| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08037543B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, computer program and computer-readable recording medium
An image processing apparatus includes an alteration unit and a control unit. The alteration unit alters a first image file stored in a removable storage medium in order to generate a second image file. The control unit controls to store the second image file in the storage medium without deleting the first image file from the storage medium, if the first image file includes authentication data that is used to authenticate whether the first image file has been altered. |
| US08037539B2 |
System and method for providing access to verified personal background data
Access to verified personal background data is provided in the form of an electronic document that includes a data record having personal background data and corresponding verification information as well as an electronic authentication of the contents of the data record. The data record is associated with a unique identifier. The electronic document may be distributed over a communication network to a person providing the identifier. |
| US08037535B2 |
System and method for detecting malicious executable code
A system and method for detecting malicious executable software code. Benign and malicious executables are gathered; and each are encoded as a training example using n-grams of byte codes as features. After selecting the most relevant n-grams for prediction, a plurality of inductive methods, including naive Bayes, decision trees, support vector machines, and boosting, are evaluated. |
| US08037532B2 |
Application protection from malicious network traffic
A program, method and system for embedding a programmable packet filter into an application to protect the application against malicious network packets are disclosed. Traditional packet filtering techniques to protect against malicious packets designed to exploit defects in applications, based on external packet filtering devices create a bottleneck in network traffic and present a large overhead cost. In addition, when security vulnerabilities in applications are discovered, traditional application updating methods lack a fast enough turn-around time to protect the application and users data from attack. These problems can be overcome by embedding a programmable packet filter into the application itself. The application can use the filter to discard malicious network packets. Furthermore, the filter can be updated via configuration files downloaded from the application vendor to update the application's embedded programmable packet filter without having to update the entire program code of the application. |
| US08037530B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing adaptive self-synchronized dynamic address translation as an intrusion detection sensor
A translator is provided for translating predetermined portions of packet header information including an address of a data packet according to a cipher algorithm keyed by a cipher key derived by a key exchanger. A mapping device is also provided for mapping the address to a host table stored in memory. If the address does not match an entry in the host table, a security device is triggered. |
| US08037529B1 |
Buffer overflow vulnerability detection and patch generation system and method
A computer-implemented method includes identifying a buffer overflow vulnerability in a vulnerable program including identifying a victim buffer creation site that created a victim buffer and identifying a vulnerability site that overflowed the victim buffer. A patch is created for the vulnerable program to prevent the vulnerability site from overflowing a potential victim buffer created by the victim buffer creation site. In this manner, the information obtained in identifying the buffer overflow vulnerability is used to automatically derive a patch that accurately seals the vulnerability, greatly reduces the false positive and negative rate, while at the same time shortens the response time to new threats. |
| US08037525B2 |
Access control and entitlement determination for hierarchically organized content
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to access control and provide a method, system and computer program product for access control and entitlement determination for hierarchically organized content. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for access control and entitlement determination for hierarchically organized content can be provided. The method can include selecting a node in hierarchically organized content, inferring entitlements for direct descendants of the selected node based upon expressly conferred permissive access rights amongst ancestors and descendants of the selected node and expressly conferred impermissive rights amongst descendants of the selected node. Finally, the method can include applying the inferred entitlements in a view to the hierarchically organized content. |
| US08037523B2 |
Single sign-on for OS boot image provisioning and OS login based on user identity
A method for single sign-one for operating system (OS) boot image provisioning and OS login based on user identity includes receiving authentication information from an information handling system (IHS) over a network. The authentication information is associated with a user. The authentication information is sent to network services. Boot image information is received from the network services. The boot image information is associated with a boot image and the authentication information. The boot image is provisioned to the IHS over the network, wherein the boot image includes an OS that is configured to read the authentication information from a shared memory region of the IHS and use the authentication information to auto-login the user to the OS. |
| US08037497B2 |
Fast channel switching method and apparatus for digital broadcast receiver
A fast channel switching method and apparatus for a digital broadcast receiver that can reduce a channel switching delay caused by limitations in real time broadcasting systems is provided. A fast channel switching method of the present invention includes simultaneously receiving broadcast signals of a first service channel and a second service channel; presenting the broadcast signal of the first service channel through a player; and circular-buffering the broadcast signal of the second service channel. A digital broadcast receiver using a fast channel switching technique of the present invention can buffer an adjacent service channel while serving the current service channel such that the buffered broadcast signal is output when the adjacent channel is selected, thereby reducing a channel switching delay. |
| US08037495B2 |
Electronic program guide display device, and electronic program guide display method
An electronic program guide display device includes a remote control input analyzing part analyzing a key-input from a remote control unit, a time converting part converting the key-input analyzed by the remote control input analyzing part into a time, and a display area calculating part calculating a display area for a two-dimensional program table based on the time converted by the time converting part. The electronic program guide display device also includes a program guide forming part forming a two-dimensional program table in the display area calculated by the display area calculating part, so as to allow a desired program to be browsed by a short-time operation. |
| US08037491B2 |
Data transmitting method, data transmitting system, data receiving method and receiving terminal
In a method and system for transmitting and receiving data, specified data can be transmitted only to a specific receiving terminal by assigning unique terminal information to the receiving terminal. When transmitted with data, the unique terminal information identifies the specific receiving terminal as the destination of transmission from among a plurality of receiving terminals. An update program for changing the processing of the receiving terminal may be transmitted to the specific receiving terminal along with the unique terminal information. The unique terminal information and the update program are stored in a prescribed storage location in the specific receiving terminal. Thus, a one-to-one broadcasting system is achieved. |
| US08037480B1 |
System and method for creating thread-level message hooks
A first process executing in a computer system creates thread-level message hooks within a second process executing in the computer system. A copy of a global notification hook of the first process is created in the second process. The copy detects a triggering message passed to or from a thread of the second process and determines when and whether to activate a thread-level message hook within the second process; the thread-level message hook is configured to monitor subsequent messages passed to or from the thread of the second process and may take various actions in response to any such messages. |
| US08037475B1 |
System and method for providing dynamic provisioning within a compute environment
The disclosure relates to systems, methods and computer-readable media for dynamically provisioning resources within a compute environment. The method aspect of the disclosure comprises A method of dynamically provisioning resources within a compute environment, the method comprises analyzing a queue of jobs to determine an availability of compute resources for each job, determining an availability of a scheduler of the compute environment to satisfy all service level agreements (SLAs) and target service levels within a current configuration of the compute resources, determining possible resource provisioning changes to improve SLA fulfillment, determining a cost of provisioning; and if provisioning changes improve overall SLA delivery, then re-provisioning at least one compute resource. |
| US08037474B2 |
Task manager with stored task definition having pointer to a memory address containing required code data related to the task for execution
Cell processor task management in a cell processor having a main memory, one or more power processor units (PPU) and one or more synergistic processing units (SPU), each SPU having a processor and a local memory is described. An SPU task manager (STM) running on one or more of the SPUs reads one or more task definitions stored in the main memory into the local memory of a selected SPU. Based on information contained in the task definitions the SPU loads code and/or data related to the task definitions from the main memory into the local memory associated with the selected SPU. The selected SPU then performs one or more tasks using the code and/or data. |
| US08037472B2 |
Building and installing dynamic installation packages using a declarative authoring tool
Building a package for installing a software application on a data processing system with a distributed architecture is provided. The installation package is built using an authoring tool based on a declarative model. A descriptor is used to define a desired configuration of the system. The installation package is built declaring a discoverer element, a producer element and a consumer element into the wizard tree. During the installation process, the discoverer element detects a current configuration of the system. The producer creates a working queue dynamically, inserting the installation operations that are needed for reaching the desired configuration from the current configuration of the system. The producer then executes the installation operations defined in the working queue. In this way, the installation operations are determined at runtime. |
| US08037469B2 |
System and method of configuring computer settings
A computer settings configuration system and method for configuring computer settings are provided. The computer settings configuration system comprises a loading module for loading into computer readable memory a subset of computer setting variables and a modification module for modifying computer system settings corresponding with the subset of computer setting variables. The method comprises the steps of loading into computer readable memory a subset of computer setting variables and modifying computer system settings corresponding with the subset of computer setting variables. |
| US08037468B2 |
Methods for synchronous code retrieval from an asynchronous source
The present invention discloses methods for delivering code to a host system including the steps of: accepting a CPU request, from a host-system processor of the host system, for a code segment; initiating a retrieval process to retrieve the code segment; upon expiration of a predetermined time, checking whether the code segment is ready for delivery; upon the predetermined time expiring before the code segment is ready for delivery, providing an SWI that is different than the code segment; and upon the predetermined time expiring after the code segment is ready for delivery, providing the code segment. Preferably, the SWI causes the host-system processor to jump to a reset-vector address. Most preferably, the reset-vector code, located at the reset-vector address, includes a command to request the code segment again. |
| US08037462B2 |
Framework for parallelizing general reduction
A method for providing parallel processing capabilities including: performing scalar and array privatization analysis via a compiler; checking whether an assignment statement is reducible; recognizing reduction patterns through a pattern matching algorithm; classifying a reduction type of each of the reduction patterns; and performing transformations and code generation for each reduction the reduction type of each of the reduction patterns. |
| US08037460B2 |
Code persistence and dependency management for dynamic compilation in a database management system
Software expressed in an intermediate level language is stored into a database and interpreted in a virtual machine in a database management system. A dynamic compilation process in the database management system asynchronously converts the software into native code when predetermined conditions are met. Thereafter, the compilation process persists the native code into the database. At the time of persisting the native code, the compilation process also stores in the database, an indication of any properties that are used in compilation of the native code. At run time, when the native code needs to be executed, the virtual machine checks if the indication stored in the database matches a new indication of the constants, and if they do the persisted code is executed or else the persisted code is invalidated. The persisted code is also invalidated when a new version of ILL software is stored into the database. |
| US08037459B2 |
Recovery from nested exceptions in an instrumentation routine
A system and method for instrumentation of software, the software comprising a set of instructions (program or code) which are executable on a processor of a system, for example a computer system. A location in the instruction to insert a probe is first identified. The instruction is replaced with the probe by copying the instruction to a predefined location. The instruction is executed in the kernel space. A first exception is generated upon encountering the probe and calling a first exception handler, and the first exception handler is configured to call an instrumentation routine. A second exception is generated when the instrumentation routine encounters an error and calling a second exception handler, recovering from the exceptions and returning to a sane state to continue normal execution of the instruction. |
| US08037458B2 |
Method and system for providing a common structure for trace data
A method for providing a common structure for trace data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating non-compatible trace data at a first provider, converting the non-compatible trace data into a first compatible trace data, generating a second compatible trace data at a second provider, and storing the first compatible trace data and the second compatible trace data as common trace data at a database. |
| US08037453B1 |
System and method for continuous software configuration, test and build management
A system and method for performing continuous configuration, test, and build management for developing and building software applications is provided. In building the desired software applications, a build manager system is configured to first obtain the target source code from a source code repository. The build manager system then transforms the source code to generate a living build comprising one or more artifacts. The build manager system manages the artifacts and performs additional secondary tests and secondary processing including integration, quality and evaluation tests without requiring an additional transformation of the source code. The build manager system retains and associates the results from the secondary processes such that traceability between source code, builds, and artifacts are enforced and the build process is controlled. |
| US08037451B2 |
Method for tracking code revisions with a checksum data value being automatically appended to source files
A method for tracking software code revisions with a checksum data value being automatically appended to source files. The method including assessing via a code management tool a source file containing source code. The method proceeds by appending a checksum data value via the code management tool to the source file. The method concludes by injecting the checksum data value into a binary module for display by a user. |
| US08037450B2 |
System and methods for tracing code generation in template engines
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for improved tracing code generation in template engines. Certain embodiments of the present invention may have a number of advantages as compared to many existing tracing engines. The creation of an execution log while generation code coupled with the tracing capabilities increases the convenience and turnaround time in generating code. |
| US08037449B2 |
Automatic software production system
An automated software production system is provided, in which system requirements are captured, converted into a formal specification, and validated for correctness and completeness. In addition, a translator is provided to automatically generate a complete, robust software application based on the validated formal specification, including user-interface code and error handling code. |
| US08037448B2 |
Language and templates for use in the design of semiconductor products
During the design of semiconductor products which incorporates a user specification and an application set, the application set being a partially manufactured semiconductor platform and its resources, a template engine is disclosed which uses a simplified computer language having a character whereby data used in commands identified by the character need only be input once, either by a user or by files, and that data, after it has been verified to be correct, is automatically allocated to one or more templates used to generate shells for the specification of a final semiconductor product. Data must be correct and compatible with other data before it can be used within the template engine and the generated shells; indeed the template engine cooperates with a plurality of rules and directives to verify the correctness of the data. The template engine may generate one or more of the following shells: an RTL shell, a documentation shell, a timing analysis shell, a synthesis shell, a manufacturing test shell, and/or a floorplan shell. |
| US08037445B2 |
System for and method of controlling a VLSI environment
An apparatus comprising an integrated circuit on a VLSI die, and an embedded micro-controller constructed on the VLSI die, the micro-controller adapted to monitor and control the VLSI environment to optimize the integrated circuit operation. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for monitoring and controlling an integrated circuit comprising providing an embedded micro-controller on a same VLSI die as the integrated circuit, monitoring and controlling a VLSI environment of the integrated circuit with the embedded micro-controller. |
| US08037439B2 |
Data aligner in reconfigurable computing environment
A data aligner in a reconfigurable computing environment is disclosed. Embodiments employ hardware macros in field configurable gate arrays (FPGAs) to minimize the number of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) needed to shift bytes of data. The alignment mechanism allows flexibility, scalability, configurability, and reduced costs as compared to application specific integrated circuits. |
| US08037438B2 |
Techniques for parallel buffer insertion
