| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07975445B2 |
Office partition system
A partition with a frame having two vertical end post members spanned by beam members with each end post member having an internally directed longitudinal slotway open towards the other end post member and within which the ends of the beam members are received and, preferably, with the end post members having a front to back width greater than the front to back width of the beam members such that vertical raceways are defined between the post members outward of the beam members and inward of removable cladding panels coupled to each front and back of the frame outward of the post members. Preferably, channelways through each post member, preferably at the upper and/or lower ends of each post member, provide for access to the vertical raceways via horizontal raceways extending between the posts above and below each beam. |
| US07975441B2 |
Portable air conditioner support arrangement
A portable air conditioner support arrangement for supporting a portable air conditioner in a window frame assembly. The support arrangement comprises an elongated flange-engaging rail having a first end and a second end, with a channel engaging tab arranged on the first end and the second end of the rail. Each of the tabs are arranged to mate with a channel on the sides of the window frame assembly. The rail has an elongated face to engage a flange on the upper front edge of the air conditioner and maintain the air conditioner free of support by a window sash of the window frame assembly. |
| US07975440B2 |
End cap for a corrugated hurricane shutter within an H-header
An end cap for an H-shaped header bar used to secure a corrugated hurricane shutter attachable to a window frame and having a generally inverted U-shaped pocket adapted in size to receive an upper margin of the hurricane shutter and the end cap at each end of the header bar. The header bar cooperates with a lower support channel also attached to the window frame to support and secure the hurricane shutter over the window. An end cap is positionable and attachable within an inner upright side of the pocket to engage with the upper corner of the hurricane shutter preventing substantial lateral expansion movement or corrugation deformation from being struck by flying objects during heavy hurricane wind. |
| US07975439B1 |
Bulk storage building
A storage building for the storage of corrosive materials. The storage building comprises a floor, a plurality of columns extending from the floor, a plurality of crossbeams with each beam connecting at least two of the columns, a plurality of substantially vertically oriented supports extending from the crossbeams, a plurality of rafters attached to the supports and at least one roof panel spanning between two of the rafters. |
| US07975438B2 |
Joining device for hybrid wind turbine towers
A joining device (8) for hybrid wind turbine towers (5) intended for the fixation of a metal portion (6) of a wind turbine tower (5) to a concrete portion (7) of said wind turbine (1) which comprises a metal body (9) having a generally tubular configuration that is suitable to be fixed to the metal portion (6) of the tower (5) which in use is adjacent to the concrete portion (7), and suitable for being at least partially embedded into said concrete portion (7), said metal body (9) being provided with a number of anchoring openings (11) adapted such that the material of the concrete portion (7) passes therethrough. A hybrid wind turbine tower (5) comprises such a joining device (8) provided between one metal portion (6) and one concrete portion (7). |
| US07975437B2 |
Playground roof support
A playground roof system having the capability of being attached to different diameter support members is provided. The frame of the roof structure is roto-molded such that two different sized openings are provided at each corner of the frame, each opening in the same area, such that the roof is interchangeable in different playground systems. The roof system further includes openings formed in the frame such that a fastener can be threaded therein fastening the frame and support members together. |
| US07975436B2 |
Utility trench cover and manufacturing method
A cover for a utility trench includes upper and lower surfaces enclosing a hollow cavity, which is subdivided by multiple, transverse channels recessed into an extending transversely across the lower surface. The channels form fused engagements or “kiss offs” with the upper surface, which increase the transverse rigidity of the cover for enhanced load-bearing capacity spanning across the opening formed by the trench. The hollow construction of the cover, which can comprise a suitable plastic, tends to minimize its weight A pair of flanges extend along respective sides of the cover and are bolted to the trench sidewall top edges in overlying relation. A pair of shoulders are formed inside the flanges and are adapted to extend into the trench with the cover positioned thereover. A method of manufacturing a utility trench cover includes rotary molding a hollow cover with kiss offs. |
| US07975434B2 |
Locking lift plate
A window regulator that resists backdrive forces directly at the lift plate and rail, rather than by the drive assembly. A locking shoe mounted within the lift plate and selectively frictionally engages the rail while the drive assembly is at rest. Thus, any backdrive forces are transmitted from the window glass to the lift plate, and then directly to the rail, avoiding the drive assembly. A release fork that is coupled to the drive cable automatically disengages the locking shoe when the drive assembly is activated, and engages the locking shoe when the drive assembly disengages. |
| US07975433B2 |
Door mount for a safe
A security door construction has a pair of door hinges fixed to the door, a pair of frame hinges fixed to the frame and a pair of intermediate hinges by combined links which allow the door hinge to swing outside the plane of the door opening when the door is opened through 180°. Slide motion of the door is imparted by a door handle and a reaction rod which acts against a link. |
| US07975432B2 |
Casement window assembly with windload and impact resistance
A casement window assembly includes a rectangular sash frame enclosing an insulated glass panel unit and supported for swinging movement by a surrounding main window support frame. At least one set of interfitting and interlocking members are positioned in opposing relation on adjacent vertical members of the sash frame and support frame and have hook portions positioned to pass each other when the sash frame is pivoted between a closed position and an open position. The hook portions are effective to engage and hook each other in response to a substantial positive or negative windload or such windload applied after an impact breaks the glass to limit deflection and prevent permanent deformation of the sash frame. The hook portions also produce a snubbing action for compressing a flexible seal between the sash frame and support frame. |
| US07975431B2 |
Multiple piece gated pressurized barrier
A barrier that is pressurized after being assembled from multiple pieces. The barrier include a first end frame, a second end frame, and a gate engaged between the end frames. The first and second end frames are engaged at their lower members such that the first end frame and second end frame are not integral and not one-piece with each other, and such that the first and second end frames still provide for a pressurized barrier, that is a barrier that is resiliently mounted between two locations so as to be self-supporting between two locations even if spaced from the floor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first end frame, second end frame, and gate have generally the same length so as to minimize the storage area needed to store the barrier prior to assembly. |
| US07975430B2 |
Expandable hydroponic growing system
An expandable hydroponic growing system comprising a multiple of upper bases, lower bases and bars connecting the bases in a fashion that the upper bases (and lower bases) can be conveniently pulled together or pushed farther apart. |
| US07975426B2 |
Fishing rod holder with automatic pull
A fishing rod holder with automatic pull that operates unattended and automatically pulls when a force of predetermined magnitude is applied to the line. The holder includes a housing where an assembly for removably holding a fishing rod is pivotally mounted and movable between two extreme positions. The housing includes a stopper member cooperatively mounted outwardly to coact with the locking mechanism. A spring assembly biases the holder assembly towards the rearmost extreme position and a locking assembly for releasably holding the rod holder keeps the latter at the foremost extreme position. A trigger sensing the tension of the fishing line is automatically actuated by exceeding a predetermined tension magnitude causing it to pivot and transmit a rotational movement to an elongated member. The other end of the elongated member includes a spring biased retractable chamfered pin. The pin has a slanted termination and a flat termination. The slanted termination cammingly coacts with the stopper on the outside of the housing to overcome the spring biasing the pin. An anchorage assembly mounted to the housing permits the mounting of the device to a fixed object. |
| US07975425B1 |
Nuisance carp control measures
Measures for controlling nuisance-carp populations include a harvest apparatus for harvesting not sub-surface fish but fish that leap out of the water proximate the harvest apparatus. Detectors detect when subsurface fish are within proximity of the effective range of the harvest apparatus and, when such are detected, a stimulus is applied which causes target fish like nuisance carp but not desirable fish to leap out of the water. When that happens, the harvest apparatus takes its toll on the leaping fish, harmlessly to the desirable fish which do not leap, and instead might flee from the stimulus by diving deeper. |
| US07975422B2 |
Waterfowl decoy motion system
A waterfowl decoy motion system comprised of a multiplicity of movable decoys, a first elastic drive belt, means for connecting said first elastic drive belt to said movable decoys, a a primary drive pulley, a secondary drive pulley, an electric motor connected to said secondary drive pulley, and a multiplicity of idler puller assemblies. |
| US07975421B2 |
Remote control decoy
A remote controlled decoy is provided. The remote control decoy operates using two propellers secured to a hull and remotely controlled by a radio frequency transmitter. A shell resembling a particular waterfowl is releasably coupled to a hull which serves as a watertight compartment for the receiver and the electronics associated with the propulsion of the decoy. The decoy may also be provided with strobe lights to draw attention to the decoy from passing waterfowl. |
| US07975420B2 |
Multi-clip magazine assembly for rifles
An apparatus for detachably joining together a plurality of individual ammunition magazines to form a multiple magazine assembly in which the individual magazines are alternately insertable into the firearm. The apparatus includes a connector block with outwardly-directed mounting faces having locating features that form a sliding engagement with recesses in the bases of the magazines. A coupling piece mounts to an end of the connector block and includes projecting tab portions that enter cooperating recesses in the forward sides of the magazine so as to hold the magazines in place on the mounting faces of the connector block. An adjuster screw can be loosened to withdraw the retaining tabs so that the individual magazines can be placed or removed from the mounting faces of the connector block, and then tightened to hold the magazines firmly against the connector block to complete the assembly. The connector block may be triangular with mounting faces for three magazines. The connector block may be triangular with mounting faces for three magazines. |
| US07975418B2 |
Firearm having nonmetallic components and an ambidextrous cylinder release lever
A polymeric revolver including a frame, a cylinder mounted in a rectangular aperture in the frame, a cylinder retaining mechanism and a cylinder releasing mechanism is provided. The cylinder retaining mechanism includes two assemblies: (1) an extractor, locking bolt and locking bolt retainer that house an extractor rod spring, and (2) a ratchet hub driver, hub drive center pin and central pin plate that house a ratchet drive spring. The two assemblies are biased toward one another forming a locking engagement of the extractor and the ratchet hub driver. The locking engagement is enhanced by a star-shaped configuration of grooves and ridges on the extractor and ratchet hub driver, respectively. The cylinder releasing mechanism includes a cylinder release lever that actuates the hub drive center pin and ratchet hub driver out of locking engagement with the extractor, and an ambidextrous thumb piece that facilitates access to the cylinder release lever. |
| US07975414B2 |
Label comprising a transponder and a system comprising a transponder
This relates to a label to be attached to a surface, the label comprising a transponder. The label comprises a non-adherent flap which contains the transponder. This also relates to a web comprising a backing web and labels, and to a system comprising a surface and a label. |
| US07975410B2 |
Adaptive excavation control system having adjustable swing stops
A control system for use with an excavation machine is disclosed. The control system may have a boom member, a linear actuator connected to pivot the boom member in a first direction, a rotary actuator connected to swing the boom member in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and an operator input device configured to generate a command signal indicative of a desired movement of the boom member. The control system may also have a tilt sensor configured to detect an inclination of the excavation machine, and a controller in communication with the rotary actuator, the operator input device, and the tilt sensor. The controller may be configured to receive a swing end stop for the boom member, to control the rotary actuator to move the boom member based on the command signal, and to modify the command signal to inhibit movement of the boom member past the swing end stop based on the detected inclination of the excavation machine. |
| US07975408B2 |
Snow plow and method of plowing snow
A snow plow includes a primary moldboard and auxiliary plow positioned behind the primary moldboard. The snow plow may be a one-way or reversible snow plow. In the later case, the primary moldboard and auxiliary plow are attached to a drive frame that is rotatable about a frame. The frame is secured to the front of a vehicle by a frame and bracket, and controlled by hydraulic mechanisms. The auxiliary plow is operated independently of the moldboard by a pair of hydraulic cylinders and includes tines or a resilient blade for clearing snow and ice that is not taken up by the primary moldboard. The device also includes a mechanism whereby the scraping edge of the secondary plow follows the same path as the scraping edge of moldboard by sliding movement of the secondary plow relative to the drive frame, and the blade of the auxiliary plow may be formed by tines or a resilient blade. |
| US07975406B2 |
Driving shoes
A shoe for driving a car according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a heel part 5 on a foot sole 4 and an inclined face 5B increasing gradually toward a rear side in a side view. This inclined face 5B comprises a first face part 5a which is formed outside in a width direction and is capable of coming in contact with a car floor when depressing an accelerator pedal and a second face part 5b unlike the face condition of the above-mentioned first face part, which is formed inside in a width direction and is capable of coming in contact with a car floor when depressing a brake pedal. |
| US07975405B1 |
Collapsible shoe and replaceable straps and methods for making and using
A shoe is described having a removeable heel, removeable platform, and in some embodiments one or more removeable straps. The shoes of the present invention provide for flexibility in design with the same sole by allowing for replacement of one type of heel with another and in some shoes replacement of the strap or straps by alternate styles or colors of straps. The replaceability or modularity of the heel and straps allows for compact storage as well, which is desirable during travel. The removeabitlity of the platform enables the shoe to adjust to different heights. Additionally, some embodiments have one or more hinges formed in the sole to allow the shoe to collapse to an even smaller size for storage or travel. |
| US07975403B2 |
Footwear with pivoting tongue
Footwear is provided having a tongue pivotally coupled to the footwear upper. The tongue may be constructed to pivotally move relative to the upper between a first position and a second position. At least one resilient member may be coupled to the tongue for urging the tongue in either the first position or the second position. The tongue may be a spring-loaded tongue such that when the tongue is positioned in an intermediate position between the first and second position, the tongue will spring towards either the first position or the second position. |
| US07975401B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a clothes dryer
A clothes dryer has a degree of dryness control system that is responsive to moisture level of clothing articles tumbling in a drum and a target moisture value to control the drying cycle of the clothes dryer. The clothes dryer has a load size parameter producing module and an air flow detection parameter module. These modules generate one of two parameter conditions used by the processor to modify or select an appropriate moisture target value. The load size producing parameter module generates one of a small load input parameter and a large load input parameter. The air flow detection module produces one of a first and second air flow parameter to be utilized by the degree of dryness processor. As a result, the processor selects one of four target moisture values from these conditions. |
| US07975398B2 |
Process and system for drying and heat treating materials
This invention discloses systems and methods for conversion of high moisture waste materials to dry or low moisture products for recycle or reuse. 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 and wherein the processing unit forms the dried material from the dryer vessel into granules, pellets or other desired form for the final product. Optionally, the systems and methods further provide for processing ventilation air from manufacturing facilities to reduce emissions therefrom. |
| US07975397B2 |
Multiple degree of freedom displacement transducer
A multiple degree of freedom displacement transducer and body thereof is used to measure linear displacements along and/or rotational or pivotal displacements about up to three orthogonal axes. In one embodiment, a displacement transducer body includes a first pivoting assembly and a second pivoting assembly. Each pivoting assembly has a support member pivotable relative to another portion about two orthogonal axes. A structure joins said another portion of each pivoting assembly together. In another embodiment, a displacement transducer includes a first support member, a second support member, and a cross flexure assembly joining the first support member to the second support member. The cross flexure assembly is arranged to allow the first support member to pivot relative to the second support member about two intersecting orthogonal axes. An angular sensing device is arranged to provide an output signal related to angular movement of the first support member relative to the second support member about at least one of the orthogonal axes. |
| US07975396B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cutting baked goods
A template for use in cutting a good contained in a pan enables the baked good to be cut into a plurality of substantially equi-sized pieces. The template includes a substantially planar body including a plurality of first slots and a plurality of second slots. The plurality of first slots are substantially parallel and are spaced approximately equi-distantly across the body. The plurality of second slots are substantially parallel and are oriented obliquely with respect to the plurality of first slots. |
| US07975395B2 |
Hand-held level and plumb tool
A hand-held level and plumb tool that includes a homogeneous, L-shaped body, a first level indicating device, and a second level indicating device. The L-shaped body has first and second legs arranged at a 90° angle. The first leg defines an interior side, an exterior side, a central panel extending between the sides, and a length in extension of the first leg from the second leg to a free end. A slot is formed through a thickness of the central panel and extends along at least a majority of the length. The first level indicating device is assembled to the central panel of the first leg at a location spaced from the slot. The second level indicating device is assembled to the second leg. One or both of the legs can include measurement-related indicia selected in accordance with staircase construction standard dimensions. |
| US07975394B2 |
Tilt sensor
The invention is directed to a tilt sensor comprising at least one body movable along a predefined path and an optoelectronic unit for determining the position of said body, said tilt sensor being surface-mountable. The invention is further directed to a tilt sensor assembly. |
| US07975392B1 |
Downhole tool
Tools and methods for subsurface operations. Circuit arrangements providing a damping effect against undesired vibration effects on inertial data signals derived from inertial sensors disposed in a downhole tool. |
| US07975391B1 |
Archery sight leveling device
An archery sight leveling device for assessing the third axis of an archery sight of a bow system is provided. The bow system has at least one vertical reference. The archery sight leveling device comprises a main body with at least one rod receiving aperture formed through the main body. A sighting rod is receivable in the at least one rod receiving aperture with the sighting rod having a first end and a second end. A securing mechanism releasably secures the sighting rod in the at least one rod receiving aperture. A mounting mechanism mounts the main body to the bow system with the sighting rod being parallel to the bow string and the first end and the second end of the sighting rod extending beyond opposite sides of the archery sight. The first end and second end of the sighting rod are alignable to an external vertical frame of reference such that during full draw at an up or downward angle, the third axis of the archery sight aperture level is assessable thereby allowing offsetting of the bow system's dynamics at full draw versus the bow system at rest or static position. |
| US07975385B2 |
Hair-cutting apparatus comprising means for preventing cut hair from flying off
A hair-cutting apparatus (1) includes a cutting arrangement (9) for cutting hair. There is provided an arrangement that prevents cut hair from flying off the hair-cutting apparatus and that includes a boundary wall (22). The boundary wall (22) extends close to the cutting arrangement (9) and includes a stationary portion (34) and a movable portion (35), the movable portion (35) being intended and arranged to cooperate with hair to be cut. |
| US07975381B2 |
Valve operating camshaft system for internal combustion engine
A camshaft system includes a number of cam lobes locked upon a cylindrical shaft. Bearings configured with one-piece bores and are engaged with the cylindrical shaft. The bearings are captured upon the shaft by the locked-on cam lobes. |
| US07975377B2 |
Wafer scale heat slug system
A wafer scale heat slug system is presented providing dicing an integrated circuit from a semiconductor wafer, forming a heat slug blank equivalent in size to the semiconductor wafer, dicing the heat slug blank to produce a heat slug equivalent in size to the integrated circuit, attaching the integrated circuit to a substrate, attaching the heat slug to the integrated circuit and encapsulating the integrated circuit. |
| US07975374B2 |
Press for assembling railing systems
The press is used for assembling a section of a railing system. It comprises at least one set of tab-bending punch heads designed to bend end tabs provided on pickets. The tabs are inserted through a corresponding opening made in a rail of the section of the railing system before activating the press. Using this press, a plurality of pickets can be simultaneously connected to the rails. |
| US07975373B2 |
Device for molding of plugs as a part of a pipe connection
A device and method for the molding of plugs as part of a pipe connection wherein the pipe connection is constructed as a sealing plug-in connection with a connecting piece and a plug that can be locked with the connecting piece. A molding slot is placed in the material of the plug with an expanding tool acting in a radial direction and a sensor subject to the radial deformation is arranged in the expanding jaw. The sensor records the radial deformation work of the expanding jaw and regulates the expanding drive. |
| US07975368B2 |
Wireless receiver structure
A structure of wireless receiver includes a metallic casing, a positioning base, a receiving module, and a housing. The metallic casing has a circumferential wall defining an accommodating space therein, and two opposite ends thereof formed with an insertion hole and a through hole in communication with the accommodating space. The positioning base has a mounting trough, and is disposed in the accommodating space of the metallic casing. The positioning base has two side ends being fixed to the circumferential wall. The mounting trough is in communication with the accommodating space and the through hole. The receiving module is disposed in the mounting trough of the positioning base via the through hole of the metallic casing. The housing is assembled to the through hole of the metallic casing, and the through hole is sealed by the housing to block the receiving module. |
| US07975361B2 |
After-treatment method and facility for a coarse aluminum casting
A robot holds an untreated coarse aluminum casting that is located at a predetermined carrying-in corner with the holding means and carries it to the first machining unit. At the first unit it holds a treated casting treated by the first unit with the holding device as well as transferring the untreated casting from the holding device to the first unit. Then it carries the treated casting that has been treated by the first unit to a second machining unit. At the second unit it holds a second treated casting that has been treated by the second unit with the holding device as well as transferring the treated casting treated by the first unit from the holding device to the second unit. Then it carries the second treated casting treated by the second unit to a predetermined carrying-out corner. |
| US07975356B2 |
Machine for the processing of optical work pieces, specifically of plastic spectacle lenses
A machine for processing optical work pieces having a work piece spindle for the work piece driving rotationally about a work piece rotation axis. At least one processing unit has a tool that can machine the work piece and an adjusting mechanism causes a relative movement between the work piece spindle and tool to selectively enable loading, unloading and processing of the work piece. The adjusting mechanism has a linear drive unit and a swivel drive unit that are stacked on each other to rotate the swivel drive unit and the work piece spindle about a swivel axis that is perpendicular to the work piece rotation axis, and has the linear drive unit move the work piece spindle along a linear axis that can be perpendicular to one of the swivel axis and the work piece rotation axis and parallel to or aligned with the other axis. |
| US07975354B2 |
Bladed disk assembly method and impact device
A bladed disk assembly device includes a horizontal arm and a fixed vertical pivot bar that is perpendicularly attached to a first end of the horizontal rotating arm via a sliding coupling mechanism. A vibratory impact device is attached to a second end of the horizontal rotating arm and generates a vibrating motion via a power source. An impact shoe is attached to the vibratory impact device and drives a blade into a disk slot. |
| US07975353B2 |
Device and method for needling a nonwoven web
A device for needling a nonwoven web includes several needle looms arranged in series, each with at least one needle bar, a pair of infeed rollers, and a pair of outfeed rollers. The needle looms can move along a guide in the transport direction of the nonwoven web and can be locked in place at any desired distance from each other. |
| US07975352B2 |
Access door lever
The Access Door Lever is a device which provides an easier way to open a door with a traditional doorknob. In one embodiment, the invention will fit over a traditional doorknob, snap in place with finger-like extensions, which will grip the doorknob. The extension is coated with a material which will provide a secure grip between the doorknob and extension. The design and location of the extension(s) allow for a snug fit with the doorknob. A handle which is connected to the extension(s) allow the invention to function as a lever on the doorknob. |
| US07975349B2 |
Pivoting, translating and latching hinge
The invention is a hinge for a vehicle door that is movable between a closed and a fully open position relative to a vehicle body. The hinge includes a mounting bracket, operable to be secured to the vehicle body. At least one link is pivotally mounted along a fixed axis to the mounting bracket at a first end and operable to pivot a second end of the at least one link between a first and second position. A door bracket is operable to be secured to the vehicle door, and pivotally mounted along a movable axis to the second end of the at least one link. The vehicle door is constrained by the vehicle body from pivoting around the movable axis when the second end of the at least one link is in the first position, and is operable to pivot around the movable axis when the at least one link is in the second position. A latch is provided on the hinge, obviating the need for a separate door latch. |
| US07975345B2 |
Interdental brush
Interdental brush with an elongate brush body (12) which comprises an elastically compressible coupling member (19) for snapping-in in a receiving opening (18) of a brush handle (13); wherein the coupling member (19) comprises at least two expanding arms (27, 28) which are elastically movable towards each other; the coupling member (19), on its outer side, comprises a snap-in depression (26) in the region of the expanding arms (27, 28) for a positive-locking fit in the receiving opening (18) of the brush handle (13), the depression being delimited by shoulders (29) extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the brush body. |
| US07975340B2 |
Automatic swimming pool cleaner discs and associated components
Separate covers for protruding portions of discs of automatic swimming pool cleaners are addressed. The covers may be placed onto protrusions, such as fins, and removed from the fins as needed. Version of the covers are made of material more rigid and having lower coefficient of friction than the fins to discourage lateral bending of the fins and decrease frictional contact of the fins with pool surfaces. |
| US07975336B1 |
Pillow for sleeping on ones back or upright
A pillow is provided that includes a center section; a first bolster; and a second bolster. The first bolster is attached to the center section on a first lateral side and the second bolster is attached to the center section on a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, and at least one of the first and the second bolsters has a first cross sectional area at a bottom of the bolster and a second cross sectional area at a top of the bolster greater than the first cross sectional area. |
| US07975335B2 |
Pulmonary mattress
A patient-support apparatus includes a mattress assembly supported on a frame, the mattress assembly including a coverlet configured to provide low-airloss therapy to a patient supported on the patient-support apparatus. The patient-support apparatus is articulable to a number of positions and includes a control network which is responsive to movement of portions of the frame to alter operational parameters of the frame and mattress assembly. |
| US07975334B1 |
Bedding system
Implementations for a bedding system are generally disclosed. |
| US07975332B2 |
Bed with articulated barrier elements
A bed includes an articulating deck affixed to a frame. The bed has at least a head end section and a foot end section. The head end section is pivotable relative to the frame. The bed also includes a head end barrier element 5′ laterally alongside the head end section and co-pivotable therewith. The bed also includes an auxiliary barrier element 5 longitudinally adjacent the head end barrier element. The auxiliary barrier element is nonrotational relative to the frame during movement of one or more of the head end and foot end sections. |
| US07975328B2 |
Upward discharge waste device for a shower tray
An upward discharge waste device for a shower tray, comprises a hollow housing having a waste water inlet, a waste water outlet and a flow-channel for waste water between the waste water inlet and the waste water outlet; and a mounting element for mounting the waste device over a waste outlet of the shower tray. The flow-channel has a non-uniform transverse cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal extent from the waste water inlet and towards the waste water outlet, but has a uniform or substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional area along the longitudinal extent. A shower tray having the waste device is also provided. |
| US07975326B1 |
Disposable liners for a child's potty chair
A disposable liner for a child's potty chair includes a generally flexible sheet material, a pouch portion formed near the center of the sheet material to extend downwardly into the opening of the potty chair, an absorbent material disposed in the pouch, a plurality of outwardly extending portions extending laterally from the sheet material, and an adhesive material disposed on an underside surface of the outwardly extending portions to adhere the disposable liner to the seat portion of the potty chair. A pull string may be disposed around the pouch, such that the pull string may be pulled after the disposable liner is used to close the pouch portion. |
| US07979912B1 |
Method and system for verifying network credentials
The present invention provides a method and system for verifying network credentials. To accomplish the invention, a network intermediary, located in a communication path between a client device and a content server, receives from the client device a request for content directed to the content server, wherein the request includes a device identifier and a password. The network intermediary responsively looks up a user identifier associated with the device identifier, modifies the request to include the user identifier, and then sends the modified request along to the content server. The content server receives the request and determines whether a combination of the device identifier and the user identifier exists within a dataset of known combinations. If it exists, the content server may validate the request by reference to the password. If not, the content server adds the combination to the dataset and requests a new password from the user. |
| US07979911B2 |
First computer process and second computer process proxy-executing code from third computer process on behalf of first process
A first computer process has code including at least one triggering device, and a digital license corresponding to the first process sets forth terms and conditions for operating same. A second computer process proxy-executes code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process on behalf of same. The second process includes a license evaluator for evaluating the license to determining that the first process is to be operated in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in such license. A third computer process includes the code corresponding to each triggering device of the first process and an address of the triggering device in the first process. Thus, the first process is dependent on and cannot be operated without the second process and the third process. |
| US07979910B2 |
Data reproducing apparatus and transmitter authenticating data reproducing apparatus
A data reproducing apparatus includes a receiver receiving the content and outputting the received content to an image display apparatus prepared in advance, and a transmitter transmitting the content to the receiver when authentication of the receiver is successful. Before transmitting the content, the transmitter transmits a request to start authentication to the receiver and executes an authentication process after a predetermined time. When the receiver cannot be authenticated, the transmission of the request to start authentication and the execution of the authentication process are repeated. Here, the predetermined time is variably set according to the number of times the request to start authentication is transmitted and the authentication is executed. |
| US07979905B2 |
Storage system, virus infection spreading prevention method, and virus removal support method
In order to provide a storage system, virus infection spreading prevention method, and virus removal support method capable of performing an operation to prevent spreading of a virus infection and an operation to remove a virus straightforward, at an operation host, a virus check is executed for volumes, infection state information is sent to a management host according to detection results when a virus infection is detected, and at a management host, predetermined processing is executed in order to put the state of the path with the volume infected with a virus offline based on the infected state information. Further, at the operation host, a virus check is executed for the volumes, and when a virus infection is detected, infection state information is sent to the management host according to the results of the detection. At the management host, the range of influence of the virus infection is specified, the state after removal of the virus from the necessary volumes existing within the range of influence is predicted, and results of the prediction are displayed on a screen. |
| US07979903B2 |
System and method for source IP anti-spoofing security
A system and method that provides for using source IP addresses and MAC addresses in a network to provide security against attempts by users of the network to use false source IP addresses in data packets. The system and method provide for analyzing MAC addresses and source IP addresses at the datalink (layer 2) level, and to use the information derived from such analysis to block access through a port where a host device is using a false, or spoofed, source IP address in transmitted data packets. |
| US07979895B2 |
System and method for partitioning a multi-level security namespace
The invention provides a system and method for “partitioning” a “namespace” managed by a name (or “directory”) registration server according to “security label” or other security attributes to allow the same registered (e.g., “domain”) name to be used for processing resource(s)/service(s)/application(s) operating under different security labels. |
| US07979894B2 |
Electronic verification service systems and methods
Systems and methods for authenticating an applicant. In one implementation, the applicant indicates to an acquirer an existing account for which the applicant wishes to be authenticated. The acquirer sends a message over an electronic funds transfer (EFT) network to an issuer of the account requesting a set of questions to ask the applicant. The issuer replies with a set of questions. The acquirer asks the applicant the questions, and forwards the applicant's answers to the issuer. The issuer compares the answers with known information relating to the account and decides, based on the comparison, whether the applicant is authenticated. The issuer then communicates its decision to the acquirer. Preferably, the messages and their associated replies are added to the set of messages handled by the EFT network, so that authentication may be handled in a standardized way without proliferating applicants' secret information. |
| US07979893B2 |
Tailored system management interface
Processes and techniques for tailoring operations management in a system are described. The processes and techniques allow a user to customize operations management based on the user's function within a system and the particular tasks that the user wishes to accomplish. Simplified user interfaces can be created by scoping the interfaces based on user profiles, preferences and system components. |
| US07979890B2 |
System and method for handling per subscriber application and bearer authorization in a communications environment
An architecture for handling per subscriber application and bearer authorization in a network environment is provided that includes an application element operable to indicate that signaling responses have been authorized at a per-subscriber application level, whereby an end user has previously established an IP session and requested an application service. |
| US07979889B2 |
Methods and apparatus providing security to computer systems and networks
A system provides security to a computerized device by detecting a sequence of related processing operations within the computerized device and recording the sequence of related processing operations in a security history. The system identifies a security violation when a processing operation performed in the computerized device produces an undesired processing outcome that violates a security policy and subsequently detecting attempted performance of at least one processing operation that attempts to produce the undesired processing outcome that violates the security policy and in response, denies operation of the processing operation(s) within the computerized device to avoid violation of the security policy. |
| US07979874B2 |
Mounting device for disk in spindle motor
A spindle motor and a mounting device for mounting a disk in a spindle motor are provided. The mounting device allows for a reduced number of parts, a reduction in product cost, a disk to be smoothly slid and securely mounted to a turntable, and prevents deforming of a disk during mounting. A center guide member is formed of a plastic material, into which the rotating shaft is inserted at an upper end of the turntable, so that it is capable of rising and descending thereon. The center guide member supports the disk. A back yoke is fixed at an upper side of the center guide member on the rotating shaft, to prevent disengaging of the center guide member from the rotating shaft. An outer portion of the center guide member gradually widens toward a lower end thereof, so that the disk can be inserted more securely. |
| US07979863B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic CPU resource management
Methods and apparatuses for dynamic CPU resource management are provided. CPU related information is collected for one or more virtual machines. CPU shares and affinity of a virtual machine are dynamically changed, as needed, based on the CPU usage information for the virtual machine and based on a specified priority of the virtual machine. |
| US07979862B2 |
System and method for replacing an inoperable master workload management process
In one embodiment, a method comprises executing respective workload management processes within a plurality of computing compartments to allocate at least processor resources to applications executed within the plurality of computing compartments, selecting a master workload management process to reallocate processor resources between the plurality of computing compartments in response to requests from the workload management processes to receive additional resources, monitoring operations of the master workload management process by the other workload management processes, detecting, by the other workload management processes, when the master workload management process becomes inoperable, and selecting a replacement master workload management process by the other workload management processes in response to the detecting. |
| US07979861B2 |
Multi-processor system and program for causing computer to execute controlling method of multi-processor system
A multi-processor system with a plurality of unit processors includes: a request accepting section for accepting a first request and a second request, wherein the first request is a request to execute a program that can be executed in any of said unit processors and the second request is a request to execute a program that can be executed only in a specified unit processor among said unit processors; and a unit processor allocating section for allocating the first request and the second request accepted by said request accepting section to said unit processors according to priority of the first request and the second request. |
| US07979850B2 |
Method and system for generating a common trace data format
A method for generating a common trace data format is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating trace data at a provider, identifying a format of the trace data, comparing the format of the trace data with a common format to determine if the format is in compliance with the common format, and modifying the format to comply with the common format, if the format is not in compliance with the common format. |
| US07979849B2 |
Automatic model-based testing
Automatic model-based testing is disclosed, including receiving a set of objects associated with a computer program application under test; automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects; linking the state objects with the transition objects to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application; associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects; creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects. |
| US07979845B2 |
Test effort optimization for UI intensive workflows
A system and method provide for determining optimal input combinations useable in testing program code that includes user interface intensive workflows. Various embodiments provides for determining an input set corresponding to the target program code, determining mutually exclusive feature groups corresponding to the input set and determining a set of optimal input combinations corresponding to the feature groups. A more specific embodiment provides for determining the set of optimal input combinations in accordance with a linked or unlinked gear approach. |
| US07979844B2 |
TICC-paradigm to build formally verified parallel software for multi-core chips
This invention teaches a way of implementing formally verified massively parallel programs, which run efficiently in distributed and shared-memory multi-core chips. It allows programs to be developed from an initial abstract statement of interactions among parallel software components, called cells, and progressively refine them to their final implementation. At each stage of refinement a formal description of patterns of events in computations is derived automatically from implementations. This formal description is used for two purposes: One is to prove correctness, timings, progress, mutual exclusion, and freedom from deadlocks/livelocks, etc. The second is to automatically incorporate into each application a Self-Monitoring System (SMS) that constantly monitors the application in parallel, with no interference with its timings, to identify and report errors in performance, pending errors, and patterns of critical behavior. This invention also teaches a way of organizing shared-memory for multi-processors that minimizes memory interference, protects data and increases execution efficiency. |
| US07979842B2 |
Extensibility application programming interface and framework for meta-model objects
