorized entities. |
| US07969967B2 |
Number portability for an IMS network
An apparatus and method for number portability for an IMS network. In one example the method may have the steps of: processing all calls with E.164 numbers in a BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function); executing digit analysis on a respective E.164 number in the BGCF; and querying, by the BGCF, a NPDB (portable number database) to retrieve a routing number if the respective E.164 number is ported. |
| US07969965B2 |
Architecture for signal and power distribution in wireless data network
An architecture is provided for coupling wireless local area network (WLAN) signals between an internetworking device and a remotely located access point using a transport network. The access point is coupled to the transport network for communicating with the internetworking device. The access point includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point and an access point remote converter. The WLAN access point receives wireless local area network signals from wireless computing equipment and converts such signals to local area network compatible signals. The access point remote converter receives the local area network compatible signals from the WLAN access point and converts the signals to transport modulated format signals suitable for transmission over the transport network. The transport network also provides a power signal to power at least some components of the access point. |
| US07969964B2 |
Cell search method, forward link frame transmission method, apparatus using the same and forward link frame structure
In a cellular system in which OFDM is used, a forward link synchronization channel, a common pilot channel structure, an initial cell searching method of a mobile station, and an adjacent cell searching method for handover are required.A method of transmitting a forward synchronization signal in a wireless communication system according to the present invention includes generating a frame comprised of a plurality of sync blocks; and transmitting the frame through a forward link, wherein the frame comprises primary synchronization channel sequences which provide timing information of the sync blocks and a plurality of secondary synchronization channel sequences which provide timing information of the frame, wherein a cell identifier is specified by a combination of the primary synchronization channel sequence and a hopping code word specified by the plurality of the secondary synchronization channel sequences. Therefore, the cell searching time can be efficiently reduced in an OFDM system. |
| US07969958B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and radio communication control method of radio communication system
According to one embodiment, a radio communication apparatus includes a first reservation slot securing unit, a second reservation slot securing unit and a radio communication unit. The first reservation slot securing unit secures a first reservation slot for performing radio communication through a first transmission output in a radio communicable slot to be shared in time division in a group by adjustment in periodically formed beacon slots. The second reservation slot securing unit secures a second reservation slot for performing radio communication through a second transmission output smaller than the first transmission output in the radio-communicable period, when the first reservation slot securing unit fails in securing the first reservation slot. And the radio communication unit performs radio communication through the first transmission output or the second transmission output by using at least either the first reservation slot or the second reservation slot. |
| US07969955B2 |
Method and device for multimedia multicast transmission over a wireless network
A system and a method for multimedia multicast transmission in a mobile wireless network are proposed, which can be applied in a multiple-antenna system as well as a single antenna system. The basic message and additional message are transmitted at the same time. Receivers with different capability also with different complexities are used to demodulate different message. In order to design low-complexity receiver, the signal can be demodulated noncoherently for multimedia transmission. |
| US07969954B2 |
Direct wireless client to client communication
A wireless station is connected to a wireless network through an access point and can establish a direct client-to-client connection to a second wireless station. The wireless station can communicate directly with the second wireless station without involving the access point. The wireless station communicates with the wired network and with other wireless stations through the access point. The second wireless station may have an infrastructure connection to the access point or may be independent. |
| US07969946B2 |
MAC and TCP coordination approach for performance improvement in IEEE 802.16E mobile broadband access systems
A mobile device includes a communications protocol stack including a MAC layer and TCP layer separated by an IP layer. A cross-layer coordination module parallel to the communications protocol stack is coupled to both the MAC layer and TCP layer. The MAC layer generates a message sent to the cross-layer coordination module indicating that the mobile device is about to engage in a communications handover from a first base station to a second base station. The cross-layer coordination module passes handover information to the TCP layer so as to inform the TCP layer of the communications handover. If the mobile device is operating as a TCP sender, the TCP layer freezes its connection and state during the communications handover. If the mobile device is operating as a TCP receiver, the TCP layer sends a TCP ACK message to a TCP sender having an advertised window size set to a zero value so as to cause the TCP sender to freeze a connection and state during communications handover. |
| US07969945B2 |
Systems and methods for mobility management on wireless networks
Systems and methods to manage network access (e.g., IPv4 and IPv6) and layer 3 mobility are provided. This can allow mobility management to be moved from a mobile node's stack to the access gateway, simplifying the stack and providing fast handoffs. The mobility management at an access gateway further allows a mobile node to keep its dynamically assigned IP address for the duration of a call session and through handoffs. The placement of access gateways in a domain of trust allows security information to be passed between access gateways in a handoff so that the security associations do not need to be re-authenticated with the mobile node. One or more of the above mobility management features can be used to provide a fast and seamless handoff for a mobile node. |
| US07969936B2 |
Radio terminal, module for such a unit and method for transmitting associated control channels
The invention relates to a method for improving the quality of control signalling based on signalling messages controlling speech or data transmission over an air interface between at least two radio terminals of a radio communications system, said speech or data being transmitted in at least one traffic channel of said radio communications system, and said signalling messages being transmitted in control channels associated with said at least one traffic channel. In order to allow for an improved performance of SACCH and FACCH, a first and a second signalling message with identical content are transmitted in two separate associated control channels. Alternatively, a signalling message included in a single ACCH is coded with a stronger coding. The invention relates equally to corresponding radio terminals and modules for such units. |
| US07969927B2 |
Apparatus and method for efficient resource allocation using cognitive radio communication in orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based moving networks