The present disclosure is directed to a method for determining a plurality of buffer insertion locations in a net for an integrated circuit design. The method may comprise calculating a plurality of resistive-capacitive (RC) influences in parallel, each RC influence corresponding to one of a plurality of buffering options available for a first sub-tree for the addition of a wire segment to the first sub-tree; updating the plurality of RC influences for the addition of a buffer for the first sub-tree, the buffer comprising one of a plurality of buffer types; and merging the first sub-tree with a second sub-tree in parallel by grouping the plurality of buffering options available for the first sub-tree and a plurality of buffering options available for the second sub-tree into a plurality of merging groups, and merging at least two groups of the plurality of merging groups in parallel. |
| US08037435B1 |
Directed design space exploration
The time and computational resources needed to evaluate the potential input parameter settings in a design space is decreased by determining probabilities of improvement for input parameter settings in the design space and eliminating input parameter values that have low probabilities of improvement from the design space prior to compilation. The probability of improvement for input parameter settings is an estimate of the likelihood that the compilation of the user design using the set of input parameter settings will improve the performance of the user design with respect to one or more design goals, such as timing, power, or resource usage. The probability of improvement for input parameter settings can be determined from an analysis of the compilation results of sample designs, from attributes and/or constraints of the user design, and/or from a correlation between the results of optimization algorithms applied to the user design. |
| US08037433B2 |
System and methodology for determining layout-dependent effects in ULSI simulation
A layout of a semiconductor circuit is analyzed to calculate layout-dependant parameters that can include a mobility shift and a threshold voltage shift. Layout-dependant effects that affect the layout dependant parameters may include stress effects, rapid thermal anneal (RTA) effects, and lithographic effects. Intrinsic functions that do not reflect the layout-dependant effects are calculated, followed by calculation of scaling modifiers based on the layout-dependant parameters. A model output function that reflects the layout-dependant effects is obtained by multiplication of each of the intrinsic functions with a corresponding scaling parameter. |
| US08037427B2 |
Method for manufacturing a photomask
A method for manufacturing a photomask based on design data includes the steps of forming a figure element group including a figure element in a layout pattern on the photomask and a figure element affecting the figure element due to the optical proximity effect, adding identical identification data to a data group indicating an identical figure element group, estimating an influence of the optical proximity effect on the figure element group, generating correction data indicating a corrected figure element in which the influence of the optical proximity effect is compensated for at the time of exposure, creating figure data by associating data having the identical identification data with correction data having the identical identification data, and forming a mask pattern on the photomask using figure data. Thus, the computation time for correction of the layout can be reduced, thereby reducing the production time of the photomask. |
| US08037421B2 |
System and method for organizing application indicators on an electronic device
A device for and a method of dynamically refreshing presentation of icons for objects processed on an electronic device are provided. The method comprises: establishing a triggering event to initiate refreshment of a layout of the icons displayed on a display in the device; upon detection of the triggering event, creating a ranking of the objects processed by the device utilizing activity logs providing their recent levels of activity; identifying a most frequently processed object from the ranking; and automatically refreshing the layout of icons to highlight an icon associated with the most frequently processed object. The device incorporates modules to perform the method. |
| US08037418B2 |
System and method for ensuring integrity of data-driven user interface of a wireless mobile station
A wireless communication device stores a system GUI configuration file and a downloaded service provider GUI configuration file, each of which contains a text name checksum value that is calculated using the text names of the GUI parameter data stored either the system GUI configuration file or the service provider GUI configuration file. The text name checksum values are based on the text names of the GUI parameter data. After the download operation is complete, a text name checksum comparator program compares the downloaded text name checksum value to the initial text name checksum value in the system GUI configuration file. If the two text name checksum values do not match, the downloaded service provider GUI configuration file is rejected. |
| US08037416B2 |
Presenting and filtering objects in a virtual world
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for filtering and presenting elements of an immersive virtual environment. The elements may be filtered according to importance to the user, based on user-specified importance of each element, the number and type of past interactions with the elements, and the like. Further, the filtering may be performed on the basis of the user's preference for density of element presentation. The user may then be presented with a view of the virtual world in which elements having a higher degree of interest to the user are highlighted visually, and in which elements having a lesser degree of interest to the user are made partially transparent or invisible. |
| US08037414B2 |
Audible computer user interface method and apparatus
A computing system is provided that includes a display 124 for displaying information and an audible locating agent 148 that, as a pointer moves over the display, plays audible locating signals to identify spatial locations of at least some of the displayed information. |
| US08037413B2 |
Brush tool for audio editing
This specification describes technologies relating to editing digital audio data. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes displaying a visual representation of audio data, receiving an input selecting a selected portion of audio data within the visual representation, the selecting including applying a brush tool to the visual representation of the audio data, and editing the selected portion of audio data including determining a degree of opacity for the selected audio data and applying an editing effect according to the degree of opacity. |
| US08037411B2 |
Methods for removing imaging artifacts when folding 3D objects that represent duplex media
A method for pre-print visualization of a 3D object that represents opposite faces of a document is described. The method includes manipulating two 3D objects that represent opposite faces of a document in parallel such that they do not intersect while being animated in a folding operation. |
| US08037405B2 |
Method for improving the functionality of a binary representation
A method for improving functionality of a binary representation of an XML-based content description, wherein a structure of any instance of an XML-document corresponds to a tree-like data structure including a plurality of tree nodes, is provided. The method includes providing that each tree node represents an element of the content description and has a structure which is defined in a schema; providing the tree nodes in binary representation with tree branch codes; providing that the respective tree branch code has a schema branch code; extending an existing schema by utilizing unused schema branch codes in a tree node for extensions with new elements until the unused schema branch codes are all used up, and increasing a bit length of the schema branch code as necessary; and communicating a bit length change to a decoder for correctly decoding the content description in the binary representation. |
| US08037402B2 |
Method and system for flexible creation and publication of forms
A method for creating an electronic form for publication comprising responsive to first user input allowing a user to create the electronic form using a form-creating user interface wherein the user defines the fields and their values for the electronic form that is modeled after format information as specified by an entity; responsive to second user input allowing a user to fill in the electronic form to create a populated form; automatically creating the electronic message compliant with the format information; and transmitting the electronic message to the entity for publication. The user interface allows the user to create the form in compliant with the format information, thereby automating the process for flexible creation and publication of forms without a need to modify the software program for each entity, hence eliminating the manual process and saving time and money as well as creating more competition in the market. |
| US08037401B2 |
Method and apparatus for allowing a media client to obtain media data from a media server
Some embodiments of the invention provide a computer system that includes a media server, a media client, and a media-server interface. The media server application produces media data, where the media data has a plurality of segments. For example, in some embodiments, the media data is a movie with video and audio components. In this example, the segments of the movie can be specified in two groups, where one group includes the frames of video in the movie and the other group includes the seconds of audio in the movie. The media client application is typically an application that needs to process the media data of the media server application without the need to have any familiarity with the implementation of the media server application. The media-server interface directs the server application to successively generate individual segments of the media data and to store each generated segment in a location that is accessible by the media client. The server application generates each segment in a format that is comprehensible to the media client application. The media client application retrieves each segment from its stored location and processes the segment. |
| US08037391B1 |
Raid-6 computation system and method
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing RAID-6 computations using simple arithmetic functions and two-dimensional table lookup operations. Four lookup tables are computed and saved prior to normal operation of a RAID-6 disk array. During normal operation of the RAID-6 disk array, all RAID-6 related computations may be performed using a small set of simple arithmetic operations and a set of lookup operations to three of the four previously saved lookup tables. Greater computational efficiency is gained by reducing the RAID-6 computations to simple operations that are performed efficiently on a typical central processing unit or graphics processing unit. |
| US08037389B2 |
Method and apparatus to data encode and decode, storage medium having recorded thereon program to implement the method, and system to drive the storage medium
A method of and apparatus to data encode and decode for improving the reliability of data that is compatible with a conventional error correction code (ECC) block format, a storage medium, a system to drive the storage medium, and a method of generating an extra parity ECC block, the data encoding method including generating N number of ECC blocks with respect to user data and generating at least one extra parity ECC block for the generated N number of ECC blocks. |
| US08037387B2 |
Conversion device, conversion method, program, and recording medium
Provided are a conversion device and the like for converting a initial test pattern given in advance into a test pattern of a bit constitution of different logic values, without losing the fault coverage of transition delay fault which can be detected by the constitution element of the initial test pattern. The conversion device converts an initial test pattern 100a given in advance for a logic circuit into an intermediate test pattern 100b of a bit constitution of different logic values, where the constitution elements of the initial test pattern 100a are at least two test vectors applied in succession. The conversion device includes a decision means for deciding a combination of logic values in the initial test pattern 100a which meet a detection condition of faults of the logic circuit which can be detected by applying the constitution elements. |
| US08037383B2 |
Gating circuitry coupling selected scan paths between I/O scan bus
A scan test architecture facilitates low power testing of semiconductor circuits by selectively dividing the serial scan paths into shorter sections. Multiplexers between the sections control connecting the sections into longer or shorted paths. Select and enable signals control the operation of the scan path sections. The output of each scan path passes through a multiplexer to compare circuits on the semiconductor substrate. The compare circuits also receive expected data and mask data. The compare circuits provide a fail flag output from the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08037381B2 |
Error detection, documentation, and correction in a flash memory device
A memory device has an error documentation memory array that is separate from the primary memory array. The error documentation memory array stores data relating to over-programmed bits in the primary array. When the over-programmed bits in the primary array are erased, the error documentation memory array is erased as well, deleting the documentation data relating to the over-programmed bits. |
| US08037380B2 |
Verifying data integrity of a non-volatile memory system during data caching process
To ensure integrity of non-volatile flash, the controller programs the non-volatile memories with background test patterns and verifies the non-volatile memories during power on self test (POST) operation. In conjunction with verifying the non-volatile memories, the controller may routinely run diagnostics and report status to the storage controller. As part of the storage controller power up routines, the storage controller issues a POST command to the controller via an I2C register that is monitored by the storage controller. The storage controller may determine that the non-volatile flash is functional without any defects, and the controller may remove power from the non-volatile flash to extend its reliability. Periodically, in the background, the controller may run diagnostic routines to detect any failures associated with the volatile memory and the controller itself. |
| US08037377B1 |
Techniques for performing built-in self-test of receiver channel having a serializer
A circuit includes a receiver channel and a built-in self-test circuit. The receiver channel has a serializer and a deserializer. The built-in self-test circuit generates test signals that are transmitted in parallel to the serializer during a test of the receiver channel. The serializer converts the test signals into serial test signals. The deserializer converts the serial test signals into parallel test signals that are transmitted to the built-in self-test circuit. |
| US08037376B2 |
On-chip failure analysis circuit and on-chip failure analysis method
An on-chip failure analysis circuit for analyzing a memory has a memory in which data is stored, a built-in self test unit which tests the memory, a failure detection unit which detects a failure of the output of the memory, a fail data storage unit in which fail data is stored, the fail data including a location of the failure, a failure analysis unit which performs failure analysis using the number of failures detected by the failure detection unit and the location of the failure, the failure analysis unit writing fail data including the analysis result in the fail data storage unit, and an analysis result output unit which outputs the analysis result of the failure analysis unit. |
| US08037374B2 |
Communication terminal device and reception environment reporting method
A communication terminal device and a reception environment reporting method produce a more excellent throughput, by making a report of a reception environment with higher accuracy. An SIR measuring section measures an SIR from a reception signal that has been received from a base transceiver station. A CQI converter converts the SIR that has been measured by the SIR measuring section into a CQI value. A BLER calculating section calculates a block error rate of the reception signal. A CQI correcting section corrects the CQI value that has been calculated by the CQI converter, in accordance with the block error rate. A CQI transmitter transmits the CQI value that has been corrected by the CQI correcting section, to the base transceiver station. |
| US08037372B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing setup/hold time
An apparatus for testing setup/hold time includes a plurality of data input units, each configured to calibrate setup/hold time of input data in response to selection signals and setup/hold calibration signals, and an off-chip driver calibration unit configured to generate the selection signals and the setup/hold calibration signals by using the input data input of one of the plurality of data input units. |
| US08037369B2 |
Error handling structure for use in a graphical program
System and method for error handling in a graphical program. An error handling structure is displayed in a graphical program. The error handling structure includes a first frame configured to contain graphical program code for which error handling is to be provided. At least a portion of the graphical program is included in the first frame in response to user input specifying the at least a portion of the graphical program. During execution of the graphical program, the error handling structure aborts execution of the at least a portion of the graphical program in the first frame in response to detection of an unhandled error in the at least a portion of the graphical program in the first frame and continues execution of the graphical program. |
| US08037368B2 |
Controller capable of self-monitoring, redundant storage system having the same, and method thereof
A controller capable of self-monitoring, a redundant storage system having the same, and its method are proposed. Each controller is arranged with a self-monitoring operating circuit and a watchdog unit. The self-monitoring operating circuit can periodically issue a confirmation signal to the watchdog unit. The watchdog unit comprises a counter unit for counting a predetermined time interval, and if it does not receive the confirmation signal issued by the self-monitoring operating circuit over the predetermined time interval, it will send out an output signal to the self-monitoring operating circuit. The self-monitoring operating circuit will then generate a plurality of global reset signals to shut down the entire operation of the controller. Another controller will take over the functions of the shut-down controller. |
| US08037365B2 |
System and method for automated and adaptive threshold setting to separately control false positive and false negative performance prediction errors
Managing a computer system including automatically adjusting two separate component thresholds (a component threshold pair) based on a statistical model. Specifically, a first component threshold is modeled to predict violations of an SLO based on a violation of the first component threshold and a second, separate component threshold is modeled to predict a non-violation (compliance) of an SLO based on a non-violation of the second component threshold. Over time, the values of the component thresholds may change and one component threshold may be greater than the other component threshold at one time, and vice versa at another time. A component metric reading between the first and second component thresholds indicates that a prediction of an SLO violation or compliance is less certain, and a warning may be issued rather than an alert. |
| US08037360B2 |
Software testing framework for multiple operating system, hardware, and software configurations
Systems and methods are provided for testing software for use with a selected system configuration. The selected system configuration may include, for example, a selected operating system, a selected hardware configuration, a selected software configuration, and/or other information accessed by the software under test. The software calls a command line utility, a library and/or a file. During a test, the data returned by the command line utility, library and/or file is simulated based on the selected system configuration. In one embodiment, file system calls are isolated within a selected directory so as to protect a host system performing the test. |
| US08037358B2 |
Semiconductor device and boot method for the same