The present invention relates to a system and methodology providing an Application Programming Interface (API) and framework that supports a meta-object model for application design and operating system interactions. The API includes an input component that receives data and/or instructions. The input component processes a meta-data model that interrelates data via a class hierarchy, wherein the class hierarchy includes relationship descriptions between class objects, attributes, rules, and/or behavioral descriptions. Another aspect includes a data management system that includes a component to receive an item having meta-data annotations. An analysis component determines at runtime a structure for the item via deployment of the meta-data annotations. The system can also include a framework component that defines meta-data class derivations, meta-data classes, meta-data integrity rules, and/or meta-data class behavior. |
| US07979841B2 |
Programmatically determining calling information of a graphical program
A system and method for programmatically determining interface information for a graphical program. Interface information for a graphical program may include information necessary to invoke execution of the graphical program. A first program may receive a request for information regarding an interface of a graphical program. In response to the request, the first program may programmatically determine the information regarding the interface of the graphical program. The interface information may include such information as parameters of the graphical program, their respective data types, whether each parameter is an input parameter, an output parameter, or both, and default values for input parameters. The programmatically determined information regarding the interface of the graphical program may then be returned to a second program. The second program may invoke execution of the graphical program according to the received information. |
| US07979839B2 |
Method for employing the computer in the creative act of programming
A method is described which permits a computer programmer to write a program with the assistance of the computer itself. The computer will provide instant feedback, following the procedures herein described, to the result of performing each instruction. Therefore, the programmer may instantaneously observe the working of the program as the computer will perform it. Thus any difference in the result produced by the computer from what the programmer expects to happen may be recognized and, if appropriate, corrected. In a higher order implementation of this method the computer will display icons to link the in-process programming to a working routine resident on a remote computer. Thus, the tools and benefits of so-called Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) can be made available to the programmer. Employing the method of this invention, the computer becomes an integral part of the creative process of writing a program. |
| US07979836B2 |
Split-gate DRAM with MuGFET, design structure, and method of manufacture
A semiconductor structure for a dynamic random access memory cell, the structure including: a fin of a fin-type field effect transistor (FinFET) device formed over and spaced apart from a conductive region of a substrate; a storage capacitor connected to a first end of the fin; and a back-gate at a first lateral side of the fin and in electrical contact with the conductive region. |
| US07979833B2 |
Debugging simulation of a circuit core using pattern recorder, player and checker
Debugging a simulation of a circuit core uses a pattern recorder, a pattern player and a pattern checker to record input stimuli provided to a first core, record output generated by the first core due to the input stimuli, provide the recorded input stimuli to a second core, and determine whether output generated by the second core due to the recorded input stimuli matches the recorded output generated by the first core due to the input stimuli. |
| US07979831B1 |
Placement driven control set resynthesis
Circuit placement for increasing circuit packing density for an integrated circuit is described. A design is synthesized and mapped. Components of the design are placed to provide a first placed design. A congestion density map is generated for the first placed design. A congestion region in the congestion density map is identified and targeted for determining if the first placed design has a control set conflict. A first circuit object associated with the control set conflict is selected and either re-placed or re-synthesized to at least diminish the control set conflict. |
| US07979825B2 |
Method and system for the calculation of the sensitivities of an electrical parameter of an integrated circuit
A method and system for determining electrical parameter data for a layer of an integrated circuit that can include a nominal electrical parameter value, and sensitivity values which represent the sensitivities of the nominal electrical parameter value to variations in the nominal parameter values. A template of the layer geometry is provided from a portion of which a set of linear equations are developed and which equations are solved using a two step method and from which solution the nominal electrical parameter values are determined. An auxiliary set of the original linear equations is developed from the original set using the adjoint method and from the solution of the auxiliary set using the two step method the sensitivity values are calculated. |
| US07979823B2 |
Identification of voltage reference errors in PCB designs
Disclosed is a computer implemented method for determining a voltage reference error in a PCB design comprising receiving information about said PCB design, identifying a signal associated with said design, receiving one or more user defined voltage references for said signal, and comparing the user defined voltage reference to the voltages of the power planes adjacent to said signal. |
| US07979816B1 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a circuit design for an integrated circuit
Method and apparatus for implementing a circuit design for an integrated circuit is described. In one example, a first version of the circuit design is processed (408) with at least one design tool. Statistical data is captured (410) for the at least one design tool and operational attributes thereof are automatically adjusted (420) in response to the statistical data. A second version of the circuit design is processed (422) with the at least one design tool having the adjusted operational attributes. In another example, the circuit design is processed (506) with at least one design tool in a first iteration. Statistical data is captured (508) for the at least one design tool and operational attributes thereof are automatically adjusted (514) for a second iteration in response to the statistical data of the first iteration. The circuit design is re-processed (516) with the at least one design tool having the adjusted operational attributes in the second iteration. |
| US07979815B2 |
Compact model methodology for PC landing pad lithographic rounding impact on device performance
A method and computer program product for modeling a semiconductor transistor device structure having an active device area, a gate structure, and including a conductive line feature connected to the gate structure and disposed above the active device area, the conductive line feature including a conductive landing pad feature disposed near an edge of the active device area in a circuit to be modeled. The method includes determining a distance between an edge defined by the landing pad feature to an edge of the active device area, and, from modeling a lithographic rounding effect of the landing pad feature, determining changes in width of the active device area as a function of the distance between an edge defined by the landing pad feature to an edge of the active device area. From these data, an effective change in active device area width (deltaW adder) is related to the determined distance. |
| US07979810B2 |
Method and mobile terminal for selecting a menu
A method and mobile terminal for selecting a menu are disclosed. The present invention includes arranging at least two of a plurality of displayed menus in a preset manner and executing menus corresponding to a selected terminal input key. By arranging a plurality of activated menu icons in a plurality of directions, selection of a specific icon from a plurality of displayed menu icons by selecting one of the plurality of the directions using navigations keys is facilitated and the speed of selecting a terminal menu is considerably enhanced. |
| US07979809B2 |
Gestured movement of object to display edge
The use of gestures to organize displayed objects on an interactive display. The gesture is used to move the displayed object to the edge of the interactive display so that the displayed object is only partially displayed after being moved. The size of the displayed object may be reduced and/or the displayed object may be rotated such that an identified portion of the displayed object remains in the display after moving. A gesture may also be used to move multiple displayed objects to the edge of the display. |
| US07979806B2 |
Un-intrusive display areas
A method and user interface permits the display of objects in a portion of a display. The objects may initial be a first size, then shrink to a smaller size after a period of time. The objects may stack on top of each other. In addition, the objects may disappear all together after a further amount of time. |
| US07979800B2 |
Contents information display device
Desired contents information can be easily extracted in a contents information display device. The contents information display device includes: an information receiving part that receives contents information; a recording part that records received contents information; a display part that displays the contents information; an input part that inputs an operation signal; and a control part that totally controls these parts. The control part performs control to display the contents information around a selected time on the display part in a way that it can be selected as contents images arranged in a time sequence at a predetermined time interval. |
| US07979795B2 |
System and method for inputting syllables of a phonetic script into a computer
A practical and natural way of inputting syllables of scripts into a computer. In one example embodiment, This is achieved by selecting a base character from a set of characters using a digitizing tablet [1216]. The selected base character is then modified by drawing one or more natural handwritten modifying gestures to form a current desired syllable. An associated data of the formed current desired syllable is then inputted into a gesture-keypad-engine [1230] via the digitizing tablet [1216] upon completion of the drawing of the one or more natural handwritten modifying gestures. The gesture-keypad-engine [1230] then produces a current candidate syllable as a function of the inputted associated data of the formed current desired syllable. The produced current candidate syllable is then displayed on a display device [540]. |
| US07979794B2 |
Method and system for dynamic creation of mixed language hypertext markup language content through machine translation
A mixed translation of content is created in one document based on a new use of the lang’ attribute on standard HTML tags. The HTML 4.0 specification defines the ‘lang’ attribute as being used for an element's attribute value and content. Browsers use this information to assist in proper rendering of content associated with treatment of ligatures, hyphenations and quotations. Search engines and other applications may use this field for spell checking or creating indices. The implication of this common usage is that the content is in the language indicated by the ‘lang’ attribute and language specific rules for its rendering apply. |
| US07979789B2 |
System and method of replacing a delegate component associated with a delegate modular software component at software execution time
A method of replacing a delegate component associated with a delegate modular software component (“associate delegate component”) at software execution time, the method comprising obtaining a delegate modular software component identifier; selecting one of a plurality of candidate modular software components having a higher priority level than other of the plurality of candidate modular software components, wherein the one of the plurality of candidate modular software components has the same identifier as the delegate modular software component identifier; and replacing the associate delegate component with the one of the plurality of candidate modular software components during the execution of software including the delegate modular software component. |
| US07979782B2 |
Low complexity blind transport format detection
Provided is a method, apparatus and computer program product for detecting a transport format of a multiplexed transport channel used for transferring binary data. A path metric value is determined, which estimates likelihood for a hypothetical trellis path to end at a predetermined state, for every state of a trellis stage of a possible end bit position of a data block of the transport channel. Then, for each possible end bit position a number of path metric values which indicate higher likelihood for the hypothetical trellis path to end at said predetermined state than an initial state is calculated, and the best end bit positions which lead to highest values of the calculated number are selected and error checking is performed for the selected best end bit positions to detect the transport format. The proposed selection of best end bit positions leads to a reduced number of decoding operations. |
| US07979780B2 |
Error correction encoding apparatus and error correction encoding method used therein
An error correction encoding apparatus wherein the apparatus structure is simple; an iterative decoding is used to achieve a decoding with a close-to-optimum precision; and a simple mathematical expression is used to perform an evaluation of the characteristic of an error floor area without using any computer experiments. In a polynomial multiplying block 1, (n−1)-th-order polynomial multiplying units (12-1 to 12-(m−1)) further divide an information bit string, which has been blocked for an error correction encoding, into (m−1) blocks having a length n and a single block having a length (n−r) (where m and n represent integers equal to or greater than two and where r represents an integer between 1 and n inclusive); receive blocks, which have the length n, of divided information bit strings; and output a series having the same length. An r-th-order polynomial dividing unit 2 receives an addition of the outputs from the respective (n−1)-th-order polynomial multiplying units (12-1 to 12-(m−1)) and also receives a block having the length (n−r), and outputs a redundant bit series having a length r. |
| US07979777B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for decoding
A decoder is configured to include an acquisition-unit configured to acquire first respective likelihoods of data-bits and second respective likelihoods of parity-bits. The data-bits and the parity-bits are included in code data obtained by LDPC-encoding the data-bits with a low density parity check matrix. The decoder also includes a detecting-unit configured to detect reliabilities of the first respective likelihoods and the second respective likelihoods. The decoder also includes a forming-unit configured to form an update schedule representing an order of updating the first and second respective likelihoods in order of increasing reliability, in accordance with the reliabilities. The decoder also includes an updating-unit configured to update the first and second respective likelihoods in the order represented by the update schedule, with the low density parity check matrix. The decoder also includes a discriminating-unit configured to execute hard decision of the likelihoods updated by the updating-unit. The decoder also includes a checking-unit configured to execute parity check of a discrimination result of the discriminating-unit, to obtain the code data. |
| US07979776B2 |
Error correction block, method and apparatus for generating error correction block, and error correction method
An error correction block having an extended format compatible with a standardized format of a conventional error correction block, a method and apparatus for generating the error correction block, and a method of correcting an error using the error correction block. The method of generating an error correction block includes adding extra parity information for error correction to input data which is of a smaller size than main data of a standardized reference format, thereby generating an extra error correction block which is the same size as the main data, and generating an error correction block complying with the reference format using the extra error correction block as the main data. |
| US07979769B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing random access procedures
A mobile terminal and a method of performing a random access procedure by the terminal is achieved by transmitting a random access preamble to a base station, receiving a random access response from the base station, and performing an uplink transmission using an uplink grant from the base station. The uplink transmission is performed by using a maximum number of HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest) transmissions parameter, which is included in a System Information Block (SIB) received from the base station. |
| US07979765B2 |
Generating device, generating method, program and recording medium
Provided are a generation device and the like for generating a test vector which can reduce capture power efficiently. The generation device 100 generates a test vector for a logic circuit by assigning logic values to each of a plurality of unspecified bits (X-bits) included in a test cube. The generation device 100 includes a selection unit 101 for selecting, among the plurality of X-bits, a target X-bit, which is a target of assigning a logic value, a capture transition metric calculation unit 103 for calculating capture transition metric caused by a test cube including an X-bit, and a logic value assignment unit 105 for assigning, to the selected target X-bit, a logic value which causes the smaller capture transition metric, by applying the capture transition metric calculation means to a first test cube obtained by assigning a logic value 0 to the selected target X-bit and to a second test cube obtained by assigning a logic value 1 to the selected target X-bit, and by comparing a capture transition metric caused by a first test cube and a capture transition metric caused by a second test cube. |
| US07979758B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
Semiconductor memory device includes a cell array including a plurality of unit cells; and a test circuit configured to perform a built-in self-stress (BISS) test for detecting a defect by performing a plurality of internal operations including a write operation through an access to the unit cells using a plurality of patterns during a test procedure carried out at a wafer-level. |
| US07979754B2 |
Voltage margin testing for proximity communication
A method of testing a proximity communication system for voltage margin by impressing a voltage upon the data link between the transmitter on one chip and the receiver on the other chip coupled to the transmitter through a capacitively coupling circuit formed by juxtaposed capacitor pads on the respective two chips. The impressed voltage is varied and the output of the receiver is monitored to determine an operational voltage margin. The floating inputs on the receiver may be continuously biased by connecting them to variable biasing supply voltages through high impedances. When the floating inputs are periodically refreshed to a refresh voltage during a quiescent data period, the refresh voltage is varied between successive refresh cycles. The variable test voltage may be applied to transmitter output when it is in a high-impedance state, and the output of the receiver is measured. |
| US07979752B1 |
Data loss protection switch system and method
Systems and methods for data loss protection are presented. In one embodiment, a data loss protection switch includes a first port, a second port, an error threshold management component and a multiplexer. Components of the data loss protection switch cooperatively operate to efficiently protect data. The first port receives information from a first data stream. The second port receives data from a second data stream. The error threshold management component analyzes errors in the first data stream and the second data stream. The multiplexer is controlled by the error threshold management component and selects among the first and second data streams based on the analysis. |
| US07979751B2 |
Managing by one process state of another process to facilitate handling of error conditions
One process of a processing environment maintains state on behalf of another process of the processing environment, and uses that state to determine if a problem exists with the another process. The one process is a non-volatile process, while the another process is a volatile process. |
| US07979750B2 |
Synchronizing triggering of multiple hardware trace facilities using an existing system bus
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed in a data processing system for synchronizing the triggering of multiple hardware trace facilities using an existing bus. The multiple hardware trace facilities include a first hardware trace facility and a second hardware trace facility. The data processing system includes a first processor that includes the first hardware trace facility and first processing units that are coupled together utilizing the system bus, and a second processor that includes the second hardware trace facility and second processing units that are coupled together utilizing the system bus. Information is transmitted among the first and second processing units utilizing the system bus when the processors are in a normal, non-tracing mode, where the information is formatted according to a standard system bus protocol. Trigger events are transmitted to the hardware trace facilities utilizing the same standard system bus, where the trigger events are also formatted according to the standard system bus protocol. |
| US07979743B2 |
Determining correctness of job plans in a stream processing application
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for determining the correctness of similar job plan segments in a stream processing application. In one embodiment, a job manager may be configured to identify similar job plan segments based on data formats, functionality, and surrounding processing elements. The job manager plan may be further configured to determine whether the similar segments provide inconsistent results, and if so, to determine which of the inconsistent similar segments is invalid. The job manager may identify an invalid processing element included in the invalid segment. The job manager may also perform corrective actions to address the invalid processing element. |
| US07979741B2 |
Method and apparatus for data recovery system using storage based journaling
A storage system maintains a journal and a snapshot of one or more data volumes. Two journal entry types are maintained, an AFTER journal entry and a BEFORE journal entry. Two modes of data recovery are provided: “fast” recovery and “undo-able” recovery. A combination of both recovery modes allows the user to quickly recover a targeted data state. |
| US07979740B2 |
Gaming machine having game play suspension and resumption features using biometrically-based authentication and method of operating same
A gaming machine includes a processor adapted to execute a program of a game; a biometric reader configured to capture first biometric data from the player, and a trusted cache. The trusted cache includes a nonvolatile memory that is configured to store the first biometric data; a context data save engine configured to save the context of the program to the nonvolatile memory and to associate the stored first biometric data with the saved context of the program upon the processor receiving a request from the player to suspend game play, and a context data recovery engine configured to recover the saved context from the nonvolatile memory and to cause continued execution of the program from the recovered saved context upon the biometric reader capturing second biometric data from the player that matches the stored first biometric data and receiving a request from the player to resume game play. |
| US07979735B2 |
Data storage with snapshot-to-snapshot recovery
A method for data storage includes creating first and second copies of a logical volume, such that the first and second copies are represented by respective first and second sets of pointers to physical storage locations in which data used by the copies is stored. Responsively to a corruption of at least part of the data that is used by the first copy, the first copy is restored from the second copy by replacing the first set with the pointers in the second set. |
| US07979732B2 |
Efficient utilization of a multi-source network of control logic to achieve timing closure in a clocked logic circuit
A method, system, and computer program product are provided for achieving timing closure in a clocked logic circuit. For each local clock buffer in a set of local clock buffers, a logic synthesis tool determines a clock control signal input from a set of clock control signal inputs that will drive a clock control signal to the local clock buffer at a target frequency such that a first timing constraint may be met. The operation performed by the logic synthesis tool forms a determined clock control signal input. Responsive to the logic synthesis tool determining the determined clock control signal input, the logic synthesis tool couples the local clock buffer to the determined clock control signal input that drives the clock control signal to the local clock buffer at the target frequency to achieve timing closure in the clocked logic circuit. |
| US07979731B2 |
Time authentication device, time authentication method, computer program, recording medium, integrated circuit, and time authentication system
A time authentication device identifies clocks that show a time falling within the predetermined permissible range as compared with a time shown by the time authentication device. In a time authentication device embodied as a distribution device, a time-relation information storage unit stores a playback-device-time measured by a clock unit of a playback device, and also stores a distribution-device-time measured by a clock unit when the playback-device-time is acquired. The time authentication unit acquires from the playback device a target time measured by the clock unit, and also acquires an authentication time measured by the clock unit when the target time is received. The time authentication unit then calculates a first difference, a second difference, an authentication difference. If the authentication difference is smaller than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the time authentication unit judges that the clock unit of the playback device is valid. |
| US07979728B2 |
Charging a rechargeable external device by periodically powering down and powering up portions of the charging device until the rechargeable external device is recharged
A system which enables battery powered devices such as notebook computers to efficiently charge smaller mobile devices such as music players, cell phones and PDAs using the power signals provided over their data connections is made more efficient by ensuring that the power to the small mobile device is not interrupted should the notebook computer otherwise go into a standby or low-power state. The presence of the small mobile device is known and any power-down capabilities of the notebook computer are limited, at least for the period where the small mobile device is being recharged. This detection can be done at any of the levels of software present in the notebook computer. This charging and not powering down can be further optimized by determining the particular device and its charging requirements or by having the device provide feedback as to its charge state. |
| US07979727B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for an integrated power supply efficient in high and low power conditions
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a power supply that is efficient in both high and low power conditions. An integrated power supply regulates current on a regulated bus to maintain a regulated bus voltage under varying load conditions. The integrated power supply includes a first power supply rated to provide full load power to the load and second power supply rated to provide power at levels below a minimum power threshold. The second power supply includes switching elements that have lower switching losses than switching elements of the first power supply. A sensing module measures power. A switching module starts up the second power supply and shuts down the first power supply if the measured power falls below the minimum power threshold, and starts up the first power supply and shuts down the second power supply if the measured power rises above the minimum power threshold. |
| US07979726B2 |
Information processing apparatus using server copy of predetermined information when storing part is in power saving mode
An information processing apparatus having a plurality of power modes having different power consumptions, includes: a storing part storing therein predetermined information; and a control part using the predetermined information from another server apparatus in which the predetermined information has been copied and stored, upon receiving a request for the predetermined information when the power mode of the storing part is a power saving mode. |
| US07979725B2 |
Computer power conservation apparatus and method that controls speculative execution by adjusting branch confidence threshold based on processor load
A computer measures a processor load and configures itself so that a lesser amount of speculative execution is enabled when the processor is lightly loaded than is enabled when the processor is heavily loaded. |
| US07979721B2 |
Enhanced packaging for PC security
A pay-per-use computer, or other electronic device that uses local security, may use a security module or other circuit for monitoring and enforcement of a usage policy. To help prevent physical attacks on the security module, or the circuit board near the security module, a second circuit may be mounted over the security module to help prevent access to the security module. Both circuits may be mounted on a interposer and the interposer mounted to the circuit board, creating a stack including the first circuit, the interposer, the security module, and a main PC board. When the PC board includes dense signal traces under the security module a three dimensional envelope is created around the security module. When the first circuit is a high value circuit, such as a Northbridge, the risk/reward of attacking the security module is increased substantially and may deter all but the most determined hackers. |
| US07979719B2 |
Data authentication method and data authentication system
A storage means which can be accessed by an authentication apparatus stores content data, a first digest table including primary digest values corresponding to a plurality of data portions constituting the content data, a second digest table including secondary digest values corresponding to a plurality of data portions of the first digest table, and a digital signature generated from the second digest table. In a first reading step, the second digest table and the digital signature are read out from the storage means into a memory of the authentication apparatus. In a first authentication step, the authenticity of the content data is verified using the digital signature read out into the memory and the second digest table read out into the memory. |
| US07979709B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information recording medium, apparatus and method of manufacturing information recording medium, and computer program
An information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes content verification means for executing a verification processing of a recording content recorded on an information recording medium, and content play means for executing a content play processing on a condition that validity of the recording content is checked on the basis of the verification processing. The content verification means acquires from the information recording medium a content hash table having registered therein hash values generated on the basis of legal recording content data and executes a processing for verifying a presence or absence of an illegal recording content whose hash value is not registered in the content hash table. |
| US07979708B2 |
Digital rights management
A digital rights management is provided. In the digital rights management method and contents service method, a user terminal of the digital contents encodes the digital contents based on specific information of the terminal. When using the digital contents encoded based on the identification of the terminal, the digital contents are decoded using the identification of the corresponding terminal. A billing is performed with respect to the use of the digital contents encoded or decoded based on the identification of the terminal. |
| US07979707B2 |
Secure seed generation protocol
Techniques for secure generation of a seed for use in performing one or more cryptographic operations, utilizing a seed generation protocol carried out by a seed generation client (110c) and a seed generation server (110s). The seed generation server (110s) provides a first string to the seed generation client (110c). The seed generation client (110c) generates a second string, encrypts the second string utilizing a key (216), and sends the encrypted second string to the seed generation server (110s). The seed generation client (110c) generates the seed as a function of at least the first string and the second string. The seed generation server (110s) decrypts the encrypted second string (222) and independently generates the seed as a function of at least the first string and the second string. |
| US07979697B2 |
Securing digital content system and method
A system and method of encrypting digital content in a digital container and securely locking the encrypted content to a particular user and/or computer or other computing device is provided. The system uses a token-based authentication and authorization procedure and involves the use of an authentication/authorization server. This system provides a high level of encryption security equivalent to that provided by public key/asymmetric cryptography without the complexity and expense of the associated PKI infrastructure. The system enjoys the simplicity and ease of use of single key/symmetric cryptography without the risk inherent in passing unsecured hidden keys. The secured digital container when locked to a user or user's device may not open or permit access to the contents if the digital container is transferred to another user's device. The digital container provides a secure technique of distributing electronic content such as videos, text, data, photos, financial data, sales solicitations, or the like. |
| US07979693B2 |
Relay apparatus for encrypting and relaying a frame
A relay apparatus comprises a frame relay processing unit for relaying a frame, a plurality of ports for sending and receiving the frame to and from the outside, and a cryptographic processing module corresponding to each of the ports. Each cryptographic processing module is connected to the corresponding port and to the frame relay processing unit by means of general-purpose interfaces such as MII. The cryptographic processing module performs the encryption process and decryption process so that the frame relay processing unit can concentrate on the relay process and the relay speed is not subject to degradation. Also, the cryptographic processing module can generate a different cryptographic key for each frame without requiring dynamic exchange of key information. |
| US07979689B2 |
Accessory support system for remote inspection device
A remote inspection apparatus has an active display unit receiving image data in digital form and graphically rendering the image data on an active display. A communication medium connects devices to the active display unit, such as an imager head capturing the image data. A computer readable medium records one or more instances of software for operating the one or more devices. A computer processor located in the active display unit that operates a boot loader program to detects and sequentially interrogate the devices by different protocols in order to determine appropriate software to load and operate the devices. |
| US07979687B2 |
Quick start
A quick start method for starting up a system easily and quickly is disclosed. A memory control unit reads the start-up data prestored in a storage unit, using auxiliary power supplied from an auxiliary power supply unit. Also, the memory control unit writes the read start-up data into RAM. As well, the memory control unit reads and outputs the start-up data written in RAM when the main power is turned on. |
| US07979684B2 |
Method and context switch device for implementing design-for-testability functionality of latch-based register files
A method of changing execution contexts is provided that includes receiving a context selection input. In a first clock phase, the method includes shifting data from a first latch element of a normal execution context to a second latch element of the normal execution context and shifting shadow data from a third latch element of a shadow execution context to a fourth latch element of the shadow execution context. In a second clock phase, the method includes shifting the shadow data of the fourth latch element of the shadow execution context into the first latch element of the normal execution context and shifting the data of the second latch element of the normal execution context into the third latch element of the shadow execution context. In a particular embodiment, the method may include receiving a test mode selection and shifting test data, such as scan test or automatic test pattern generated data, to a test output. |
| US07979682B2 |
Method and system for preventing livelock due to competing updates of prediction information
A system to prevent livelock. An outcome of an event is predicted to form an event outcome prediction. The event outcome prediction is compared with a correct value for a datum to be accessed. An instruction is appended with a real event outcome when the outcome of the event is mispredicted to form an appended instruction. A prediction override bit is set on the appended instruction. Then, the appended instruction is executed with the real event outcome. |
| US07979681B2 |
System and method of selectively accessing a register file
In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes identifying a first block of bits within a result to be written to a destination register by an execution unit. The result includes a plurality of bits having the first block of bits and a second block of bits. The first block of bits has a value of zero. The method further includes providing an encoded bit value representing the first block of bits to a control register and selectively writing the second block of bits, but not the first block of bits, to the destination register. The destination register is sized to receive the first and second blocks of bits. |
| US07979680B2 |
Multi-threaded parallel processor methods and apparatus
A processor system may implement multiple contexts on one or more processors having a local memory. Code and/or data for first and second contexts may be respectively stored simultaneously in first and second regions of a processor's local memory, storing code and/or data for a second context in a second region of the local memory, the secondary processor may execute the first context while the second context waits. Code and/or data for the first context may be transferred from the first region to the second and code and/or data for the second context may be transferred from the second region to the first, and the processor may execute the second context during a pause or stoppage of execution of the first context. Alternatively, the code and/or data for the second context may be transferred to another processor's local memory. |
| US07979679B2 |
System and method for selectively controlling operations in lanes in an execution unit of a computer
A computer system is disclosed capable of conditionally carrying out an operation defined in a computer instruction. The computer instruction is implemented on so-called packed operands, that is operands containing a plurality of packed objects in respective lanes. An operation defined in the computer instruction is conditionally carried out in dependence on stored condition values which determine for each lane whether or not the operation is to be executed on objects in that lane.An execution unit for a computer system, a computer system and a method of executing instructions are defined. |
| US07979674B2 |
Re-executing launcher program upon termination of launched programs in MIMD mode booted SIMD partitions
Executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine, the SIMD machine including a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the network comprising synchronous data communications links among the compute nodes, including establishing one or more SIMD partitions, booting one or more SIMD partitions in MIMD mode; establishing a MIMD partition; executing by launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the compute nodes of the MIMD partition; and re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the MIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program. |
| US07979671B2 |
Dual hash indexing system and methodology
A method, system and program are disclosed for accelerating data storage in a cache appliance that transparently monitors NFS and CIFS traffic between clients and NAS subsystems and caches files in a cache memory by using a dual hash technique to rapidly store and/or retrieve connection state information for cached connections in a plurality of index tables that are indexed by hashing network protocol address information with a pair of irreducible CRC hash algorithms to obtain an index to the memory location of the connection state information. |
| US07979670B2 |
Methods and systems for vectored data de-duplication
The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes. |
| US07979669B1 |
Method and system for caching attribute data for matching attributes with physical addresses
A method for caching attribute data for matching attributes with physical addresses. The method includes storing a plurality of attribute entries in a memory, wherein the memory is configured to provide at least one attribute entry when accessed with a physical address, and wherein the attribute entry provided describes characteristics of the physical address. |
| US07979665B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing access requests in a computer system
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a software layer that provides a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) capability in a computer system in which the content units are ultimately stored on a block I/O storage system. An application program may issue access requests to content units referring to them via a content address, and the software layer can convert such access requests to block I/O commands to be processed by the block I/O storage system. Thus, a CAS capability can be provided despite the absence of a storage system that provides such a capability natively. |
| US07979663B2 |
Storage apparatus having unused physical area autonomous management function
A physical extent assurance unit manages correspondence of a logical disk accessed from a host computer with physical extents. A data pattern generation response unit generates a predetermined data pattern, and returns this data pattern in response to a data request from the host computer. A pattern matching unit checks the data pattern of a storage area every access to storage media or periodically. When the entire area of the assured physical extent defines the predetermined data pattern, the pattern matching unit deleted the logical disk allocation of the assured physical extent. |
| US07979659B2 |
Memory management method and computer using the method
Memory management by garbage collection involves a memory area that is allocated in a computer. Data is created in the memory area in accordance with a program executed by a processor of the computer, and it is checked whether or not data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area to be released, in response to an explicit instruction to release the memory area. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program does not exist in the memory area, the memory area is released. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area, the data is moved to a memory area different from the memory area to be released. |
| US07979658B2 |
Secure management of memory regions in a memory
Systems and/or methods that facilitate controlling access to memory regions in a memory component(s) are presented. A memory component can comprise an access management component that can facilitate controlling access to memory regions that can be respectively associated with authentication credentials. The access control component can facilitate access of a memory region when received authentication information matches authentication information contained in a security record associated with the memory region. The access management component can facilitate a wipe erase of a memory region(s) to facilitate secure removal of information from the memory region when predetermined criteria is satisfied. The access management component can facilitate locking a memory region when a maximum number of attempts to access a memory region are unsuccessful to facilitate security of the memory regions and/or data associated therewith, where a locked memory region remains locked until a reset is performed. |
| US07979656B2 |
Minimizing configuration changes in a fabric-based data protection solution
A method, system, and apparatus of minimizing configuration of changes in a fabric-based data protection solution. In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a switch such that a write request to a primary storage device is transferred through a virtual initiator in the switch to the primary storage device and to a secondary storage device, and configuring the switch such that a read request from the secondary initiator of a data in the primary storage device appears as though the read request is coming from a physical initiator rather than the secondary initiator (e.g., such that system protocol may be bypassed because the switch intercepts a response having the data from the primary storage device through a virtual target which uses the virtual initiator of the switch to communicate the data to the secondary initiator rather than the physical initiator). |
| US07979652B1 |
System and method for M-synchronous replication
A data replication system is implemented to replicate data among a plurality of replication nodes. Each node may be configured with durable storage (e.g., disk sub-system). The data replication system may receive write requests from one or more clients and send a replicate data write to the durable storage of each node. Once the data has been written to durable storage on a set of nodes, (regardless of whether the replicate data write has been completed to durable storage in each of the nodes not included in the set) the data replication system may send a write completion acknowledgement to the respective client for each write request. In some instances, the nodes within the set are configured to write data synchronously and the nodes not in the set are configured to write asynchronously. Performing both synchronous writes and asynchronous writes results in high performance and data durability. |
| US07979647B2 |
Method of storing data on a secondary storage device