An apparatus and a method for efficient resource allocation using a cognitive radio communication in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)-based moving networks are provided. The method includes determining a minimum transmit power value of the MRS, which enables the internal terminal to have a receive Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) greater than a first threshold; determining a transmit power value of the MRS by taking into account the determined minimum transmit power value; determining a transmit power value of the MRS per cellular terminal, which is transmittable at maximum while exerting interference less than a second threshold on a corresponding cellular terminal; searching one or more cellular terminals having the maximum transmittable transmit power value determined per cellular terminal greater than the determined transmit power value; and borrowing and allocating a resource allocated to the searched cellular terminal to the internal terminal. |
| US07969922B2 |
Apparatus and methods for providing configurable task management of a wireless device
Methods, devices, computer readable media and apparatus are presented for providing configurable task management, such as data collection management, on a wireless device. Task management provides conditions and associated actions which may be dynamically configured and implemented in conjunction with any application executed on the wireless device. |
| US07969921B2 |
Method and system for data packet communication in wireless communication systems
The present invention provides a method and system for data packet communication in wireless communication systems. One embodiment involves determining if one or more data blocks pending transmission in a current transmission opportunity period over the channel will expire before the start of another transmission opportunity period, and if a data block will expire before the start of another transmission opportunity period, then extending the current transmission opportunity period by an extension period for transmitting the expiring data block during the extension period. One or more expiring packets are transmitted during the extension period on a best-effort basis. |
| US07969920B2 |
Communication roaming systems and methods
Embodiments of communication roaming systems and methods are disclosed. One method embodiment, among others, comprises sending a frame to a station based on an identifier of the station to prompt an immediate response frame, and determining whether the station is suitable for association based on information corresponding to receipt of the immediate response frame or based on non-receipt of the immediate response frame. |
| US07969916B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic bridge linking
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems and methods for implementing telecommunications. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide methods for interconnecting real-time communication links. Such methods include receiving the status of at least two communication links. The communication links may be established between endpoints and bridges in a network. One of the bridges associated with one of the communication links is selected to operate as a host bridge based at least in part on the status of the communication links. Then, after receiving the status from at least two of the communication links, the selected host bridge is automatically caused to initiate another communication link with at least another bridge associated with one of the aforementioned communication links. |
| US07969913B2 |
Localization apparatus for recognizing location of node in sensor network and method thereof
Provided are a localization apparatus for recognizing a location of a node in a sensor network and a method thereof. The method includes the steps of: a) selecting reference nodes from a plurality of anchor nodes to be used for triangulation; and b) obtaining location information of a target node by performing triangulation using the selected reference node, wherein in the step a), the reference nodes are selected by removing anchor nodes having obstacle factor from a plurality of the anchor nodes where the obstacle factor causes error in a distance measured by the target node. |
| US07969910B2 |
Access point planning mechanism
A method for inserting an access point unit into a wireless telecommunications network, comprising: performing a self installation process in the access point unit, wherein during said self installation process, the access point unit automatically detects physical and RF layer parameters of access points around it, and selects its own physical and RF layer parameters according thereto, and/or performing a self-interconnection process in the access point unit wherein the access point unit contacts at least one feeder; and said feeder determines whether or not to permit connection of said access point unit to it. |
| US07969909B2 |
System and method for seeking a wireless network for a wireless device
The invention relates to a system and method for initiating a command relating to one network that an electronic communication device may be in communication with, depending on triggering conditions relating to another network that the device may be in communication with. In the method, the device initiates a command relating to a network for a communication device only after satisfaction of a predetermined condition relating to another network. The network may be a 802.11a network; the another network may be a non-802.11a network; the predetermined condition may be detection of a connection to the non-802.11a network; and the command may be to initiate monitoring for a connection to the 802.11a network. |
| US07969901B2 |
Method and device for compensating for runtime fluctuations of data packets
In a buffer (10) to compensate for runtime fluctuations of data packets (1) transmitted over a transmission line (40), in order to be able to set optimally an additional retransmission delay by the buffer (10) it is proposed to calculate the probable hold time of a data packet (1) immediately after arrival of a data packet (1) in the buffer (10). The additional retransmission delay by the buffer (10) is set based on the probable hold time of the data packets (1) in the buffer (10). To guarantee optimum setting of the retransmission delay, both the maximum detected probable hold time and the minimum detected probable hold time of the data packets (1) are used. This is achieved preferably by means of a minimum value detector and a maximum value detector which detect extreme values of the probable hold time occurring at specific time intervals. |
| US07969900B2 |
Determination of network performance characteristics
Systems and methods for testing network performance and communicating network device information are disclosed. The preferred embodiments of the present invention enhance the standard ICMP echo or ping protocol, while still maintaining backward compatibility. Furthermore, the network performance testing can be based on different qualities of service or types of service. This allows the network testing to be useful in real-time applications such as voice and/or video. |
| US07969898B1 |
Technique for breaking loops in a communications network
A technique for breaking a loop caused by looping alternate paths associated with a prefix in a communications network. One or more non-looping alternate paths associated with the prefix that exclude a first node in the communications network are identified. One or more alternate paths from nodes in the loop that are associated with the prefix are identified. An identified path that intersects with an identified non-looping path is established as an alternate path associated with the prefix at a node in the loop. |
| US07969897B2 |
Relay device, computer readable medium storing test program and a method for testing relay device
A relay device for relaying transfer data to be transmitted between the devices has a plurality of testers. Each of the testers determines whether received transfer data is normal or not, and discards the transfer data that is determined abnormal. The relay device also has a counter that counts a number of transfer data discarded by each of the testers respectively, and a determiner that determines whether an operation of each tester is normal or not based on the number of discarded transfer data counted by the counter. |