A semiconductor device is designed to provide an access control for a memory that includes a plurality of storage regions storing the same boot programs comprised of a set of program data. The semiconductor device is provided with a memory controller for reading out the program data from the storage regions, and an error detection circuit performing error detection on the program data read out. When the error detection circuit detects an error in one of the program data read out from one of the storage regions, the memory controller reads out the corresponding one of the program data from another of the storage regions. |
| US08037356B2 |
System and method for validating channel transmission
A system for validating communications between a plurality of processors is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of loop back paths, and each of the loop back paths is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of processors. In addition, each loop back path is configured to attenuate one of a plurality of signals transmitted from each of the corresponding ones of the plurality of processors so as to generate a plurality of loop back signals. A plurality of signal transmission paths are configured to carry a corresponding one of the plurality of signals from one of the plurality of processors to another of the plurality of processors, and a plurality of comparators compare the plurality of loop back signals to the plurality of transmission signals so as to enable the validity of each of the plurality of signals to be assessed. |
| US08037352B2 |
Method for auto power restoration
The present invention relates to an auto-restore method for a powered device by using a computer device to build a detecting/responding packet in an Ethernet exchanger, and the Ethernet exchange can mutually transmit the packet with the powered device. If the Ethernet exchanger fails to receive a responding packet from the powered device in the predetermined time and the predetermined value, the Ethernet exchanger will terminate power supply by the Ethernet and reset the powered device, and the powered device will be restored automatically accordingly. If the powered device still cannot function normally after few times of reset, the Ethernet exchanger will shutdown the power supplied by the Ethernet and transmits an alarm signal to the computer device. Thus not only the consumption of the system and safety risk are reduced, but also promptly maintained, to increase the reliability, and save the supervision time of the operator and the cost of onsite maintenance. Besides, the prompt maintenance can also reduce the possible damage occurred during the breakdown of the powered device. |
| US08037345B1 |
Deterministic recovery of a file system built on a thinly provisioned logical volume having redundant metadata
A file server architecture decouples logical storage from physical storage and provides proactive detection and containment of faults, errors, and corruptions in a file system, in order to enable in place (online) and non-intrusive recovery. The file system is built upon a thinly provisioned logical volume, and there are stored three copies of the metadata defining the logical volume in order to provide quick, deterministic, and reliable recovery from a faulted system. A first copy of the metadata is distributed among all of the slices of physical storage allocated to the logical volume. A second copy of the metadata is stored in a root slice of the logical volume. A third copy of the metadata is stored separate from the slices of physical storage allocated to the logical volume. |
| US08037344B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing virtual ports on storage systems
A storage system is configured to create and manage virtual ports on physical ports. The storage system can transfer associations between virtual ports and physical ports when a failure occurs in a physical port or a link connected to the physical port so that a host can access volumes under the virtual ports through another physical port. The storage system can also change associations between virtual ports and physical ports by taking into account the relative loads on the physical ports. When a virtual machine is migrated from one host computer to another, the loads on the physical ports in the storage system can be used to determine whether load balancing should take place. Additionally, the storage system can transfer virtual ports to a remote storage system that will take over the virtual ports, so that a virtual machine can be migrated to remote location. |
| US08037342B2 |
Communication apparatus and control method
A communication apparatus includes: a transmitting unit, a receiving unit and a control unit. The transmitting unit transmits video data to an external apparatus via a first transmission line. The receiving unit receives a command from the external apparatus via a second transmission line. The control unit that resets the transmitting unit without resetting the receiving unit if a communication error relating to the first transmission line is detected, and resets the receiving unit without resetting the transmitting unit if a communication error relating to the second transmission line is detected. |
| US08037341B2 |
Determining recovery time for interdependent resources in heterogeneous computing environment
A system and associated method for determining a recovery time for a resource in a heterogeneous computing environment comprising interdependent resources. A graph for the resource representing all sequence dependencies and all group relations are created. The recovery time may be a cumulative startup time or a cumulative shutdown time of the resource considering interdependencies of the resource to other resources. The recovery time for all support resources having sequence dependencies with the resource is calculated and each node representing the support resources are removed from the graph. Then the recovery time for all member resources left in the graph that have group relations with the resource is calculated per a group type of the resource. The recovery time for the resource is a sum of the recovery time of all support resources, the recovery time of all member resources, and a unit recovery time of the resource. |
| US08037337B2 |
Structures including circuits for noise reduction in digital systems
A design structure including a digital system. The digital system includes (a) a first logic circuit and a second logic circuit, (b) a first register, (c) a second register, (d) a third register, (e) a clock generator circuit, and (f) a controller circuit. The first logic circuit is capable of obtaining first data and sending second data. The second logic circuit is capable of obtaining the second data and sending third data. The clock generator circuit is capable of asserting (i) a first register clock signal at a first time point, (ii) a second register clock signal at a second time point, and (iii) a third register clock signal at a third time point. The controller circuit is capable of (i) determining a fourth time point, (ii) determining a fifth time point, (iii) controlling the clock generator circuit to assert the second register clock signal. |
| US08037333B2 |
Information handling system with processing system, low-power processing system and shared resources
An information handling system employs low-power processing. In a particular form, an information handling system can include a processing system configured operate using a power system configured to power a shared resource of the processing system and a non-shared resource of the processing system. The information handling system can also include a low-power processing system configured to access the shared resource of the processing system during operation of the low-power processing system. The operation of the low-power processing system can be separate from the operation of the processing system. The information handling system can also include a chipset including a processor of the processing system and operable to be enabled during operation of the processing system. The processor can be configured to be disabled during operation of the low-power processing system. |
| US08037332B2 |
Quad-state power-saving virtual storage controller
A method, system and computer program product for reducing the collective power consumption of a plurality of storage devices including a plurality of associated storage volumes is provided. The storage volumes are grouped by a last access time according to a plurality of ranks. The plurality of ranks corresponds to a level of power consumption based on device activity. A volume of the plurality of storage volumes is moved between the plurality of ranks according to an access pattern of the volume. |
| US08037329B2 |
Systems and methods for determining power consumption profiles for resource users and using the profiles for resource allocation
According to one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of resources. The resources may be any limited-capacity computing resource that is capable of serving a computing demand of a resource user. A resource user refers to any entity which consumes computing capacity of a resource. The system comprises at least one power consumption profile associated with a respective resource user. The system also comprises at least one power management agent for measuring power consumption by ones of the plurality of resources in serving computing demands of the resource user, wherein said power consumption profile contains information based at least in part on the measured power consumption. The system also comprises at least one allocation agent for dynamically allocating the resource user to at least one of the resources based at least in part on the resource user's power consumption profile. |
| US08037327B2 |
System and method for improving dynamic response in a power supply
A system for improving dynamic response in a power supply includes a mainframe module having a memory and a mainframe microprocessor, the mainframe processor configured to calculate a plurality of tables in which each table represents a current/voltage (I/V) characteristic curve for the power supply, at least two power supply modules coupled to the mainframe module, each power supply module having a random access memory element, the random access memory element configured to receive and store a first table and a second table, wherein the mainframe microprocessor transfers the first table to each power supply module, and wherein each power supply module executes a respective first table while the mainframe processor calculates the second table for each power supply module and while the mainframe processor transfers the second table to each power supply module. |
| US08037320B2 |
Magnetic recording medium encryption
Systems and methods for easily and at high speed re-encrypting data recorded on a magnetic recording medium when the data is encrypted using an encryption key and the encryption key is changed. A track where effective user data is not recorded is set as a first reserved track, then data is read out from the first updating source track and decrypted using a first encryption key KEY 1, which is reencrypted using a second encryption key KEY 2 and recorded in the first reserved track, next, the first updating source track is set as a second reserved track, and a second updating source track is set, and the encryption key is updated by repeating these steps until all tracks to be subjected to the key updating processing have been subjected to the key updating processing. |
| US08037316B2 |
Method and system for user information verification
A system and method for authenticating users based on personal information. The personal information may include age-related data where the users are interested in receiving age-restricted content. The personal information may include an address and a permission request is sent to the address. Biometric information may also be associated with the personal information. |
| US08037313B2 |
Method and arrangement for real-time betting with an off-line terminal
The invention relates generally to a method and arrangement for real-time betting with an off-line terminal, and especially to the technological field of keeping reliable time in the off-line terminal when handling, within a communications system comprising a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident. Within the distributed domain a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident are generated and furnished with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of the distributed domain's local time associated with the generation of the electronic record. |
| US08037312B2 |
Method and apparatus for digital signature authentication, and computer product
An apparatus for digital signature authentication includes a dividing unit that divides streaming data into plural pieces of partial data in a predetermined unit; a first creating unit that creates a hash value string including plural hash values corresponding to the pieces of partial data; a second creating unit that creates a first binary tree using the hash value string; and a third creating unit that creates a digital signature of a signer using a root value of the first binary tree. |
| US08037306B2 |
Method for realizing network access authentication
A method for realizing network access authentication, wherein a network access authentication device pre-storing a system integrity value of a device waiting to access and a correspondence between each device waiting to access and its system integrity value. When the device waiting to access needs to access the network, it acquires its current system integrity value, and sends the current system integrity value to the network access authentication device; the network access authentication device judges whether the received current system integrity value of the device waiting to access and its stored integrity value of the device waiting to access are identical or not, and in a case where the received current system integrity value of the device waiting to access and its stored integrity value of the device waiting to access are identical, it determines that the network access is authenticated. As such, the network access device could determine the real status of the device waiting to access, and ensure the device accessing to the network is really secure, thereby ensuring the security of the network. |
| US08037305B2 |
Securing multiple links and paths in a wireless mesh network including rapid roaming
A method and logic encoded in tangible media and apparatus for securing links between a mesh point and one or more identities of one or more parent mesh points of a wireless mesh network in order to secure the links. A first association is carried out to one of the identities of one of the parent mesh points. The first mesh point undergoes a mutual authentication with an authenticator and announces the possibility of multiple links and/or multiple paths. The authentication generates a first master key from which the root master key of the key hierarchy is derived so that other master keys for different identities are derivable using a hierarchy. The mesh point undergoes a 4-way handshake to derive a first transient key. Other transient keys are obtained by a fast roaming method without having to re-undergo a backend authentication, the other transient keys being for other links and/or paths and derived using the hierarchy. |
| US08037304B2 |
System and method for lost data destruction of electronic data stored on portable electronic devices
A data security system and method protects stored data from unauthorized access. According to one aspect of the invention, a client computing device communicates periodically with a server. If communications is note established between the client and the server for a selected activation interval and a subsequent grace period, the data is determined to be lost, and programmed security rules are automatically executed. Rules relating to encryption, as well as other security procedures, can be defined and entered by an administrator with access to the server, and then disseminated to each of a plurality of clients that access the server. |
| US08037301B2 |
Setting an encryption key
In some aspects, an encryption key setting method includes inputting a code string, selecting a generating procedure for generating a code string from a plurality of generating procedures that were previously set, generating a code string using the inputted code string based upon the selected generating procedure, and setting the generated code string as an encryption key. |
| US08037300B2 |
Information processing apparatus with certificate invalidity determination
An information processing apparatus includes a verification unit for verifying validity of a certificate that certifies a communication party and a transmission unit for externally transmitting information for identifying the information processing apparatus and a result of verification of the certificate. |
| US08037297B2 |
Network and node for providing a secure transmission of mobile application part messages
According to the present invention a telecommunication network with a first domain (PLMN-A) comprising at least one mobile application part protocol instance is connected to a gateway node (MSEGA) which is adapted to send and receive mobile application part messages and which is connectable to a second domain. The telecommunication network is remarkable in that the gateway node (MSEGA) is adapted to receive a mobile application part message from the first domain, to convert the received mobile application part message obtaining a secured mobile application part message, and to send the obtained message to the second domain. The gateway node (MSEGA) is further adapted to receive a secured mobile application part message from the second domain, to extract an unsecured mobile application part message from the received secured mobile application part message and to send the extracted message to the first domain. |
| US08037296B2 |
Apparatus and method for counter-based communications in wireless sensor networks and other networks
A method includes wirelessly receiving a message at a receiving node. The method also includes extracting a partial counter value from the message, where the partial counter value represents a subset of bits from a complete counter value of a transmitting node. The method further includes decrypting and authenticating the message based on the partial counter value. Decrypting and authenticating the message could include examining a bitmap to identify a bit value associated with the partial counter value, decrypting and authenticating the message if the identified bit value has a first value, and discarding the message if the identified bit value has a second value. Decrypting and authenticating the message could also include identifying at least one complete counter value at the receiving node based on the partial counter value and attempting to decrypt and authenticate the message using the at least one complete counter value. |
| US08037295B2 |
Hardware-bonded credential manager method and system
An internet data exchange authentication method that can provide much of the user authentication assurance and capability of dedicated computer security cryptographic hardware, without requiring that the user actually have such hardware. This method allows users with computerized devices to communicate securely with secure servers by creating customized challenge-response authentication objects (pockets) where both the challenge and the response is based partially on the hardware identity of the user's computerized device, and partially on a secret (such as a random number) known only by the secure server. The secure server receives the device's hardware identity, generates the secret, creates the pocket, encrypts the pocket, and sends the encrypted pocket back to the user's device. The secure server, or a third trusted credential server, then sends the decryption key for the encrypted pocket back to the user using a different, “out of band” communications modality, thus reducing the chances of interception. |
| US08037291B2 |
Master boot record management
In one embodiment a computer system comprises a processor and a memory module coupled to the processor and comprising logic instructions stored in a computer readable medium. The logic instructions, when executed, configure the processor to initiate power on self test processing in the basic input/output system of a computing device, compare a first identifier derived from a master boot record on the computing device with a second identifier stored in a memory location on the computing device, and implement a master boot record recovery process when the first identifier does not correspond with the second identifier. |
| US08037290B1 |
Preboot security data update
Providing computer security is disclosed. A computing system is booted into a pre operating system environment. The pre operating system environment is used to provide current security data to the computing system. The computer system is booted into an operating system environment other than the pre operating system environment. |