A backup method relies on a single secondary storage device, such as a tape storage device, which emulates multiple secondary storage devices. The emulated secondary storage devices are coupled to data sources. Data which is received from the data sources is tagged with respective unique identifiers, interleaved and stored on a removable storage medium, such as a tape. This facilitates maximum usage of the media access bandwidth of the single secondary storage device. |
| US07979643B2 |
Method for tuning a cache
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for tuning the size of the cache. In particular, when a page fault occurs, non-resident page data is checked to determine if that page was previously accessed. If the page is found in the non-resident page data, an inter-reference distance for the faulted page is determined and the distance of the oldest resident page is determined. The size of the cache may then be tuned based on comparing the inter-reference distance of the newly faulted page relative to the distance of the oldest resident page. |
| US07979642B2 |
Managing the storage of high-priority storage items in storage units in multi-core and multi-threaded systems using history storage and control circuitry
A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing circuitry for executing multiple program threads. At least one storage unit is shared between the multiple program threads and comprises multiple entries, each entry for storing a storage item either associated with a high priority program thread or a lower priority program thread. A history storage for retaining a history field for each of a plurality of blocks of the storage unit is also provided. On detection of a high priority storage item being evicted from the storage unit as a result of allocation to that entry of a lower priority storage item, the history field for the block containing that entry is populated with an indication of the evicted high priority storage item. When later a high priority storage item is allocated to a selected entry of the storage unit, a comparison operation between the allocated high priority storage item and the indication in the history field for the block containing the selected entry is carried out, and on detection of a match condition a lock indication associated with that entry is set to inhibit further eviction of that high priority storage item. |
| US07979641B2 |
Cache arrangement for improving raid I/O operations
The embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus, etc. for a cache arrangement for improving RAID I/O operations. More specifically, a method begins by partitioning a data object into a plurality of data blocks and creating one or more parity data blocks from the data object. Next, the data blocks and the parity data blocks are stored within storage nodes. Following this, the method caches data blocks within a partitioned cache, wherein the partitioned cache includes a plurality of cache partitions. The cache partitions are located within the storage nodes, wherein each cache partition is smaller than the data object. Moreover, the caching within the partitioned cache only caches data blocks in parity storage nodes, wherein the parity storage nodes comprise a parity storage field. Thus, caching within the partitioned cache avoids caching data blocks within storage nodes lacking the parity storage field. |
| US07979636B2 |
Method of controlling semiconductor memory card system
A method of controlling a semiconductor memory card system including a host device incorporating a semiconductor memory card and communicating information with a user of the host device to warn the imminent end of the life of the memory card in the system is provided. According to one aspect, there is provided a method of controlling a semiconductor memory card, the method comprising creating end-of-life index data of the semiconductor memory card, reading the end-of-life index data in response to a command from a host device to the semiconductor memory card, creating an end-of-life warning status of the semiconductor memory card from the end-of-life index data based on a life control limit value, and sending a response containing the end-of-life warning status to the host device as a response to the command through the same communication line as that for the command. |
| US07979627B2 |
Storage device with binary and multivalued memory
A storage device includes: a binary flash memory that has a first storage area and a capacity of storing two values per cell; a multivalued flash memory that has a second storage area and a capacity of storing at least three values per cell; and a controller configured to arrange the first storage area ahead of the second storage area, logically combine the first storage area with the second storage area to form a single combined storage area, and perform data reading and data writing from and into the combined storage area. Data management information is stored in a head of the combined storage area according to a predetermined file system. The storage device of this arrangement has the advantages of both an SLC flash memory and an MLC flash memory. |
| US07979626B2 |
Flash recovery employing transaction log
A transaction log for flash recovery includes a chained sequence of blocks specifying the operations that have been performed, such as a write to a sector or an erase to a block. Checkpoints are performed writing the entire flash state to flash. Once a checkpoint is performed, all of the log entries prior to the checkpoint are deleted and the log processing on recovery begins with the latest checkpoint. If the system is able to safely shutdown, then a checkpoint may be performed before the driver unloads, and on initialization, the entire persisted flash state may be loaded into the flash memory with a minimal amount of flash scanning. If a power failure occurs during system operation, then on the next boot-up, only the sectors or blocks specified in the log entries after the latest checkpoint have to be scanned, rather than all the sectors on the part. |
| US07979624B2 |
Techniques to truncate data files in nonvolatile memory
Various embodiments for performing truncate operations in nonvolatile memory are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a nonvolatile memory to perform one or more truncate operations on a data file written to the nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory to track a truncate operation performed in the nonvolatile memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07979621B2 |
Transparent PCI-based multi-host switch
A transparent PCI-based multi-host switch. A switch is configured with multiple north facing ports to couple the switch to multiple hosts. The multi-host switch can be included in a variety of switch configurations, including configurations having one multi-host switch, configurations having multiple multi-host switches, and configurations including one or more multi-host switches and one or more single host switches. The switch is designed to include controls to accurately route a packet through the switch. |
| US07979615B1 |
Apparatus for masked arbitration between masters and requestors and method for operating the same
An apparatus is disclosed for handling multiple requestors desiring access to a resource. The apparatus includes a plurality of masters and a plurality of arbitrators. Each arbitrator is assigned to a different one of the plurality of masters. Also, each arbitrator is defined to consider a different portion of the multiple requestors when selecting a requestor to be serviced by the master to which the arbitrator is assigned. Each arbitrator is further defined to select a requestor from the different portion of the multiple requestors, such that selection of a particular requestor is not duplicated among the plurality of arbitrators. Additionally, requestor selection by each of the plurality of arbitrators is performed in a same clock cycle. |
| US07979613B2 |
Performance of a storage system
A method for operating a storage system, including storing data redundantly in the system and measuring respective queue lengths of input/output requests to operational elements of the system. The queue lengths are compared to an average queue length to determine respective performances of the operational elements of the storage system. In response to the average queue lengths and a permitted deviation from the average an under-performing operational element among the operational elements is identified. An indication of the under-performing operational element is provided to host interfaces in the storage system. One of the host interfaces receives requests for specified items of the data directed to the under-performing element, and in response to the indication, some of the requests are diverted from the under-performing operational element to one or more other operational elements of the storage system that are configured to provide the specified items of the data. |
| US07979612B2 |
Communication method and apparatus
A communication method allows a host to access and send commands to an apparatus across a network or communication system by encoding data as a sequence of status signals and sending the data from the host on a communication channel between the host and an auxiliary device. The apparatus detects the status signals sent on the communication channel and decodes the status signals to retrieve the data. The apparatus further comprises a data filter to filter keystroke data by removing break code data. The keystroke data can be reconstructed by the host. |
| US07979611B2 |
Multi-protocol serial interface apparatus and system-on-chip apparatus including the same
A multi-protocol serial interface (MPSI) apparatus can include a controller circuit that is configured to receive information about a type of MPSI utilized for data transfer and that is configured to control a format of the data transfer and input/output timing associated with the data transfer. A data generation and processing circuit is coupled to the controller circuit and is configured to extract information from a buffer memory to generate data for the data transfer according to the format based on the information and is configured to generate the data in a packet format or a bit format based on the information. |
| US07979602B2 |
Method and system for storing memory compressed data onto memory compressed disks
A method (and system) of storing information, includes storing main memory compressed information onto a memory compressed disk, where pages are stored and retrieved individually, without decompressing the main memory compressed information. |
| US07979600B2 |
Multifunction peripheral and device control system
A multifunction device has a plurality of functions, including at least a data storage function and a function different from the data storage function, and capable of being connected to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, the multifunction device including: a device data outputting unit that outputs information forcing an OS (operating system) in the computer to recognize the multifunction device as a USB storage class device according to the USB standard when establishing a connection with the computer; and a controlling unit that, when output data including a command in a SCSI-compliant data format is transferred from the computer, determines which one of the plurality of functions the output data is for controlling, based on a value stored in a logic unit number (LUN) field provided in the command. |
| US07979594B2 |
Serial communications device with dynamic allocation of acceptance masks using serial implementation
A CAN module or a microcontroller comprises a CAN module which receives a serial bit stream. The CAN module comprises a filter register with a bit select input and a single bit output, a bit select unit for selecting a bit of the filter register in accordance with the serial bit stream, a comparator coupled with the single bit output and with the serial bit stream for generating a comparison signal, and a register receiving the comparison signal for accumulating a plurality of comparison results and for generating an acceptance signal. |
| US07979593B2 |
Non-disruptive library reset method
A library is reset as needed in a manner non-disruptive to a host system providing a host command to a drive interfacing with the host system on behalf of the library during a reset of the library. To this end, the drive confirms a receipt of a host command to the host system on behalf of the library in response to the drive receiving the host command from the host system, and the library commands the drive to transmit the host command to the library subsequent to a reset of the library based on the drive receiving the host command from the host system during the reset of the library. |
| US07979588B1 |
Data storage system having acceleration path for congested packet switching network
A data storage system having protocol controller for converting packets between PCIE format used by a storage processor and Rapid IO format used by a packet switching network. The controller includes a PCIE end point for transferring atomic operation (DSA) requests, a data pipe section having a plurality of data pipes for passing user data; and a message engine section for passing messages among the plurality of storage processors. An acceleration path controller passes a DSA buffer in the absence of congestion on the network. Packets fed to the PCIE end point include an address portion having code indicating an atomic operation. An encoder converts the code from a PCIE format into the same atomic operation in SRIO format. Each one of a plurality of CPUs is adapted to perform a second DSA request during execution of a first DSA request. |
| US07979583B2 |
Information processing apparatus, client apparatus, information processing system and service connection method
An information processing apparatus includes a server function configured to provide one or more services to a client apparatus via a communication network. The information processing apparatus includes a service ID generation unit configured to generate service IDs for each of the services and to associate the service IDs with the services for identifying the services, a service ID transmission unit configured to transmit the service ID to at least one of the client apparatus and a discovery proxy server connected to the communication network via the communication network, and a service connection unit configured to connect a service to be specified by the service ID included a service connection inquiry with one of the client apparatus and the discovery proxy server that is an inquiry origin when the service connection inquiry has been made from the one of the client apparatus and the discovery proxy server. |
| US07979579B2 |
Apparatus and methods for the communication and fault management of data in a multipath data network
An apparatus and methods are provided for the communication of a data stream and management of faults in a multipath data network having a protected ring-in-ring network architecture. The data stream is communicated over redundant paths between various nodes located throughout the network. Each node is capable of dropping and inserting data from the data stream before passing it on to the next node. A single transmitter in communication with an intelligent splitter at each node is utilized to simultaneously transmit the data stream over the redundant paths. In the event of a fault over one of the paths in the network, the intelligent splitter manages the operation of the single transmitter so that the data stream is communicated over an alternate path to circumvent the fault. |
| US07979575B2 |
Attack detecting system and attack detecting method
An IPS examines a communication packet exchanged between an internal communication network and an external communication network, and detects a particular packet that satisfies a particular condition. The IPS creates a detection request message which includes a request to detect the source of the particular packet and the destination of which is set to the address (virtual address) of the virtual server, and transmits the created message to an SLB, upon detection of the particular packet transmitted from the internal communication network. An RIP detecting device extracts a real address indicated as the destination in the detection request message upon receipt of the detection request message the destination of which is rewritten by the SLB from the virtual address to the real address of the server, which is the source of the particular packet. |
| US07979574B2 |
System and method for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices
A system and method for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices are disclosed. The system includes one or more processors configured to generate a virtual world. The one or more processors may be configured to generate a virtual communication device and implement a configurable router adapted to facilitate routing of a communication among one or more real communication devices and the virtual communication device. A user of the virtual world may be associated with a virtual communication device and one or more real communication devices. A routing preference for reception of communications targeted to the user is implemented among the virtual communication device and the one or more real communication devices. |
| US07979573B2 |
Smart routing between peers in a point-to-point link based system
Smart routing between peers in a point-to-point link based system begins when a device of a plurality of devices in a point-to-point link interconnected system receives a packet from an upstream link or a downstream link. The processing continues when the device interprets the packet to determine a destination of the packet. If the device is the destination of the packet, the device accepts the packet. If, however, the device is not the destination of the packet, the device forwards the packet on another upstream link or another downstream link without alteration of at least one of: source information of the packet and destination information of the packet. |
| US07979568B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating last uniform resource identifier, and recording medium storing program for executing the method
A method and apparatus for creating a LastURI (uniform resource identifier) of a content asset in order to share the content asset based on a multiphoto video (MPV) file in content recorders and/or reproducers having different file systems, and a recording medium storing program for executing the method are provided. The method creates one of an absolute LastURI and a relative LastURI as the LastURI of the content asset according to protocol type information, so that content recorders and/or reproducers using different file systems can easily find and share the content asset based on the MPV file. |
| US07979567B2 |
Sharing of subscriptions to resource list content in resource list server
A method for sharing subscriptions to the content of a resource list includes creating a first subscription to the content of the resource list upon receipt of a first subscription request for the presence state of the list from a first user; receiving a second presence subscription request for the resource list from a second user; sending a one-time request with the identity of the second subscribing user to an XCAP server; receiving an authorization response related to the one-time request; and creating a super user subscription to the content of the resource list, the super user subscription used to provide presence state information about the list members to the first user and the second user. |
| US07979563B2 |
Method and system for dynamic client/server network management using proxy servers
The invention discloses a programming method and system for dynamic client/server network management using proxy servers, by allowing each active proxy server in an arrayed cluster to maintain an updated list of all other operating proxy servers in the cluster. When a client message requesting access to an application server is received by a clustered proxy server, the message may be forwarded to another proxy server (within the cluster) so that message (re)transmissions can pass through the same proxy server as the original message, allowing a proxy server to make consistent routing decisions (and other decisions) pertaining to that message. |
| US07979562B2 |
Service level agreements and management thereof
Method and apparatus for service level agreement formation and management is described. More particularly, a service level agreement (SLA) manager is described. This SLA manager comprises an admission controller, a specification module and a performance measurement module. Such SLA manager is interposed between one or more client computer systems and a service provider computer system. |
| US07979561B2 |
Method of multiplexing over an error-prone wireless broadcast channel
Provided is a method and system for transmitting information. The method includes determining stream length information for at least one data stream to be transmitted and associating the stream length information with a system parameter message. The system parameter message including the associated stream length information is transmitted separately from the data stream. This process facilitates de-multiplexing of individual streams and the processing of stream data even if one or more individual streams are received in error. |
| US07979559B2 |
Communication network method and apparatus having intelligent peripheral resource platform with variable number of ports assigned to concurrent different services
A service platform in a communications network connects callers to a service resource platform when implementing services requiring specialized resources. A number of different services use a common service resource platform. The service platform is programmed with respective maximum values for the number of calls originating from each service that may be connected to the service resource platform at one time and allows the call to be connected to the service resource platform only when the count value for the respective service is less than the maximum count value. The service resource platform may have a single network address and a common range of ports that are freely allocated to calls generated by the different services running on the service platform. |
| US07979555B2 |
Capture and resumption of network application sessions
A system and method for capture and resumption of network application sessions in a network system. A transaction may be detected between a client and server that includes application session state information. The session state information may relate to a session between the client and the server. The Application session state information may be recorded in response to the detection of the transaction, and the application session state information may not be deleted according to session information expiration policies (e.g., of the client). User input may be received which requests to review the captured network application session. Correspondingly, a network request comprising captured credentials of the captured session may be generated and forwarded to the server. The network request may be usable to enable resumption of the captured network application session. |
| US07979552B1 |
Programmatic instantiation, provisioning, and management of fabric-backplane enterprise servers
A system is taught in which a module having processing elements can access network and storage interfaces that are external to the module of the processing elements as though those interfaces were located internal to the module of the processing elements. The system may be operated as one or more provisioned servers, each of the provisioned servers including capabilities as identified by a corresponding set of specifications and attributes, according to various embodiments. Typically the specifications (or constraints) and attributes are specified with a Server Configuration File. An Enterprise Server system may be provisioned into any combination and number of servers according to needed processing and I/O capabilities. Each of these servers may include distinct compute, storage, and networking performance. Provisioned servers may be managed similar to conventional servers, including operations such as boot and shutting down. |
| US07979551B2 |
Enhancing availability of remote applications
Systems, products, and methods are disclosed for performing a method of allocating services (functionalities of software applications) across several computing devices that make up various domains of a data center so that the functional aspects will continue to be available to remote users even when, from time to time, different sets of computing devices are unavailable. |
| US07979549B2 |
Network supporting centralized management of QoS policies
A computer system that implements a quality of service policy. Information defining the quality of service policy is stored in a central location, such as a server within an enterprise. Policy management software on clients in the network download quality of service policy information from the central location to the clients. Within a client, a portion of the policy information is selected based on its applicability to a particular connection. The selected information is cached with an association to the connection so that, as datagrams are generated for transmission over the network, relevant policy information is quickly accessed for use in controlling transmission characteristics of datagrams sent using that connection. Additionally, time information may be associated with information in the cache as well as policy information available from the server. Whenever a datagram is to be transmitted over a connection associated with out-of-date policy information in the cache, the cache information is updated. |
| US07979548B2 |
Hardware enforcement of logical partitioning of a channel adapter's resources in a system area network
A method and system are disclosed for logically partitioning resources of a single channel adapter for use in a system area network. Each resource includes a partition identifier register within which is stored a partition identifier. A first one of the resources is assigned to a first partition by storing a first partition identifier in the partition identifier register within the first one of the resources. A second one of the resources is assigned to a second partition by storing a second partition identifier in the partition identifier register within the second one of the resources. Partitioning of the resources is enforced by permitting access to the first resource by only the first partition and permitting access to the second resource by only the second partition by checking the partition identifiers of each resource. |
| US07979542B2 |
Methods and systems for transaction record delivery using thresholds and multi-stage protocol
The present invention provides systems and methods for conducting electronic transactions in a distributed computing environment. A communications protocol is provided that enables reliable transactional state synchronization for peers participating in a distributed transaction. A transaction processing application is deployed on a local computer system to manage transactions thereon. The local computer system contacts a remote computer system to obtain authorization to execute a transaction. The local computer system initiates a failure-recovery job that is operable to automatically resend status signals and other information to the remote system if the communication with the remote system exhibits certain predefined fault conditions. The remote system is able to dynamically adjust the definition of the predefined fault conditions. If the transaction concludes without triggering the predefined fault conditions, the failure-recovery job is cancelled. The transaction processing application may also allow deferred transactions between remote parties. The transaction processing application maintains a record of the transactions performed by the consumer on the consumer's local system. Upon the occurrence of predefined conditions, transactional records are sent to a remote vendor or clearinghouse. The vendor or clearinghouse can manage the risk it bears by setting the predefined conditions appropriately. |
| US07979540B2 |
Configurable recovery of aborted session data
A method and system for recovering data from an aborted session via a rule application. A first session having a first document ID is initiated. After an interruption of the first session, a second session having a second document ID is initiated. The first and second document IDs are determined to be identical. The first session is determined to be open in a callee application after the interruption. A rule that associates a recovery action with a data item of the first document is applied by detecting the data item of the first document and selecting the recovery action from multiple predefined recovery actions. The data item of the first document is an identification of a calling application that provides the first and second documents or a value entered by a user of the calling application. The callee application performs the selected recovery action. |
| US07979539B2 |
System, method and computer program product for analyzing data from network-based structured message stream
A system, method and computer program product for analyzing data from a message stream, are disclosed. Data in a structured format is captured from a message stream. The captured data is processed to conform to a data model format so that one or more events can be identified from an analysis of the processed data. Once an event has been identified, the message stream is monitored to detect the identified event. When detected, the event is exported via a network. |
| US07979538B2 |
Redirecting web downloads
One or more downloads of web content from one or more web content servers are monitored. A swarm is defined including one or more previous downloaders of the web content from the one or more web content servers. The one or more previous downloaders of the web content include one or more web content caches including at least a portion of the web content. Stored web content within the one or more web content caches of the swarm is tracked. A new downloader of the one or more web content servers is redirected to the one or more web content caches of the swarm. |
| US07979533B2 |
System, method and computer program product for auditing XML messages in a network-based message stream
A system, method and computer program product for auditing a message in a message stream are disclosed. Messages in a message stream are captured including at least one message in an extensible markup language (XML) format. Each message in the XML format is then extracted from the captured messages and has a timestamp applied thereto. Each timestamped message in the XML format is then stored in a memory. |
| US07979528B2 |
System and method for traversing firewalls, NATs, and proxies with rich media communications and other application protocols
A tunneling system and method is described for traversing firewalls, NATs, and proxies. Upon a request from a device on the secure private network or on a public network such as the Internet, a connection to a designated or permitted device of the secure private network by way of the public network can be established, allowing selected devices of the private network to access devices on the public network. A bi-directional channel can be established where information such as rich multimedia and real-time voice and video can be accessed or communicated. |
| US07979522B2 |
System and method for monitoring and displaying radiology image traffic
A system and method for detecting and monitoring confidential and DICOM image traffic on a computing device in a PACS network, protecting patient confidentiality by preventing the simultaneous display of confidential images and patient identification information when measuring and displaying the image data. The system detects and measures the transfer of confidential images and stores and displays information included in only the non-confidential headers of the images. The system monitors and warns (such as via email and/or pagers) PACS administrators of system slowdowns as a result of the data gathered. |
| US07979516B2 |
Method for data synchronization with mobile wireless devices
A system and method of non-interactive communication with wireless networks for a mobile wireless device such as a telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop, or other device configured for performing data transfers with an unreliable network, and the playing back of multimedia received over said network. The invention allows a user to send and receive email, web and other data updates in physical areas and locations of limited signal coverage without the user periodically activating the device for updating data. Furthermore, the invention allows non-interactive receipt of multimedia content for viewing when a network communication outage arises. In one embodiment a second (or subsequent) multimedia stream is received and stored in a data repository for playback when an outage arises. The programming of the device is configured to retrieve the content within the second multimedia stream in response to device programming, user set parameters, learned behaviors and/or non-user based selections. |
| US07979514B2 |
Method and system for application provisioning
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to compile a list of potential target users for a provisioning of an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) application existing on a source subscriber user device, filter the list of potential target users based on target subscriber subscription information, target subscriber device capability, and target subscriber identity module (SIM) capability to form a target list, and provision devices on the target list with the application after filtering. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US07979512B2 |
Service delivery online
In one embodiment, a computer system configures an online service to function as a service delivery platform, where the online service includes a plurality of service delivery platform components configured to process inputs received from services that are to be hosted by the online service. The computer system receives an indication that a service is to be hosted using the online service, where the indication includes a service configured for hosting by the online service and a portion of use information indicating how the service delivery platform components are to be used to host the service for various computer clients. The computer system processes the portion of use information received with the indication to configure the service delivery platform components in an appropriate manner for hosting the service and provides the hosted service to computer clients in the appropriate manner as determined by the accessed use information. |
| US07979511B2 |
Network system
A network system in which a client device is connected to a server via a LAN. A CPU in the client device obtains date data of respective still picture files from the respective servers and generates representative thumbnail picture. Subsequently, the CPU in the client device generates a directory of a still picture taken on each photographing date, associates the directory with the thumbnail picture of the representative picture of each photographing date, and then displays a list of the representative thumbnail pictures. When a user selects the representative thumbnail picture which is taken on a date identical with a desired still picture from the respective thumbnail pictures, the CPU in the client device obtains all still pictures which are to be stored in the directory associated with the selected representative thumbnail picture from a storage medium in the server, and then generates thumbnail pictures of the still pictures. |
| US07979508B1 |
System and method for improving gateway transparency
In a client-server environment, a method and system are disclosed for granting transparency to the compulsory gateway of an IP network versus client applications run by the end-users connected on the IP network. When client applications have to access, on request of the end-users, server applications beyond the compulsory gateway this latter acts on behalf of them to access the requested remote resources eventually, relaying data between client and server applications. This is achieved without requiring any personalization on client end thus, guarantees that since gateway is becoming transparent to client applications all improvements and modifications brought to the IP network actually fully benefit to all end-users. |
| US07979506B2 |
System and method for restrictively exchange product data between communication devices of a limited-user network
A novel and non-trivial system and method for restrictively exchanging product data between communication devices of a limited-user network is disclosed. A processor in communication with a plurality of user communication devices of a limited-user network is used for controlling and restricting the exchange of product data. In such network, the processor may establish a communication connection with an initiating communication device of an initiating user, receive initiating product data from the initiating communication device and corresponding first users (e.g., defined trusted users) data, provide the initiating product data to at least one available first user communication device, receive responding product data responsive to the initiating product data, and provide the responding product data to the initiating communication device. Additionally, the processor may provide interested users who have not been defined as trusted users with the initiating product data and receive responding product data from such interested users. |
| US07979499B2 |
Composing, browsing, replying, forwarding e-mail
Method for composing, browsing, replying, forwarding e-mail's in an e-mail system and an e-mail client that can reduce e-mail traffic by not sending the original e-mail content in replying or forwarding e-mail's. In accordance with this invention, each e-mail has a Global-ID and each reply e-mail has a Reply-to-ID which corresponds to the Global-ID of the original e-mail, thereby the content of the original e-mail is not contained in the reply e-mail. During browsing e-mail's, the original e-mail is retrieved from repositories which stores sent and received e-mail's, and is incorporated into the browsed e-mail. |
| US07979497B2 |
Message delivery using a plurality of queue managers
A method and system for message delivery in a messaging network are provided for enabling scaling. A messaging network includes a group of a plurality of queue managers, each of which includes means for carrying out a method comprising: receiving a message at a queue manager, removing at least some of the original message data to form a link message, adding a reference to the link message referring to the queue manager, sending the link message to a link message queue, and putting the original message to a local queue on the first queue manager. A link message queue may provided on each of the queue managers in the group, or single link message queue may be provided on one queue manager and accessible by the other queue managers in the group. |
| US07979496B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring health and performance of a messaging system
Software agents perform a process to monitor the availability and/or performance of various functions of a messaging system. A call is initiated to an endpoint, where the endpoint is registered with a messaging system and is configured to forward incoming messages to the messaging system. A first agent transmits a message to the endpoint for forwarding to the messaging system. A second agent determines whether the endpoint receives a message notification. In an embodiment, the time that elapses between arrival of the message at the endpoint and reception of a message notification is determined. In an embodiment, if the second agent is able to retrieve the transmitted message, then the retrieved message is compared with the version of the original message that was received at the endpoint. Whether the retrieved message suffered any degradation from its path through the messaging system is determined based on the comparison. |
| US07979493B2 |
Customize an email using an expertise level rules engine
A Web site, through the use of a Rules Engine, determines an expertise level of a User for one or more topics on a Web page. The Rules Engine may analyze User related data, such as the search term used by the User to find the Web site, the past products purchased by the User, the path through the Web site taken by the User, the usage history by the User on the Web site, the demographics of the User and/or the self declared expertise level of the User, to determine an expertise level of the User for the topics on the Web page. A Display Engine may customize a Web page based on the expertise levels of a User so that topics on the Web page are presented in a manner most appropriate for the User. An Email Engine may be used to customize emails to the User so that topics in the email are presented in manner most appropriate for the User. A Support Entity Engine may also be used to route an incoming support inquiries from a User to an appropriate technical support person for the User. |
| US07979491B2 |
Producing chunks from input data using a plurality of processing elements
Input data is divided into multiple segments that are processed by processing elements of a computer. The processing of the segments produces a plurality of tentative sets of chunks. The plurality of tentative sets of chunks are stitched together to produce an output set of chunks. |
| US07979488B2 |
Control system methods using value-based transfers
A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as “process control apparatus”), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a “process controller” that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications. |
| US07979487B2 |
Microphone device
A microphone device is provided which comprises a main microphone (MM), at least one control microphone (CM) and a digital signal processing unit (DSP) coupled to the main microphone (MM) and the at least one control microphone (CM). The digital signal processing unit (DSP) receives the output of the main microphone (MM) and the output of the at least one control microphone (CM). Based on the output signals, the digital signal processing unit (DSP) is adapted to perform a noise suppression of pop noise in the output signal of the main microphone (MM). |
| US07979484B2 |
Method and system for accelerating the computation of adaptive weights using matrix inverse calculations
A system and method is provided for performing matrix inverse functions, for example, for use within Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP). The methods use parallelism of a Forward/Backward substitution algorithm in two dimensions to increase a speed of execution of the matrix inverse function. Sampled data is combined with steering vector values, which direct antennas in a desired direction in the absence interference, in order to determine adaptive weights used within filters to remove unwanted energy in the sampled data due to jammers, clutter or other interference. The adaptive weights are recursively computed, using stored values of previously calculated adaptive weights and other factor coefficients derived from the sampled data. |
| US07979477B2 |
Placeholder control for updating database object
Updating a graphical database object in a database via a placeholder control is provided. After a database recordset schema or schema is updated, a determination is made as to whether anew field is to be added to the graphical database object in response to the recordset schema or schema change. If a new field is to be added, the new field is automatically added to the graphical database object. The new field may be positioned to a place in the graphical database object as directed by a user or editor of the database object. The graphical database object may be displayed with the new field as positioned based on the recordset schema or schema change. |
| US07979476B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method therefor, program, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus which makes it possible to insert data into any form template that is specified. A data input/output control system 104 as the information processing apparatus processes a form template including at least one field into which database data is inserted. An identifier management section 108 extracts identifiable identifiers from identifiers of fields on a plurality of different form templates. |
| US07979474B2 |
Search center dynamic configuration using field mappings
A mechanism for dynamically configuring searchable fields of interest within a search center is provided. A field mappings file is used to define relationships between searchable fields of interest in searchable objects and fields within a search index accessible to an enterprise-wide search center. The field mappings file can provide the defined relationships between searchable object fields and search index fields at runtime of a user session, thus avoiding a rigid configuration at the time of search center initialization. |
| US07979468B2 |
Database data dictionary
Systems and methods are provided for manipulating data sets. In accordance with one implementation, a computerized system is provided for storing, managing, indexing, interrelating, and/or retrieving data sets in a manner independent of the data model. The system includes an element module configured to store and uniquely identify elements and an element relation module configured to store relationships between the elements in the element module. The computerized system may also comprise a class module configured to store attributes of elements in a class and a type definition module configured to define the class and the attributes related to the class. The computerized system may further comprise a state machine module, the state machine module including a state machine transition module and a status module. |
| US07979467B2 |
Information processing device, information management device, information processing system and computer readable medium
An information processing device includes a lock section, a creation section, a transmission section, a reception section, and a release section. The lock section disables an authorization function of the information processing device under a given condition. The creation section creates a first lock release file that is capable of releasing the authorization function disabled by the lock section. The transmission section transmits the first lock release file to an information management device. The reception section receives a second lock release file, which is based on the first lock release file, from the information management device. The release section tries to enable the authorization function of the information processing device when the second lock release file is determined to be valid. |
| US07979463B2 |
Database system and method for access control and workflow routing
A method for use with a database management system to produce a data structure encoded in computer readable memory that indicates a role associated with a transaction comprising: obtaining page context information that includes userid, subjectid, page name and a transaction identifier; providing a plurality of role views that associate userids and subjectids with role names; using the page name from the page context information to access a page definition relation that provides an association between the page name and at least one subject name; using the at least one subject name from the page definition relation to access a access a role view list that lists one or more of the role views; using the userid and the subjectid from the page context and at least one role view name from the role view list to access at least one role view that includes a matching userid and a matching subjectid; and producing a log roles structure that associates a role name from the at least one accessed role view and a transaction identifier from the page context. |
| US07979460B2 |
Systems and methods for server management
Exemplary systems and methods for server management are provided. An exemplary system comprises a plurality of servers, with each server having the ability to access a database or, in some embodiments, be configured to perform a calculation, computation or make a determination of a particular value, values or other information. A communications network delivers queries to each server whereby a look-up table directs query processing by the servers. Further embodiments of the system feature a program logic controller for rebalancing the workload of the network servers. Exemplary methods of processing queries on the system comprise submitting a query to the network, communicating the query to each server in the network and each server looking-up on a look-up table the processing responsibilities of the servers in the network. The query is processed by the server having primary responsibility for processing the query while other the servers monitor query processing. Transmission of a query result to a user typically completes the process. |
| US07979459B2 |
Scalable model-based product matching
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to matching product information to products. In aspects, a product matching component receives product information. The product matching component normalizes the product information and obtains keywords from the product information. By querying a database of recognized products, the keywords are used to obtain a list of products that potentially match the product information. A confidence level is assigned to each of the potential matches in the list. A match may be returned for the highest matched product or for a selectable number of products whose confidence level(s) exceed a selectable threshold. |
| US07979449B2 |
System and method for representing, organizing, storing and retrieving information
A data structure for representing information as a binary directional graph comprising a set of points connected by three distinct types of directed edges. Each point must have a unique left (parenting) edge and a unique right (parenting) edge with end points, and an identity edge that can be null (i.e. have no end point). All connected paths of edges upwards eventually converge at a maximal point in the structure. The points are uniformly assigned a fixed set of data as their content. Rules are defined to construct the structure and allow representation of information, with methods described for translating conventional forms of representation, such as tables, properties, classes, relations, and functions. The structure can be represented as a single relation (i.e. a single table with a fixed structure) and can be implemented using a conventional relational database. |
| US07979448B2 |
Mail and calendar tool and method
Access to data in a file created by a mail and calendaring client application is provided to other applications without the need for use of the mail and calendaring client. A request is received from the other application for a document in the file. The document is retrieved in XML form. Sections are expanded by creating URLs and inserting these into the retrieved document. Content of sections is then retrieved in HTML form from the file and inserted into the document at the location of the corresponding URLs. Data for attachments, image tags and other links is obtained and inserted into the document. An object is created containing the entire expanded document and sent to the requesting application. |
| US07979444B2 |
Path-based ranking of unvisited web pages
Path-based ranking of unvisited Web pages for WWW crawling is provided, via identifying all the paths beginning with a “seed” URL and leading to visited relevant web pages as “good-path set”, and for each unvisited web page, identifying the paths beginning from the “seed” URL leading to it as “partial-path set”; classifying all the visited web pages and labeling each web Page with the labels of a class or classes it belongs to; training a statistic model for generalizing the common patterns among all ones of “good-path set”; and evaluating the “partial-path set” with the statistic model and ranking the unvisited web pages with the evaluation results. |
| US07979442B2 |
Automatic meta-data sharing of existing media
Automatic meta-data sharing of existing media method and apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a server device includes analyzing a media data of a client device to determine a meta-data identifier associated with the media data and automatically populating a new mark-up language file using an existing media-collection data associated with certain items of the media data. The meta-data identifier may be generated by a client application that is agnostic of a type of media player application compatible with the media data. The new mark-up language file may include an arrangement of the existing media-collection data of the certain items associated with the media data of the client device. A compatibility rating may be determined between the users based on the similar attributes between the arrangement and the other arrangements and enabling each user of the server device to view mark-up language files of the other users. |
| US07979440B2 |
System and article of manufacture for efficient evaluation of index screening predicates
Techniques are provided for processing a query using an index. It is determined whether a number of consecutive keys that evaluate to a false-positive when applying a screening predicate in the query exceeds a false-positive predefined value. One or more keys in the index are skipped in response to determining that the number of consecutive keys exceeds the false-positive predefined value. |
| US07979438B2 |
Document management method and apparatus and document search method and apparatus
A document management method includes shifting a character string of characters from document data and clipping it, determining that a management Gram obtained by the clipping is one of a first Gram of low frequency and a second Gram of high frequency, storing first post data in a first post region in association with a Gram value obtained by computing the character string of first Gram, the first post data having a set of a document identification (ID) indicating the document data including the first Gram and an intra-document offset indicating a character string position thereof, and storing second post data in a second post region in association with the character string of second Gram, the second post data having a set of a document identification (ID) indicating document data including the second Gram and an intra-document offset indicating a character string position thereof. |
| US07979437B2 |
Method of searching an index structure for TV-anytime forum metadata having location information expressed as a code for defining a key
An index structure of metadata provided for searching for information on contents, a method for providing indices of the metadata, and a method and an apparatus for searching for the metadata using the index structure of the metadata are provided. The index structure of the metadata includes a list of keys corresponding to fields of the metadata, and location information for defining a key, wherein at least a part of the location information is expressed as a predetermined code. |
| US07979436B2 |
Entity-based business intelligence
A method is disclosed for conducting a query to transform data in a pre-existing database, the method comprising: collecting database information from the pre-existing database, the database information including inconsistent dimensional tables and fact tables; running an entity discovery process on the inconsistent dimensional tables and the fact tables to produce entity mapping tables; using the entity mapping tables to resolve the inconsistent dimensional tables into resolved dimensional tables; and running the query on a resolved database to obtain a query result, the resolved database including the resolved dimensional table. |
| US07979435B2 |
Method of grouping images from a video sequence
The method utilizing a graph-like structure is comprises the following iteration: calculation of the potential of node nm, merging of two nodes ni and nj, as a function of the distances between the attributes of the key images and as a function of the temporal distance of these key images, calculation of the potential of each edge connecting the merged node to another node of the graph previously connected to nodes ni or nj, merging of the two nodes and validation of the new graph if the energy of this graph is less than the energy of the graph before merging. |
| US07979432B2 |
Apparatus, computer program product and system for processing information
In an information processing apparatus, an extracting unit extracts a feature quantity from a subject content. A detecting unit detects from the second content a similar portion where a degree of coincidence between each feature quantity extracted from the second content and the feature quantity included in the key information is higher than a first threshold value, and outputs range information specifying a range of the similar portion. A correspondence generating unit retrieves the similar portion included in the range indicated by the detected range information, and generates correspondence information associating the retrieved similar portion with the key information. A presenting unit presents the key information selectably based on the correspondence information. |
| US07979428B2 |
Time-shift image distribution system, time-shift image distribution method, time-shift image requesting apparatus, and image server
A time-shift image distribution system includes an image server and a time-shift image requesting apparatus. The image server includes a first communication unit configured to carry out communications with the time-shift image requesting apparatus, an image database configured to store image data of captured images in association with meta information for image data of a captured image matching search-condition information, and an image providing unit configured to provide the image data of the captured image detected by the searching unit to the time-shift image requesting apparatus. The time-shift image requesting apparatus includes a second communication unit configured to carry out communications with the image server, and a unit configured to send a search request including information representing an imaging time and information for identifying a subject image as search-condition information to the image server via the second communication unit. |
| US07979425B2 |
Server-side match
Systems and techniques for converting numeric queries into substantially equivalent textual queries are described. In general, the systems and techniques discussed use search query logs to accurately select a most probably mapping for a numeric-to-text conversion. This mapping can occur when a system (e.g., a server-side search system) receives a series of numeric inputs (e.g., from a cell phone keypad) that may correspond to more than one word. For example, a search server may receive input 22737, which corresponds to both the words ACRES and CASES, as part of a query. The server uses current entries in query logs to create mappings for words from the numeric input. If recent queries indicate that the term ACRES is currently more popular than the term CASES, the mapping may match the entry 22737 to the text ACRES. |
| US07979422B2 |
Hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning are described. One example method includes receiving a first (e.g., cost-based) execution plan for a user structured query language statement (User SQL) from a first (e.g., cost-based) optimizer. The example method may also include receiving a second (e.g., rules-based) execution plan for the User SQL from a second, different (e.g., rules-based) query optimizer. The method may include identifying a preferred execution plan based on data produced by test executing the execution plans in a reproduced execution environment that reproduces at least a portion of an execution environment in which the user SQL runs. The method may also include controlling a database to execute the User SQL using the preferred execution plan. |
| US07979421B2 |
Fast search with very large result set
Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for executing a query on a subset of data, for example, to facilitate a fast search with a very large result set. In one general aspect, a method of executing a query includes receiving a query for execution on data in the data repository; generating an estimate of a number of results of the query; defining a subset of data in the data repository; determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; executing the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise executing the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and providing query results. |
| US07979419B2 |
Distributed search methods for time-shifted and live peer-to-peer video streaming
Systems, devices and methods for supporting live and time-shifted video streaming via distributed search methods for registering and locating cached portions of video streams shared in peer-to-peer systems. |
| US07979418B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for processing a prefix tree file utilizing a selected agent
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for processing a prefix tree file utilizing a selected agent. In use, a file including a prefix tree is identified. Additionally, an agent is selected from a plurality of agents to process the file. Further, the file is processed utilizing the agent. |
| US07979416B1 |
Metadirectory namespace and method for use of the same
A data storage system is disclosed. A flag is maintained in metadata pointing to a block of data. A first value of the flag indicates that the block of data is stored in a user accessible file. A second value of the flag indicates that the block of data is stored in a protected file. The flag pointing to the requested data block is checked upon receipt of a data access request. When the flag has the first value the data access request is permitted. When the flag has the second value, an access control list is checked, and if the requesting client is listed in the access control list permitting the data access request, and if the requesting client is not listed in the access control list denying the data access request. |
| US07979415B2 |
Predicting future queries from log data
A system, media, and method for selecting future queries are provided. The selected future queries are used to transmit appropriate online advertising to a user that issues queries to a search engine. The search engine is coupled to a prediction component that predicts what subject the user is going to be interested in and when the user will be interested in the subject. The prediction component returns a future query using statistical language models representing a query history of the user and aggregate query histories for a community of users. |
| US07979413B2 |
Automatic generation of embedded signatures for duplicate detection on a public network
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method and system are disclosed for constructing an embedded signature in order to facilitate post-facto detection of leakage of sensitive data. The leakage detection mechanism involves: 1) identifying at least one set of words in an electronic document containing sensitive data, the set of words having a low frequency of occurrence in a first collection of electronic documents; and, 2) transmitting a query to search a second collection of electronic documents for any electronic document that contains the set of words having a low frequency of occurrence. This leakage detection mechanism has at least the following advantages: a) it is tamper-resistant; b) it avoids the need to add a watermark to the sensitive data, c) it can be used to locate the sensitive data even if the leakage occurred before the embedded signature was ever identified; and, d) it can be used to detect an embedded signature regardless of whether the data is being presented statically or dynamically. |
| US07979412B2 |
Object query over previous query results
A method, apparatus and program product is provided for querying an object database. In response to performing a first query, a first set of query results is generated from an object database. Metadata associated with and describing the first set of query results is generated. The first query results and the associated metadata are mapped to a results entity. A second set of query results is generated by querying the results entity using query terms from the metadata in response to performing a second query. |
| US07979410B2 |
Maintaining referential integrity while masking
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with maintaining referential integrity while masking database columns are described. One example method includes determining a transitive closure for dependency relationships involving a column to be masked and other columns related to the column to be masked through a dependency relationship. The example method may also include identifying a root column for a column in the transitive closure and creating a mapping table that stores original values and masking values for the root column. The method includes masking the root column and related child columns based on the mapping table in a manner that maintains referential integrity between the root column and the child column. Integrity may be maintained by masking corresponding values in the root column and a child column(s) with identical mask values from the mapping table. |
| US07979409B2 |
Method and system for checking availability of automounted file systems
A method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer program product are presented for determining whether a file system, which contains a file system resource that is to be the target of a file system operation, is currently mounted by a data processing system. A first kernel-level process obtains unique identifying information for a file system that contains the target file system resource, and a second kernel-level process manages a data structure having an entry for each file system that the kernel of the data processing system recognizes as being currently mounted. The data structure is searched by the first kernel-level process for an entry having information that matches the unique identifying information such that the first kernel-level process determines that the file system is mounted in response to finding an entry having information that matches the unique identifying information. |
| US07979406B2 |
Compress transaction data using serial micro-trends
Compressing transaction data is provided. A current transaction data point is received. A determination is made as to whether the current transaction data point is a first transaction data point or a subsequent transaction data point of a set of transaction data points for a current variable length aggregation record. A further determination is made as to whether the subsequent transaction data point is within a predetermined tolerance of a predicted transaction data point in response to the current transaction data point being the subsequent transaction data point. The subsequent transaction data point is compressed into the current variable length aggregation record in response to the subsequent transaction data point falling within the predetermined tolerance of the predicted transaction data point. |
| US07979405B2 |
Method for automatically associating data with a document based on a prescribed type of the document
A system and method is provided to automatically associate type-specific information with a document of a prescribed type. The type information includes instance-specific type information that can be instantiated to each document of the prescribed type. The type information also includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type. Such generic type information includes policies that govern, for example, the life span of the documents or who can access the documents. Instance-specific type information can be demoted to and promoted from a document of the prescribed type. Generic type information can only be demoted to a document of the prescribed type. Type information may be demoted into a document only when the document is requested. |
| US07979403B2 |
Method and system for compression of files for storage and operation on compressed files
A method and system for creating, reading and writing compressed files for use with a file access storage. The compressed data of a raw file are packed into a plurality of compressed units and stored as compressed files. One or more corresponding compressed units may be read and/or updated with no need for restoring the entire file whilst maintaining de-fragmented structure of the compressed file. |
| US07979400B2 |
Database journaling in a multi-node environment
A database spread over multiple nodes allows each node to store a journal recording changes made to the database and also allows a journaling component to manage the memory space available for journaling. Two threshold size values may be specified for the journal. The first threshold value specifies a journal size at which to being pruning the journal on a given node. A journal pruning algorithm may be used to identify journal entries that may be removed. For example, once a given transaction completes (i.e., commits) the journal entries related to that transaction may be pruned from the journal. The second threshold value specifies the maximum size of the journal. After reaching this size, journal entries may be written to disk instead of the in-memory journal. |
| US07979399B2 |
Database journaling in a multi-node environment
A database spread over multiple nodes allows each node to store a journal recording changes made to the database and also allows a journaling component to manage the memory space available for journaling. Two threshold size values may be specified for the journal. The first threshold value specifies a journal size at which to being pruning the journal on a given node. A journal pruning algorithm may be used to identify journal entries that may be removed. For example, once a given transaction completes (i.e., commits) the journal entries related to that transaction may be pruned from the journal. The second threshold value specifies the maximum size of the journal. After reaching this size, journal entries may be written to disk instead of the in-memory journal. |
| US07979394B2 |
Method of managing storage and retrieval of data objects
A technique for managing storage of a data object in a storage device involves receiving the data object (A) to store in the storage device, where the data object has an indicator bit pattern (P). Successive compression data transformations are applied to data object A to obtain respective corresponding compressed data objects, and one of these compressed data objects is selected, such that the selected compressed data object (C) has the shortest length with respect to the remaining compressed data objects. Compression information (I) is then associated with the compression data transformation used to generate data object C, and a threshold value T is calculated at least partly from the length of compression information I. If length (C)+T≧length (A), then the indicator bit pattern of data object A is reset and the data object A is written to the storage device. If length (C)+T |
| US07979393B2 |
Multiphase topology-wide code modifications for peer-to-peer systems
Systems and methods that supply changes on-the-fly and without breaking execution of codes for schema changes in a peer-to-peer environment. The modification component supplies changes to peers or nodes in a topology by initially identifying dependencies (e.g., multiple level) that can be affected by the schema change, followed by performing the schema change to the codes or stored procedures. Accordingly, dependencies in an entire system can be refreshed, wherein multiple levels of dependencies can exist. |
| US07979392B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing duplicate saving of resource between universal plug and play devices providing content directory service
A method and apparatus for preventing duplicate saving of a resource between universal plug and play (UPnP) devices, which provide content directory service during content synchronization, are provided. The method includes receiving a change log including metadata about a changed resource from a UPnP device of a transmitter, determining whether the changed resource is a duplicate based on the received change log, and receiving and saving the changed resource according to a designated saving path based on a result of the determination. |
| US07979391B2 |
Data management system, data management method, server apparatus, receiving apparatus, control program, and computer-readable recording medium recording same
A server apparatus (1) includes a deletion information decision section (104) and a management information update section (105). The deletion information decision section (104) decides a file from among files of an AV content already stored in a storage section (202) of a receiving apparatus (2), the file to be decided being so deleted as to be prevented from being used in the receiving apparatus (2) when files constituting an AV content that is to be newly transmitted is stored in the storage section (202). The management information update section (105) transmits, to the receiving apparatus (2), management information including deletion information for specifying the file thus decided. The receiving apparatus (2) includes a deletion section (205) for deleting, from the storage section (202), the file specified by the deletion information of the management information received from the server apparatus (1). |
| US07979388B2 |
Deriving hierarchical organization from a set of tagged digital objects
A method of and system for deriving hierarchical structure from a set of digital objects is presented. The set of digital objects, such as digital images for example, may include a plurality of digital objects each associated with a data tag (such as a date, location, and/or text description, for example) that is part of a flat property set that does not encode the hierarchical relationships of the data objects. The set of digital objects may be filtered by a query and a query engine. Each data tag of each digital object may be compared on the basis of a relationship, such as mathematical equality, proximity in value, and/or similarity of text strings, for example. A hierarchical data structure may be established that includes a parent data segment and a child data segment, each labeled with a related data tag and populated with one or more related digital objects. The hierarchical data structure may be represented by a tree or by nested folders. |
| US07979383B2 |
Atlas reporting
A method and database for generating a report of findings of at least one abnormality evident in a medical image, the medical image including at least a portion of at least one structure of the body, the method includes retrieving a figure of the at least one structure. The retrieved figure is amended to reflect an abnormality. The abnormality is sized with respect to the figure of the at least one structure. The abnormality is placed at a location on the figure of the at least one structure according to an orientation of that abnormality in the medical image to generate an amended figure representative of the medical image for inclusion in the report. |
| US07979382B2 |
Component based information linking during claim processing
A computer program is provided for developing component based software capable of linking insurance-related information. The program includes a data component that stores, retrieves and manipulates data utilizing a plurality of functions. Also provided is a client component that includes an adapter component that transmits and receives data to/from the data component. The client component also includes a business component that serves as a data cache and includes logic for manipulating the data. A controller component is also included which is adapted to handle events generated by a user utilizing the business component to cache data and the adapter component to ultimately persist data to a data repository. In use, the client component is provided with insurance-related information concerning an individual and an event. The user is then able to input information concerning the involvement of the individual in the event. In addition, the user is able to link the individual to the event. Finally, the linked information concerning the individual, the event and the involvement of the individual in the event are displayed. |
| US07979377B2 |
Method and system of deploying server-based applications
A computer implemented method of constructing a computer application for automatically implementing a complex comparison programming task provides a compare design wizard to a display of a user's computer. The user interacts with the compare design wizard to specify (a) at least first and second data groups each containing associated data elements, (b) one or more keys from the first data group, and (c) one or more keys from the second data group, the keys comprising data elements that the user desires to be compared by the computer application. The user further interacts with the compare design wizard to specify one or more actions to be taken by the computer application based on data element comparisons to be performed by the computer application of: the keys matching between the first and second data groups; excess data being found in one of the groups; and excess data being found in a different one of the groups. |
| US07979375B2 |
Engines, methods, and systems for normalizing heterogeneous parameters for scoring proposals
The invention includes a tradeoff module having a range of values, a criteria behavior module that analyzes attributes including values of the criteria for a set of alternatives, generating a set of scores reflecting the desirability of the attributes using logic diagrams, and a scoring and ranking module that utilizes assigned values from the tradeoff module and the set of scores from the criteria behavior module to generate a ranked list of alternatives. The invention is used to facilitate a reverse auction, where suppliers submit bids to a purchaser desiring specific goods or services. The invention discloses a system for generating a ranked list of alternatives, including means for generating a homogeneous matrix of scores based on a heterogeneous matrix of attributes and alternatives, means for receiving a tradeoff value, and means for generating a ranked list of alternatives based on the homogeneous matrix of scores and the tradeoff value. |
| US07979373B2 |
Method and system for analyzing drug adverse effects
A system for analyzing the risks of adverse effect resulting from the use of a drug comprises a selector for identifying at least one drug, a profiler for selecting from multiple profiles related to the safety of the drug, using at least one filter; at least one data mining engine; and an output device for displaying the analytic results from the data mining engine. Preferably, the at least one data mining engine is selected from (1) a proportional analysis engine to assess deviations in a set of reactions to the drug; (2) a comparator to measure the reactions to the drug against a user-defined backdrop, and (3) a correlator to look for correlated signal characteristics in drug/reaction/demographic information; and an output device whereby a user can receive analytic. |
| US07979372B2 |
Method and system for knowledge discovery using non-linear statistical analysis and a 1st and 2nd tier computer program
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for simultaneously processing different sources of test data into informational data and then processing different categories of informational data into knowledge-based data. The knowledge-based data can then be communicated between nodes in a system of multiple computers according to rules for a type of complex, hierarchical computer system modeled on a human brain. |
| US07979371B2 |
Predictive monitoring for events at computer network resources
Computer resources in a computer network can be predictively monitored where those resources are conventionally monitored using a monitoring rule. For predictive monitoring, the current values of the parameters of the monitoring rule are tracked at regular intervals. The current values are used in an “inverted” or predictive form of the conventional monitoring rule to derive a predictive value that is indicative of the imminence of a defined event. The monitoring system may be instructed to report a predictive value that exceeds a predetermined percentage of the final value at which the resource event will be deemed to have occurred. The earlier report increases the chances the network manager will have sufficient time to take appropriate preemptive action to prevent actual occurrence of the event. |
| US07979368B2 |
Systems and methods for processing data flows
A flow processing facility, which uses a set of artificial neurons for pattern recognition, such as a self-organizing map, in order to provide security and protection to a computer or computer system supports unified threat management based at least in part on patterns relevant to a variety of types of threats that relate to computer systems, including computer networks. Flow processing for switching, security, and other network applications, including a facility that processes a data flow to address patterns relevant to a variety of conditions are directed at internal network security, virtualization, and web connection security. A flow processing facility for inspecting payloads of network traffic packets detects security threats and intrusions across accessible layers of the IP-stack by applying content matching and behavioral anomaly detection techniques based on regular expression matching and self-organizing maps. Exposing threats and intrusions within packet payload at or near real-time rates enhances network security from both external and internal sources while ensuring security policy is rigorously applied to data and system resources. Intrusion Detection and Protection (IDP) is provided by a flow processing facility that processes a data flow to address patterns relevant to a variety of types of network and data integrity threats that relate to computer systems, including computer networks. |
| US07979361B2 |
Composition of web services using representations
A system for composing Web services may include a goal determiner unit and a composer unit. The goal determiner unit may be configured to access a primary goal of final states of Web service representations. The composer unit may be configured to compute a set of transitions from initial states of the Web service representations to the primary goal, compute intermediate states of one or more Web service representations, and generate a copy rule of the set of transitions, the copy rule having a condition part that specifies the intermediate states and a portion of the final states of the primary goal and an activity part that includes assignments of input variables consumed by transitions from the intermediate states. |
| US07979359B1 |
System and method for selectively applying an item sortation process
Various embodiments may include a shipping consolidation analyzer configured to determine whether a sortation process is to be applied to at least a subset of an item group at a facility. Such item group may include multiple items to be shipped to a common destination. Each item of the item group may be associated with a default non-sortable status. Such sortation process may include a process for indicating at least two items of the subset as consolidated for shipment. The shipping consolidation analyzer may, in response to determining that the sortation process is to be applied to the subset, generate an instruction such that the sortation process is applied at the materials handling facility to the subset of the item group. |
| US07979358B1 |
Quality assurance of image-customization of computer-based value-bearing items
The exemplary embodiment of the present invention will provide methods and a computer system for managing image content review for image customization of computer-based value-bearing items such as, for example, an exemplary image-customized computer-based postage label 1 in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, the exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will bear an image 2 that would be provided by a corresponding user, namely by the user that orders the customized computer-based postage label. The user may provide image 2 in an electronic form, such as by uploading a digital representation of image 2. In a variation of the exemplary embodiment, a user could alternatively provide a hardcopy image. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will bear a human-readable indication of the country 4 for which the postage is approved. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a human-readable indication of an amount of postage 5. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a human-readable identifier (such as a serial number) 6 that will uniquely identify the particular customized computer-based postage label. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a machine-readable set of information 7. |
| US07979357B2 |
Electronic commerce method, electronic commerce system, certificate terminal, and principal certification method by agent
In order to prevent without fail the abuse of certificate information which are exchanged on a network, an orderer inputs the certificate information to a certificate terminal when placing an order for a commodity, the certificate terminal encrypts the certificate information to send it to an order receiver and holds the certificate information and a decryption key. A deliveryman, at the time of commodity delivery, inputs the encrypted certificate information to the certificate terminal, and the orderer inputs data of terminal certification to the certificate terminal. The certificate terminal, when it certifies by the data that the orderer is the valid owner of the certificate terminal, decrypts the encrypted certificate information input by the deliveryman, by the decryption key in the certificate terminal, verifies decrypted certificate information with the certificate information in the certificate terminal, and the deliveryman hands over the commodity to the orderer when the certificate information match. |
| US07979355B2 |
Content bank for objects
A content bank for objects hosts all information regarding an object and serves as a proxy for that object. The content bank comprises at least one instance of a digital identity corresponding the object. Object identity modules or services are available through the digital identity instance. Via the content bank system, the digital identity instance receives object-related information from a source and targeted to a specific service. Conversely, the digital identity instance also serves to determine when object-related information should be provided to a third party by a given service, or when object-related information needs to be manipulated by one or more services. A multi-mode interface is available for third parties to communicate with the digital identity instance. In this manner, third parties are not only able to access data regarding an object, but are actually able to communicate with an object via the digital identity instance. |
| US07979346B2 |
System and method for pricing loans in the secondary mortgage market
A system is provided for generating pricing information regarding loans where each loan has loan level data and is associated with a borrower. The system includes a pricing engine for generating a price for each loan including an interest rate component and a credit risk component. The credit risk component is generated based on loan level data for the particular loan. |
| US07979345B2 |
Method and interface for presenting last traded quantity information
Trading software may receive trading information from an exchange. The trading software may use the trading information to compute an estimate of last traded total sweep quantity. The trading software may also display the last traded total sweep quantity on a trading screen. |
| US07979344B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for automatically controlling trade executions based on percentage of volume trading rates
Systems, methods, and media for automatically controlling trade executions based on percentage of volume trading rates are provided. In some embodiments, systems for automatically controlling trade executions based on percentage of volume trading rates, are provided, the systems comprising at least one processor that: determines a market impact relationship for each of a plurality of positions included in a portfolio; determines a risk model associated with the portfolio; solves for a percentage of volume trading rate for each of the plurality of positions included in the portfolio based on the market impact relationship and the risk model; and causes trades to be executed in at least one of the plurality of positions included in the portfolio at the percentage of volume trading rate corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of positions. |
| US07979338B1 |
Financial instrument providing returns as cash and accretion
In a method for obtaining capital, a convertible or exchangeable financial instrument having an accreted value and that earns returns over a lifetime comprising at least a first and a second time period is offered. During a first time period, at least some of the returns earned are paid in cash. During a second time period all of the returns earned are accreted to the accreted value of the financial instrument. Returns may be earned during each period according to a rate associated with each period. The rate associated with each period may be fixed or variable and may be modified by one or more rate modifiers, such as a minimum or maximum rate. The financial instrument may include a provision describing how the instrument is serviced when the current value of a rate is negative. |
| US07979335B2 |
Computerized method and system for score based evaluation of capital market investment decisions and strategies
The disclosed computer-implemented investment management process particularly in the field of high yield corporate bond financial market consists of five distinct process phases. In a first phase, the financial market under evaluation is researched in order to obtain all the market business information necessary for the following market evaluation phases. The next three phases, as marked by the dotted line, are all part of the central evaluation process that will be described in more detail hereinafter. The first evaluation phase is a filtering phase where the market business information obtained from the previous research phase are filtered in order to separate useful information from non-useful information. In a following phase, the filtered business information at first is input to a subscoring process and thereafter to a scoring process. Finally, the obtained evaluation results (scores) are presented to a user in form of a recommendation displayed on a monitor or printed in paper format. |
| US07979331B2 |
Verifying whether a software package calculating EFC used for determining federal student financial aid is implemented according to a specification
Verifying whether a software package designed to calculate EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is implemented in compliance with a specification provided by the US Federal Government for a specific year. In one embodiment, a set of sample ISIRs (Institutional Student Information Records) provided by the US Federal Government is received, with each sample ISIR containing the details of a student and a corresponding expected set of EFC values pre-calculated based on the specification for that specific year. The digital processing system then sends the details of the student contained in a sample ISIR to the software package and in response, receives the corresponding values of the EFC calculated by the software package based on the details of the student. The calculated values of the EFC and the expected values of the EFC are then compared to determine if the software package is implemented in compliance with the specification. |
| US07979329B2 |
System and method for generating optimal bill/payment schedule
A method and system for generating bill payment schedule utilizes a composite pricing module to generate payment schedule over a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, a fraction of each pricing model attributing to the composite pricing model is determined. A charge fee associated with said each pricing model based on said fraction and said total price to charge is determined. Price to charge during each time unit of the time period is allocated, based on budget over the time period, discount rate, target profit margin and risk affordance. Bill schedule is generated using the allocated price. |
| US07979325B2 |
Online merchandising system, server, estimation managing method, computer program product, and computer data signal
A shopping server accepts a request for estimation of arbitrary designated items given by a client terminal, and generates estimation data for the designated items in accordance with the accepted request. The shopping server stores the generated estimation data at a shopping DB system. In response to retrieval of inventory status information for the items indicated by the estimation data stored in the shopping DB system, the shopping server updates the estimation data concerned in accordance with the retrieved inventory status information. The shopping server presents the updated estimation data to other client terminal in response to a request given by the client terminal which requested the estimation. |
| US07979324B2 |
Virtual catalog
Records, including data for a virtual catalog, may be received from a number of sources. Each of the received records may be validated and a determination may be made as to whether one or more previously-received records matches the received record. When two or more records are determined to be matching records, a composite object may be created and information from the two or more records may be included in the composite object. If the matching records include conflicting information, then previously-defined rules may be applied to determine which items of the conflicting information have precedence over other items of the conflicting information. A virtual catalog may be created from the received records and the created composite object based on customized attributes. |
| US07979323B2 |
Exchanging retail pricing information
The present disclosure includes a method for providing pricing information. In some implementations, a method for providing pricing information includes receiving, from a first subscriber, a request for pricing information of one or more retailers. The request is associated with a unit provided by a retailer different from the one or more retailers. Pricing information associated with the unit is identified based on mapping information. The pricing information is provided by the one or more retailers. The mapping information maps the unit to one or more units sold by the one or more retailers. |
| US07979322B2 |
Product recommendations based on collaborative filtering of seller products
A system gathers user behavior data from a group of web retailers and/or non-web retailers, analyzes the user behavior data to identify product recommendations for products offered by the web retailers, and provides one of the identified product recommendations in connection with a product page associated with one of the web retailers. |
| US07979318B1 |
Method, system and software product for creating variable pricing
A method, system and software product allows the seller of products or services to offer variable pricing while still basing that pricing on the quantity selected by a buyer. It also provides the seller with the ability to adjust the per unit price of any given product or service along a calculated adjustment curve that would exist between price breaks. Two values need to be stored for each plot point on the adjustment curve, the “quantity percentile” and the “price percentile.” To calculate the quantity percentile, the seller determines the difference in quantities between the start price break and the end price break for the specific adjustment curve that is being plotted. The “price percentile” represents the amount of the difference between the start and end price break that will be used to discount the start price breaks price at the quantity level that was calculated in the quantity percentile. |