| US08037287B2 |
Error recovery following speculative execution with an instruction processing pipeline
An instruction processing pipeline 6 is provided. This has error detection and error recovery circuitry 20 associated with one or more of the pipeline stages. If an error is detected within a signal value within that pipeline stage, then it can be repaired. Part of the error recovery may be to flush upstream program instructions from the instruction pipeline 6. When multi-threading, only those instructions from a thread including an instruction which has been lost as a consequence of the error recovery need to be flushed from the instruction pipeline 6. Instruction can also be selected for flushing in dependence upon characteristics such as privileged level, number of dependent instructions etc. The instruction pipeline may additionally/alternatively be provided with more than one main storage element 26, 28 associated with each signal value with these main storage elements 26, 28 being used in an alternating fashion such that if a signal value has been erroneously captured and needs to be repaired, there is still available a main storage element 26, 28 to properly capture the signal value corresponding to the following program instruction. In this way flushes can be avoided. |
| US08037284B2 |
Stream processing in optically linked super node clusters of processors by mapping stream graph to nodes and links
A stream processing computer architecture includes creating a stream computer processing (SCP) system by forming a super node cluster of processors representing physical computation nodes (“nodes”), communicatively coupling the processors via a local interconnection means (“interconnect”), and communicatively coupling the cluster to an optical circuit switch (OCS), via optical external links (“links”). The OCS is communicatively coupled to another cluster of processors via the links. The method also includes generating a stream computation graph including kernels and data streams, and mapping the graph to the SCP system, which includes assigning the kernels to the clusters and respective nodes, assigning data stream traffic between the kernels to the interconnection when the data stream is between nodes in the same cluster, and assigning traffic between the kernels to the links when the data stream is between nodes in different clusters. |
| US08037282B2 |
Register having security function and computer system including the same
A register having a security function is provided. The register includes: a write security unit and a storage unit. The write security unit outputs a first control signal to control whether a write operation is permissible, in response to a write signal, an address signal, and a write permission signal. The storage unit writes and stores input data, in response to the first control signal. The write permission signal is received from an external source and indicates whether to protect the written data. |
| US08037281B2 |
Miss-under-miss processing and cache flushing
Described herein are systems and methods that reduce the latency which may occur when a level one (L1) cache issues a request to a level two (L2) cache, and that ensure that a translation requests sent to an L2 cache are flushed during a context switch. Such a system may include a work queue and a cache (such as an L2 cache). The work queue comprises a plurality of state machines, each configured to store a request for access to memory. The state machines can monitor requests that are stored in the other state machines and requests that the other state machines issue to the cache. A state machine only sends its request to the cache if another state machine is not already awaiting translation data relating to the that request. In this way, the request/translation traffic between the work queue and the cache can be significantly reduced. |
| US08037280B2 |
System and method for improving memory locality of virtual machines
A system and related method of operation for migrating the memory of a virtual machine from one NUMA node to another. Once the VM is migrated to a new node, migration of memory pages is performed while giving priority to the most utilized pages, so that access to these pages becomes local as soon as possible. Various heuristics are described to enable different implementations for different situations or scenarios. |
| US08037279B2 |
Method and system for cross-domain data sharing
A method for sharing data between a first domain and a second domain, including issuing a first request for data from a storage pool by the first domain, receiving the first request by a control domain driver in a control domain, obtaining the data by the control domain driver, storing a first copy of the data in shared memory at a first physical address, updating a hypervisor page map to include an entry associating a first pseudo-physical page number with the first physical address, notifying the first domain that the first request has been completed, issuing a second request for the data by the second domain, receiving the second request by the control domain driver, determining that the first copy of the data is present in the shared memory, and updating the hypervisor page map to include an entry associating the second pseudo-physical page number with the first physical address. |
| US08037278B2 |
Dynamic address translation with format control
What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables are obtained. An index portion of the virtual address is used to reference an entry in the translation table. If the format control field is enabled, a frame address of a large block of data in main storage is obtained from the translation table entry. The large block of data is a block of at least 1M byte in size. The frame address is then combined with an offset portion of the virtual address to form the translated address of a desired block of data within the large block of data in main storage. The desired large block of data addressed by the translated address is then accessed. |
| US08037276B2 |
Computer system, storage area allocation method, and management computer
Disclosed is a system and method for preventing deterioration in I/O performance of a computer resulted from a use of the same physical disk among different logical volumes. A volume management server 1010 groups together logical volumes which use the same physical disk of a storage device 1020 as a volume group and allocates a storage area on the physical disk to be used on a priority basis by this volume group to the volume group, and thereby a physical arrangement according to a present physical arrangement of the logical volume can be performed when an automatic expansion of the logical volume is performed thereafter so that the I/O performance deterioration of the computer caused by a mutual interference is avoided at the time of access from the computer 1030 to the storage device 1020. |
| US08037273B2 |
Storage system logical storage area allocating method and computer system
A method for allocating optimum pages to a logical volume according to the usage of the logical volume and an access characteristic is provided. A storage system is connected to a host computer, includes plural disk drives and a controller to control the plural disk drives, includes a first disk drive group including at least one disk drive, holds information indicating that a first attribute is assigned to a logical volume, assigns the first attribute when a first logical volume including plural first logical storage areas is provided to the host computer, reserves plural physical storage areas of the first disk drive group as the plural first logical storage areas, reserves the plural first logical storage areas included in the first logical volume as storage areas for storing data requested by the host computer, and stores the data requested by the host computer into the allocated physical storage areas. |
| US08037258B2 |
Structure for dual-mode memory chip for high capacity memory subsystem
A design structure is provided for a dual-mode memory chip supporting a first operation mode in which received data access commands contain chip select data to identify the chip addressed by the command, and control logic in the memory chip determines whether the command is addressed to the chip, and a second operation mode in which the received data access command addresses a set of multiple chips. Preferably, the first mode supports a daisy-chained configuration of memory chips. Preferably the second mode supports a hierarchical interleaved memory subsystem, in which each addressable set of chips is configured as a tree, command and write data being propagated down the tree, the number of chips increasing at each succeeding level of the tree. |
| US08037254B2 |
Memory controller and method for coupling a network and a memory
A memory controller (SMC) is provided for coupling a memory (MEM) to a network (N; IM). The memory controller (SMC) comprises a first interface (PI) for connecting the memory controller (SMC) to the network (N; IM). The first interface (PI) is arranged for receiving and transmitting data streams (ST1-ST4). A streaming memory unit (SMU) is coupled to the first interface (PI) for controlling data streams (ST1-ST4) between the network (N; IM) and the memory (MEM). Said streaming memory unit (SMU) comprises a buffer (B) for temporarily storing at least part of the data streams (ST1-ST4). A buffer managing unit (BMU) is provided for managing a temporarily storing of data streams (ST1-ST4) in the buffer (B) in a first and second operation mode (1OM; 2OM). In the first operation mode (1OM), data from the data streams (ST1-ST4) to be stored in the memory (MEM) are temporarily stored in the buffer (B) until a portion of the buffer (B) is occupied. In the second operation mode (2OM), after the portion of the buffer (B) is occupied, the buffer managing unit (BMU) divides the buffer (B) into a pre-fetch buffer (PFB) for buffering pre-fetched data from the memory (MEM) and a write-back buffer (WBB) for buffering data to be written back to the memory (MEM). |
| US08037251B2 |
Memory compression implementation using non-volatile memory in a multi-node server system with directly attached processor memory
A method, an apparatus and a program product may enable scalable bandwidth and memory for a system having processor with directly attached memory. Multiple memory expander microchips may include non-volatile memory to provide additional memory bandwidth and capacity while in communication with the processor. The uncompressed data region may be implemented with standard high speed dynamic random access memory. The less frequently accessed compressed data region may be implemented with non-volatile memory to leverage its benefits of higher density, more capacity, and lower power compared to DRAM. Memory and bandwidth allocation between may be dynamically adjusted. |
| US08037249B1 |
Asynchronous memory access queuing
A method for queuing asynchronous memory accesses includes pinning memory buffers in a managed memory environment, issuing data transfer requests to a peripheral device, each request corresponding to at least one of the pinned memory buffers, and asynchronously accessing at least one of the pinned buffers responsive to the requests. |
| US08037245B2 |
Storage system
One code (a compressed redundant code) is created based on a plurality of first redundant codes, each created on the basis of a plurality of data units, and this compressed redundant code is written to a nonvolatile storage area. This compressed redundant code is used to restore either a data element constituting a multiple-failure data, or a first redundant code corresponding to the multiple-failure data, which is stored in an unreadable sub-storage area of a partially failed storage device, and to restore the data element constituting the multiple-failure data which is stored in a sub-storage area of a completely failed storage device, based on the restored either data element or first redundant code, and either another data element constituting the multiple-failure data or the first redundant code corresponding to the multiple-failure data. |
| US08037244B2 |
Storage apparatus and data storage method using the same
A storage apparatus comprises a disk device and a disk controller for controlling the disk device. The disk controller provides a data volume including an actual volume and virtual volume with a volume capacity virtualization function. The virtual volume is associated with a pool volume for storing the actual data and the actual data is stored in the pool volume. In response to a write command from a host computer, the disk controller compresses write data under RAID 5 control and stores the compressed data in a storage area in the actual volume. If the entire compressed data cannot be stored in that storage area, the disk controller stores the remaining portion of the compressed data in the virtual volume. |
| US08037241B2 |
Video-storage network having increased performance
A video storage system includes a storage area network and at least one local cache storage unit. Both the storage mechanism and the local cache storage unit store at least some content in common. In response to a react request, a read director determines which of the storage mechanism and local cache storage unit contains the requested content. Upon determining that the requested content resides on the local cache storage unit, the read director directs the content request to the local cache storage unit, thereby reducing the demand on the storage mechanism. If the content does not reside on the local cache storage unit, read director directs the request to the storage mechanism, but if the content is unavailable, the content request will be filled with filler data from a filler data source. |
| US08037240B2 |
System and method for using reversed backup operation for minimizing the disk spinning time and the number of spin-up operations
A system and method for providing reversed backup operation for keeping local hard drives in a stand-by (non-spinning) mode thereby extending the life of local hard drives and reducing power consumption, heat and noise produced by the local drives. The present invention uses remote storage systems as primary storage systems when the network connectivity and its bandwidth are sufficient so that the local hard disk can stay in the stand-by mode. If the network connectivity is unavailable or insufficient to handle the data flow, the local hard disk is spun up and temporarily used as the primary storage for reads and writes. When necessary and possible, the data on both storage locations is synchronized. |
| US08037237B2 |
Method and circuit for adjusting a self-refresh rate to maintain dynamic data at low supply voltages
A method and circuit for refreshing dynamic data stored in an integrated circuit are disclosed. The integrated circuit receives a supply voltage and operates in a self-refresh mode of operation to refresh the dynamic data at a refresh time that defines how often the dynamic data is refreshed during the self-refresh mode. The method includes monitoring a magnitude of the supply voltage and adjusting the refresh time as a function of the monitored magnitude of the supply voltage. The integrated circuit may be any type of integrated circuit that stores dynamic data, such as a memory device like a dynamic random access memory, DDR DRAM, SLDRAM, or RDRAM, or other type of integrated circuit such as a microprocessor. |
| US08037234B2 |
Command queuing smart storage transfer manager for striping data to raw-NAND flash modules
A flash module has raw-NAND flash memory chips accessed over a physical-block address (PBA) bus by a NVM controller. The NVM controller is on the flash module or on a system board for a solid-state disk (SSD). The NVM controller converts logical block addresses (LBA) to physical block addresses (PBA). Data striping and interleaving among multiple channels of the flash modules is controlled at a high level by a smart storage transaction manager, while further interleaving and remapping within a channel may be performed by the NVM controllers. A SDRAM buffer is used by a smart storage switch to cache host data before writing to flash memory. A Q-R pointer table stores quotients and remainders of division of the host address. The remainder points to a location of the host data in the SDRAM. A command queue stores Q, R for host commands. |
| US08037230B2 |
Providing a peripheral component interconnect (PCI)-compatible transaction level protocol for a system on a chip (SoC)
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having an adapter to communicate according to a personal computer (PC) protocol and a second protocol. A first interface coupled to the adapter is to perform address translation and ordering of transactions received from upstream of the adapter. The first interface is coupled in turn via one or more physical units to heterogeneous resources, each of which includes an intellectual property (IP) core and a shim, where the shim is to implement a header of the PC protocol for the IP core to enable its incorporation into the apparatus without modification. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08037227B2 |
System and method for virtualizing processor and interrupt priorities
Dispatching of interrupts to a processor is conditionally suppressed, that is, only if an old priority value and a new priority value are either both less than or both greater than a maximum pending priority value. This conditional avoidance of dispatching is preferably implemented by a virtual priority module within a binary translator in a virtualized computer system and relates to interrupts directed to a virtualized processor by a virtualized local APIC. |
| US08037224B2 |
Delegating network processor operations to star topology serial bus interfaces
An advanced processor comprises a plurality of multithreaded processor cores each having a data cache and instruction cache. A data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores and configured to pass information among the processor cores. A messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores and a plurality of communication ports. The data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective data cache, and the messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective message station. In one aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the messaging network connects to a high-bandwidth star-topology serial bus such as a PCI express (PCIe) interface capable of supporting multiple high-bandwidth PCIe lanes. Advantages of the invention include the ability to provide high bandwidth communications between computer systems and memory in an efficient and cost-effective manner. |
| US08037219B2 |
System for handling parallel input/output threads with cache coherency in a multi-core based storage array
A system comprising a scheduler, a first core, and a second core. The scheduler may be configured to prioritize a plurality of input/output (IO) requests. The first core may be configured to process one of the plurality of IO requests based on the prioritizing of the plurality of IO requests. The second core may be configured to process a different one of the plurality of IO requests based on the prioritizing of the plurality of IO requests. |
| US08037217B2 |
Direct memory access in a hybrid computing environment
DMA in a computing environment that includes several computers and DMA engines, the computers adapted to one another for data communications by an data communications fabric, each computer executing an application, where DMA includes: pinning, by a first application, a memory region, including providing, to all applications, information describing the memory region; effecting, by a second application in dependence upon the information describing the memory region, DMA transfers related to the memory region, including issuing DMA requests to a particular DMA engine for processing; and unpinning, by the first application, the memory region, including insuring, prior to unpinning, that no additional DMA requests related to the memory region are issued, that all outstanding DMA requests related to the memory region are provided to a DMA engine, and that processing of all outstanding DMA requests related to the memory region and provided to a DMA engine has been completed. |
| US08037209B2 |
Device configuration integration information managing device and device configuration information managing device
MW of an FCMDB sequentially registers device configuration information of MDRs 1 and 2 in the FCMDB. The MW registers the device configuration information of the MDR 2 in the FCMDB, including a process policy indicating that “at a class lower than or equal to a Server class, an unknown component is added to last of device configuration integration information”, which is provided by the MDR 2 as a process policy in a case where the device configuration information of the MDR 2 is read. An MW 2 reconstructs the device configuration information of the MDR 2, according to order information of metadata of the device configuration information of the MDR 2 and a predetermined process policy indicating that “at a class not higher than a Server class, an unknown component is added to last of device configuration integration information”, as a process policy to reconstruct the device configuration information. |