| US07979317B2 |
Method and system for subscribing a purchase item in mobile broadcast multicast service
The present invention relates to Mobile Broadcast Multicast technologies, and discloses a method for subscribing a purchase item in Mobile Broadcast Multicast Service, so that the subscription operation and update operation of the purchase item in BCAST are simplified, and the utilization of system resources is improved. In the present invention, a subscription management module generates a PurchaseItem identification, and sends this identification to a service distribution and adaptation module. Therefore, the PurchaseItem identification may be included in a PurchaseItem fragment sent to a user terminal from the service distribution and adaptation module. And, the function of identifying the purchase item is separated from the PurchaseItem fragment identification. Through sending a service request including the PurchaseItem identification to the subscription management module by the user terminal, the subscription of the purchase item is accomplished. The subscription management module manages service information of the purchase item based on the PurchaseItem identification. A device for implementing the above method is also disclosed in the present invention. |
| US07979310B2 |
Methods and systems for consolidating purchase orders
A method is provided for electronically ordering items. The method includes receiving consolidation information at a server computer. The consolidation information includes at least one consolidation criterion for determining how to consolidate purchase requests. The method further includes receiving a plurality of requests to purchase one or more items at the server computer and evaluating the requests, using the consolidation criterion. A purchase order, containing the items meeting the consolidation criteria, is transmitted from the server computer to a supplier a purchase order containing the items meeting the consolidation criterion. |
| US07979307B2 |
Method and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes. |
| US07979305B2 |
Method of assisting a sales representative in selling
A computer implemented method of providing feedback to a sales representative for a sales opportunity to a customer, comprising: determining, in dependence on information received from the sales representative, a probability that the sales opportunity will result in a sale by the sales representative; determining, in dependence on information received from the sales representative, a location on a sales cycle time line for the sales opportunity; assigning a priority to the sales opportunity in dependence on the location on the sales cycle time line and the probability that the sales opportunity will result in a sale; and rendering on a display a visual representation of the probability and the priority. |
| US07979296B2 |
Universal worklist service and user interface
Work items are collected from one or more work item providers for presentation to a workflow participant. A work item provider is typically a workflow management system (“WFMS”), but other providers of work items might exist that generate work items and may or may not have their own local worklist. Multiple independent WFMS's of multiple types might provide work items to a universal worklist (“UWL”) service that integrates the work items from all of the providers. Additional integration might be provided between the UWL and work item providers, such as for controlling work item execution with a sub-workflow through an ad-hoc workflow engine. Additional integration provides for custom attributes. Each work item has a type that is used to determine handling for that work item. A universal work list service includes storage for work items, wherein a work item represents a task generated as part of a process flow. An engine supporting the UWL service might track item types for work items and might obtain attribute values for attributes of the work item according to the work item's type. |
| US07979290B2 |
Computer-implemented method for grouping medical claims into episode treatment groups
A computer-implemented method for profiling medical claims to assist health care managers in determining the cost-efficiency and service quality of health care providers. The method allows an objective means for measuring and quantifying health care services. An episode treatment group (ETG) is a patient classification unit, which defines groups that are clinically homogenous (similar cause of illness and treatment) and statistically stable. The ETG grouper methodology uses service or segment-level claim data as input data and assigns each service to the appropriate episode. The program identifies concurrent and recurrent episodes, flags records, creates new groupings, shifts groupings for changed conditions, selects the most recent claims, resets windows, makes a determination if the provider is an independent lab and continues to collect information until an absence of treatment is detected. |
| US07979289B2 |
System and method for intelligent management of medical care
A computerized medical care system provides validation of a diagnosis of a medical condition and requested medical services for treating the medical condition. The medial care system invokes multiple filters to determine the appropriateness of the diagnosis and medical service. Real time feedback is provided based on the determination. If the medical care cannot be validated, the feedback includes the reasons for the failure to validate, and any supporting materials for the lack of validation. The feedback may also prompt the requesting entity to provide additional information to help support the medical provider's position as to why the requested medical care is appropriate. |
| US07979284B2 |
Interactive video based remote health monitoring system
A health monitoring system includes a plurality of remote user sites, each remote user site comprising at least one health monitoring device for collection of user health monitoring data, an interactive video device, and a user interface apparatus; at least one remote computing facility configured for signal communication with, and to receive health monitoring data-related signals from, the plurality of remote user sites; and at least one computer, configured for signal communication with the remote computing facility, wherein the interactive video device is interactively coupled with the remote computing facility. Associated methods are also described. |
| US07979272B2 |
System and methods for concealing errors in data transmission
The present invention provides a frame erasure concealment device and method that is based on reestimating gain parameters for a code excited linear prediction (CELP) coder. During operation, when a frame in a stream of received data is detected as being erased, the coding parameters, especially an adaptive codebook gain gp and a fixed codebook gain gc, of the erased and subsequent frames can be reestimated by a gain matching procedure. By using this technique with the IS-641 speech coder, it has been found that the present invention improves the speech quality under various channel conditions, compared with a conventional extrapolation-based concealment algorithm. |
| US07979270B2 |
Speech recognition apparatus and method
Disclosed herein is a voice processing apparatus for recognizing an input voice on the basis of a prosody characteristic of said voice, said voice processing apparatus including: voice acquisition means for acquiring said input voice; acoustic analysis means for finding a relative pitch change on the basis of a frequency-direction difference between a first frequency characteristic seen at each frame time of said input voice acquired by said voice acquisition means and a second frequency characteristic determined in advance; and prosody recognition means for carrying out a prosody recognition process on the basis of said relative pitch change found by said acoustic analysis means in order to produce a result of said prosody recognition process. |
| US07979267B2 |
Specifying a subset of dynamic inter-related data
A natural language tool is provided for specifying a subset of data. The data may be dynamic and have elements which are inter-related. The inter-related data is specified using a natural language expression. The natural language tool enables a user to construct a natural language expression using embedded fields. A user may configure, add and remove fields within the expression. A natural language expression contains at least two configurable fields. The fields of an expression have a tiered relationship. When a higher tiered field is changed, one or more lower tiered fields may be changed in response to the higher field change. |
| US07979266B2 |
Method and system of language detection
Systems, methods, computer-readable media and other embodiments are provided for automatically determining a language of a document from a set of candidate languages. In one embodiment, a system includes a logic for setting an assumption value associated with each of the languages of the set of candidate languages where the assumption value indicates that the document is not in the language. A language analyzer determines the language and generates an output that indicates that the document is one language of the candidate languages when the assumption value for the one language passes a threshold value. |
| US07979265B2 |
Machine translation system, method and program for translating text having a structure
Machine translation system includes storage unit configured to store interpretation data items each including first expression element representing first expression of first language, word set element including first expression, and second expression element representing second expression of second language, first expression being to be translated into second expression, first expression and second expression belonging to category, acquiring unit configured to acquire predetermined expression of first language, predetermined expression being contained in to-be-translated text having structure, detecting unit configured to detect, from interpretation data items, interpretation data items each including expression element representing predetermined expression, selection unit configured to select, from detected interpretation data items, interpretation data item including word set element corresponding to same attribute or equivalent positional relationship in structure, and translation unit configured to translate predetermined expression into second language, using selected interpretation data item. |
| US07979264B2 |
System and method for interfacing a media processing apparatus with a computer
A system comprising a media processing apparatus and a computer where the media processing apparatus emulates a mass storage device and interfaces with the computer is disclosed. In one embodiment the media processing apparatus appears to the computer as a Universal serial bus (USB) mass storage device, and the operating system (OS) on the computer, using its pre-installed USB mass storage device driver, establishes bi-directional communication channel with the media processing apparatus. Thus, the need to develop an OS specific kernel-mode device driver for the media processing apparatus is eliminated. The system may employ a proprietary communication protocol on the USB bus to send and receive data between the computer and the media processing apparatus. In one embodiment, the computer sends and receives data by executing read and write operations to sectors of the emulated USB mass storage device; while the media processing apparatus deciphers the read and write operations on emulated sectors and takes appropriate actions. User-mode applications on the computer and the media processing apparatus may employ Remote Procedure Call (RPC) mechanisms to issue commands and share their respective resources with each other. |
| US07979263B2 |
Method, system and program for developing and scheduling adaptive integrated circuitry and corresponding control or configuration information
A method, system and program are provided for development of an adaptive computing integrated circuit and corresponding configuration information, in which the configuration information provides an operating mode to the adaptive computing integrated circuit. The exemplary system includes a scheduler, a memory, and a compiler. The scheduler is capable of scheduling a selected algorithm with a plurality of adaptive computing descriptive objects to produce a scheduled algorithm and a selected adaptive computing circuit version. The memory is utilized to store the plurality of adaptive computing descriptive objects and a plurality of adaptive computing circuit versions generated during the scheduling process. The selected adaptive computing circuit version is converted into a hardware description language, for fabrication into the adaptive computing integrated circuit. The compiler generates the configuration information, from the scheduled algorithm and the selected adaptive computing circuit version, for the performance of the algorithm by the adaptive computing integrated circuit. In the exemplary embodiments, multiple versions of configuration information may be generated, for different circuit versions, different feature sets, different operating conditions, and different operating modes. |
| US07979261B2 |
Circuit simulation model generation apparatus, circuit simulation model generation method and circuit simulation apparatus
A circuit simulation model generation apparatus includes: a power supply wiring model generation section that generates a power supply wiring model which is a model of the power supply wiring; a logic circuit model generation section that generates a logic circuit model which is a model of the logic circuit; and a link section that adds, to the logic circuit model and the power supply wiring model, a voltage controller that acquires a potential value of a logic circuit connecting terminal and gives the acquired potential value to a power supply wiring connecting terminal and a current controller that acquires a current value of the power supply wiring connecting terminal and gives the acquired current value to the logic circuit connecting terminal in the simulation, and links the logic circuit model and the power supply wiring model to generate a simulation model. |
| US07979254B2 |
Simulation apparatus and method for NC machining
A simulation control section 210 of an NC machining simulation apparatus 10 computes a movement path of a mechanical element when performing simulation. A ring buffer 270 memorizes the movement path of the mechanical element. In response to a replay instruction, the simulation control section 210 reads the movement path from the ring buffer 270. The simulation control section 210 then displays the mechanical element on a display device 190 as a solid model based on the movement path for replaying the simulation. |
| US07979252B2 |
Selective sampling of user state based on expected utility
Model enhancement architecture that provides selective sampling of data to enhance model performance where model testing is deemed to be poor. Sampling can include direct interaction with the user while the user is logged-in to the computing system. The system can be used to infer a computer user's current interruptability based on computer activity and relevant contextual information. Personalized models can then be created that are utilized to determine a cost of interruption and an expected utility. A modeling component is provided that builds and runs models based on data. The data can be any type of data such as application data, user profile data, tracking data, user state data, user situation data, and so on. A sampling component samples the data based on failure analysis of the model. The architecture is a utility-centric approach to gathering data to maximally enhance the current model. |
| US07979247B2 |
System, method and computer program product for developing a system-of-systems architecture model
A method is provided for developing an architecture model for a system-of-systems (SoS) that includes n system levels L1 . . . Ln, each of which includes at least one component of the SoS. For at least i>1, each system level Li includes at least one component of level Li-1. The method includes developing an architecture model for at least one level of the SoS. For at least i>1, the level Li-1 architecture model can be developed by developing a functional architecture model for level Li-1, and thereafter transforming the level Li-1 functional architecture model into a physical architecture model for level Li-1. The functional architecture model includes a functional and a logical structure for level Li-1. And as such, the functional architecture model is developed based upon a concurrent functional and logical decomposition of a functional architecture model developed for level Li. |
| US07979243B1 |
System and method for graphical model processing
In a graphical modeling environment supporting a model having at least two different analysis frameworks operating therein, a system and corresponding method of processing the graphical model modify the model to group model portions together for processing in the same analysis framework. Model parts are identified and associated with the analysis framework in which they operate. Model parts are then grouped based on their association with their analysis framework to form model portions that operate in one of the different analysis frameworks. In instances where topological separation of model portions operating in the same analysis framework occurs, the system and method reconfigure intervening model portions to be amenable with operation in the analysis framework of the surrounding model portions to improve processing efficiency. |
| US07979238B2 |
System, method and computer program product for evaluating a test of an alternative system
A method for checking an alternative system test, the method includes: determining a relationship between (i) utilization of resources during an execution of a group of programs by a first system when operating in a non-testing mode and (ii) utilization of resources during an executive of an alternative system test by the alternative system; wherein the alternative system test comprises at least on program of the group of programs. |
| US07979234B2 |
Method and system for deterministic throttling for thermal management
A scheme to facilitate deterministic thermal management by having either device connected via a link to generate a thermal management request based on one device's thermal capability and the present conditions. The request is transmitted over the link to the other device with a specific sleep period. Consequently, the receiving device responds with an acknowledgement within a pre-configured or pre-agreed response time. |
| US07979230B2 |
Coriolis flowmeter with zero checking feature
Descriptions are provided for implementing flowmeter zero checking techniques. In operating a flowmeter, it may be the case that, even if previously calibrated, the flowmeter will produce erroneous measurements, that is, the flowmeter will indicate a non-zero flow during a period of zero flow. Therefore, zero checking features are provided that allow for fast and accurate determinations of the zero-flow values, for use in adjusting later measurements. The zero-checking features include a button attached to an exterior of a flowmeter, so that it is easily accessible to an operator of the flowmeter. The button, in conjunction with an internal zero checking system, allows for a display of a zero value in response to a request from the operator of the flowmeter. |
| US07979227B2 |
Calibration in a laboratory reference method
In a method for calibrating a measuring device, a signal of a first sensor is mapped to a measured value based on a mapping specification. A current measured value of the measuring device is recorded as current calibration measured value; a laboratory reference sample of the measured medium with properties of the calibrated measured value at the point in time of the recording is supplied to a laboratory reference measuring device; the actual value of the measured variable is ascertained based on the laboratory reference sample and made available and recorded as current laboratory reference measured value; and, based on the current calibration measured value, as well as the current laboratory reference measured value, the mapping specification is updated. At least one earlier value pair of a calibration measured value and an associated laboratory reference measured value ascertained in an earlier calibration is considered in updating the mapping specification. |
| US07979226B2 |
Production of color coatings gradients, application methods and uses therefor
This invention pertains to a system and methods for the production of color coatings gradients on a surface using a blender and applicator, sensors and to computer memory containing stored color gradient representation information to be used for color composition customization and for visually displaying alphanumeric data/information on 2D and 3D surfaces. This invention integrates gradient specific programmable computer digital processes to function as internal editors, manipulate information and present an operator with multiple options and production overrides. This invention will make data analysis more interactive by utilizing existing external software applications as editors and expanding the process of visual communications for multiple purposes. |
| US07979224B2 |
Configurable voltage regulator
A configurable semiconductor device includes at least one select pin configured to connect to one of a plurality of impedances. The impedances are external to the configurable semiconductor device and have impedance values within predetermined tolerances. A measurement circuit is connected to the at least one select pin. The measurement circuit is configured to measure electrical characteristics of the plurality of impedances, correlate the electrical characteristics to respective predetermined ranges of impedances, and generate digital output values corresponding to the correlation. A controller is configured to control a characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the digital output values. Spacing between the respective predetermined ranges of impedances is based on the predetermined tolerances. |
| US07979223B2 |
Systems and methods for power hardware in the loop testing
A system for power hardware in the loop testing is described. The system includes a power system and a control system, the power system connected to a power converter of a device under test, the control system being in communication with the power system and the power converter. The control system determines the voltage input to the power system by utilizing the voltage output of the power converter, the voltage input determination being made by a control algorithm comprising. v Ok = Sx k + Pv Ik + Qi Ak + 1 where : S = 1 T ( CL A T C + L B T + R B + R C T + CR C - L B - C L B + R B T T + CR C ) P = 1 + C T + CR C L B + R B T T Q = - L A + R A T T - L B + R B T T - C T + CR C L A + R A T T L B + R B T T |
| US07979215B2 |
Methods and systems for evaluating CGH candidate probe nucleic acid sequences
Methods of evaluating candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequences are provided. Aspects of the methods include providing a candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequence for a target sequence of a copy number variation (CNV) of a genome. A proximity score is then determined for the candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequence and employed to evaluate the sequence. Aspects of the invention further include computer programming and systems that include the same which are configured to evaluate candidate CGH probe nucleic acid sequences using a proximity score. |
| US07979214B2 |
Peptide identification
Peptides are identified from a list of candidates using collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry data. A probabilistic model for the occurrence of spectral peaks corresponding to frequently observed partial peptide fragment ions is applied. As part of the identification procedure, a probability score is produced that indicates the likelihood of any given candidate being the correct match. The statistical significance of the score is known without necessarily having reference to the actual identity of the peptide. In one form of the invention, a genetic algorithm is applied to candidate peptides using an objective function that takes into account the number of shifted peaks appearing in the candidate spectrum relative to the test spectrum. |
| US07979211B2 |
Electromagnetic data processing system
Method and computer program for accepting controlled-source electromagnetic (“CSEM”) source and receiver data (40) as time series, transforming these data into the time-frequency domain, and reducing these data and survey metadata to a form suitable for interpretation or inversion. The invention includes: a number of processing tools or programs (30), each designed to take a specific action on CSEM data or metadata, combine data types in some way, and/or provide a visual representation of data; a Graphical User Interface (32) to specify the action of specific tools (34) on specific data, supply parameters to tools, and monitor progress of the processing project; and a specified common internal data format, so that processing tools may be applied in various orders (36) during different processing flows and processed CSEM data can be passed on to interpretation or inversion systems. |
| US07979210B2 |
Correction for errors caused by variation in water conditions
Method for processing seismic data to correct for errors caused by variation in water conditions. In one implementation, the method may include (a) applying a dip correction to a plurality of observed water bottom reflection times using a model water velocity and an estimate of geologic dip; (b) applying a normal moveout (NMO) correction to the dip corrected observed water bottom reflection times using the model water velocity; (c) applying a common mid point (“CMP”) bin centering correction to the NMO corrected, dip corrected observed water bottom reflection times using the model water velocity and the estimate of geologic dip; (d) solving for Δsi, which is an estimate of the difference in slowness between the observed water bottom reflection times and the water bottom reflection times that would have been observed had the water velocity been the same as the model water velocity; (e) solving for an estimate of observed water velocity based on sobs,i=sm+Δsi, where sobs,i is an estimate of observed slowness and sm is defined as the model slowness; (f) layer replacing the observed water bottom reflection times using the estimate of the observed water velocity and the model water velocity; and (g) repeating steps (a) to (f) using the layer replaced observed water bottom reflection times until the changes in the estimate of observed water velocity approach zero. |
| US07979201B2 |
Navigation apparatus
A navigation apparatus includes a map data acquiring means 11a, 11, 12, and 5 for acquiring map data including data about roads for which whether or not a car pool lane is also provided is specified; a current position determining means 13, 14, 15, and 10 for determining a current position; and a route searching unit 130 for searching for a route from the current position determined by the current position determining means to a destination inputted by an input unit on the basis of the map data acquired by the map data acquiring means, and for, when a road where a car pool lane is also provided is included in a route acquired through the route search, presenting, as a recommended route, the route using the car pool lane if the distance over which the road will be traveled is equal to or longer than a predetermined value. |
| US07979195B2 |
Valvetrain control systems for internal combustion engines with multiple intake and exhaust timing based lift modes
A valve control system for an internal combustion engine includes a valve actuation system that actuates each of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between N open lift modes where N is an integer greater than one. A control module defines a switching window having a start time based on intake valve timing and an end time based on exhaust valve timing. The control module enables transitioning of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves between the N open lift modes based on the switching window. |
| US07979193B2 |
Even fire 90°V12 IC engines, fueling and firing sequence controllers, and methods of operation by PS/P technology and IFR compensation by fuel feed control
90°V12 reciprocating, EFI/DIS fueled/fired, IC engines having a PCM controller operating the engine in an Even Fire ignition mode, in a novel fueling and firing sequence called Progressive Single/Pair (PS/P) firing, wherein the cylinders of each of a set of four pairs of internal cylinders are simultaneously fueled and fired in parallel to produce a pump-gas fueled power curve greatly improved over V6 and V8 engines. The inherent imbalance-induced transitory vibration in IFR RPM is compensated-for by fuel feed control, namely, leaning one cylinder of each pair-fired cylinder pair. The inventive 90°V12 retro-fits into the engine compartment of conventional vehicles and can use any liquid or gaseous fuel. The inventive 90°V12 has use in the exemplary fields of: automotive engines; heavy military and industrial equipment and vehicle engines; marine engines; aircraft engines; and stationary power sources; in both 2-cycle and 4-cycle modes, and in normally aspirated, super-charged and turbo-charged configurations. |
| US07979191B2 |
Method for monitoring a starting process of a motor vehicle
A method for monitoring a starting process of a motor vehicle, having a drive train including a driving motor, a torque transfer system and a transmission, a controller and an actuator, which is controlled by the controller for actuating the torque transfer system. Upon initiation of the starting process, if it is observed that the motor vehicle does not start, despite a clear starting request, appropriate measures for starting the motor vehicle are initiated. |
| US07979186B2 |
Torque converter clutch apply adapt and quality apply detection converter slip acceleration
A torque converter clutch slip rate monitoring system includes a slip rate calculation module that receives a raw slip speed of a torque converter clutch and that calculates torque converter clutch slip acceleration based on the raw slip speed. A torque converter clutch slip rate monitoring module detects deviation of the slip acceleration from a predetermined range during a pulldown of the torque converter clutch. |
| US07979182B2 |
Swing drive system for construction machine
A swing drive system for a construction machine enhances safety for an operator. A swing control means 55A has a lever input amount-torque table 11 and an actual rotating speed-torque table 13. Based on a lever input amount and an actual rotating speed of an electric motor, the tables are used to derive torque values. A minimum value of the torque values is taken as the acceleration torque. The swing control means 55A further has a lever input amount-meter-out restriction area table 15 and an actual rotating speed-relief torque table 119. Based on the lever input amount and the actual rotating speed of the electric motor, a meter-out restriction area is derived from the lever input amount-meter-out restriction area table and the actual rotating speed to calculate a meter-out torque. A minimum value of the meter-out torque and relief torque is taken as the braking torque. |
| US07979178B2 |
Method of flash programming scan tools and pass thru devices over wireless communications
A diagnostic tool and method are provided wherein the diagnostic tool includes a wireless communication circuit to retrieve diagnostic software from a remote computing device. When operated, the scan tool can determine if the loaded diagnostic software is appropriate for the vehicle under test. If not, the diagnostic tool can retrieve the appropriate diagnostic software from the remote computing device. The retrieved or second diagnostic software is then operated to reprogram the diagnostic tool to remove the previously loaded software and allow a user to service a vehicle. |
| US07979177B2 |
System and method for updating vehicle computing platform configuration information
A configurable vehicle computer is enabled based on identification information associated with a driver. Updates to the configurable vehicle computer are stored at a remote location. The updates are downloaded upon an authorized vehicle start-up. |
| US07979175B2 |
Systems and methods for control of an unmanned ground vehicle
Systems and methods for interruptible autonomous control of a vehicle. Autonomous control is achieved by using actuators that interact with input devices in the vehicle. The actuators (e.g., linkages) manipulate the input devices (e.g., articulation controls and drive controls, such as a throttle, brake, tie rods, steering gear, throttle lever, or accelerator) to direct the operation of the vehicle. Although operating autonomously, manual operation of the vehicle is possible following the detection of events that suggest manual control is desired. Subsequent autonomous control may be permitted, permitted after a prescribed delay, or prevented. |
| US07979173B2 |
Autonomous vehicle travel control systems and methods
Method and system for enabling semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle travel includes providing a vehicle travel management system which monitors the location of vehicles in a travel lane and the location of the travel lane, creating dedicated travel lanes for vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system, and managing travel of vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes to maximize travel speed of the vehicles and minimize collisions between the vehicles. The travel management may entail establishing and maintaining communications between the vehicles with the movement of the vehicles being coordinated to enable a minimal distance between adjacent vehicles in the dedicated travel lanes. Entry into the dedicated travel lanes is optimally restricted only to vehicles equipped with the vehicle travel management system. |
| US07979170B2 |
Railroad snow removal system
A snow removal system wherein snow removers located in remote locations can be monitored and controlled at a computing device. Data collected by sensors on the snow removal unit or data collected from a secondary source can be used to control the operation of the snow removers. In one embodiment, data regarding whether it is snowing at a particular location can be collected by moister sensors on the snow removal device and verified by on-line contemporaneous weather reports corresponding to the same location. |
| US07979169B2 |
Methods and systems of an adjustable bed
Aspects of this invention relate to an adjustable bed that may include one or more articulating portions, and may include one or more components, including an air inflatable mattress associated with the adjustable bed frame, a programmable logic controller, a remote memory storage facility, a remote storage location of user preferences, a cell phone remote control, a modular control device, an air purification facility, a power outlet controller, a Bluetooth remote control, an ultra wide band remote control, a wireless USB remote control, and the like. |
| US07979168B2 |
Powered device including a multi-use detection resistor
In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a powered device (PD) detection signal at a PD from a powered network and applying the PD detection signal to an external resistor to provide a detection signature to the powered network. Further, the method includes receiving a PD classification mark signal at the PD, applying the received PD classification mark signal to the external resistor, and selectively activating a classification mark current path in parallel with the external resistor to produce a classification mark signature. |
| US07979162B2 |
Wireless controller and a method for wireless control of a device mounted on a robot
A wireless controller for controlling and/or monitoring a device arranged mounted on or relative to an industrial robot. A wireless communicator including a processor arranged with software means handles wireless communication to and from the device. A control carries out at least one control function for one or more actuators of the device. Also, a method, a computer program and a graphic user interface. |
| US07979158B2 |
Blending algorithm for trajectory planning
The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile. |
| US07979156B2 |
Automatic vending machine
An automatic vending machine (1) is provided with a vending machine main unit (10), with a play device (20) including a stuffed toy (21) on which a user can ride and a drive mechanism (24) for driving the stuffed toy (21), and with a control device that controls the vending machine main unit (10) and the drive mechanism (24) in the play device (20). The vending machine main unit (10) and the play device (20) are interconnected via the control device. The vending machine main unit (10) includes a product dispensing mechanism ((14a (14)), and payment accepting mechanisms ((13a), (13b) (13)) for accepting payment for the item, wherein the control device activates the product dispensing mechanism ((14a (14)) so as to deliver the item to the outside, as well as activates the drive mechanism (24) in the play device (20). |
| US07979155B2 |
Sort plan optimization
Aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving a sort plan. According to one embodiment, several groups are formed where each group contains articles having an identifier of a hierarchical structure. In certain embodiments, the identifier may include a geographical indication, such as a postal or ZIP code. Further aspects relate to systems and methods for conducting sort plan optimization where at least some prior data is known or otherwise obtainable. In one embodiment, data relating to the quantity of groups within the sort plan, the quantity of articles associated with each identifier, and/or the quantity of articles within each group may be estimated or known. In certain embodiments, such data may be utilized to assign articles to specific bins, including any available bin, and then optimize the sort plan by selecting at least one bin for improvement. |
| US07979152B2 |
Apparatus and methods for handling materials in a 3-D printer
A build chamber for use in a three-dimensional printer and adapted for receiving powder for producing three-dimensional objects. The build chamber includes a build surface for receiving the powder, with the build surface including a first plate defining holes and a second plate defining a plurality of openings spaced apart and offset from the plurality of holes in the first plate. The second plate is disposed below and spaced from the first plate. |
| US07979148B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus
An audio signal encoding apparatus includes a device for compressing multiple-channel digital audio signals into compression-resultant multiple-channel signals respectively. The multiple-channel digital audio signals relate to a sampling frequency and a quantization bit number. The compression-resultant multiple-channel signals, a signal representative of the sampling frequency, and a signal representative of the quantization bit number are formatted into a formatting-resultant signal. The formatting-resultant signal contains a sub packet and a sync information portion. The sub packet contains at least portions of the compression-resultant multiple-channel signals. The sync information portion contains the signal representative of the sampling frequency and the signal representative of the quantization bit number. |
| US07979145B1 |
Method of script selection
An elimination-style script-selection method includes a workshop reading of scripts performed before participants who have taken a theater-patronage-frequency survey. Any parallel survey responses between participants of disparate theatrical-patronage patterns are detected, and a weight adjustment factor is applied based thereon. |
| US07979144B2 |
System for forming patterns on a multi-curved surface
According to one embodiment, a pattern forming system includes a patterning tool, a multi-axis robot, and a simulation tool that are coupled to a pattern forming tool that is executed on a suitable computing system. The pattern forming tool receives a contour measurement from the patterning tool and transmits the measured contour to the simulation tool to model the electrical characteristics of a conductive pattern or a dielectric pattern on the measured contour. Upon receipt of the modeled characteristics, the pattern forming system may adjust one or more dimensions of the pattern according to the model, and subsequently create, using the patterning tool, the corrected pattern on the surface. |
| US07979143B2 |
Apparatus and method for proportional-integral-derivative control
A PID controlling apparatus and method for providing a control value to a control object according to the difference between an output value of the control object and a target value are provided, in which an error calculator outputs an error value between the target value and the output value of the control object, a PID operator calculates a proportional value, an integral value, and a derivative value of the error value, calculates the control value using the proportional value, the integral value, and the derivative value, and outputs the control value to the control object, a first sampler samples the output value of the control object a plurality of times with respect to the target value and outputs a sampled output value, and a controller controls the PID operator to repeat a PID operation and output the control value according to a sampling period of the first sampler. |
| US07979142B2 |
Conductive polymer sheath on defibrillator shocking coils
An implantable lead includes a distal portion carrying a tissue stimulating electrode, at least a portion of its outer surface being adapted to stimulate cardiac tissue, wherein the electrode is covered by a pliable, electrically conductive sheath. The sheath is made of an electrically conductive material that does not rely on porosity for electrical charge transfer. The sheath is constructed and arranged to minimize or eliminate tissue ingrowth while passing sufficient electrical energy to stimulate the tissue. |
| US07979141B2 |
Transvascular reshaping lead system
A system for selective activation of a nerve trunk using a transvascular reshaping lead is provided. One aspect of this disclosure relates to a system for spreading nerve bundles in a nerve trunk. The system includes a lead adapted to be chronically implanted in a blood vessel proximate a nerve trunk, and having an expandable portion adapted to be expanded to reshape the blood vessel to an elongated shape and to reshape the nerve trunk into an elongated shape to spread nerve bundles of the nerve trunk. The system also includes a plurality of electrodes and an implantable device coupled to the lead, where an electrical signal is delivered from the implanted medical device to one of the plurality of electrodes to transvascularly deliver neural stimulation from the electrode to at least one of the nerve bundles of the nerve trunk. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US07979139B2 |
Radio frequency diathermy application system and device
A radio frequency diathermy application device, including a flexible pad and a flexible coil structure coupled to and supported by the pad The flexible coil structure has a flexible spiral-like primary winding and a flexible spiral-like secondary winding coupled to the primary winding, the primary and secondary windings each substantially lying in separate substantially parallel planes when the pad is in an unflexed state. |
| US07979138B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring disc pressure during heat treatment of an intervertebral disc
A probe system and method for treating an intervertebral disc of a patient are disclosed. A probe has a cannula having an open end defined at a distal end and adapted to couple to a power source. A stylet fits into the cannula so that a distal end of the stylet occludes the open end at the distal end of the cannula. The probe system also includes a pressure monitoring apparatus coupled to the stylet, with the stylet including a pressure sensor in proximity to the distal end of the stylet. The pressure sensor communicates with the pressure monitoring apparatus to measure the pressure of the intervertebral disc. The power source delivers power to the distal end of the cannula, causing heating of the disc when the distal end of the cannula is disposed within the disc, thereby relieving patient pain associated with the disc. |
| US07979132B2 |
Method and system for energy conservation in implantable stimulation devices
The application relates to a stimulation device with power conservation functionality. In implantable devices, power supplies may be limited. Replenishing these power supplies may require costly surgery or periodic recharging depending on the model. A method may be implemented that skips or drops periodic pulses without apparently changing the frequency of the pulses. In this manner, the dropped pulses may be undetected by the patient. On the other hand, the dropped pulse represents power savings. Dropping one in ten pulses may lead to a 10% energy savings. The stimulation device may implement the method with one or more counters implemented in hardware or software. |
| US07979122B2 |
Implantable sudden cardiac death prevention device with reduced programmable feature set
Preventing sudden cardiac death involves providing an implantable device configured to deliver only two forms of cardiac therapy, the two forms of cardiac therapy including an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy and an asystole prevention pacing therapy. The tachyarrhythmia therapy is delivered in response to detecting a tachyarrhythmia, and the pacing therapy is delivered in response to detection of cardiac asystole. An implantable cardiac device for preventing sudden cardiac death may be configured to be fully operational upon setting a therapy On/Off parameter and two or less programmable parameters associated with therapy delivery. Control circuitry configures the device for operation to prevent sudden cardiac death after programming the two or less programmable parameters and enabling the therapy On/Off parameter. |
| US07979120B2 |
Method and apparatus for solid state pulse therapy capacitor
One embodiment includes an apparatus that includes an implantable device housing, a capacitor disposed in the implantable device housing, the capacitor including a dielectric comprising CaCu3Ti4O12 and BaTiO3, the dielectric insulating an anode from a cathode and pulse control electronics disposed in the implantable device housing and connected to the capacitor. |
| US07979117B2 |
Device and method for controlled delivery of active substance into the skin
An apparatus for dermal treatment of an active substance having certain physical properties having a flexible, wearable patch conformable to the contour of a skin surface and having: a first electrode adapted to communicate the active substance into the skin by application of an electrical current on the skin surface, a second electrode capable of closing an electrical circuit with the skin surface, a power source for providing a current and voltage connected through a conductive media to the first and second electrode, and an apparatus for substantially controlling penetration depth of the active substance by selecting at least one variable from a plurality of variables. |
| US07979115B2 |
Detection of pleural effusion using transthoracic impedance