| US08037207B2 |
Apparatus and method for synchronizing presence attribute data between terminal and server
An apparatus and method for synchronizing data between a terminal and a server. The apparatus synchronizes presence attribute data when the terminal and the server are connected to each other to establish a messenger service between them. The client terminal requests presence attribute data to be updated from a server when it is reconnected to the server having been previously connected to the client terminal to perform the messenger service, and updates presence attribute data stored at a time of a previous connection upon receiving the presence attribute data to be updated from the server. The server receives a presence attribute data request to be updated from the client terminal, and transmits only updated presence attribute data, created after releasing the previous connection, from among current presence attribute data to the client terminal. |
| US08037205B2 |
Method, system, and computer program for monitoring performance of applications in a distributed environment
A method, system, and computer program include receiving a request string, and mapping the received request string to a distinguishable request string and a collapsible request string. The received request string may be in the form of a JSP, a servlet, and remote Enterprise Java Bean calls. A user may be prompted to create rules for mapping of a received request string to a distinguishable request string and a collapsible request string. |
| US08037197B2 |
Client-side selection of a server
A method, system, and computer program product for performing network device management and client load distribution to a number of the Common Information Model Object Manager (CIMOM) servers via a network path. A client-side server selection (CSS) utility allows a client to choose the ideal server to fulfill a CIM request message. The client transmits the CIM request message to the CIMOM server based on service response time information utilized by the CSS utility. The CIM request message is forwarded to a CIM provider for processing. The provider returns a CIM response message to the CIMOM and a service response time is generated. Thereafter, the CIMOM returns the CIM response message to the client. At a preset time period, a Service Location Protocol (SLP) advertise generation facility initiates a multicast of the service response time information (from all network CIMOM servers) to the CSS utility. |
| US08037196B2 |
Method for maintaining communication between communication devices having inconsistent protocols
A method for supporting communication between communication devices (102, 104, 106) having inconsistent protocols, such as may result from protocol changes or upgrades. Protocol registers (302, 304) maintained in association with the communication devices contain respective first and second protocols (e.g., current and previous protocols) of the communication devices. A sending (or receiving) device, upon being upgraded from protocol C to N, updates (206) its protocol register to indicate N as the current protocol and C as the previous protocol. The device initially attempts to send (222) a message (or attempts 212 to recognize a message) using its current protocol N and, if that fails, the device sends (230) (or attempts 216 to recognize the message) using its previous protocol C. In such manner, when a communication device is upgraded to a new protocol causing a protocol inconsistency with a peer device, the communication device may revert to its previous protocol to restore communication relatively quickly. |
| US08037195B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing components in an IT system
A system and method for collecting information on components in an information technology (IT) system. This embodiment features discovering components in the IT system, determining at least one dependency between two or more of the discovered components, and tracking changes to the discovered components and the dependency between two or more of the discovered components. The discovery of components can be carried out using fingerprints of components, which can include key elements of the component that exist in a full model of all of the elements of the component. |
| US08037192B2 |
Exchange of information in a communication network
Methods and apparatus for managing data objects in a communications network are disclosed. An exemplary method includes storing a plurality of data objects intended for rendering at a first communication device (e.g., a subscriber's communication device) in response to a triggering communication event, and transferring the plurality of data objects to the first communication device. Apparatus for implementing the preceding techniques are also disclosed. |
| US08037188B2 |
Soft handoff across different networks assisted by an end-to-end application protocol
A method for soft handoff across different networks is disclosed. A first communication link through a first network is used for communicating between a first user agent and a second user agent. The user agents negotiate to use a second communication link for the same call. The second communication link is established through a second network between the first user agent and the second user agent while maintaining the first communication link. Related data is sent through the first communication link and the second communication link such that the related data is for the same call. The first communication link is dropped and communication is continued using the second communication link. |
| US08037187B2 |
Resource exchange management within a cloud computing environment
The present invention provides a solution for resource sharing (e.g., inter-Cloud) within a Cloud-computing environment. One objective of the present invention is to better utilize idle public or private Cloud infrastructures and improve the availability of Cloud services by allowing different Cloud service providers to virtually combine their services and infrastructures. In the event that there is not enough capacity for a single Cloud service provider to manage its workload, the workload may be shifted to additional infrastructures within the Cloud. The result of the workload shift may reduce the unavailability of Cloud services to the Cloud end-user by allowing another Cloud service provider to temporarily handle the workload. Based on the resource sharing activities, compensation (e.g., credits/tokens) can be exchanged between the participating Cloud providers to reflect their participation in the resource exchange. |
| US08037184B2 |
Query governor with network monitoring in a parallel computer system
An apparatus and method for a query governor to govern query execution in a parallel computer system with one or more networks. The query governor uses a network monitor to gather network status information to determine how to govern query execution. The query governor may also use historical information of previous query execution stored in a query file to determine if the query should be allowed to execute. The query governor may also use node and network restrictions to determine what networks the query can use. |
| US08037183B2 |
Processing method and apparatus for communication path load distribution
It is the object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus, processing method, processing program and recording medium capable of reducing the concentration of load upstream in the communication path of a network, and to improve the efficiency of a network system. A processing apparatus in a network system, which includes a plurality of processing apparatuses that are connected together via communication paths and in which identical data files are stored in the plurality of processing apparatuses, includes: a communication-load-information-acquisition means for acquiring communication-load information related to the communication loads of each of the communication paths between the one processing apparatus and each of the other processing apparatuses; a communication-load-comparison means for comparing the communication loads of each of the communication paths; a request-information-transmission means for sending request information based on the comparison results by the communication-load-comparison means to one of the other processing apparatuses, which is connected by the communication path for which the communication load is relatively small and which has the data file, requesting that specified data be sent; and a data-reception means for receiving the data that is sent from the other processing apparatus. |
| US08037181B2 |
Re-partitioning directories
A new method and framework for re-partitioning directory servers supporting user services in a site that receives access requests from users. According to the present invention, a management server transfers groups of directory objects from original directory servers to newly added directory servers without service interruption to users of the site. The directory objects are stored in categorical groups such that the directory objects in each group share an attribute. According to the present invention, certain groups in the original directory servers are identified for migration to the newly added servers based on a load-balancing scheme. In one embodiment, the identified groups are marked for migration to limit access to the directory objects therein. After successfully being migration, the groups are unmarked and access is resumed. In another embodiment, the management server includes a table storing location information that is updated to indicate successful transfer of the identified group of directory objects from the original server to the newly added server. |
| US08037177B2 |
Network type content reproducing system
The network type audio system includes a content server storing a large number of music data pieces, an audio client reproducing music, and a controller monitoring and controlling the audio client through the content server. The audio client requests the server to provide the music data of a music piece selected in response to the user's operation. The content server returns the music data of the selected music piece in response to the request from the audio client. The music data is distributed from the content server to the audio client on the basis of a specified amount. The audio client notifies the content server of its status. The content server notifies the controller of the status of the audio client. The controller displays the status. The controller also instructs the audio client to reproduce the music piece selected in response to the user's operation through the content server. |
| US08037170B2 |
Integrated application management system, apparatus and program, and integrated session management server, system, program and server chassis, and communication system, session management server and integration application server
Disclosed here is an integrated application system for enabling a new application to be added and a user to select an optional application easily. The integrated application system includes a plurality of clients for receiving services from a plurality of application servers for supplying a plurality of services and a management apparatus for controlling services supplied by the application servers to the clients according to an integrated service starting request from any of clients. Each of the clients includes a client management unit for controlling participation of a plurality of application clients corresponding to a plurality of services in an integrated service. The client management unit selects each application used in the integrated service and a client that participates in the integrated service respectively and sends an integrated service starting request to the management apparatus while the management apparatus instructs each of the selected application servers to start a service according to the integrated service starting request from the client management unit. |
| US08037166B2 |
System and method of displaying search results based on density
A system and method is provided of generating a map. In one aspect, the map is selected based on a location provided by a user and listings are selected based on their proximity to the location, whether they match a query provided by the user, and the number of matching listings within regions of the map. |
| US08037165B2 |
Information processing apparatus and process execution method
An information processing apparatus is provided that executes a process sequence stored in a sequence table, based on a sequence code created for each process in the process sequence. The sequence code includes a process type that specifies a sequence table, a control target that specifies a control target, and a process number that specifies one particular process in the specified process sequence. |
| US08037163B1 |
Alternative methodology in assessing network availability
The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for determining the availability of at least a part of a communications network in the context of alternate routing. Moreover, the present invention is adapted to consider network flow variations based on device outages all while accounting for the actual probability associated with various re-routing scenarios. |
| US08037161B2 |
Network system, network device, and network belonging judgment method
The present invention improves user-friendliness and protect content with increased reliability when judging whether network devices belong to the same home network. While the connection to a network is established, each network device uses a peripheral device information collection unit to collect peripheral device information indicating which ones of devices are connected to the network, and store the collected information in a peripheral device information storage unit as home network information. When the belonging of a remote device is to be judged, the home network information stored in the remote device is received. A peripheral device information collation unit collates the received home network information with the home network information stored in the peripheral device information storage unit to judge whether the remote device belongs to the same network as the local device. |
| US08037160B2 |
Method and device arrangement for managing a user application/device management server/client device environment
The invention relates to a method and data transfer arrangement for executing consecutive instructions in a client device (21) in a mobile user application—device management server—client device environment (23, 22, 21). The invention also relates to an instruction execution module utilized in the implementation of the method. In the procedure according to the invention, the user application (23) forms the instructions to be executed in the client device (21) into an instruction sequence (200), which is transmitted to the device management server (22) controlling the client device (21). The instruction execution module in the device management server breaks up the instruction sequence into command sequences and control structures. The command sequences are executed in the client device (21). The conditional commands belonging to the instruction sequence, specified by the control structures, are executed by the instruction execution module individually, without the help of the user application. The device management server sends a message describing the success of the execution of the instruction sequence to the user application. |
| US08037159B2 |
System and method for effecting the secure deployment of networks
A system and method for allowing network users to securely administer and deploy network nodes (102). These networks (100) may comprise wired and/or wireless connections. Examples would include wired networks (104) with shared infrastructure in an office building, as well as ad-hoc multi-hopping peer-to-peer network applications for the home. The system and method provides a key (130) that allows new nodes (102) and thus new devices (124, 126, 132) to gain access to a network (100) via an existing node (122) of that network (100). |
| US08037158B2 |
Multimedia transactional services
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for providing real-time, two-way transactional capabilities on the Web. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for enabling object routing, the method comprising the steps of creating a virtual information store containing information entries and attributes associating each of the information entries and the attributes with an object identity, and assigning a unique network address to each of the object identities. A method is also disclosed for enabling service management of the value-added network service, to perform OAM&P functions on the services network. |
| US08037155B2 |
Multimedia control center
A video library is formed within a personal video depot (PVD). The PVD has capability to accept purchased video's and DVD's as well as personal video's captured on camcorders. The purchased video's and DVD's are rights verified and assigned to a user having an authenticated ID. The PVD has capability to play a selected video on a TV as well as acquire additional video titles from the server connected to the depot through a network. A menu is displayed on a TV from which a remote control is used to make selections that affect the purchase of video titles and operation of the PVD. |
| US08037152B2 |
Active requesting of information for psuedo-live performance
Mass amounts of information, such as entire libraries of songs or movies, for example, may be stored locally near end-users, and this information may be accessed and reproduced in response to commands received from a transmitting station via a network. When a radio or television station desires to transmit a song or movie, for example, the radio or television station can, rather than transmitting the entire song or movie, merely transmit a command for reproducing the song or movie. An end-user's performance reproduction device, such as an enhanced radio or a television set, then accesses and reproduces the locally stored song or movie. Since the radio or television station need not transmit the entire performance, network traffic can be significantly reduced. The performance reproduction device may actively request information from the radio or television station when fresh or additional information is needed. |
| US08037147B1 |
Using automated agents to facilitate chat communications
An automated agent, such as an instant message robot, is be used to facilitate introduction of a chat participant to a small group of other chat participants in a chat room. To do so, for example, a BOT may present a chat participant who desires to be introduced to a small group of chat participants in a chat room with a series of multiple-choice questions, identify a subset of chat participants based on responses to the multiple-choice questions, and provide introductions among the chat participants in the subset to facilitate conversation therebetween. For example, the introductions provided by the BOT may indicate areas of mutual interest among chat participants in the subset, similar responses to one or more multiple-choice questions, and/or diverse responses to one or more multiple-choice questions. |
| US08037138B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication control method of communication apparatus, and control program of communication apparatus for selecting a transmission path for image data
In a communication apparatus corresponding to an analog communication path of a voice band and a network communication path, high-speed and high-reliability data communication are performed by selecting an appropriate communication path without troublesome user operation. A communication apparatus which performs IP communication and analog communication via an ADSL gateway obtains the IP address of a destination station from an SIP proxy server and transmits/receives communication data to/from the destination station on an IP network by a file transmit/receive protocol such as FTP, HTTP or the like, when the telephone number of the destination station corresponds to a VoIP network. The apparatus performs analog facsimile communication on a line switching network when the telephone number of the destination station does not correspond to the VoIP network. The apparatus performs the analog facsimile communication on the VoIP network or the line switching network when the destination station corresponds to the VoIP network but does not have any digital communication means. |
| US08037132B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for transferring streaming multimedia data and various types of data associated therewith in a network environment
The present invention provides several methods and apparatuses for transmitting multimedia data using streaming media protocols such as real-time transfer protocols (RTP) and real-time streaming protocols (RTSP) in a computer network environment. A request for RTP data is sent from the caching proxy server to the server. The request may be for one specific type of data or multiple unrelated types of data. The server responds to the request indicating its support for the requested data. The caching proxy server determines whether to proceed or terminate the data transmission process based on the response provided by the server. If it is determined to proceed with the data transmission process, the caching proxy informs the server to send the requested data. The server sends the requested data in a body of a RTP packet. The RTP packet uses a RTP Meta-Info payload format, which includes a body and a field header. The field header includes fields to identify the streaming media data, and the field body includes the requested streaming media data. |
| US08037131B2 |
Data transfer utilizing preview data
A method of transmitting data between a transmitter and a receiver each connected to a network, including causing the transmitter to transmit reduced image data, corresponding to image data, and user interface data to the receiver via the network, the reduced image data generated by a data-skipping operation; causing the receiver to output visibly a reduced image and a user interface image represented by the user interface data, when the receiver receives the reduced image data and the user interface data; causing the receiver to transmit a request for transfer of the image data and setting information to the transmitter, when an instruction for transfer of the image data and the setting information is input into the receiver; and causing the transmitter to transmit the image data and at least part of the setting information to at least one of the receiver and an apparatus connected to the network. |
| US08037129B2 |
Method for generating function blocks for web services
In continuous operation, for example during the control of a machine, PLCs (programmable logic controllers) execute as client a data transaction with a server. This data transaction is initiated by the PLC by implementing a communication with the server via web services. A WSDL file is called up and additional data during the generation of a user program of the PLC is provided. Function blocks for web applications are then automatically generated from this data and integrated in the user program. |
| US08037126B2 |
Systems and methods of dynamically checking freshness of cached objects based on link status
The present solution provides a variety of techniques for accelerating and optimizing network traffic, such as HTTP based network traffic. The solution described herein provides techniques in the areas of proxy caching, protocol acceleration, domain name resolution acceleration as well as compression improvements. In some cases, the present solution provides various prefetching and/or prefreshening techniques to improve intermediary or proxy caching, such as HTTP proxy caching. In other cases, the present solution provides techniques for accelerating a protocol by improving the efficiency of obtaining and servicing data from an originating server to server to clients. In another cases, the present solution accelerates domain name resolution more quickly. As every HTTP access starts with a URL that includes a hostname that must be resolved via domain name resolution into an IP address, the present solution helps accelerate HTTP access. In some cases, the present solution improves compression techniques by prefetching non-cacheable and cacheable content to use for compressing network traffic, such as HTTP. The acceleration and optimization techniques described herein may be deployed on the client as a client agent or as part of a browser, as well as on any type and form of intermediary device, such as an appliance, proxying device or any type of interception caching and/or proxying device. |
| US08037125B2 |
Method for uniform network access
According to some embodiments, a registry is displayed. The registry may, for example, indicate resources available from a plurality of remote network access devices via a communications network. Moreover, a personal network address may be associated with each available resource, the personal network address including an destination address portion and an application program identifier portion. A direct communications link may then be established between a first network access device hosting an available resource and a second network address device using the personal network address associated with the resource. |
| US08037120B2 |
System and method for an efficient comparison operation of multi-bit vectors in a digital logic circuit
An improved technique that considerably reduces required logic and computational time for determining whether the difference between two multi-bit vectors is equal to a given number or lies between given two numbers in a digital logic circuit. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by receiving a first N-bit vector A [N−1:0] and a second N-bit vector B[N−1:0] in the digital logic circuit, where N is a non-zero positive number. A third N-bit vector is then obtained by performing a bit-wise AND (A [N−1:0] & ˜B[N−1:0]) operation using A[N−1:0] and ˜B[N−1:0]. Further, a fourth N-bit vector is obtained by performing a bit-wise XOR (A[N−1:0]^˜B[N−1:0]) operation using A[N−1:0] and ˜B[N−1:0]. The difference between the first N-bit vector A[N−1:0] and the second N-bit vector B[N−1:0] is then declared as equal to a given number or to be within a given range of two numbers (+m and +n, m |
| US08037116B2 |
Method and system for optimizing floating point conversion between different bases
A method of streamlining floating-point conversions includes determining a source coefficient and a source exponent of an input value represented by a floating-point number in a source base; estimating an approximated target exponent (ATE) using the source coefficient and the source exponent, in the event the source coefficient has a non-zero value; determining whether the ATE exceeds a maximum exponent so as to result an overflow, and outputting a predefined overflow value in the event of an overflow; determining whether the ATE exceeds a minimum exponent so as to result an underflow, and outputting a predefined underflow value in the event of an underflow; and in the event the ATE does not result in either an overflow or underflow, converting the input value to an output value represented by a converted coefficient, a converted base and the exponent of the output value. |
| US08037109B2 |
Generation of repeatable synthetic data
Systems and methods are provided for the generation of synthetic repeatable data. In an illustrative implementation, an exemplary data environment comprises at least one computing application for the management, manipulation, and generation of data. The computing application operates on a predefined set of rules to generate a data set, having N elements, using a deterministic generator function which when executed always produces the same set of data. The seed is used to position the generator to a particular point in its sequence. To regenerate any particular entry in the data set, the generator, using the seed as an input, is executed and the desired data is re-generated. The illustrative implementation also contemplates that the generation of data may be parallelizable as each element is generated independently of any others. |
| US08037106B2 |
Method and system for managing information technology data
A database system for storing information technology (IT) management operational data and a method and apparatus for managing IT data are provided. The database utilizes an integrated database schema. IT operational data is stored into the database using the integrated database schema and the database is accessed by plural applications and/or products using the integrated database schema. |
| US08037105B2 |
Computer apparatus
A computer apparatus which uses a database (22) to offer persistent storage of metadata (36) describing the content of media files (32). Metadata is used to create a personalized media article (48) from those media files. That metadata also indicates relationships between those media files. In order to accelerate the creation of the personalized media article (48), media element metadata items are stored in a cache. The usefulness of this cache is improved further by reading related media elements data from retrieved metadata items (36), and then pre-fetching those items and placing them in the cache. Because the relatedness of the data items means that the related data item is more likely to be required in the near future, the caching method is more useful than known caching methods. Furthermore, the improved usefulness of the cache is achieved without placing constraints on where the data items are placed in the persistent storage. |
| US08037102B2 |
Manipulating sets of hierarchical data
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and/or systems for manipulating hierarchical sets of data are disclosed. In particular embodiments, such hierarchical sets of data may be expressed as trees and/or strings. Further, such trees and/or strings may be associated with numerals. In other particular embodiments, operations on numerals associated with trees may be associated with manipulations of such trees. |
| US08037098B2 |
Life cycle based data coordination
An exemplary system includes a plurality of heterogeneous data subsystems maintaining local data and a coordinator subsystem configured to maintain global data mapped from the local data. The coordinator subsystem includes a global data life cycle model defining at least one life cycle for the global data. The coordinator subsystem is configured to use the global data life cycle model to coordinate a data update between the global data and the local data. In certain implementations, the coordinator subsystem and the heterogeneous data subsystems are configured to communicate using at least one data update message representative of the data update, the data update message being defined in accordance with the global data life cycle model. In certain implementations, the data update message includes a life cycle status identifier associated with the data update. |
| US08037095B2 |
Dynamic webcast content viewer method and system
A data accessing method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system from a first user, a first user profile comprising user preference data associated with the first user. The computing system receives and stores Webcast data associated with a Webcast that has been broadcasted for an entity. The Webcast data comprises audio/video data. The computing system receives from the first user, a first request for access to the first Webcast data. The computing system associates the user preference data with a first set of specified portions of the audio/video data. The computing system retrieves a first portion of audio/video data of the first set of specified portions of the audio/video data. The computing system presents the first portion of audio/video data to the first user. |
| US08037093B2 |
Feeding updates to landing pages of users of an online social network from external sources
Updates to landing pages of users in an online social network are fed from external sources so that content maintained by any one user can be consolidated in a single location regardless of where the changes are made to the content. When an update event occurs, users of the online social network are notified according to various criteria that they have set. With this feature, users can browse through content of other users efficiently. |
| US08037092B2 |
System and method for merging manual parameters with predefined parameters
A system and method are disclosed for merging manual parameters with predefined parameters. The system includes a parse module configured to receive a command string having multiple nested manual parameters and a build module configured to generate a parameter tree having manual parameter nodes and predefined parameter nodes. The system may also include a search module configured to compare manual parameter nodes to predefined parameter nodes to identify matching parameter contexts, and a command module configured to generate a command string. The method includes receiving a command string having multiple nested manual parameters, identifying manual parameters within the command string, and generating a parameter tree having manual parameter nodes and predefined parameter nodes. The method also includes comparing manual parameter nodes to predefined parameter nodes to identify parameter nodes having a matching parameter context, and generating a command string. |
| US08037086B1 |
Identifying common co-occurring elements in lists
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for detecting correlations between terms. During operation, the system identifies one or more lists contained in one or more documents and identifies two terms co-occurring in the lists. The system further determines a correlation between the co-occurring terms, and places the co-occurring terms in a correlated-pair list based on the correlation. |
| US08037082B2 |
Isolated ordered regions (IOR) node order
Method for ordering nodes within hierarchical data. The concept of isolated ordered regions to maintain coordinates of nodes is used by associating each node with coordinates relative to a containing region. Modifications to nodes within a region only affect the nodes in that region, and not nodes in other regions. Traversals that retrieve information from the nodes can rebase the coordinates from their containing region and return with a total order. |
| US08037075B2 |
Pattern index
A pattern index can be created and used to searching for desired content in electronic databases. The pattern index can include a tuple pattern index containing separately identifiable and indexed tuple entries that are based on combinations of words within the electronic documents. The pattern index and other indexes can also be used in an incrementally graduating search to inherently apply order and priority to the search. Suggested terms and alternate terms, which are different than those that are provided by the user as part of a search request, can also be considered as part of the search and can be provided to the user for selection during the search to dynamically alter the scope of the search and to provide auto-complete functionality. |
| US08037073B1 |
Detection of bounce pad sites
A system may identify a set of related documents, identify one or more documents in the set of related documents that are sources of redirects, and identify organizations that are targets of the redirects. The system may also determine a redirect score based on the number of the identified documents that are sources of the redirects, determine a spam score based on a number of the organizations that are targets of the redirects, determine whether to classify the set of related documents as a bounce pad based on the redirect score and the spam score, and storing information associated with the result of the determination of whether to classify the set of related documents as a bounce pad. |
| US08037072B1 |
System and method for generating charge information for users of a data storage system
A chargeback management station obtains data records including asset information pertaining to storage assets in a data storage system and utilization information pertaining to the use of the storage assets by the users, wherein the storage assets include redundant storage assets and internal and external storage assets. The data records further include grouping information reflecting a grouping of the storage assets and the users into charge-related groups. The asset and utilization information is selectively aggregated according to the grouping to obtain respective asset and utilization values for raw capacities, usable capacities, and the internal and external storage assets. The asset and utilization values are displayed in corresponding information fields of a graphical user interface that is presented to a system operator and that reflects the charge-related grouping of the storage assets and the users. The system operator can specify the layout for the charge reports displayed on the graphical interface by using a table screen, a graph screen, and a filter screen. |
| US08037070B2 |
Background contextual conversational search
A method of generating search queries based on digitized audio from conversations, including: providing a database having a global hot-list of universal popular keywords or phrases and a personalized entity list comprising keywords and phrases used with a frequency above a determined threshold value in conversations involving a user; monitoring a conversation between at least two people, including the user; identifying words or phrases in digitized audio of the monitored conversation through speech recognition; comparing the identified words or phrases to the keywords and phrases in the database to find any matches; generating a search string, without the user requesting a search, based on words or phrases found to match the keyword or phrases stored in the database; submitting the search string to a search engine as a search query; and serving a set of search results returned by the search engine to a display device of the user. |
| US08037069B2 |
Membership checking of digital text
The described implementations relate to data analysis, such as membership checking. One technique identifies candidate matches between document sub-strings and database members utilizing signatures. The technique further verifies that the candidate matches are true matches. |
| US08037064B2 |
Method and system of selecting landing page for keyword advertisement
A method and system for displaying a keyword advertisement through retrieval of an optimal landing page associated with a detailed keyword, and displaying the retrieved landing page for a user, instead of displaying a non-specific landing page associated with the advertisement keyword included in the detailed keyword. A method of displaying a keyword advertisement includes: receiving from a user a detailed keyword that includes one or more advertisement keywords purchased by an advertiser and character strings; dynamically retrieving a landing page according to the received detailed keyword; and displaying page information of the landing page for the user. |
| US08037062B2 |
System and method for automatically selecting a data source for providing data related to a query
A computer-implemented method of prioritizing a predefined set of electronic data sources includes a step of identifying one or more second data sources corresponding to one or more first data sources if it is determined that the first data sources do not have the ability to provide data related to one or more query dimensions of a query statement. The identified one or more second data sources meet the following criteria: (1) one or more source fields of the one or more second data sources are equivalent to the one or more query dimensions not contained in the first data source; and (2) each source dimension field of the one or more second data sources are either: (A) equivalent to a source field of the first source or (B) have values that are capable of being obtained from the query statement. The one or more first data sources are linked with the corresponding one or more second data sources to generate one or more composite data sources. Scores are electronically assigned to each of the composite data sources based on certain criteria, and the composite data sources are electronically and dynamically ranked based on the assigned scores. One or more of the composite data sources electronically identified as having the highest rank are selected as preferred data sources for locating the data value in response to the query statement. |
| US08037061B2 |
System and computer readable medium for generating refinement categories for a set of search results
A system and computer readable medium for providing a set of refinement categories for a set of search results generated in response to a search query. The system comprises: a category identifier system that analyzes each search result and identifies at least one category from a hierarchy of categories for each search result, thereby providing a list of identified categories; a ranking system that ranks each category in the list of identified categories; and a selection system that selects a predetermined number of the highest ranking categories from the list of identified categories to generate the set of refinement categories, wherein the selection system eliminates categories from the set of refinement categories if the category has a parent in the set of refinement categories. |