This patent document discusses systems, devices, and methods for increasing a sensitivity or specificity of thoracic fluid detection in a subject and differentiating between pleural effusion and pulmonary edema. In one example, a thoracic impedance measurement circuit senses a thoracic impedance signal. In another example, a processor receives the thoracic impedance signal and determines whether such thoracic impedance signal is “significant.” A significant thoracic impedance signal indicates the presence of thoracic fluid and may be recognized by comparing the thoracic impedance signal (or variation thereof) to a thoracic impedance threshold. When a significant thoracic impedance signal is recognized, the processor is adapted to detect one or both of: a pleural effusion indication and a pulmonary edema indication using one or a combination of: physiologic information, patient symptom information, and posture information. In another example, the thoracic impedance threshold is adjusted using such physiologic, patient symptom, or posture information. |
| US07979105B2 |
Intracranial neural interface system
In some preferred embodiments, without limitation, the present invention comprises an implantable, intracranial neural interface node which is an integrated and minimally invasive platform system and supports cross-modal neural interfaces to the cerebrum and other associated structures in the central nervous system. The neural interfaces comprise electrical and chemical interfaces for neural recording, electrical stimulation, chemical delivery, chemical sensing, chemical sampling, cell delivery, genetic material delivery and/or other functions of interest. |
| US07979104B2 |
System and methods for processing analyte sensor data
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor. |
| US07979103B2 |
Catheter-free implantable needle biosensor
Electrochemical biosensors consisting of two or more needle-shaped electrodes for monitoring of molecules such as glucose in the subcutaneous tissue are provided. The two electrodes are parallel to each other, and are fixed perpendicularly to the planar side of a sensor base which provides skin fixation and electric connection. The needle electrodes are made of rigid conducting materials, capable of inserting into the skin without the need of catheters. One electrode is the sensing electrode and the other, the reference electrode. A compound sensing membrane is attached onto the sensing electrode surface to detect analyzed molecules. |
| US07979102B2 |
Hat-based oximeter sensor
A method for use and an improved oximeter sensor substrate that is conforming to the shape of the patient's forehead. In one embodiment, the present invention is an oximeter sensor, having a substrate with a shape similar to a shape of at least a portion of a patient's forehead and including a section adapted to substantially fit over a portion of a forehead of a patient; an emitter disposed on the substrate at a position located on the section; and a detector disposed on the substrate at a distance from the emitter. In one embodiment, the substrate includes a hat that holds the emitter and the detector in a spaced-part manner against the patient's forehead. |
| US07979101B2 |
Electromagnetic wave detection element and electromagnetic wave detection device using the same
It is possible to improve the negative resistance characteristic that can be expected when an SNS (superconductor-normal conductor-superconductor) structure is used as a structure unit for series connection. On the top of a first superconducting electrode, a second superconducting electrode is superimposed so as to sandwich an insulation film between the first and second superconducting electrodes, with parts of cross sections of the second superconducting electrode and insulation film placed on the top. A normal superconducting line electrically connects the first and second superconducting electrodes passing along the cross section of the insulation film, thereby constituting a structure unit having a single weak link. A plurality of such structure units connected in series are prepared. At the both ends of the series the first or second superconducting electrode is an element connected to a leading line. The structure units are arranged so that the cross sections of the insulation films along which the normal conducting line passes are arranged in the sale direction. |
| US07979094B2 |
Advanced alert, notification, and response device
Contemplated devices and methods employ a system in which at least two receivers are configured to receive at the same time a first and a second emergency signal via a first and a second communication pathway, respectively. The device further has a control unit that is programmed to assign priority to one channel of one communication pathway over at least one channel of the other communication pathway, wherein priority assignment is performed on the basis of geographic location and a set of predefined rules. Most preferably, the location of the device is automatically determined using global positioning signals and/or digital television signals. |
| US07979088B2 |
Water friend or foe system for global vessel identification and tracking
Disclosed are a method, system, and computer program product for a Water Friend or Foe System (WFSS) including a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card in a SIM reader on a marine vessel. The WFFS system on the marine vessel transmits secure identity information and location information to a WFFS tracking station. The WFFS system on the marine vessel detects anomalies on the marine vessel and in response transmits an alarm signal to a WFFS tracking station and/or shuts down a propulsion system of the marine vessel. The WFFS system on the marine vessel can also receive a one-time “override” encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system. The secure identity information and real-time vessel location are transmitted in one of: an Automatic Identifier System (AIS) message type or a Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) message type. |
| US07979085B2 |
Method of measuring receive power of CDMA mobile communication system, and CDMA mobile communication system
The receive power of uplink signals in a CDMA mobile communication system is measured by prohibiting a mobile station from transmitting an uplink signal including a frame over a first channel during a predetermined transmission prohibition period, and measuring a receive power of uplink signals at a base station transmitted from each of the mobile stations located in a cell during the prohibition period. Another method of measuring the receive power includes measuring a first receive power of uplink signals at a base station from each mobile station located in a cell, and measuring each second receive power of uplink signal including a frame only over a first channel transmitted from each mobile station, and then calculating a total receive power of uplink signals excluding frames over the first channel by subtracting respective second receive powers from the first receive power. |
| US07979080B2 |
Handover-based method for anonymous observation of a moving subscriber
A location of a subscriber can be observed by means of a mobile network in a completely anonymous way, without a subscriber identifier or a temporary subscriber identifier. At first, a method extracts from a first time slot of a radio channel a message which includes information about a second time slot of a radio channel. The first time slot of a radio channel discloses the current cell of the subscriber and the second time slot of a radio channel discloses a new cell of the subscriber. A location of the subscriber is determined on the basis of the current and the new cell. This location is approximately situated in a geographical intersection area of the current and the new cell. Different kinds of statistics can be deduced from the observations concerning activities of subscribers. |
| US07979079B2 |
Single point location tracking for a mobile device in a communication network
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, the location of a mobile device within a floor plan of a building or the like environment may be determined using a single transmission link between transceiver and the mobile device. A bit error rate value and a receiver signal strength indication value are measured for the present location of the mobile device in the floor plan. The coordinates where the mobile device is located may be determined by looking up the measured bit error rate value and the received signal strength indication value in a lookup table. Due to environmental factors of the floor plan, the combination of the bit error rate value and the received signal strength indication value corresponds to a unique coordinate location in the floor plan from which the location of the mobile device may be determined. |
| US07979078B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for managing reverse link communication resources in a distributed communication system
An apparatus, system, and method efficiently manage reverse link communication in a communication system having geographically distributed base stations. Coupled load information is exchanged between base stations allowing a base station to determine an appropriate allocation of reverse link channel resources to mobile stations served by the base station. Since the allocation of reverse link channels resources are controlled directly by the base station, delays due to communications with a central controller are eliminated. As a result, adverse effects of load scheduling based on obsolete reverse channel information are minimized. |
| US07979067B2 |
Context avatar
Methods and systems for generating information about a physical context of a user are provided. These methods and systems provide the capability to render a context avatar associated with the user as a composite image that can be broadcast in virtual environments to provide information about the physical context of the user. The composite image can be automatically updated without user intervention to include, among other things, a virtual person image of the user and a background image defined by encoded image data associated with the current geographic location of the user. |
| US07979066B2 |
Multiple IMSI connections
A system is disclosed that includes a first multiple International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) location register (MILR) module. The first MILR module includes user information associated with a plurality of mobile subscribers. For each of the mobile subscribers, the user information includes a first IMSI number and a first Mobile Directory Number (MDN). The first IMSI number and the first MDN are associated with a first country. The user information includes a second IMSI number and a second MDN. The second IMSI number and the second MDN are associated with a second country. The user information also includes active location information for each of the mobile subscribers. |
| US07979062B2 |
Communications method between a combinational terminal and multimedia terminal
Communication method between a first terminal and a second terminal on a communications network includes establishing a first connection between the terminals, the first connection being of a first media type at the first terminal and of a multimedia type at the second terminal; establishing a second connection between a repository apparatus and the second terminal, the second connection being coupled to the first connection and being of a second media type at the repository apparatus different from the first media type; said multimedia type including the first and the second media types; disabling the second connection after a request for a third connection between the terminals, the third connection being of the second media type at the first terminal; and establishing the third connection, the first and third connections forming a combinational session at the first terminal and a multimedia type connection at the second terminal. |
| US07979061B2 |
Handset personalisation
A communication terminal has a number of user selectable profiles each including a group of user adjustable operating characteristics. These selectable profiles may be transferred from one communication terminal to another included in a message containing a group of user adjustable operating characteristics. When the communication terminal receives this message transmitted via a communication channel, the message is analyzed and the terminal saves the group of user adjustable operating characteristics as a profile. |
| US07979058B2 |
Method and system for the transmission of data that has not been explicitly requested in a mobile radio system
A system and method are provided for transmitting data that has not been explicitly requested in a mobile radio system which includes an application computer, a transmission network, and a mobile radio receiver. The mobile radio receiver indicates to the transmission network how much storage space is available in the mobile radio receiver for storing data. |
| US07979050B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus, program, and communication system
A portable electronic apparatus is enabled to notify its position depending on whether user authentication by its authenticating function is unsuccessful or not, when an instruction for controlling the power of the apparatus is given.A controlling unit determines by a condition determining function whether or not the user authentication by the authenticating function when the user gives a long pressing operation on a power key is unsuccessful or not. In a case where the authentication result coincides with a predetermined function, the controlling unit continues power supply to each element that constitutes a position notifying function. Even after the power is switched off, the position notifying function, which is kept operating, sends position information. |
| US07979049B2 |
Automatic filter control
A method and apparatus for controlling the power consumption of a receiver based on current operating conditions is described herein. A receiver according to the present invention applies a received signal to a variable filter. The received signal includes a desired in-band signal. Depending on the current operating conditions, the received signal may further include one or more unwanted out-of-band blocking signals. A filter controller controls one or more operating parameters of the variable filter to maintain the power ratio at the filter output of the power of the blocking signal(s) to the in-band signal at or below a desired level. In so doing, the present invention controls the receiver power consumption while still providing the desired receiver performance. |
| US07979048B2 |
Quasi non-volatile memory for use in a receiver
Image rejection factors are calibrated for a receiver circuit (106) during an initialization period. The image rejection factors are stored in a quasi non-volatile memory (124) associated with the receiver circuit (106). The quasi non-volatile memory (124) is powered from a first source (VDD A) during a first receiver mode and from a second source (VIO) during a second receiver mode. |
| US07979043B2 |
Programmable antenna interface with adjustable transformer and methods for use therewith
A programmable antenna interface for coupling an antenna to a transceiver having a receiver section and a transmitter section, includes a transformer that is adjustable in accordance with a control signal. A transmit/receive module couples the transformer to the receiver section in a receive mode and to the transmitter section in a transmit mode. The control signal controls the transformer to a first impedance in the transmit mode and controls the transformer to a second impedance in the receive mode. |
| US07979042B2 |
Generating phase shift based on adding two vectors with variable gains
A radio frequency (RF) phase shifter having an RC-CR circuit that includes a first capacitor having a first capacitor node and a second capacitor node and a first resistor coupled between the first capacitor node and a ground. The RC-CR circuit also includes a second resistor having a first resistor node and a second resistor node and a second capacitor coupled between the first resistor node and the ground. The RF phase shifter generates arbitrary phase shift by using a scheme of adding two perpendicular vectors with variable gains (or amplitudes). |
| US07979038B2 |
PLL modulation circuit, radio transmission device, and radio communication device
Provided are a PLL modulation circuit, a radio transmission device, and a radio communication device capable of maintaining a modulation accuracy for modulation of a wide band. The PLL modulation circuit (100) includes: a PLL unit (110), first modulation signal input means for inputting a first modulation signal to a divider (112) or a phase comparator (113) of the PLL unit (110); second modulation signal input means for DA converting the digital modulation signal in a DA converter (116) to generate an analog second modulation signal and inputting it to a voltage control oscillator (111) of the PLL unit (110); a second divider for dividing the output signal of the voltage control oscillator (111); and control means for generating a center frequency control signal, a gain control signal, and a second division ration control signal according to the channel selection signal and the control voltage inputted to the voltage control oscillator (111) and supplying them to the divider (112), the DA converter (116), and the second divider (114), respectively. |
| US07979033B2 |
IC antenna structures and applications thereof
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a package substrate, a die, and a plurality of antenna structures. The die includes a radio frequency (RF) transceiver and a control module, wherein the RF transceiver processes inbound and outbound RF signals. The control module enables the RF transceiver to receive the inbound RF signal from one or more of the plurality of antenna structures in a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz and enables the RF transceiver to provide the outbound RF signal to one or more of the plurality of antennas structures for transmission in a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. |
| US07979017B2 |
Image-bearing member protecting agent, protective layer forming device, image forming method, image forming apparatus and process cartridge
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an image-bearing member protecting agent capable of preventing abrasion of an image-bearing member, filming on an image-bearing member, smearing of a charging member and leakage of toner. The image-bearing member protecting agent includes a fatty acid metal salt and boron nitride, wherein the boron nitride is crystals having an average diameter of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm and forms secondary particles of a crystal aggregate having an average diameter of 3.0 μm to 14.0 μm. |
| US07979015B2 |
Heat fixing member and heat fixing assembly
In a heat fixing member which is a seamless type cylindrical heat fixing member having an elastic layer, the elastic layer is mixed with carbon fibers, and the elastic layer has a thermal conductivity of 1.0 W/(m·K) or more in the thickness direction thereof. A heat fixing member is provided which is more improved in the thermal conductivity in the thickness direction, can efficiently supply heat to the heating object (recording medium) at the time of high-speed printing, can give fixed images having a high glossiness in virtue of the elastic layer, which has secured a sufficient flexibility. A high-performance heat fixing assembly is also provided which can conduct sufficient heat to toner images even if the dwell time is shortened. |
| US07979010B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
Provided is an image forming apparatus including at least a latent image bearing member, a latent electrostatic image forming unit, a developing unit which includes at least a developing roller and a supply roller, and a transfer unit, wherein both of a diameter R (mm) of the developing roller and a diameter R′ (mm) of the supply roller are 12 mm or less; the toner contains at least a binder resin, a wax, and a colorant with the wax having a melting point of 75° C. or less; an amount of the wax exposed on a surface of the toner is 10 mg/g to 30 mg/g; and when a diameter (mm) of the developing roller is represented by R the toner has a torque T (mNm) satisfying the inequation, 20/R |
| US07979008B2 |
Toner supplying device, developing device and image forming apparatus having toner supplying device
A toner supplying device which is capable of individually supplying toners of different colors. The toner supplying device can include a driving source; a plurality of toner receptacles in which different color toners are contained and respective toner discharging members are provided in order to discharge toners while being driven by power transmitted from the driving source; and a plurality of spring clutches to selectively transmit power from the driving source to the toner discharging members. The toner supplying device according to the present general inventive concept can be advantageously employed in toner-refill type color image forming apparatuses in view of the miniaturization of the apparatus and reduction in the manufacturing costs. |
| US07979005B2 |
Electrically conductive pattern forming apparatus
An electrically conductive pattern forming apparatus has process disposition which reduces contamination of a pattern or inside of the apparatus due to backflow and leakage of a liquid material such as a developing agent or a cleaning liquid. A developing device and a cleaning device in the electrically conductive pattern forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method are disposed in a lower region about the center of a photoreceptor, a solvent removing process is disposed in a region in which the photoreceptor rotates upward, and a transfer liquid applying process and an electrostatic transfer process are disposed above the center of the photoreceptor and in a region in which the photoreceptor rotates downward. |
| US07978996B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a function of adjusting an image formation condition
An image forming apparatus receives a command from a controller for issuing commands representative of a plurality of kinds of instruction, and executes an image formation according to the command. The image forming apparatus includes a necessity judgment unit, which judges a necessity of an adjustment of an image formation condition based on a state of an inside of the apparatus, and a control unit, which transmits to the controller a request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition based on a judgment of the necessity judgment unit, and factor information according to a factor of the request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition. The controller performs an issue control of an execution command for instructing an execution of the adjustment of the image formation condition based on the request for executing the adjustment of the image formation condition and a kind of the factor information transmitted from the control unit. |
| US07978994B2 |
Image forming apparatus including detector units
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming unit by applying heat; a first detector unit that detects a length of the recording medium in a transport direction, the first detector unit being disposed upstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction; and a second detector unit that detects the length of the recording medium in the transport direction, the second detector unit being disposed downstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction. |
| US07978992B2 |
Image forming apparatus executing stabilization process at proper frequency
In an MFP, when a count of printed sheets of paper exceeds a predetermined count, a controller reads, from internal counters, a frequency of a stabilization process executed in return, a frequency of a stabilization process executed automatically in printing, a frequency of a stabilization process executed manually based on a user's instruction, and a frequency of return, respectively. When the frequency of the stabilization process executed automatically is small while the frequency of the stabilization process executed manually is large, the controller raises a frequency level of execution of the stabilization process. When the frequency of the stabilization process executed manually is small, the controller lowers the frequency level of execution of the stabilization process. |
| US07978991B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a high voltage generating circuit 91 that applies an oscillating voltage in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed on each other, to a charging member 42 disposed in contact with an image carrier 41; a voltage control portion 96 that controls a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC voltage to a target voltage value; and an initial voltage adjusting portion 95 that sets a target voltage value based on a DC current value between the image carrier 41 and the charging member 42 which is detected by a current detecting portion 92. When an environmental condition which is used when the target voltage value is set changes, the initial voltage adjusting portion 95 performs an interrupt operation during an image forming process. |
| US07978990B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a control section which detects overcurrent in a motor and controls the motor in response to detection of the overcurrent
An image forming apparatus includes: a rotation shaft (71); a movable body (72) that is attached to the rotation shaft (71), that is provided with a cleaning member (73), and that moves with rotation of the rotation shaft (71); a motor M for rotating the rotation shaft (71); a control section (8) for controlling rotation of the motor M; a current detecting section (77) for detecting a current flowing through the motor M; and a time counting section for counting time. Here, the control section is provided with: an overcurrent detection checking function; a time counting function; a predetermined position attainment checking function; a reciprocation control function; an erroneous detection checking function for performing erroneous detection checking operation in which an overcurrent detected while the movable body is moving forward in the reciprocation thereof is checked while the movable body is moving backward in the reciprocation thereof; and a repeating function for performing the erroneous detection checking operation once or a plurality of times in a repeating fashion. |
| US07978989B2 |
Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus
A toner cartridge counts the number of times the toner cartridge has been shaken by a counting unit. A control unit of an image forming apparatus acquires the counting result of the counting unit, and controls each unit of the apparatus such that a display unit displays a message encouraging the worker to shake the toner cartridge since the shaking of the toner cartridge is insufficient if the acquired counting result is smaller than a predetermined value, and the toner contained in the toner cartridge is supplied to a developing unit of the image forming apparatus since the toner cartridge is sufficiently shaken and the toner in the toner cartridge is stirred and dissolved if the acquired counting result is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. |
| US07978985B2 |
Clipping correction system and method for correcting clipped signals in a receiver
A system and method for restoring a clipped signal may be used in an optical receiver that detects a clipped modulated optical signal. The clipped modulated optical signal is detected to produce a clipped electrical signal including a series of clipped negative peaks and corresponding positive peaks. The clipped signal may be corrected by detecting at least one trigger peak preceding one or more clipped negative peaks to be restored and generating a replacement tip signal segment for the clipped negative peak(s) to be restored. The replacement tip signal segment may be combined with the clipped electrical signal such that the replacement tip signal segment coincides with a clipped end of the clipped negative peak to be restored to produce a restored negative peak. |
| US07978984B2 |
Data communication unit using light-emitting diode for data communication, and electronic device
The present invention enables device downsizing by utilizing a light-emitting diode as a plurality of interfaces. A light-emitting diode 11 of a data communication unit using a light-emitting diode for data communication outputs light when a current flows therethrough. A transmission circuit 13 applies a forward bias to the light-emitting diode 11 based on transmission data. A separation circuit 14 outputs a voltage that changes according to a voltage which is generated in the light-emitting diode 11 when the transmission circuit 13 does not apply the forward bias to the light-emitting diode 11. |
| US07978983B2 |
Optical triggered self-timed clock generation
A self-timed clock circuit and method of generating a self-timed clock circuit. The circuit includes means for charging a circuit node in response to an external reset signal; means for discharging the circuit node in response to a trigger signal generated by a photodiode; means for generating a first signal indicating a logic level of the circuit node; means for generating and delaying a second signal indicating the logic state of the circuit node; means for combining the first and second signals to generate a recharge signal; and means for recharging the circuit node in response to the recharge signal. |
| US07978982B2 |
Electronic dispersion compensation systems and methods
An electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) system may comprise one or more EDC solution application modules. The EDC system may include a solution transition module. The solution transition module may be configured to determine a path between a first EDC solution performed by a first EDC solution application module and a second EDC solution performed by a second EDC solution application module. The solution transition module may be configured to provide transition instructions to an EDC solution application module. The transition instructions may include one or more intermediate EDC solutions disposed along a path between a first EDC solution and a second EDC solution. |
| US07978981B2 |
Structure and apparatus for a very short haul, free space, and fiber optic interconnect and data link
A low cost, high speed, short haul, optic interconnect and data link which employs an array of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays through which several optical signals are simultaneously transmitted through collimating optics that generate multiple, multiple-wavelength optical signals. Each combined optical signal is transmitted to a receiver array comprising a plurality of optical filters and photodetector arrangements that have a number of sections, each having an optical filter to pass a specific optical wavelength, and a mating photodetector element to convert the specific optical signal to an electrical signal. The signals may be coupled between the transmitter array and the receiver array through free space or through optical fibers. |
| US07978980B2 |
Method for transmitting optically transmitted data via a radio antenna and corresponding device
In a method a carrier signal is modulated depending on data to be transmitted. The modulated carrier signal is transmitted via an optical fiber line. The transmitted modulated carrier signal is demodulated, thereby producing received data. The transmitted modulated carrier signal is used to produce an auxiliary carrier signal. The auxiliary carrier signal is modulated depending on the received data and then transmitted via a radio antenna. |
| US07978975B2 |
Passive optical network system employing sub-carrier multiplexing and orthogonal frequency division multiple access modulation schemes
Implementations of the present principles include methods, systems and apparatuses for transmitting data through a sub-carrier multiplexing and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access passive optical network. In accordance with aspects of the present principles, a plurality of optical network units are assigned electrical carrier frequency bandwidths that are narrower than a system capacity bandwidth. Modulation of optical waves transmitted between an optical line terminal and each optical network unit is conducted on different orthogonal sub-carrier frequencies within the assigned bandwidths such that sampling of said orthogonal sub-carrier frequencies is limited to the assigned electrical carrier frequency bandwidths. The waves are thereafter received and demodulated for the extraction of data. |
| US07978968B2 |
Auto focus device
Disclosed is an auto focus device that automatically and easily sets an AF frame to a focus range desired by a cameraman in an AF system.An auto focus device includes: a focusing unit that performs focusing on an imaging screen of a camera; a best focus range detecting unit that detects a best focus range from the imaging screen showing the focus result of the focusing unit; and an AF frame automatic setting unit that automatically sets the position of an AF frame indicating the range of an AF area, which is a target range focused by auto focus in the imaging screen, in the detected best focus range. |
| US07978964B2 |
Substrate processing chamber with dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly
A thermal processing chamber with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) lamp assembly and a method for using the same are provided. In one embodiment, a thermal processing chamber includes a chamber body and a dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly. The dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly further comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and a dielectric barrier. The dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. The dielectric barrier defines a discharge space between the dielectric barrier and the second electrode. A circuit arrangement is coupled to the first and second electrodes, and is adapted to operate the dielectric barrier discharge lamp assembly. |
| US07978963B2 |
Thermal processing apparatus
The present invention provides a thermal processing apparatus that conducts a thermal process such as an annealing process at a temperature of 400° C. or more to an object to be processed. The apparatus is provided with a processing vessel (4) having a transmitting window (8) in a top part thereof. A table (10) is disposed in the vessel, that supports thereon the object (W) opposed to the transmitting window. A plurality of heating lamps (42A, 42B) are disposed above the processing vessel, that heat the object by irradiating heat rays to the object through the transmitting window. A thermoelectric converter (24) is disposed on the table and configured to at least cool the object. When a temperature of the object is increased, the object is mainly heated by the heat rays from the heating lamps. When the temperature of the object is decreased, the object is forcibly cooled by means of the thermoelectric converter. |
| US07978960B2 |
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. |
| US07978938B1 |
Multi-behavior image correction tool
A system to perform modifications, or adjustments, to a digital image includes an interface component to receive selection input to enable selection of the digital data to be modified. A detector then detects a characteristic of the digital data. A configurator automatically configures a function, supported by a data modification component, to modify the digital data. The automatic configuration of the function is performed using the detected characteristic of the digital data to be modified. |
| US07978935B2 |
Method for changing the dimensions of an electronically stored image
The invention relates to a method for changing the dimensions of an electronically stored image which is composed of individual objects that are arranged below or next to one another or that fully or partially overlap one another, in which the image is changed in at least one horizontal or vertical image dimension and at least some of the individual objects are changed in at least one horizontal or vertical object dimension and the change in the object dimension is sometimes not necessarily proportional to the change in the image dimension. This method is currently carried out manually. Automatic implementation is achieved by the invention in that in order to automatically arrange and change the size of the individual objects in the event of a change in the horizontal and/or vertical image dimension, object properties are assigned to each individual object via a data processing program that runs on a data processing system, these object properties are stored in a memory and a change in the size and/or position of the individual objects is carried out via the data processing program, wherein the object properties define a changeability of the individual objects. |
| US07978933B2 |
Systems and methods for robust video temporal registration
A robust video temporal method for registration between test and reference video sequences without a priori knowledge of the respective signal parameters initially produces frame and subimage distillation measurements from the test and reference video sequences. The frame distillation measurements are linearly aligned using a local Pearson's cross-correlation coefficient (LPCCC) image to obtain a best alignment line, each pixel of which represents an LPCCC cross-correlation coefficient between frames of the test and reference video sequences. For each pixel of the best alignment line that is below a threshold, a vertical search is performed in the LPCCC image for a higher cross-correlation coefficient as the best cross-correlation coefficient to achieve temporal mapping between frames of the test and reference video sequences. |
| US07978930B2 |
Wide-field image input method and device
A wide-field image input device that joins a series of partial images obtained by continuously imaging an imaging object by an imaging device while the imaging device is manually scanned by a user, thereby generating a wide-field image, includes: a camera position/posture estimation unit for receiving a partial image series and calculating a change state of three-dimensional position and posture of the imaging device as time-series camera position/posture information; a deformation parameter estimation unit for calculating a geometrical deformation parameter between adjacent partial images from the camera position/posture information; an image joining unit for joining the partial images by using the geometrical deformation parameter so as to generate a wide-field image; and a camera scan error detection unit for detecting motion of the imaging device according to the camera position/posture information and outputting a camera scan error detection signal when an error is detected. |
| US07978926B2 |
Edge ringing artifact suppression methods and apparatuses
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to methods or suppressing edge ringing in images. For example, in some embodiments a method of processing an image to suppress ringing and broadened edges induced by image correction processing, includes high-pass filtering a first image to obtain a second image, processing said second image including applying non-linear apodization to said second image to obtain a third image, low-pass filtering said first image to obtain a fourth image, and combining the third image and the fourth image to obtain an output image, wherein the output image is characterized by having reduced edge-response sidelobes as compared to the first images. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to devices comprising means and/or modules to suppress edge ringing in images. |
| US07978925B1 |
Smoothing and/or locking operations in video editing
Some embodiments allow a video editor to remove unwanted camera motion from a sequence of video images (e.g., video frames). Some embodiments are implemented in a video editing application. Some of these embodiments distinguish unwanted camera motion from the intended underlying motion of a camera (e.g., panning and zooming) and/or motion of objects within the video sequence. |
| US07978924B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing bit utilization in data encoding
In one of many possible embodiments, a system for optimizing bit utilization in data encoding is provided. The exemplary system includes a data processing subsystem configured to identify a total number of unique characters within a set of data, which number represents an original base of representation of the set of data. The data processing subsystem is further configured to convert the set of data to a base of representation that is higher than the original base of representation and then encode the base-converted data with a fixed-length encoding scheme. |
| US07978922B2 |
Compressing images in documents
Images that are contained within documents are compressed to reduce the file size of the document. The compression may occur such that compression steps occur to the image automatically. The compression steps performed are determined based on the information available about the images in a document. The information is used to determine whether or not the image should be compressed as well as what compression method is used. |
| US07978920B2 |
Method and system for processing an image, method and apparatus for decoding, method and apparatus for encoding, and program with fade period detector
An image processing system includes a decoder configured to decode an encoded image and an encoder configured to encode the image decoded by the decoder. The decoder includes a decoder adapted to decode the encoded image, and a detector adapted to detect, on the basis of the image, a fade period included in the image and supply a fade information signal indicating a detection result to the encoder. The encoder includes an acquisition unit adapted to acquire the fade information signal, and a changing unit adapted to change a process performed in the encoding of the image in accordance with the fade information signal. |
| US07978918B2 |
Digital image cropping using a blended map
An improved method for cropping a main subject from a digital image is disclosed. A skin color map and face map are independently computed and then blended to produce a revised map. A region map is computed by segmenting the digital image into a plurality of regions. A main subject importance map is calculated from the revised map and the region map. The digital image is cropped based on the main subject map. |
| US07978917B2 |
Method and system for processing video data including foreground extraction
In an intelligent video surveillance system, video processing software performs a number of operations on video data received from a camera, including foreground extraction, shadow removal and object tracking. The foreground extraction stage classifies each pixel of a received frame as representing either foreground or background. Since shadow regions can be wrongly classified as foreground, a two-branch shadow removal operation is employed, comprising weak shadow removal (32) and strong shadow removal (33). The purpose of weak shadow removal (32) is to remove only the most severe shadows in each frame. Conversely, the purpose of strong shadow removal (33) is to remove substantially every shadow present in each frame. By comparing the overlap of foreground regions in the two resulting images, it is possible to identify foreground regions that have fragmented due to strong shadow removal, and thereafter classify them as representing a common foreground object. Foreground objects are better defined in terms of their shape and subsequent processing stages will not treat fragmented regions as representing separate objects. |
| US07978914B2 |
Image processing system
The invention relates to an image processing system for omnidirectional reading of optical patterns, for example of one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes.One object is to provide an image processing system which ensures high resolution with rapid processing at the same time in order, in particular, to allow processing in video real time and to provide reliable identification of the image information, in particular reliable and low-error edge detection, segmentation and object association.According to the invention, this is achieved by the use of a plurality of convolvers, which operate in parallel and/or using the time-division multiplexing method, for convolution of the digital image data, of a neighborhood processor (90) for reading and linking contour points (22), and/or of a statistical processor for reading a segment list. |
| US07978911B2 |
Method of classifying colors of color based image code
Provided is a method of classifying colors of a color based image code. The colors of each cell forming the color based image code are classified by sampling a predetermined number of pixels from each cell and then applying a max channel based clustering method, a white balance based color clustering method, a single-linkage algorithm based color classification method, a K-means algorithm based color classification method, or the like. Accordingly, the colors of an image code can be accurately recognized despite of a color distortion due to characteristics of a camera, a printing medium, etc. |
| US07978895B2 |
X-ray CT system
The present invention is intended to improve the quality of a three-dimensional display image, an MPR display image, or an MIP display image presented by an X-ray CT system that performs a conventional (axial) scan, a cine scan, or a helical scan. The X-ray CT system includes an image reconstruction unit or an image display unit. The image reconstruction unit or image display unit measures deviations of tomographic images in an x direction that is a horizontal direction and deviations thereof in a y direction that is a vertical direction according to the continuity in a z direction of an object that exhibits high CT numbers and that is visualized as a reference in the tomographic images; such as, a cradle, a head holder, the surface of a subject's body, or a bone. The image reconstruction unit or image display unit then compensates the deviations. |
| US07978886B2 |
System and method for anatomy based reconstruction
A technique is provided for performing diagnosis and/or analysis of a volumetric image generated via anatomy based reconstruction. The technique includes generating a three-dimensional image by reconstructing a plurality of residual projection images from which a contribution of one or more structures of interest has been removed. The technique also includes evaluating the three-dimensional image and/or the plurality of residual projection images to generate a diagnosis. |
| US07978885B2 |
Analysing biological entities
A method of analysing a plurality of biological entities using an imaging apparatus. The method comprises: providing a marker for said plurality of biological entities, said marker being capable of identifying objects within said plurality of biological entities when detected using the imaging apparatus, the method of provision being arranged such that said marker is capable of identifying said objects during a first time period, and said marker is less capable of identifying said objects during a second time period; during the first time period, recording a marked-up image in which spatial definitions of said objects are identifiable from said marker; during the second time period, recording a first image of said plurality of biological entities; and generating a spatial definition for an object in said first image using data derived from said marked-up image. |
| US07978884B1 |
Fingerprint sensor and interface
A fingerprint sensor interface that connects to a standard camera interface and minimizes input and output signals to reduce sensor die area and cost. The sensor can connect to a standard camera interface of a cellular telephone baseband processor or other device intended to receive signals from a camera. Input and output pad are arranged on a single edge of the die. Circuitry between the pads and the sensor active array creates clearance from the array to the bond wires connected to the pads. |
| US07978878B2 |
Method of processing postal items using a separator representing a region of interest (ROI)
The method of processing postal items comprises the following steps: causing the postal items to advance in series past a camera (120) for the purpose of generating an image (1) of one face of each postal item, which face bears postal address information; filtering the image of a current postal item for the purpose of isolating, in the image, at least one region of interest (ROI) containing the address information; and sending the filtered image to an automatic recognition unit (130) for automatically recognizing postal addresses by means of OCR so as to extract the postal address from said filtered image and so as to direct the current postal item to a sorting outlet. In order to construct a filter mask, the method further comprises causing a card (20) of the “separator” type to advance past the camera (120), which card has a face on which said region of interest (ROI) is represented. |
| US07978876B2 |
Hiding codes in input data
The present invention relates to hiding codes in input data, e.g., such as still imagery and motion pictures. One claim recites: embedding an N-bit code with a source signal, N being at least one. The embedding proceeds, for each bit of the N-bit code, according to the following: mapping the bit to a portion of the source signal; changing values of at least two data values associated with the portion in accordance with the bit. The act of changing embeds the N-bit code in a manner that is generally imperceptible to a human observer of the source signal. A related claim recites that the portion includes a data value, and the above method further includes changing the value of the data value in accordance with said bit of the code, an amount of the changing being adjusted based on the value. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US07978871B2 |
Speaker system for a vehicle
In response to an applied force, a speaker system is configured to deploy from a confined area so as to function as a pelvis pusher. Additionally, portions of the speaker system are configured to collapse upon the application of the force so as to absorb the force. |
| US07978870B2 |
Attachment apparatus
A headset apparatus having a headwear member (9) e.g. an ear shell, possessing a surface formation to which a separate attachment device (1) is reciprocally shaped to attach by a push-fit (e.g. by sliding, slotting or clipping) into engagement with the surface formation. In this way the attachment means may be fitted to the surface formation on the headwear member without requiring the use of through-holes passing through the body of the headwear member. |
| US07978867B2 |
Audio signal system
An audio signal system is provided having, in one embodiment, a magnetostrictive core of varying shapes, sizes, and permeability. The core is wound with a wire, thereby forming an inductor for producing a magnetic field when current is passed through the wire. A speaker, or other audio output device, is positioned in parallel or series with the inductor. In operation, an audio signal is received and transmitted to the speaker or other audio output device, wherein a replication of the received signal is produced. An output of the magnetostrictive inductor couples with the replicated audio signal to modify and enhance the quality of the projected signal. In yet another embodiment, digital signal processing may be used to modify the received signal as well. |
| US07978866B2 |
Acoustics correcting apparatus
An acoustics correcting apparatus includes: a measurement signal supplying section; first and second collecting sections; a first distance calculating section; a second distance calculating section; a position information calculating section; an acoustics measuring section; a virtual sound image coefficient selecting section; a correction characteristic calculating section; a virtual sound image localization processing section; and an acoustics correcting section. |
| US07978865B2 |
Audio processing apparatus
An audio processing apparatus comprising: channel determination section for determining which one of a combination of the first left audio signal and the first right audio signal and a combination of the second left audio signal and the second right audio signal is included in multichannel audio data; and switching section for causing the first amplification section to amplify the first left audio signal and supply the amplified first left audio signal to the first speaker terminal and causing the second amplification section to amplify the first right audio signal and supply the amplified first right audio signal to the second speaker terminal when the combination of the first left audio signal and the first right audio signal is determined to be included; and causing the first amplification section to amplify the second left audio signal and supply the amplified second left audio signal to the third speaker terminal and causing the second amplification section to amplify the second right audio signal and supply the amplified second right audio signal to the fourth speaker terminal when the combination of the second left audio signal and the second right audio signal is determined to be included. |
| US07978864B2 |
Audio signal processing system
In a mixer system including an editing device that edits a configuration of signal processing by designating a combination of a plurality of components and a DSP that processes audio signals in accordance with the signal processing configuration edited by the editing device, when the mixer engine does not store a predetermined enabling key, audio signal processing including a protected component in the mixer engine is disabled, and when the mixer engine stores the predetermined enabling key, the audio signal processing is enabled. Further, the editing device is permitted to edit a signal processing configuration including the protected component irrespective of storage of the enabling key in the mixer engine. |
| US07978860B2 |
Playback apparatus and playback method
A playback apparatus includes a forming section which, on the basis of an audio signal to be played back, forms audio signals on a plurality of channels for emitting sounds from a pair of sound sources, and a signal processing section which, on each of the audio signals formed by the forming section, performs signal processing for forming a targeted sound field. The signal processing section inclines a sound pressure distribution so that, for each sound source, sound pressure levels of sounds emitted from the sound source to a listening position increase in inverse proportion to angles formed between emitting directions of the sounds emitted from the sound source to the listening position and a straight line connecting the pair of sound sources. |
| US07978859B2 |
Private and controlled ownership sharing
The present invention relates to a method, a device and a system for preventing unauthorized introduction of content items in a network containing compliant devices and enabling users in the network to be anonymous. A basic idea of the present invention is to provide a CA (206) with a fingerprint of a content item to be introduced in a network at which the CA is arranged. Further, the CA is provided with an identifier of a content introducer (201), which introduces the particular content item in the network. The CA compares the fingerprint to a predetermined set of fingerprints, and content item intro duction is allowed if the content item fingerprint cannot be found among the fingerprints comprised in the set. On introduction of the content item, the CA generates a pseudonym for the content introducer and creates a signed content ID certificate comprising at least said fingerprint and a unique content identifier for the content item and the pseudonym of the content introducer. |
| US07978858B2 |
Terminal device, group management server, network communication system, and method for generating encryption key
A network communication system has terminal devices belonging to a group, the terminal devices generating, if there is a leaving terminal device leaving from the group, an updated group encryption key corresponding to a new group encryption key, from a deletion key corresponding to the leaving terminal device and a group encryption key, and, after the leaving terminal device leaves the group, communicating by using the updated group encryption key; and a group management server generating the updated group encryption key corresponding to the new group encryption key from the deletion key corresponding to the leaving terminal device and the group encryption key, and, after the leaving terminal device leaves the group, communicating by using the updated group encryption key. |
| US07978853B2 |
System and computer program product for protecting audio content
Techniques for protecting information in an audio file are provided. The techniques include obtaining an audio file, detecting information beating one or more segments in a speech signal, wherein the information comprises information sought for protection, encrypting the information sought for protection by scrambling the one or more segments using a scrambling filter, and selectively decrypting an amount of the encrypted information, wherein the amount of the encrypted information to be decrypted depends on user access privilege, and wherein selectively decrypting the amount of the encrypted information protects said amount of the encrypted information. Techniques are also provided for protecting information in an audio file. |
| US07978851B2 |
Keystream encryption device, method, and program
A stream encryption device generates a first pseudo random number sequence from key information, generates a second pseudo random number sequence according to clock control performed according to the first pseudo random number sequence, and subjects it to a nonlinear function calculation, thereby generating a key stream. The stream encryption device performs XOR operation with a plain text so as to create an encrypted text. The stream encryption device performs an encryption process in units of words by using a clock controller. It includes: a first pseudo random number generation means to generate a first pseudo random number sequence from key information; a second pseudo random number generation means to generate a second pseudo random number sequence based on clock control performed according to the first pseudo random number sequence; and, a keystream generation means to generate a keystream by applying a nonlinear function calculation to the second pseudo random number sequence. |
| US07978848B2 |
Content encryption schema for integrating digital rights management with encrypted multicast
Systems and methods provide a content encryption schema for integrating digital rights management (DRM) in a multicast/broadcast encryption system. In one implementation, an exemplary integrated key schema provides content encryption keys that can be employed by a multicast or broadcast process, while providing DRM protection of recorded multicast content via a single DRM decryption secret. The integrated key schema provides high security and allows encrypted multicast content to be saved directly to local files. A license server can efficiently manage and generate DRM keys to be delivered to clients because only a single key needs to be delivered per license to a client. The integrated key schema can be applied together with conventional broadcast or multicast encryption techniques. |
| US07978845B2 |
Powered patch panel
A powered patch panel (PPP) is disclosed that inserts power in mid-span regions of a network and provides fault-tolerance at the power supply level and the power-plane level. Information such as physical location, port status and policy enforcement information may be locally stored and utilized by a processor of the PPP to achieve network control and monitoring. A network management system and/or element management system may be provided to interface with processors of PPPs to achieve network monitoring, control and policy enforcement goals. |
| US07978843B1 |
Call processing system
A call processing system for handling a call comprising a signaling interface configured to receive an initial address message wherein the initial address message identifies a calling party number, a processing system configured to process the calling party number to determine if the calling party number is in a first format accepted by a routing system and modify the initial address message if the calling party number is in a second format not accepted by the routing system, and the signaling interface further configured to transmit the modified initial address message to the routing system. |
| US07978842B2 |
Method and system for managing bandwidth in communication networks
A method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium for managing bandwidth in a communication network via a Turbo Button Service (TBS) are provided. The communication network includes a Regional/Access Network (RAN). The bandwidth management includes varying the bandwidth according to the usage requirement. The method comprises invoking a request for the TBS. The invocation of the request results in a change in a default bandwidth associated with a user's access connection. |
| US07978840B2 |
Provisioning system for network resources
A method and system of provisioning resources installed in a network element. Resources are installed in the network element. As resources are placed into service, a notification is transmitted to the vendor. The vendor generates an invoice, and the service provider generates a purchase order. Furthermore, a capacity planning system may monitor the system as resources are placed into service. If the amount of spare resources fall below a predetermined limit, the capacity planning system may transmit a request to the vendor for the additional equipment. In this manner, resources may be installed prior to the actual need for the resources. The resources may then be paid for by the service provider as the resources are needed and placed into service, thereby enabling a risk-sharing arrangement between the service provider and the vendor. |
| US07978837B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing user-adapted service environment
Provided are a method and apparatus for providing a user-adapted service environment. The method includes authenticating a user, transmitting first user identification information for identifying the authenticated user to a controlled device, receiving a user profile corresponding to the first user identification information from the controlled device, and configuring a service environment using the received user profile. |
| US07978828B1 |
Methods and apparatus for multimedia tracking
A system collects a plurality of communications including at least two different types of communications. The system links the plurality of communications with an identifier that can be used to identify the plurality of communications, and stores the plurality of communications. The system allows a user to perform an action on at least one of the plurality of communications. |
| US07978823B2 |
Cascade voltage amplifier and method of activating cascaded electron tubes
Disclosed is a cascade voltage amplifier for producing an amplified output in pulse or continuous wave form comprises at least one non-final stage with an electron tube configured as a switching and Class A or C amplifying structure. A final stage comprises an electron tube configured as a Class A or C amplifying structure. The at least one non-final stage and the final stage are connected in series, and the amplified output has a voltage of at least 1000 volts. Further disclosed is a method of activating a plurality of cascaded electron tube stages within a common vacuum enclosure. Beneficially, a sufficient amount of energy supplied to the first stage serially propagates through any intervening stage to the final stage so as to facilitate activation of all tube stages. |
| US07978822B2 |
Mirror mounting, alignment, and scanning mechanism and scanning method for radiographic X-ray imaging, and X-ray imaging device having same
An X-ray imaging device and alignment/scanning system include at least one multilayer X-ray mirror mounted on a multi-axis adjustable mirror mount pivotable about a scanning axis. A mirror scanner is coupled with the mirror mount and synchronized with the X-ray source so that the mirror scanner moves the mirror mount about the scanning axis. The invention may include a plurality of mirrors, optionally in a stack, and preferably including first and second mirrors respectively adapted to reflect X-rays of first and second energies. A movable attenuation plate having a window selectively allows X-rays to be transmitted by one of the mirrors and blocks X-rays from the other mirror(s). Sets of the mirrors may be configured in blocks or interspersed. The mirror scanner may be operable at variable speeds to enable selective control of the scanning speed of the mirror. |
| US07978818B2 |
Orthovoltage radiotherapy
A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilised in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. |
| US07978817B2 |
Carrying out and monitoring irradiation of a moving object
A system for carrying out or monitoring irradiation of a moving object using a particle beam is provided. A particle beam may be directed onto the moving object from a beam outlet. X-ray images from different directions are recorded by an imaging unit. The imaging unit may include an x-ray detector and an x-ray emitter opposite the x-ray detector. The imaging unit may be positioned around the object independently of the position of the beam outlet, for example, during application of the particle beam. The X-ray images may be used to reconstruct a series of digital tomosynthesis images of the moving object online. The reconstructed digital tomosynthesis images are evaluated so that movement of the moving object is captured and the irradiation profile is controlled. |
| US07978814B2 |
High speed materials sorting using X-ray fluorescence
A system and process for classifying a piece of material of unknown composition at high speeds, where the system connected to a power supply. The piece is irradiated with first x-rays from an x-ray source, causing the piece to fluoresce x-rays. The fluoresced x-rays are detected with an x-ray detector, and the piece of material is classified from the detected fluoresced x-rays. Detecting and classifying may be cumulatively performed in less than one second. An x-ray fluorescence spectrum of the piece of material may be determined from the detected fluoresced x-rays, and the detection of the fluoresced x-rays may be conditioned such that accurate determination of the x-ray fluorescence spectrum is not significantly compromised, slowed or complicated by extraneous x-rays. The piece of material may be classified by recognizing the spectral pattern of the determined x-ray fluorescence spectrum. The piece of material may be flattened prior to irradiation and detection. The x-ray source may irradiate the first x-rays at a high intensity, and the x-ray source may be an x-ray tube. |
| US07978813B2 |
X-ray CT imaging apparatus
An x-ray CT imaging apparatus emits an x-ray cone beam to an object to generate an x-ray CT image on the basis of a transmission x-ray which is transmitted through the object. An image generation part generates an image obtained by superposing an imaging object region display on a position setting image representing the object and displays the image on a display part. The image generation part changes the imaging object region display in accordance with an x-ray CT imaging mode selected by an imaging mode selection part. |
| US07978812B2 |
Compression device for a mammography x-ray apparatus
A compression device for a mammography x-ray apparatus comprises the breast in a manner that is as comfortable as possible for the patient. For this purpose, a compression device has a frame that two-dimensionally stretches an elastic membrane and is designed so that the breast of a patient that is to be compressed by the compression device is compressed solely by the elastic membrane. |
| US07978810B2 |
Imaging method for variable pitch spiral CT and a CT machine for carrying out the method
An imaging method is disclosed for variable pitch spiral CT. In at least one embodiment, the method includes spiral scanning of an examination object lying on a patient table, with the aid of a beam emanating from at least one focus, and the aid of a detector arrangement of planar design lying opposite the focus, the detector arrangement supplying output data that represent the attenuation of the beams during passage through the examination object; filtering the output data; weighted back projection of the filtered output data; and visualizing a layer or a volume on a display unit on the basis of the back projected output data. In at least one embodiment, a non constant pitch of the spiral scanning is taken into account computationally during the back projection. In at least one embodiment, a CT machine is disclosed for carrying out the above named method. |
| US07978807B2 |
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor includes a reflector and a flow path. The reflector reflects neutrons, contains graphite and a moderator having a smaller moderating power than the graphite, and is sectioned into plural parts along a direction of flow of fuel pebbles. The flow path is surrounded by the reflector, and the fuel pebbles flow through the flow path and undergo nuclear reaction to generate power. Volume ratio of the graphite to the moderator having a smaller moderating power than the graphite in each part of the reflector is determined based on a power distribution in the reactor core in the direction of flow of the fuel pebbles. |
| US07978806B1 |
Seafloor power station
The Seafloor Power Station is one or more unmanned electric power generating Units (2) sending power to and operated from existing coastal sites by a manned facility (1) by connecting lines and hoses (3) delivering power to a grid by lines (4). Each Unit's hull (11) maintained in a vacuum, contains both nuclear steam and electricity generating systems. The hull functions as overpressure containment and as condenser in the event of a loss of coolant accident or other steam release. The Units operate submerged in very cold water, with depth set by remotely controlled vertical mooring systems, mounted on gravity mats (27). A Unit must be surfaced by its mooring system to refuel the reactor, an action both conspicuous and public, enabling international oversight of the fuel disposition. |
| US07978805B1 |
Liquid gallium cooled high power neutron source target
A neutron source includes a low atomic number element target that is bombarded by incident energetic particles to provide a neutron flux. The source receives a controlled flow of liquid gallium that cools the target. The energetic particles may be for example protons or deuterons and the target is housed in a moderator/reflector assembly. Advantageously, the liquid gallium provides improved heat transfer, smaller flow rates and reduced stress on the target in comparison to prior art liquid coolants. |
| US07978803B2 |
Semiconductor device
An improved reception port for receiving packet data based on the IEEE 1394 standard. The reception port includes a synchronization FIFO memory for receiving reception data in accordance with a reception clock signal and synchronizing the reception data with an internal clock signal, a decoder for decoding the synchronized reception data, and a shaping FIFO memory for outputting the decoded reception data at a fixed timing. |
| US07978794B2 |
Front-end for digital video receiver and method for automatic gain control thereof
A method for automatic gain control of a front-end for a digital video receiver is provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a radio frequency signal is received and converted to an intermediate frequency signal. Then, the IF signal is amplified according to a gain. Next, the amplified IF signal is demodulated into a base-band signal, and the base-band signal is encoded into a transport stream. After that, a DC level of a pulse width modulation signal is controlled by at least one variable resistor to adjust the gain, the PWM signal being related to a setting of the gain. Afterwards, a BER measurement at each potential setting of the gain and the variable resistor under one or more power levels of the RF signal is read, and an optimum setting of the gain and the variable resistor is selected according to the BER measurements. |
| US07978793B2 |
Method for generating soft decision signal from hard decision signal in a receiver system
A receiver system, which generates a soft decision signal from a hard decision signal, includes a hard output receiver for determining a received bit to generate a hard decision signal. A hard input soft output receiver determines an estimated probability of symbol data corresponding to the received bit based on the hard decision signal and generates a soft decision signal represented by a log-likelihood ratio from the estimated probability. |
| US07978787B2 |
Semiconductor device
It is an object of the present invention to prevent an error or malfunction such as nonresponse which is caused due to difference in pulse width in a semiconductor device capable of communicating data wirelessly. In a semiconductor device, a level shift circuit is provided between a data demodulation circuit and each circuit block where demodulated signals are outputted from the data demodulation circuit. In such a manner, voltage amplitude of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of the outputted signals from each circuit block. Accordingly, a pulse width of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of signals in each circuit block, or a pulse width of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of the outputted signals from each circuit block. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an error or malfunction such as nonresponse which is caused due to difference in pulse width. |
| US07978786B2 |
Apparatus and method for quantization in digital communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for actively adjusting the quantization interval of signals inputted to a decoder in a digital communication system. The apparatus includes a quantization level generator for measuring a dynamic range of received packet data and calculating a corresponding scale factor, and an input signal converter for scaling a received data signal according to the scale factor so as to output a quantized signal. |
| US07978784B2 |
Antenna selection and training using a spatial spreading matrix for use in a wireless MIMO communication system
A wireless communication system and method uses a spatial spreading matrix to distribute the encoded spatial data streams to a number of transmit chains and further uses the spatial spreading matrix for antenna selection computation in a transmitter. The spatial spreading matrix is designed such that a receiver is able to know and utilize the spatial spreading matrix for computing transmission antenna selection, receiver antenna selection and joint transmission/receiving antenna selection. The use of this spatial spreading matrix for antenna selection computation provides increased accuracy in antenna selection for transmission of spatial data streams, where the number of spatial data streams is less than the number of transmit or receive chains between the transmitter and receiver, and the number of transmit or receive chains is less than the corresponding transmission or receiving antennas. |
| US07978783B2 |
RF polar transmitter with controlled amplitude modulation and methods for use therewith
A radio frequency (RF) transmitter includes a transmitter processing module that generates a phase signal that is phase modulated based on outbound data and that generates a amplitude signal that is amplitude modulated based on the outbound data, wherein the amplitude signal is generated in accordance with an amplitude transition rule that restricts an amplitude transition between consecutive amplitudes of the amplitude signal. An up-conversion module phase modulates an oscillation based on the phase signal to generate an up-converted signal. A radio transmitter front-end includes a polar amplifier that amplifies and amplitude modulates the up-converted signal based on the amplitude signal to generate a transmit signal. |
| US07978780B2 |
Adaptive cyclic delay diversity for mobile devices
Embodiments of the present invention provide for adaptive cyclic delay diversity to be used in wireless transmissions to mobile devices. The cyclic delay diversity may be adapted through cyclic delay parameters determined based at least in part on a determined speed of the mobile device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07978777B2 |
Methodology and method and apparatus for signaling with capacity optimized constellations
Communication systems having transmitter, includes a coder configured to receive user bits and output encoded bits at an expanded output encoded bit rate, a mapper configured to map encoded bits to symbols in a symbol constellation, a modulator configured to generate a signal for transmission via the communication channel using symbols generated by the mapper. In addition, the receiver includes a demodulator configured to demodulate the received signal via the communication channel, a demapper configured to estimate likelihoods from the demodulated signal, a decoder that is configured to estimate decoded bits from the likelihoods generated by the demapper. Furthermore, the symbol constellation is a capacity optimized geometrically spaced symbol constellation that provides a given capacity at a reduced signal-to-noise ratio compared to a signal constellation that maximizes dmin. |
| US07978772B2 |
Multicarrier communication apparatus, integrated circuit, and multicarrier communication method
A digital transmission signal from a digital signal processing unit is converted to an analog signal in an analog circuit, and is transmitted from transmission lines via a communication transformer. The digital signal processing unit includes a time carrier detector that detects a carrier by using a time waveform of a reception signal and a frequency carrier detector that detects a carrier by using frequency characteristics of the reception signal. Under the control of a controller, carrier detection is performed by switching between the time carrier detector and the frequency carrier detector for operation. |
| US07978771B2 |
Encoder, decoder, and their methods
An encoder generating a decoded signal with an improved quality by scalable encoding by canceling the characteristic inherent to the encoder and causing degradation of quality of the decoded signal. In the encoder, a first encoding section (102) encodes the input signal after down sampling, a first decoding section (103) decodes first encoded information outputted from the first encoding section (102), an adjusting section (105) adjusts the first decoded signal after up sampling by convoluting the first decoded signal after up sampling and an impulse response for adjustment, an adder (107) inverses the polarity of adjusted first decoded signal and adds the first decoded signal having the inverted polarity to the input signal, a second encoding section (108) encodes the residual signal outputted from the adder (107), and a multiplexing section (109) multiplexes the first encoded information outputted from the first encoding section (102) and the second encoded information outputted from the second encoding section (108). |
| US07978770B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion vector prediction in temporal video compression
A method for motion vector prediction for a current block, the current block having a set of neighboring blocks that includes blocks that do not have an associated motion vector, is disclosed. The method including deriving a candidate motion vector for each block in the set of neighboring blocks that does not have an associated motion vector; and using the candidate motion vector for each block in the set of neighboring blocks that does not have the associated motion vector to predict a current motion vector for the current block. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed. |
| US07978767B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and/or decoding moving pictures
A method of encoding moving pictures using a plurality of quantization matrices. The method involves selecting one of the plurality of quantization matrices in consideration of an at least one characteristics of an input image; transforming the input image; and quantizing the transformed input image using the selected quantization matrix. |
| US07978761B2 |
Method and system for loss-tolerant multimedia multicasting
A method and system are provided for ordering datagrams within an encoded datastream. The system includes a parser for separating headers from each respective datagram. A decoder decodes the separated headers to determine a frame group, a frame number within the frame group, a datagram number within the frame; and a total number of datagrams within the frame. An address generator determines a position for each datagram within the datastream and orders the datagrams within the datastream in response to decoding of the header to produce a video data stream. |
| US07978758B1 |
Efficient blind equalization for quadrature amplitude modulation
Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a signal transmitted with a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation. In an embodiment of the invention, a blind equalization algorithm can be performed to equalize the signal, and a constellation recovery algorithm can be performed to identify a constellation index corresponding to the QAM constellation. The blind equalization algorithm can be altered based on the identified constellation index. The invention advantageously allows for relatively efficient and relatively reliable equalization of signals transmitted with an unknown QAM constellation. |
| US07978757B1 |
Configurable receiver and a method for configuring a receiver
A configurable receiver and a method for configuring a receiver, the method includes: (i) evaluating multiple nonzero taps allocations, wherein each nonzero taps allocation evaluation includes: (i.a) allocating nonzero taps between multiple sparse equalizers, wherein different sparse equalizers are expected to equalize signals transmitted over different channels; wherein each channel is associated with an information source out of multiple information sources and with a receiving antenna out of multiple receiving antennas; wherein the number of nonzero taps is bounded by a upper limit; and (i.b) calculating multiple channel reception parameters of the multiple channels in response to the nonzero taps allocation; and (ii) configuring the receiver in response to a comparison between reception parameters obtained during different nonzero taps allocations. |
| US07978753B2 |
Multicarrier transmission system with low power sleep mode and rapid-on capability
A multicarrier transceiver is provided with a sleep mode in which it idles with reduced power consumption when it is not needed to transmit or receive data. The full transmission and reception capabilities of the transceiver are quickly restored when needed, without requiring the full (and time-consuming) initialization commonly needed to restore such transceivers to operation after inactivity. |
| US07978749B2 |
Bandjamming multi-channel DSSS transmitter and method therefor
A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmitter (12) is configured to form “N” multiple excess-bandwidth channels (44) in an allocated bandwidth (54), where N is an integer. Each excess-bandwidth channel (44) includes a lower rolloff band (40), a minimum-bandwidth channel (38), and an upper rolloff band (42). The N excess-bandwidth channels (44) are placed in the allocated bandwidth (54) so that two of the rolloff bands (40, 42) reside within allocated bandwidth 54 and outside all of minimum-bandwidth channels 38 and so that N−2 of the rolloff bands (40, 42) predominately reside within adjacent minimum-bandwidth channels (38). The excess-bandwidth channels (44) substantially conform to EV-DO standards, and four of the excess-bandwidth channels (44) are supported for each 5 MHz of allocated bandwidth (54). |
| US07978744B2 |
Nitride based semiconductor laser device with oxynitride protective films on facets
One facet of a nitride based semiconductor laser device is composed of a cleavage plane of (0001), and the other facet thereof is composed of a cleavage plane of (000 1). Thus, the one facet and the other facet are respectively a Ga polar plane and an N polar plane. A portion of the one facet and a portion of the other facet, which are positioned in an optical waveguide, constitute a pair of cavity facets. A first protective film including nitrogen as a constituent element is formed on the one facet. A second protective film including oxygen as a constituent element is formed on the other facet. |
| US07978742B1 |
Methods for operating diode lasers
Methods for operating diode lasers are provided. According to one method, the diode laser comprises a wavelength selection section, a gain section and a saturable absorber. The method comprises applying a hybrid-control signal comprising a hybrid-control DC bias to the saturable absorber, and applying a hybrid-driving signal comprising a hybrid-driving DC bias and a hybrid-driving AC bias to the gain section. The hybrid signals are selected and the diode laser is configured such that a relatively high hybrid-control DC bias corresponds to a relatively low average of the output power of the diode laser, and a relatively low hybrid-control DC bias corresponds to a relatively high average of the output power of the diode laser. The hybrid-driving DC bias is between a switch-on threshold of the diode laser and a switch-off threshold of the diode laser, and the hybrid-driving AC bias is periodic. The hybrid-driving AC bias has a peak-to-peak amplitude greater than the difference between the switch-on threshold and the switch-off threshold. |
| US07978737B2 |
Laser device, control device of laser device, method of controlling laser device, method of tuning wavelength of laser device and control data of laser device
A laser device includes a cavity and a control portion. The cavity has an optical amplifier, a wavelength selectable portion having a changeable transmission wavelength range, and a mirror. The control portion controls the wavelength selectable portion so that the transmission wavelength range of the wavelength selectable portion is changed to a given range. The control portion controls the wavelength selectable portion so that the cavity outputs a desirable lasing wavelength light and optical intensity of the desirable lasing wavelength light is a given value, after controlling the wavelength selectable portion so that the cavity outputs the desirable lasing wavelength light. |
| US07978736B2 |
Efficient provisioning of a VT/TU cross-connect
A method and apparatus for efficient provisioning of a VT/TU cross-connect includes checking a state of a control bit that specifies whether to assemble an output from multiple virtual tributary (VT1.5/VT2) or tributary unit (TU11/TU12) connections or handle the output as an synchronous transport signal (STS) or administrative unit (AU-3/AU-4) connection, and switching a predetermined number of entries together based on a state of the control bit. |
| US07978734B2 |
Multichannel MAC data stream for wireless communication
A system and method of transmitting a stream of data are provided. A stream of data to be transmitted is identified. The stream of data is divided into a plurality of data segments for transmission on a corresponding plurality of transmission channels. The plurality of segments are transmitted on the corresponding plurality of transmission channels, wherein each segment is transmitted at substantially the same time as the other segments and for substantially the same duration of time. |
| US07978733B2 |
Method for generating subframe including resource distribution information
A method for generating a subframe including resource distribution information is disclosed. The method for generating a subframe includes arranging resource allocation information in a subframe by sequentially allocating a localized permutation and a distributed permutation, and arranging a subframe control header including a resource unit index in a predetermined location by a system parameter, wherein the resource unit index indicates a frequency resource location of the resource allocation information. When both the localized permutation and the distributed permutation are used, a resource distribution method is transmitted to a user equipment. Therefore, an effect of the distributed permutation can be maximized without a great influence on the performance of the localized permutation, and a problem of decoding failure or latency can be prevented. |
| US07978727B2 |
Ethernet frame and synchronous optical network (SONET) frame convertible interface device and frame transmission method
An apparatus for decreasing the hardware load from L2 switch MAC address learning for Ethernet-Over-SONET technology that uses VLAN, simplifying frame transmission between Ethernet and SONET, and improving the reliability of each device is disclosed. An Ethernet frame and SONET frame convertible interface part establishes a register that holds an Ethernet frame specific VLANID and SONET frame specific STS path ID in opposition, and a multiplexing part that multiplexes an Ethernet frame having a specific VLANID corresponding to a specific STS path ID that is held by a register among an input plurality of Ethernet frame VLAN ID's. |
| US07978724B1 |
Systems and methods of allocating radio resources
Systems and methods of allocating radio resources are provided. It is determined whether a bandwidth assigned to a communication station can be satisfied using available subchannels and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS). When the bandwidth cannot be satisfied using available subchannels and MCS, a number of the available subchannels and an MCS are selected. A power level for communications transmitted to the communication station is adjusted relative to a power level determined based a signal quality measurement. Information is transmitted to the communication station using the selected number of subchannels, MCS and adjusted power level. |
| US07978723B1 |
Using dedicated upstream channel(s) for cable modem initialization
A system facilitates initialization of devices in a cable modem network. The system may provide downstream channels for transmitting data to the devices and upstream channels for receiving data from the devices. At least one of the upstream channels may be dedicated to providing initialization opportunities. This dedicated upstream channel(s) includes less than all of the upstream channels. The system may transmit upstream channel identifiers on the downstream channels, where each of the upstream channel identifiers identifies one of the upstream channels. The system receives initialization data on the dedicated upstream channel(s). |
| US07978714B2 |
Methods and systems for securing access to private networks using encryption and authentication technology built in to peripheral devices
A method for routing packets from a peripheral device to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway includes the step of implementing, by a peripheral device, a change to a routing table. The peripheral device receives an outbound packet. The peripheral device transmits information about the outbound packet to a VPN client application. The peripheral device modifies address information on the outbound packet with address information associated with the VPN client application. The peripheral device transmits the modified outbound packet to the VPN client application. |
| US07978712B2 |
Method and apparatus for transporting client signal in optical transport network
A method for transporting a client signal in an optical transport network (OTN) includes steps as follows. A byte number Cn of a client signal transported in a current OTN frame period is generated according to a client signal clock and a system clock. If the Cn of the current OTN frame falls in a certain range, a predetermined area in an optical channel payload unit-k (OPUk) overhead field is identified as normal, and the Cn is filled in the OPUk overhead field of the current OTN frame. Therefore, the reliability for transporting the client byte number can be improved and an OPUk overhead byte space needed for transporting the client signal byte number can be saved. |
| US07978710B2 |
Synchronous inter-piconet routing
Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to wireless communications. The systems and techniques involve wireless communications wherein a process, module or communications terminal schedules communications. The scheduling function may include scheduling an inter-piconet transmission between first transmitting and receiving terminals including scheduling a power level for the inter-piconet transmission that satisfies a target quality parameter at the first receiving terminal. The scheduling function may also include scheduling an intra-piconet transmission between second transmitting and receiving terminals, including scheduling a power level for the intra-piconet transmission that satisfies a target quality parameter at the second receiving terminal. The intra-piconet transmission may be scheduled simultaneous with the inter-piconet transmission. |
| US07978702B2 |
Backplane interface adapter
A backplane interface adapter for a network switch. The backplane interface adapter includes at least one receiver that receives input cells carrying packets of data; at least one cell generator that generates encoded cells which include the packets of data from the input cells; and at least one transmitter that transmits the generated cells to a switching fabric. The cell includes a destination slot identifier that identifies a slot of the switching fabric towards which the respective input cell is being sent. The generated cells include in-band control information. |
| US07978701B2 |
Virtual ethernet MAC switching
A method of sending an information package from a first data network to at least one second data network through a communications network, in particular a SDH or SONET network, comprises a first plurality of access points, a second plurality of MPLS switches, a third plurality of paths defined from each of the access points to an Ethernet switch including MPLS switching capabilities via at least one of the MPLS switches, and a fourth plurality of paths defined from the Ethernet switch including MPLS switching capabilities to each of the access points via at least one of the MPLS switches. The method further comprises receiving the information package at a specific access point and adding a header including a MPLS label to the information package. The information package including the header is sent to the Ethernet switch including MPLS switching capabilities via a path of the third plurality. The Ethernet switch includes MPLS switching capabilities and switching and sending the information package including the header to at least one further specific access point corresponding to the at least one second data network, removes the header from the information package, and sends the information package from the at least one further specific access point to the at least one second data network. |
| US07978699B1 |
Protocol compression with synchronized sequence numbers
A system for transmitting data packets includes a sending node. The sending node includes means for forming the data packets using two or more communications protocols. A first protocol includes means to associate with a data load a first header having one or more fields. A second protocol includes means to associate with the data load a second header having one or more fields. The sending node includes compression means for removing one or more fields of the first header. A value of a removed field is predictable by reference to values of one or more fields of the second protocol. A predefined template is used to remove the one or more fields of the first header for compression and to replace the removed field for decompression. The predefined template is identified by a template number included in an added header. |
| US07978697B2 |