| US08037059B2 |
Implementing aggregation combination using aggregate depth lists and cube aggregation conversion to rollup aggregation for optimizing query processing
A process combines multiple grouping sets into single rollup sets with depth lists defining the levels of grouping that must be performed. Grouping sets are identified that are contained within other sets and combined into single rollups with depth lists. Cube aggregation conversion to rollup aggregation is provided for optimizing database query processing. Natural sets of rollup hierarchies within a cube are recognized and the cube is converted into those rollup hierarchies. Once converted, the rollup aggregation is performed to significantly reduce required processing. |
| US08037058B2 |
Reducing access time for data in file systems when seek requests are received ahead of access requests
Reducing access time for data in a file system when seek requests are received ahead of access requests. In one embodiment, an operating system providing access to the file system receives a seek request (from a user application) indicating an identifier of a file and a location within the file at which a data is sought to be accessed. In response, the operating system computes the offset of a disk block containing the location (thereby the data that is sought to be accessed). On receiving an access request (after the seek request from the same user application) indicating an operation to be performed on the data, the operating system executes the operation on the data using the pre-computed offset of the disk block. The computation of the disk block is performed before the access request is received thereby reducing the time required to process the access request. |
| US08037051B2 |
Matching and recommending relevant videos and media to individual search engine results
A computer-implemented system and process for generating video search engine results page is disclosed. The system provides a query term and retrieves a collection of search results. Tags are generated for each search result and used to match media objects to each search result. The search results and video objects related to each search result are returned as a video search engine results page. |
| US08037049B2 |
System for automatic data retrieval based on context-traversal history
A data retrieval system provides automatic retrieval of information based on a context-traversal history. A transferable object is identified in a first context while the user is operating in the first context. Information used to retrieve the transferable object is automatically stored without user interaction. The automatically stored information is used to copy the transferable object to an object receptor in a second context while the user operates in the second context. A marker stored in the memory signifies an end of a first historical period associated with the first context and a start of a second historical period associated with the second context, associates the transferable object identified in the first context with the first historical period, and separates the information automatically stored in the memory in the first historical period from information automatically stored in the memory in the second historical period. |
| US08037045B2 |
Computer system and file storage/read-out method
When storing data (D1), spread on a memory (10), into a file storage unit (50), a user α assigns a meaningful filename-for-user, such as “sales book for April.” Storage control unit (35) converts this “sales book for April” to a meaningless filename-for-storage, such as “RST123.” The correspondence between the two is stored as filename correspondence information for user α in a correspondence information storage unit (80). A storage processing unit (30) stores the data (D1) with the filename, “RST123.” Whereas when user α is presented with a list of filenames of the stored files from a filename presentation unit (60), the meaningful filename of “sales book for April” is presented as the filename since a presentation control unit (65) performs reverse conversion of the filename based on the filename correspondence information, the meaningless filename of “RST123” is presented to other users. Security in regard to filenames can thus be secured and inference of the file contents can be prevented. |
| US08037038B2 |
Controlling reuse of components in a content management system
A content management system (CMS) includes a content reuse mechanism that checks a reuse contract corresponding to a component in the repository, and determines if all relevant criteria in the reuse contract corresponding to the component are satisfied before allowing reuse of a component in the repository. In this manner the reuse of components is controlled in a way that allows reuse when stated criteria in the reuse contract are satisfied yet restricts reuse when the criteria in the reuse contract are not satisfied. |
| US08037036B2 |
Systems and methods for defining digital asset tag attributes
Systems and methods for managing digital assets in a distributed computing environment are described. Meta-data for the digital assets is stored separately from the digital assets. Meta-data for some of the digital assets is copied and stored at a central location. Meta-data for the digital assets is generated by clients of the system. A method for determining a set of policy attributes to be applied to a digital assets includes: receiving, at a client, a first asset identification tag corresponding to a digital asset and comprising one or more policies associated with the digital asset; associating a second asset identification tag with the digital asset; identifying, by the client a predetermined flag in the first asset identification tag; and deactivating, by the client responsive to the identified tag and the association of the second asset identification tag, the one or more policies associated with the first asset identification tag. |
| US08037034B2 |
Methods of creating a dictionary for data compression
Some aspects of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for creating a static dictionary in which longer byte-strings are preferred. To that end, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, a new heuristic is defined to replace the aforementioned frequency count metric used to record the number of times a particular node in a data tree is visited. The new heuristic is based on counting the number of times an end-node of a particular byte-string is visited, while not incrementing a count for nodes storing characters in the middle of the byte-string as often as each time such nodes are visited. The result is an occurrence count metric that favors longer byte-strings, by being biased towards not incrementing the respective occurrence count values for nodes storing characters in the middle of a byte-string. |
| US08037028B2 |
System and method for storing redundant information
A method and system for reducing storage requirements and speeding up storage operations by reducing the storage of redundant data includes receiving a request that identifies one or more data objects to which to apply a storage operation. For each data object, the storage system determines if the data object contains data that matches another data object to which the storage operation was previously applied. If the data objects do not match, then the storage system performs the storage operation in a usual manner. However, if the data objects do match, then the storage system may avoid performing the storage operation. |
| US08037020B2 |
Test strategy system and method for accounts held direct at-fund
The present invention provides a system and method for a user to test and transfer data from a client's database or network to a host's database or network. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a user acquires data information from a client. The user uses this information to generate a spreadsheet, and to populate the spreadsheet with assumed values based on the information received from the client. The spreadsheet is configured in a fashion such that it is consistent with the host's database or network. The user requests and receives a test file from the client and uses a developed algorithm, generally in the form of a computer program, to reformat the file so that it is consistent with the host's database configuration. The user determines the consistency between the reformatted file and the host's database by comparing the reformatted file to the previously generated spreadsheet. Any inconsistencies identified alert the user that the file reformatting algorithm needs updating. When all the updates are complete and the reformatting algorithm has been deemed appropriate to carry out the data transformation function, the entire client database log is sent to the user in the form of an input file. The input file is duplicated to protect the original information and then reformatted using the updated algorithm. The reformatted file may then be uploaded to the host's network or database so that the information contained may be used by others who access the database or network for information. |
| US08037011B2 |
Method and apparatus for recommending content items
A recommendation apparatus comprises a monitoring processor which monitors the presentation of content items. A sample processor determines preference data for different content items by performing the steps of determining a preference value for a content item presented by the presentation unit in response to a first duration for a first section of the content item being presented relative to a total duration of the content item, and if the first duration is less than the total duration, determining if a second section of the content item not being presented corresponds to at least one of an end section and a begin section of the content item; and if so determining a confidence value for the preference value in response to a second duration of the second section. The preference data is used as training data for determining a user preference model which is then used to generate recommendations. |
| US08037010B2 |
Spatio-temporal learning algorithms in hierarchical temporal networks
A spatio-temporal learning node is a type of HTM node which learns both spatial and temporal groups of sensed input patterns over time. Spatio-temporal learning nodes comprise spatial poolers which are used to determine spatial groups in a set of sensed input patterns. The spatio-temporal learning nodes further comprise temporal poolers which are used to determine groups of sensed input patterns that temporally co-occur. A spatio-temporal learning network is a hierarchical network including a plurality of spatio-temporal learning nodes. |
| US08037002B2 |
Property description coverage measuring apparatus
A design automaton extractor extracts a design automaton from design description data, and a property automaton extractor extracts a property automaton from property description data corresponding to the design description data. A matched state detector counts all states of the design automaton, detects matched states matching the property automaton from all the states of the design automaton, and counts the matched states. A coverage calculator obtains a ratio of the number of matched states to the number of all the states of the design automaton, thereby calculating a coverage representing the degree of correspondence of the property description data to the design description data. |
| US08036991B2 |
Registration of a mobile computing device for a service on a wireless network
A system and method are disclosed for registering a mobile computing device of a service on a wireless network. The method comprises receiving user information for a user of the mobile computing device and creating an account based on the user information. The method comprises receiving a first key and serial number from the mobile computing device at a network node and generating a second key based on an encryption of a stored serial number of the mobile computing device. Based on an evaluation of the first and second keys and received and stored serial numbers, the mobile computing device is registered on the wireless network for the service. |
| US08036990B1 |
Systems and methods for electronically managing content licenses
Systems and methods are provided for electronically managing content licenses. In one embodiment, information identifying content items found on a page is received from a client system through code embedded on the page, and a licensing database is searched to determine if the content is licensed and to determine the terms or payment method of the license. Systems and methods for associating advertisement data with licensed content items are also disclosed. |
| US08036989B2 |
Transmission of messages related to electronic documents
One implementation provides a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product includes instructions that, when executed, perform a method for processing a message related to an electronic document. The method includes transmitting an electronic document having a unique identifier from a first system to a second system and receiving at the first system a message from the second system related to content contained in the electronic document. The message includes a predetermined field for the unique identifier that links the message to the electronic document. The method may also include notifying a user of the first system that the first system received the message. The notifying may include updating a list of tasks. One of the tasks may indicate that the user may view the received message on the first system. |
| US08036988B2 |
System and method for performing secure credit card transactions
A method and system of performing secure credit card purchases in the context of a remote commercial transaction, such as over the telephone, wherein only the customer, once generally deciding upon a product or service to be purchased, communicates with a custodial authorizing entity, such as a credit card company or issuing bank wherein such entity has previous knowledge of the credit card number as well as custodial control of other account parameters such as interest rate, payment history, available credit limit etc. The customer supplies the custodial authorizing entity with the account identification data such as the credit card number and a requested one of a possible plurality of predetermined payment categories which define the dollar amount for the purchase and specific, predetermined time parameters within which authorization by the custodial authorizing entity will remain in effect. The custodial authorizing entity then generates a transaction code which is communicated exclusively to the customer wherein the customer in turn communicates only the transaction code to the merchant instead of a credit card number. The transaction code is indicative of merchant identification, credit card account identification and a designated one of the plurality of predetermined payment categories. |
| US08036987B1 |
Method and system for accounts payable prioritization and management
A system for accounts payable management whereby vendor payment priority criteria are defined and data associated with one or more vendors and/or vendor invoices is obtained along with data indicating funds available to make vendor payments. The data: indicating vendor payment priority criteria, associated with one or more vendors and/or vendor invoices, and indicating funds available to make vendor payments is then analyzed and used to automatically generate a proposed vendor payment plan. The proposed vendor payment plan is then displayed to one or more users associated as part of a user interface display and the one or more users are provided the opportunity to edit and/or approve the proposed vendor payment plan. Once the proposed and/or edited vendor payment plan is approved, one or more payments are automatically made to one or more vendors in accordance with the approved vendor payment plan. |
| US08036983B2 |
System for and method of web based non-wage compensation
The present invention is directed to a system for and a method of a disbursement system which includes an input module configured to receive a disbursement request and an authorization module configured to apply predetermined rules to the disbursement request. Also included in the present invention is an accounting module configured to track available funds from which particular disbursements are to be made and an output module configured to process approved disbursement requests. |
| US08036979B1 |
System and method for generating a finance attribute from tradeline data
Embodiments of a system and method are described for generating a finance attribute. In one embodiment, the systems and methods retrieve raw tradeline data from a plurality of credit bureaus, retrieve industry code data related to each of the plurality of credit bureaus, determine one or more tradeline leveling characteristics that meet at least one pre-determined threshold, and generate a finance attribute using the selected leveling characteristics. |
| US08036978B1 |
Method of upgrading third party functionality in an electronic fraud management system
A method for managing and assessing a set of risks relative to a financial product, wherein said method is accessed through a data processing system. The data processing system comprises a series of nodes operatively connected with each other. The method begins by performing an application processing procedure, comprising a check of the creditworthiness of one or more selected customers; and issuing a financial product to the selected customer if that customer is determined to be creditworthy; and, declining the application if the customer is determined to be not creditworthy. After the card has been issued to a customer, the use of the card is assessed whenever the card is presented for payment of goods or services or to obtain a cash advance. The assessment is made as the result of a credit authorization request from a merchant or a system user and utilizes a predictive modeling routine to perform the assessment. The credit authorization is accepted or rejected as based upon an outcome of the assessment. The assessment results are then downloaded to the data processing system for transfer to a database accessible by one or more remote nodes of the system. Any of the transactions, assessments, or determinative calculations can be retained as a means of continually refreshing the pool of data available for credit determinations. |
| US08036977B1 |
Method and interface for historical display of market information
Trading software may receive information from an exchange. The trading software may track historical bid and ask information for a tradeable object. The trading software may display historical market depth information for the tradeable object on a trading screen. |
| US08036974B2 |
Systems and methods for compound risk factor sampling with integrated market and credit risk
Systems and methods for generating an integrated market and credit loss distribution for the purpose of calculating one or more risk measures associated with a portfolio of instruments are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, compound risk factor sampling is performed that comprises conditionally generating multiple systemic credit driver samples for each market risk factor sample generated per time step of a simulation. There are also disclosed systems and methods for determining an optimal number of sample values for each of the market risk factors, systemic credit drivers, and optionally, idiosyncratic credit risk factors that would be required in order to obtain an acceptable amount of variability in the calculated risk estimates and/or to satisfy an available computational budget. |
| US08036973B2 |
Synthetic funds having structured notes
The present invention relates to synthetic funds for purchase by investors. A structured note is structured to provide customized equity returns/exposure. Terms of each structured note may be specified by the purchaser and the structured notes may be unsecured liabilities of the obligor, e.g., there are no underlying assets upon which the structure note is based. Thus, there will be no limits on the use of structured note proceeds and management of assets and liabilities will be left entirely to the obligor's discretion. Structured note payment obligations may be related to the performance of an objective valuation, but structured note holders will depend on the good credit of the obligor for payment. |
| US08036972B2 |
Option pricing model for event driven instruments
Systems and methods are provided for valuing event driven option contracts. A jump diffusion based model, such as a Merton jump diffusion based model, is modified to assume arithmetic movement of an underlying price and a single jump. The arithmetic movement of the underlying price may be modeled with a Bachelier based arithmetic model. Calculated values may be used to determine margin account requirements. |
| US08036971B2 |