Method of processing traffic information and digital broadcast system
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change. |
| US07978694B2 |
Method for transmitting layer 2 packet and access device thereof
A method for Layer 2 packet transmission is disclosed, wherein a corresponding relationship between packet attribute information and public MAC addresses is configured in an access device such that the access device could find a corresponding public MAC address in the corresponding relationship when receiving a packet from a user terminal, then replaces the source MAC address with the public MAC address found, and then sends the packet to a convergence layer device. A method for transmission of a Layer 2 packet without character information is also disclosed. The access device needs to obtain the packet attribute information and carry the information in the packet to be sent to the convergence layer device. An access device is also disclosed. As a result, the capacity of the VLAN and the MAC address table items needed for the convergence layer device to convert MAC addresses is greatly decreased. |
| US07978693B2 |
Integrated circuit and method for packet switching control
An integrated circuit having a plurality of processing modules (M, S) and an interconnect means (N) for coupling said plurality of processing modules (M, S) and for enabling a packet based communication based on transactions between said plurality of processing modules (M, S) is provided. Each packet comprises a first predetermined number of subsequent words each having a second predetermined number of bits. A first of said plurality of processing modules (M) issues a transaction by sending at least one packet over said interconnect means (N) to a second of said plurality of processing modules (S). The integrated circuit further comprises at least one packet inspecting unit (PIU) for inspecting bits of said at least one packet to determine bits not required for said issued transaction and for matching said not required bits of said at least one inspected packet with other bits of the same packet. |
| US07978691B1 |
Connectivity manager with location services
A system and method are disclosed for managing the connectivity of a mobile device to a plurality of network connectivity locations. A mobile device comprising a network connectivity manager accesses a repository of predetermined network connectivity management information stored on a network host. The network connectivity manager uses a first predetermined subset of the information to discover the presence of a first network and then manages connectivity between the mobile device and the first discovered network. A second predetermined subset of information is then used to discover the presence of a second network. The network connectivity manager then transfers the mobile device's connectivity from the first network to the second network. Transfer of connectivity is dependent upon successful submission and acceptance of predetermined user credentials and each network's compliance with predetermined connectivity policies. |
| US07978686B2 |
System and method for feature-based services control using SIP
A system and method for feature-based service control using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) in an Internet Protocol Automatic Branch Exchanges (IPABX) system is described. The system and method include a new Event package and new Enhanced SIP methods to control information for various feature-based services like wakeup alarm, call forwarding, voicemail configuration, and other services provided by traditional PBX systems. A user provides input to a client device to activate or deactivate feature-based services. In response, the client device sends a message to the IPABX server to activate or deactivate the feature-based service(s). The IPABX server then notifies the client device that the feature based-service(s) have been activated or deactivated. |
| US07978683B2 |
Method of transferring call transition messages between network controllers of different radio technologies
The method provides for a first network controller, operating according to a first radio technology, to form and send a relay message to a second network controller, operating according to a different, second radio technology. The relay message includes an embedded message for the second network controller. The embedded message may be a transition message requesting transition of a packet switched call for a mobile station handled by the first network controller to a call for the mobile station handled by the second network controller. The method further provides selection of another wireless element for service at a wireless unit, using a current wireless element. A wireless unit receives a message identifying at least one other wireless element, available to the wireless unit and to which a wireless element currently in communication with the wireless unit is also in communication with and the wireless unit selects another wireless element for possible future service based on the message. |
| US07978680B1 |
System and method for synchronizing clocks in a wireless local area network
A clock control system for a reference network device, the clock control system including a reference clock module, a receiver module, and a clock adjustment module. The reference clock module generates reference clock signals. The receiver module receives and determines reference receive times of Y frames based on the reference clock signals. One of X remote network devices generates the Y frames. The receiver module further receives X-1 timestamp frames from X-1 of the X remote network devices based on receipt of the Y frames at respective ones of the X-1 remote network devices. X and Y are integers greater than or equal to 1. At least one of X and Y is greater than 1. The clock adjustment module determines and transmits clock adjustment signals for the X-1 remote network devices based on the X-1 timestamp frames and the reference receive times of the Y frames. |
| US07978679B2 |
Communicating control information in mobile communication system
The present invention relates to communicating control information in a mobile communication system, by which new control information can be transmitted more quickly. The present invention comprises transmitting a first data block comprising control information for transmitting first data when no resources for the transmission of the first data are available, receiving second data from an upper layer to be transmitted, wherein the second data has a higher priority than the first data, and transmitting a second data block comprising updated control information for transmitting the first and second data when no resources for the transmission of the first and second data are available. |
| US07978677B2 |
Methods and apparatus for using control values to control communications processing
Methods and apparatus for tunneling packets between remote and serving Access points for delivery to an access terminal (AT) are described. Methods and apparatus for communicating control values and/or information in addition to information to be delivered to an AT over an airlink are also described. An AT uses the received control information to recover communicated packets. Some features support the use of various headers and/or indicators in the headers, e.g., RLP and/or Packet Correlation Protocol (PCP) headers, which may be used to control routing of communicated payloads to an RLP processing module corresponding to an AP which was the source of the communicated payload. |
| US07978675B1 |
Extension mode for wireless LANs complying with short interframe space requirement
A wireless device includes a transmitter that transmits packets including a header field and a data field and a coding module that selectively encodes data of the packets based on one of first and second signal processing modes. The header field of each of the packets comprises a first field that identifies one of the first signal processing mode and the second signal processing mode and a second field that identifies one of a first data length that corresponds to a transmit time period for data corresponding to the first signal processing mode and a second data length that corresponds to the transmit time period plus an extension time period for transmission of dummy data. Data fields of packets that correspond with the first signal processing mode comprise data and data fields of packets that correspond with the second signal processing mode comprise data and the dummy data. |
| US07978672B2 |
System and method for link quality source routing
Systems and methods for routing packets by nodes in an ad hoc network in accordance with a link quality source routing protocol are disclosed. Route discovery, route maintenance, and metric maintenance are designed to propagate and keep current link quality measurements. Metric maintenance includes a reactive approach for links that a node is currently using to route packets, and a proactive mechanism for all links. Nodes are configured to include a send buffer, a maintenance buffer, a request table, link quality metric modules, and preferably a neighbor cache and a link cache. The invention allows for asymmetric links in the network. The invention may be implemented within a virtual protocol interlayer between the link and network layers. The invention may employ any particular link quality metrics, including metrics based on probing techniques as well as metrics based on knowledge gained in other ways. |
| US07978671B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication apparatus control method, and computer program for causing computer to execute the control method
In 80211.n, the time during which the band is occupied is prolonged by the use of the frame aggregation method or in accordance with the type of communication frame, and this may influence communication of another apparatus. To solve this problem, a communication frame length (a communication frame to be used and the number of frames to be aggregated) is determined by taking account of priority information of a plurality of communication apparatuses. |
| US07978669B2 |
Methods and apparatus for efficient MPEG transmission over 802.11
In one embodiment, a method includes characterizing a first packet of a video stream as being associated with a first frame type, wherein the video stream is arranged to be transmitted on a wireless local area network. The method also includes processing at least the first packet of the video stream as being associated with the first frame type if the first packet of the video stream is characterized as being of the first frame type. |
| US07978668B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer readable medium thereof for simultaneously establishing links with a plurality of nodes
An apparatus, method, and computer readable medium thereof for simultaneously establishing links with a plurality of nodes in a wireless network are provided. A processing module determines whether a mesh network configuration message of the apparatus has space to packet an information element and determines whether to transmit a Neighbor Link Establishment information element to one of the nodes. If the mesh network configuration message has space to packet an information element and the Neighbor Link Establishment information element needs to be transmitted to one of the nodes, the Neighbor Link Establishment information element will be packeted into the mesh network configuration message. Finally, a transmission module transmits the mesh network configuration message to the nodes in order to solve the problem of increasing time during link establishment and avoid deadlock among the nodes when the apparatus of the prior art establishes links with the nodes simultaneously. |
| US07978663B2 |
Wireless resource management method, wireless base station, and wireless line control station
The present invention relates to a radio resource control method for controlling a radio resource for transmitting user data via an uplink by a mobile station. A radio base station reports, to a radio network controller, at a predetermined timing, a maximum allowable transmission rate of the user data, which is signaled to the mobile station connected to the radio base station. The radio network controller controls the radio resource based on the reported maximum allowable transmission rate. |
| US07978662B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving downlink data for UE in soft handover region in an OFDM system
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving downlink data for signal combining at a UE in an OFDM cellular system are provided. A Node B sends combining information to the UE, and combinable cells use the same radio resources and the same scrambling sequence in data transmission to the UE. Therefore, the UE can receive naturally combined data without an additional operation. Also, the UE combines channel estimates calculated using pilot signals received form the cells and compensates the combined data signal using the combined channel estimate. |
| US07978661B2 |
Multi-carrier communication device and multi-carrier communication method
There is provided a multi-carrier communication method capable of preventing lowering of a throughput of another mobile device accompanying allocation of a sub-carrier for a new mobile station device. This multi-carrier communication method can acquire reception quality information for one of the sub-carriers already allocated in an MS (150a) from a BS (100a) and for one of the sub-carriers which can be allocated in the MS (150a) from the BS (100b). According to the reception quality information, a release sub-carrier is selected from the sub-carriers already allocated and a new-allocation sub-carrier is selected from the sub-carriers which can be allocated. The new-allocation sub-carrier has a frequency different from the already-allocated sub-carriers excluding the release sub-carrier. The BS (100a) is instructed to release the selected release sub-carrier and the BS (100b) is instructed to allocate the selected new-allocation sub-carrier in the MS (150a). |
| US07978658B2 |
Reference transport channel on/off status detection and reselection
In a wireless communication system using a reference channel used for error rate measurement and associated with a plurality of transport channels multiplexed on a coded composite transport channel (CCTrCH), a method is employed for reselection of the reference channel from favorable candidate transport channels. A channel is initially selected from the plurality of multiplexed channels as the reference channel. Channels are monitored based on quantitative data content criteria to determine whether an ON or OFF state exists. A different channel is selected from the plurality of multiplexed channels as the reselected RTrCH when a better candidate transport channel in the ON state becomes available, or when the monitored RTrCH reflects an OFF state. |
| US07978656B2 |
Sequence numbering for distributed wireless networks
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate maintaining consistent radio-link layer protocol (RLP) sequence numbers in the event of an RLP sequence number reset. An offset can be adjusted upon occurrence of the event to reflect a subsequent expected sequence number. The offset can be added to the RLP sequence numbers such that receiving devices and/or higher layer applications can operate without realizing the sequence number reset. Additionally, the offset can be synchronized among base stations to facilitate operability following handoff of the receiving device. |
| US07978651B2 |
Internal data structure of mobile terminal for QoS-based uplink data transmission, and operational methods thereof
A recording medium having an internal data structure for uplink data transmission based on QoS in a mobile terminal of an OFDMA/TDMA-based high-speed portable Internet system, the internal data structure comprising a connection identifier index indicating a predetermined connection of the mobile terminal; a service class index indicating QoS classes of uplink data; a control channel index indicating a type of a control channel for transmission of a management message of the mobile terminal; an access type index indicating a type of access for a bandwidth request of the mobile terminal; a user packet list having IP packets linked to each other through a linked list; a management message list having the management messages linked to each other through a linked list; and a bandwidth request list having informative elements that are linked to each other for the bandwidth request through a linked list. |
| US07978649B2 |
Unified MIMO transmission and reception
A “unified” MIMO system that supports multiple operating modes for efficient data transmission is described. Each operating mode is associated with different spatial processing at a transmitting entity. For example, four operating modes may be defined for (1) full-CSI or partial-CSI transmission and (2) with or without steering transmit diversity (STD). An appropriate operating mode may be selected for use based on various factors (e.g., availability of a good channel estimate). With steering transmit diversity, data is spatially spread and transmitted on multiple spatial channels, and a single rate may then be used for all spatial channels used for data transmission. A receiving entity may utilize a minimum mean square error (MMSE) technique for all operating modes. The receiving entity may derive a spatial filter matrix and perform receiver spatial processing in the same manner for all operating modes, albeit with different effective channel response matrices. |
| US07978647B2 |
Efficient piconet formation and maintenance in a bluetooth wireless network
The invention is addressing the problem of efficient formation and maintenance of piconets with assistance from the master of an already existing piconet. The master of an existing piconet initiates the formation of a new helper piconet by at least two of its slaves. One of the slaves of the existing piconet becomes the master of the newly formed helper piconet and the other slave becomes a slave of the helper piconet. This process can be used to expand the number of Bluetooth devices that can use an Internet access point. It can also be used to permit two slave devices to communicate directly with one another so as not to unnecessarily use bandwidth available through the master. Finally, the method and system could be used to provide a method of efficient hand-off from one piconet to another. |
| US07978645B2 |
Method of configuring default values for cell re-selection in a wireless communication system
A method of configuring values of cell re-selection parameters for cell re-selection from a serving cell to a neighboring cell in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving from a network a first message via a first control channel, wherein the first message includes values of a first group of cell selection parameters, assigning pre-stored values of the cell selection parameters for the serving cell to values of a second group of the cell selection parameters, if the first message does not include the values of the second group of the cell selection parameters, and calculating the values of the cell re-selection parameters using the values of the first and the second groups of the cell selection parameters. |
| US07978643B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of multiple reception paths
A user terminal of a radio system arranged to operate a frequency band subdivided into one or more carrier bands, each of which carries a cyclic set of consecutive time slot. The user terminal comprises a first receiver part adjustable to a defined carrier band, and a second receiver part adjustable to a defined carrier band; wherein the first and the second receiver parts are separately operable. The user terminal comprises also allocation means for allocating to a radio channel at least a first timeslot and a second timeslot, wherein the first timeslot and the second timeslot may belong to different carrier bands. The first receiver part and the second receiver part are adjusted to the carrier bands of the first timeslot and of the second timeslot according to a predetermined scheme. The invented structure improved data throughput of the transmission by providing improved quality of transmission through diversity and added capacity through the multicarrier operation. |
| US07978640B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data via media access control protocol in mobile communication system
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving data via a MAC protocol in a mobile communication system. The method includes inputting at least one Service Data Unit (SDU) containing transmission data through a corresponding logical channel and generating at least one first Protocol Data Unit (PDU) that includes said at least one SDU without including multiplexing information for identification of the logical channel, by a first transmission entity; acquiring the first PDU and generating a second PDU including the first PDU in a payload of the second PDU, by a second transmission entity that operates between the first transmission entity and a physical layer; inserting the multiplexing information for identification of the logical channel corresponding to said at least one first PDU into header information of the second PDU; and transmitting the second PDU through the physical layer. The method can reduce load due to additional processing, such as a bit operation or memory copying, in a receiver requiring high speed data transmission. |
| US07978639B2 |
Systems, methods and devices for collecting data from wireless sensor nodes
A data request from a requesting device is received at a network of wireless sensor nodes. The data request is then forwarded through the network of wireless sensor nodes to a source wireless sensor node, where data responsive to the data request is generated. A reply including the responsive data is then forwarded along at least two communication paths through the network of wireless sensor nodes back to the requesting device. |
| US07978635B2 |
H-ARQ acknowledgment detection validation by re-decoding
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate reliably receiving a sequence of data packets in a wireless communications environment. In particular, mechanisms are provided that enhance hybrid automatic repeat request protocols through validation of acknowledgment message detection by re-decoding. A transmitter sends a data packet from a sequence of packets in one or more data transmissions. A receiver acknowledges the data packet upon obtaining sufficient transmissions to decode the packet. The receiver re-decodes a successive data transmission in combination with previously received transmissions to validate if the transmitter detected the acknowledgment. |
| US07978631B1 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and mapping of virtual addresses for clusters
A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward overlaying a cluster of nodes over peers in a peer-to-peer network using a peer identification and communication mechanism. A string based name for a resource in a peer-to-peer network is received and is used to generate a unique identifier using a secure hash algorithm. An advertisement specifying at least one address associated with the resource is associated with the unique identifier. The advertisement is broadcasted. The unique identifier and/or the resource in the peer-to-peer network is associated with a resource in the cluster. A network packet may be addressed to the resource in the cluster by the unique identifier. The network packet may be routed to the address associated with the resource in the cluster using an Open System Interconnection (OSI) Level 2 or above protocol. |
| US07978630B2 |
Method and system of maintaining a connection in a network communication system
A method and system for maintaining a connection between two hosts in a multi-hop network comprising at least one network node disposed between the two hosts and a network element, e.g., a NAT, designed to release the connection after a period of inactivity. The method includes determining a first node in which a keep-alive message will terminate after crossing a network element designed to release the connection after a period of inactivity, and sending a keep-alive data packet configured to terminate in the first node after crossing the network element designed to release the connection. The keep-alive packet configured to terminate in the first node after crossing the network element designed to release the connection may be sent within a time period less than the time period of inactivity after which the network element would release the connection. The method allows for a connection to be kept open without waking up a client device and/or without activating air interface procedures. |
| US07978627B2 |
Systems and methods to monitor communications to identify a communications problem
Systems and methods to monitor communications to identify a communications problem are disclosed. An example method to monitor communication includes mirroring a first port on a first network element communicatively coupled to a virtual circuit to a second port on a second network element communicatively coupled to the virtual circuit, mirroring a third port on a third network element coupled to the virtual circuit to the second network element, monitoring mirrored communications data at the second network element by receiving communications data on the second port that are sent to the first port from the third port or from the first port to the third port, and analyzing the monitored communications data to identify a communications problem based on a difference between communications data mirrored from the first port and communications data mirrored from the third port. |
| US07978625B2 |
Apparatus and method for retransmission in wireless communication system
An apparatus and a method for selectively retransmitting data according to a channel state in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes determining retransmission information of a receiver from feedback information received from the receiver, determining a retransmission scheme for the receiver using the retransmission information of the receiver, and performing a retransmission process with the receiver according to the determined retransmission scheme. In a good channel state, the data is retransmitted using the retransmission scheme to thereby enhance the reliability of the data delivery and the reception performance. In a bad channel state, the data is not retransmitted to thereby reduce a waste of resources in the data retransmission. |
| US07978622B2 |
Method and apparatus for computing a path in a network domain
A method for implementing path computation in a domain includes: storing, in each of path computation elements of a domain, global path computation information for path computation in the domain; and performing path computation by the path computation element in accordance with the global path computation information if a path is to be established as requested. A device for implementing path computation in a domain includes: a storage unit for storing global path computation information used for path computation in a domain; and a computation unit for performing path computation in accordance with the global path computation information stored in the storage unit if a path is to be established as requested. |
| US07978621B2 |
Power consumption management in a MIMO transceiver and method for use therewith
A mobile communication device includes a first wireless transceiver that receives a first inbound RF signal and that transmits a first outbound RF signal based on a first power supply signal. A second wireless transceiver receives a second inbound RF signal and that transmits a second outbound RF signal based on a second power supply signal. A processing module generates at least one power mode signal based on first transmit power control data received via the first inbound RF signal. A power management circuit adjusts a first power consumption parameter of the first power supply signal and a second power consumption parameter of the second power supply signal based on the at least one power mode signal. |
| US07978617B2 |
Methods for providing performance improvement recommendations
In a method of providing a performance improvement recommendation for a connection between a first network node in communication with a second network node, information is transmitted from the first node to the second node to provide communication between the nodes, via a number of transmission components. An elapsed time of transmission of the information between a subset of the transmission components is measured, the aggregation of the measurements representing time elapsed for end-to-end transmission of the information that includes preparing, by the first node, the information for transmission and processing, by the second node, the information upon receipt. A determination is made that one of the measured transmission components has a performance that crosses a predetermined threshold. A recommendation is identified to improve the performance of the identified component. |
| US07978616B2 |
Method for transmitting PDCP status report
A method of transmitting PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) status reports, is performed by a mobile terminal by receiving, from an upper layer, a request for PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) re-establishment; detecting whether there are any out-of-sequence PDCP SDUs (service data units) stored; and if there is at least one out-of-sequence PDCP SDU stored, allocating a bitmap field of length in bits equal to the number of PDCP SNs from and not including the first out-of-sequence PDCP SDU up to and including a last out-of-sequence PDCP SDU. |
| US07978615B2 |
Method of operating a network
Techniques are provided for operating a network where router devices forward received data packets towards a destination node. Each router maintains a routing table, indicating the next hop to choose in respect of different ultimate destinations m accordance with a routing protocol. Periodic communications between neighboring routers are used as confirmation that they are still able to communicate with one another. Each router compares the time since it last communicated in this way with each of its neighbors with a router dead interval and determines that the respective neighboring router, or the currently designated route thereto, has gone down if the comparison indicates that the router dead interval has elapsed without such a communication having been received. Each router performs an adaptive algorithm to modify the or each corresponding router dead interval dynamically in accordance with one or more properties of the network as measured by the router. |
| US07978611B2 |
Systems and methods to determine network routes based on transmission medium length
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture to determine an administrative cost for a network path are disclosed. An example method is used to select a plurality of network segments and a plurality of network switches to determine a network path between first and second network nodes. A transmission medium length associated with the plurality of network segments and the plurality of network switches is then determined, where the administrative cost for the network path is determined based on the transmission medium length. |
| US07978606B2 |
System and method for policing multiple data flows and multi-protocol data flows
A system and method for policing one or more flows of a data stream of packets associated with differing transmission protocols. The current capacity level for each flow is determined, as is the packet protocol associated with each packet. A packet parameter in the packet that is indicative of the bandwidth consumption of the packet is identified. The packet parameter is converted to a predetermined format if the packet is not associated with a predetermined packet protocol. A common bandwidth capacity test is performed to determine whether the packet is conforming or non-conforming, and is a function of the packet parameter and the current bandwidth capacity level. |
| US07978601B1 |
Method and apparatus for network performance analysis
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for analyzing a network. Specifically, the method comprises receiving information associated with the network, automatically constructing a network representation using the information, and performing at least one network performance test, wherein the at least one network performance test is performed using at least a portion of the network representation. |
| US07978598B1 |
Connection replication
A standby content switch module maintains a connection after failure of the active CSM by maintaining a replicate connection state of the connection state of the active CSM. The active CSM transmits a replicate TCP SYN segment to the standby CSM to replicate a connection state on the standby CSM. The replicate SYN is constructed to appear to originate from the client originating the connection to the active CSM. The replicate SYN further includes encoded information enabling the standby CSM to distinguish the replicate SYN from an actual SYN. The replicate SYN frame contains information needed to create a connection state on the standby CSM that is a replica of the connection state on the active CSM. |
| US07978594B2 |
Efficient and robust routing of potentially-variable traffic with local restoration against link failures
In one embodiment, a method for supporting recovery from failure of a link in a network of nodes interconnected by links. An intermediate node between an ingress point and an egress point of the network is selected to minimize the sum of (i) a capacity constraint between the ingress point and the intermediate node and (ii) a capacity constraint between the intermediate node and the egress point. The selection identifies two path structures, each comprising a primary path and one or more link backup detours protecting each link on the primary path, with a first path structure between the ingress point and the intermediate node, and a second path structure between the intermediate node and the egress point. To maximize network throughput, packets are routed in two phases, first to the intermediate node via the first path structure in predetermined proportions, and then from the intermediate node to the final destination via the second path structure. |
| US07978591B2 |
Mitigation of interference and crosstalk in communications systems
Signals in a multi-channel, impaired communication system are post-processed at the receiver. A triangular matrix Decision Feedback Demodulator (DFD) at the receiver extracts channels without requiring delivery of receiver parameters to the transmitter. Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) processing matrices and DFD parameters are computed by first applying matrix transformations to diagonalize the noise covariance matrix of the multiple channels received at the receiver. QR decompositions (i.e., decompositions into orthogonal and triangular matrices) are then applied to the main channels to obtain triangular channel matrices. The noise-diagonalizing transformations and QR decompositions are then combined to form the MIMO postprocessing matrices and DFD parameters. MIMO postprocessing matrices and DFD parameters are computed from training data and then adapted during live data transmission. |
| US07978590B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus, reproducing apparatus, recording apparatus, and tracking error signal generation method
An optical pickup apparatus, a reproducing apparatus, a recording apparatus, and a tracking error signal generation method are provided. Four light-receiving elements receive stray light of main and sub beams reflected from, out of a plurality of recording layers of the optical disk, the one other than that for effecting recording or reproduction. The four light-receiving elements are disposed individually near every side of the four-part split light-receiving element, of which light-receiving elements are disposed between the two-part split light-receiving elements. Based on stray-light intensity detected by the four light-receiving elements, intensity distribution is calculated for tracking-error signal correction. |
| US07978588B2 |
Optical data reading/writing with stationary dish mirror
Apparatus and method for reading data from or writing data to a stationary optical storage medium. A light beam redirecting mechanism is rotatable about an axis through a stationary dish mirror that faces a stationary optical storage medium from which data may be read or to which data may be written. |
| US07978584B2 |
Pattern recognition type optical memory and optical read/write device and method for reading and writing data from or to the memory
There is provided a method and device for reading, writing, or both, data from or to a pattern recognition type optical memory having a light transmittable substrate. Patterns can be formed in the pattern recognition type optical memory from light images representing the data. An optical memory reading device comprises a light source, an image detecting unit for detecting images corresponding to the patterns and generating image signals converted by an optical/electric converter into electric signals. An optical memory writing device comprises a light source, an electric/optical converter for receiving an electric signal corresponding to the data and converting the electric signal into an image signal, and an image generation unit for receiving the light emitted from the light source and the image signal and generating light images corresponding to the image signal, wherein the images are configured to form the patterns on the light transmittable substrate. |
| US07978575B2 |
Automatic write strategy calibration method for optical drive
An optical media playback device includes a memory to store calibration data specifying how a mark of a particular length should be formed on an optical storage media. A control module writes a training pattern onto the optical storage media based on the calibration data. The training pattern includes a first mark having a first length. A control module reads the training pattern previously written onto the optical storage media and determines whether the first length of the first mark corresponds to the particular length specified by the calibration data. The control module adjusts the calibration data stored in the memory in response to the first length of the first mark not corresponding to the particular length specified by the calibration data. |
| US07978566B1 |
Timing apparatus for alerting a user when time has elapsed
A timing apparatus for alerting a user when time has elapsed which comprises a base. A post extends vertically and centrally from the base. A mechanism extends through the base and the post, for indicating when a set time has elapsed. |
| US07978563B2 |
Method for passive seismic emission tomography including polarization correction for source mechanism
A method for seismic event mapping includes selecting a plurality of subvolumes representing possible locations of origin of a seismic event in the Earth's subsurface. For each subvolume a plurality of possible directions of motion of subsurface formations is selected. For each subvolume and each possible direction of motion, polarity correction is applied to seismic signals recorded at a plurality of positions proximate a volume of the Earth's subsurface to be evaluated. The polarity correction is based on the direction of motion and the position of each seismic sensor with respect to the subvolume. The recorded, polarity corrected seismic signal recordings are time aligned. The time aligned recordings are summed. A most likely direction of motion and subvolume position are determined based on a selected attribute of the summed, time aligned seismic signals. |
| US07978560B2 |
Static memory cell having independent data holding voltage
A static memory cell, composed of cross-coupled MOS transistors having a relatively high threshold voltage, is equipped with MOS transistors for controlling the power supply line voltage of the memory cell. To permit the voltage difference between two data storage nodes in the inactivated memory cell to exceed the voltage difference between the two nodes when write data is applied from a data line pair DL and /DL to the two nodes in the activated memory cell, the power supply line voltage control transistors are turned on to apply a high voltage VCH to the power supply lines after the word line voltage is turned off. The data holding voltage in the memory cell can be activated to a high voltage independent of the data line voltage, and the data holding voltage can be dynamically set so that read and write operations can be performed at high speed with low power consumption. |
| US07978556B2 |
On-chip temperature sensor
A temperature invariant reference voltage and a temperature variant physical quantity, such as a voltage or current, are generated. The temperature variant physical quantity changes in response to a temperature of the integrated circuit. A temperature sensor circuit generates a voltage that is linearly dependent on the temperature. A level generator circuit generates 2n−1 voltage levels from the reference voltage. A comparator circuit, such as an analog-to-digital circuit, compares the voltage from the temperature sensor to the 2n−1 voltage levels to determine which level is closest. An n-bit digital output of the resulting level is proportional to the temperature of the integrated circuit. |
| US07978550B2 |
Semiconductor memory
A semiconductor memory includes: a plurality of regular memory cells; a first redundant memory cell; a second redundant memory cell; a first redundancy program circuit, first defect position information indicating a position of a first defective regular memory cell being programmed into the first redundancy program circuit; a second redundancy program circuit, second defect position information indicating a position of a second defective regular memory cell being programmed into the second redundancy program circuit; a redundancy switch circuit which couples signal lines to the regular memory cell, the first redundant memory cell, and the second redundant memory cell; and a redundancy signal switch circuit which replaces the first defect position information and the second defect position information with each other when the second defective regular memory cell is located between the first defective regular memory cell and the first redundant memory cell. |
| US07978546B2 |
Memory controller, PCB, computer system and memory adjusting method adjusting a memory output signal characteristic
A memory controller, a PCB and a computer system employing the memory controller, and a memory adjusting method using the memory controller. The memory controller interfaces data reading from and writing to a memory and includes: a characteristic estimating part estimating a characteristic of a memory output signal outputted from the memory for the data reading and writing; and a characteristic adjusting part controlling the memory so that the characteristic of the memory output signal is within a predetermined reference range if the characteristic of the memory output signal estimated by the characteristic estimating part is beyond the predetermined reference range. |
| US07978545B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit has a central processing unit and a rewritable nonvolatile memory area disposed in an address space of the central processing unit. The nonvolatile memory area has a first nonvolatile memory area and a second nonvolatile memory area, which memorize information depending on the difference of threshold voltages. The first nonvolatile memory area has the maximum variation width of a threshold voltage for memorizing information set larger than that of the second nonvolatile memory area. When the maximum variation width of the threshold voltage for memorizing information is larger, since stress to a memory cell owing to a rewrite operation of memory information becomes larger, it is inferior in a point of guaranteeing the number of times of rewrite operation; however, since a read current becomes larger, a read speed of memory information can be expedited. The first nonvolatile memory area can be prioritized to expedite a read speed of the memory information and the second nonvolatile memory area can be prioritized to guarantee the number of times of rewrite operation of memory information more. |
| US07978537B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a source signal generator configured to generate a source signal having a predetermined pulse width in response to a command signal, and a column selection signal generator configured to generate a column selection signal by controlling a pulse width of the source signal according to a voltage level of an external supply voltage. |
| US07978532B2 |
Erase method of flash memory device
Erase and program methods of a flash memory device including MLCs for increasing the program speed. In the erase method, MLCs are pre-programmed so that a voltage range in which threshold voltages of MLCs are distributed can be reduced. Therefore, a fail occurrence ratio can be reduced when erasing MLCs, the threshold voltage distribution of MLCs can be improved and an overall program time can be shortened in a subsequent program operation. |
| US07978530B2 |
Correcting for over programming non-volatile storage
A non-volatile storage system corrects over programmed memory cells by selectively performing one or more erase operations on a subset of non-volatile storage elements that are connected to a common word line (or other type of control line). |
| US07978529B1 |
Rewritable single-bit-per-cell flash memory
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to multilevel flash memory, and more particularly to a method of changing a logic level of a single-bit-per-cell flash memory device multiple times before an erase operation. |
| US07978526B2 |
Low noise sense amplifier array and method for nonvolatile memory
In sensing a page of nonvolatile memory cells with a corresponding group of sense modules in parallel, as each high current cell is identified, it is locked out from further sensing while others in the page continued to be sensed. The sense module involved in the locked out is then in a lockout mode and becomes inactive. A noise source from the sense module becomes significant when in the lockout mode. The noise is liable to interfere with the sensing of neighboring cells by coupling through its bit line to neighboring ones. The noise can also couple through the common source line of the page to affect the accuracy of ongoing sensing of the cells in the page. Improved sense modules and method isolate the noise from the lockout sense module from affecting the other sense modules still active in sensing memory cell in the page. |
| US07978520B2 |
Compensation of non-volatile memory chip non-idealities by program pulse adjustment
To program a set of non-volatile storage elements, a set of programming pulses are applied to the control gates (or other terminals) of the non-volatile storage elements. The programming pulses have pulse widths that vary as a function of simulated pulse magnitude data. The programming pulses can also have pulse magnitudes that vary based on measurements taken while testing the set of non-volatile storage elements. In one embodiment, the pulse widths are determined after simulation performed prior to fabrication of the non-volatile storage elements. In another embodiment, the pulse magnitudes are calculated after fabrication of the non-volatile storage elements. |
| US07978517B2 |
NAND flash memory
A NAND flash memory that is read while a selected bit line and a non-selected bit line are adjacent to each other, has a memory cell array having a plurality of blocks each of which is composed of a plurality of memory cell units, each of the memory cell units having a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells that are connected to each other, wherein a bit line that is selected by a sense amplifier is charged in a state where a drain-side select gate line, a source-side select gate line and a p-type semiconductor substrate are set at a ground potential, and source lines, n-type wells, p-type wells, and a bit line that is not selected by the sense amplifier are in a floating state. |