Generating dynamic date sets that represent market conditions
In one embodiment, first input that specifies a market instrument is received. Second input that specifies one or more parameters for one or more date set computers associated with the market instrument is received. A first time series is received from a data repository, where the first time series is a sequence of data values associated with the market instrument. A set of time periods is extracted by applying the one or more date set computers based on the one or more parameters and the first time series. The set of time periods is displayed overlaid on a graphical representation of the first time series in a graphical user interface. |
| US08036968B1 |
Annuity having interest rate coupled to a referenced interest rate
The methods described herein provide a guaranteed rate of return for a guarantee period of a financial account while at the same time providing upward adjustments to the interest rate if there is a corresponding increase in a specified referenced rate. The guaranteed base interest rate is set at the beginning of the guarantee period, the base interest rate to be credited to an account for an initial pre-defined period. Periodically, the then-current referenced rate is compared to a base referenced rate defined at the establishment of the guarantee period. If the referenced rate has increased, the interest rate that will be credited to the account value will increase by an amount that is based on the amount of increase in the referenced rate. If the referenced rate has not changed or has decreased, the interest rate that will be credited to the account value will be the guaranteed base interest rate. |
| US08036967B2 |
Bank card fraud detection and/or prevention methods
Bank card fraud detection and/or prevention methods can generally involve determining a common point of compromise and/or identifying merchants associated with bank card transaction frequencies which exceed a predetermined threshold value which is indicative of potentially fraudulent bank card activity. These methods can further involve identifying other bank cards used at the common point of compromise. |
| US08036966B2 |
System and method for facilitating foreign currency management
Systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating managing foreign currency exposure, such as that with respect to transactions in financial interests involving foreign currency exchange across multiple electronic trading platforms, financial systems, accounting systems or the like. Users may monitor their net foreign exchange (“FX”) exposure in different currencies and on different value dates due to trading in foreign exchange, foreign currency-denominated equities, fixed-income securities, commodities, services, goods and other transactions involving foreign currency exchange. Various tools may be provided for monitoring and managing FX exposures across multiple trading platforms through ready access to FX liquidity sources as well as for conducting financial transactions involving foreign currency exchange, such as FX hedging or other types of transactions. |
| US08036960B2 |
System and method for coordinating the collection, analysis and storage of payroll information provided to government agencies by government contractors
A method for systematically coordinating the collection, analysis and storage of payroll information provided to government agencies by government contractors pursuant to applicable regulations is disclosed. The method includes collecting payroll information from contractors, performing an automated compliance check on the payroll information collected from contractors, storing verified payroll information in at least one database, and performing an automated fraud check on payroll information. The method also includes notifying auditors of instances of possible fraud, notifying auditors of instances of non-compliance, sorting payroll information in the at least one database according to geographic and skill categories, and providing reports to agencies. |
| US08036959B2 |
System and method for automatic payment of estimated tax due
Embodiments of the present invention may provide a method and system for accepting financial information from a customer for generating an estimated tax due to the taxing authority and a date by which the estimated tax is due, and periodically impounding an amount of money from an account held by the customer, where each amount impounded is less than the estimated tax and the combined value of the amounts impounded by the date substantially match the estimated tax. |
| US08036956B1 |
Secure, differentiated reading of sensors and RFID tags
Secure access to inventory data concerning a supplier's product located at a seller's premises is provided by tagging units of product with a supplier identifier and a product identifier. The identifiers may be embedded in RFID tags or EPC labels. A secure VPN tunnel is established between a supplier and a seller. The VPN tunnel is associated with a particular supplier identifier such that only inventory data associated with the supplier identifier that matches the supplier is transmitted on the VPN tunnel, and inventory data associated with supplier identifiers that do not match the supplier are filtered out. Hence, the seller can provide the supplier with access to inventory data without exposing sensitive information related to the seller and other suppliers. |
| US08036943B2 |
Systems and methods for providing transferable item prices
Systems and methods are provided to associate a transferable item price with a first consumer and to determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price. In one embodiment, the first consumer arranges to purchase an item at a first price. The merchant transmits a transferable item price code to the first consumer. The first consumer sends the transferable item price code to the second consumer, such as by including the transferable item price code in an e-mail message. The second consumer transmits the transferable item price code to the merchant to establish that he or she is entitled to purchase the item at the first price. |
| US08036938B2 |
Personal check acceptance systems and methods
Tools for facilitating the acceptance of personal checks and other presentation instruments. The tools, in some aspects, allow for preauthorization of a personal check (or other presentation instrument) prior to the merchant receiving the actual check, allowing a merchant, for example, to accept an order by phone, obtain details about the check that will be used to pay for the order, obtain preauthorization to accept the check, and arrange for delivery of the order. Upon delivering the order, the merchant can receive the check, and then obtain a full authorization to accept the check. The full authorization can be based primarily on the preauthorization, giving the merchant assurance that the check will in fact be authorized. In some cases, the tools of the invention also settle the check; in a particular aspect, the check can be settled without requiring the merchant to deposit the check. |
| US08036936B2 |
Hybrid advertising campaign
Keywords and placement criteria related to a campaign are received. An advertisement request that specifies a web property, e.g., a web page, is received, and keywords and placement criteria that are satisfied by the web property are identified. Based on the identified keywords and placement criteria, an advertisement to be provided with the web property is selected. |
| US08036935B2 |
Computer self-support management
A computer based technique for providing a list of selectable computer solutions in a self-support environment. The technique includes sending a computer solution to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer for the computer solution from the list. The computer solution includes at least an automated solution. |
| US08036933B2 |
Systems and methods for providing advertisements in a communications network
A system provides advertising links. The system may received a query and provide a number of advertising links in response to the query. The number of advertising links may be dynamically adjusted based at least in part on the commercial-ness of the query. The display format of the advertising links may also be altered based at least in part on the commercial-ness of the query. |
| US08036931B2 |
Process and heuristic statistic for prospect selection through data mining
An initial set of prospects in a customer database is identified, by data mining, as initially identified prospects based on predetermined selection criteria. The number of initially identified prospects is compared to a target number of prospects. When the number of initially identified prospects matches the target number of prospects, the initially identified prospects are utilized as the final selection of prospects. When the number of initially identified prospects mismatches the target number of prospects, the final selection of prospects is determined by performing a culling process or an augmenting process to reduce or increase, respectively, the initial set of prospects using a heuristic measure H, until the number of prospects in the initial set of prospects matches the target number of prospects. |
| US08036926B2 |
Techniques for selecting calendar events by examining content of user's recent e-mail activity
A system and method for selecting calendar events based on examining the content of a user's recent e-mail activity. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a scheduling manager assembles a keyword list, wherein the keyword list includes a collection of keywords with associated weights for each keyword among the collection of keywords. If the scheduling manager detects at least two conflicting calendar events scheduled within a calendar program, the scheduling manager searches the at least two conflicting calendar events for at least one keyword on the keyword list. The scheduling manager computes a keyword weight score for each of the at least two conflicting calendar events. If one calendar event among the at least two conflicting calendar events has a highest keyword weight score, the scheduling manager schedules the one calendar event within the calendar program. |
| US08036922B2 |
Apparatus and computer-readable program for estimating man-hours for software tests
An additional storage processing part additionally stores, in a test information table, data relating to a test to be performed, each time any one of a plurality of tests is performed. An updating part updates the corresponding record in a skill level table each time the test is performed, and then an additional storage by the additional storage processing part is executed. A man-hour computing part executes the process of estimating a test man-hour relating to an evaluator and a test designated in accordance with the contents of a display in a display part. Thus, a test man-hour estimating apparatus can accurately estimate the man-hour of the test the evaluator performs repeatedly, based to the data stored in the test information table and the skill level table. |
| US08036918B1 |
Systems and methods for conversions of denied transactions through patient funding
Systems and methods may be provided for claim denial conversion. The systems and methods may include receiving a prescription claim from a pharmacy, where the prescription claim is associated with a drug or other product requested by a customer, routing the prescription claim to a claims processor for adjudication, and receiving, from the claims processor, a denied claim response for the claim request. The systems and methods may further include determining that funding is available to cover at least a portion of a price of the requested drug or other product, converting the denied claim response to an approved claim response upon determination of the available funding, and transmitting the approved claim response to the pharmacy. |
| US08036914B1 |
Systems and methods for supporting drug or product recalls
Systems and methods may be provided for supporting drug or product recalls. The systems and methods may include receiving a healthcare transaction request from a pharmacy computer associated with a pharmacy, wherein the healthcare transaction request includes an identification of a prescribed drug or product; determining, based upon the identification of the prescribed drug or product, that the prescribed drug or product is associated with a recall; providing, in response to the determination that the prescribed drug or product is associated with the recall, a response that includes information for accessing a web portal interface; receiving, over the web portal interface, lot numbers associated with pharmacy inventory of the prescribed drug or product; determining that one or more of the received lot numbers are affected by the recall; and generating a notification identifying the received lot numbers that are associated with the pharmacy inventory. |
| US08036908B2 |
System and method for the assembly of programs
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a system and method for the assembly of a program having one or more methods. In an embodiment, one or more sequences for the methods of the program are determined based, at least in part, on data format information provided by the methods. In one embodiment, one of the sequences is selected based, at least in part, on a data format efficiency computation. |
| US08036905B2 |
Method and system for processing the local return of remotely purchased products
The present invention provides a method and system for local return of a remotely purchased product. A guidelines-based validation and disposition decision process allows for a collection and disposition decision regarding a remotely purchased product to be made prior to returning the product to a remote retailer via an expensive shipping and handling process. By providing a dispersed method of disposition for returned product through online auction web sites, the returned product may be disposed of for consumers/partners one item at a time and the optimal financial return on the returned products may be captured. |
| US08036903B2 |
Analysis filterbank, synthesis filterbank, encoder, de-coder, mixer and conferencing system
An embodiment of an analysis filterbank for filtering a plurality of time domain input frames, wherein an input frame comprises a number of ordered input samples, comprises a windower configured to generate a plurality of windowed frames, wherein a windowed frame comprises a plurality of windowed samples, wherein the windower is configured to process the plurality of input frames in an overlapping manner using a sample advance value, wherein the sample advance value is less than the number of ordered input samples of an input frame divided by two, and a time/frequency converter configured to provide an output frame comprising a number of output values, wherein an output frame is a spectral representation of a windowed frame. |
| US08036902B1 |
Audio human verification
A system generates an audio challenge that includes a first voice and one or more second voices, the first voice being audibly distinguishable, by a human, from the one or more second voices. The first voice conveys first information and the second voice conveys second information. The system provides the audio challenge to a user and verifies that the user is human based on whether the user can identify the first information in the audio challenge. |
| US08036901B2 |
Systems and methods of performing speech recognition using sensory inputs of human position
Embodiments of the present invention improve methods of performing speech recognition using sensory inputs of human position. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a speech recognition method comprising sensing a change in position of at least one part of a human body, selecting a recognition set based on the change of position, receiving a speech input signal, and recognizing the speech input signal in the context of the first recognition set. |
| US08036898B2 |
Conversational speech analysis method, and conversational speech analyzer
The invention provides a conversational speech analyzer which analyzes whether utterances in a meeting are of interest or concern. Frames are calculated using sound signals obtained from a microphone and a sensor, sensor signals are cut out for each frame, and by calculating the correlation between sensor signals for each frame, an interest level which represents the concern of an audience regarding utterances is calculated, and the meeting is analyzed. |
| US08036895B2 |
Cooperative processing for portable reading machine
A handheld device includes an image input device capable of acquiring images, circuitry to send a representation of the image to a remote computing system that performs at least one processing function related to processing the image and circuitry to receive from the remote computing system data based on processing the image by the remote system. |
| US08036892B2 |
Speaker recognition in a multi-speaker environment and comparison of several voice prints to many
One-to-many comparisons of callers' voice prints with known voice prints to identify any matches between them. When a customer communicates with a particular entity, such as a customer service center, the system makes a recording of the real-time call including both the customer's and agent's voices. The system segments the recording to extract at least a portion of the customer's voice to create a customer voice print, and it formats the segmented voice print for network transmission to a server. The server compares the customer's voice print with multiple known voice prints to determine any matches, meaning that the customer's voice print and one of the known voice prints are likely from the same person. The identification of any matches can be used for a variety of purposes, such as determining whether to authorize a transaction requested by the customer. |
| US08036890B2 |
Speech recognition circuit using parallel processors
A speech recognition circuit comprises an input buffer for receiving processed speech parameters. A lexical memory contains lexical data for word recognition. The lexical data comprises a plurality of lexical tree data structures. Each lexical tree data structure comprises a model of words having common prefix components. An initial component of each lexical tree structure is unique. A plurality of lexical tree processors are connected in parallel to the input buffer for processing the speech parameters in parallel to perform parallel lexical tree processing for word recognition by accessing the lexical data in the lexical memory. A results memory is connected to the lexical tree processors for storing processing results from the lexical tree processors and lexical tree identifiers to identify lexical trees to be processed by the lexical tree processors. A controller controls the lexical tree processors to process lexical trees identified in the results memory by performing parallel processing on a plurality of said lexical tree data structures. |
| US08036887B2 |
CELP speech decoder modifying an input vector with a fixed waveform to transform a waveform of the input vector
A CELP speech decoder includes an adaptive codebook that generates an adaptive code vector and a random codebook that generates a random code vector. The random codebook includes an input vector provider that provides an input vector including at least one pulse, each pulse having a position and a polarity, a fixed waveform storage that stores at least one fixed waveform, and a selector that selects at least one of a first process and a second process based on a value of an adaptive codebook gain. The random codebook further includes a convolution section that generates the random code vector by convoluting the at least one fixed waveform with the input vector when the first process is selected. A synthesis filter outputs synthesized speech by performing linear prediction coefficient synthesis on a signal based on the adaptive code vector and the random code vector. |
| US08036883B2 |
Electronic device and a system using the same
By individuals in an organization possessing a portable node and acquiring sound information, an electronic device and a system that analyze human behavior, group formation, and an activity level of the organization and a system is provided. In an electronic device that has a radio communication unit and a microcomputer, sound is converted into an electrical signal by a microphone, and sound waveform information and characteristic information of sound are obtained using an amplifier, a filter, and an envelope generating circuit. An envelope signal being characteristic information of sound is compared with a reference value by a comparator. Characteristic information of sound when the signal does not reach the reference value, and sound waveform information when greater than the reference value are transmitted from the radio communication unit. The server learns human behavior, group formation; and an activity level of an organization by receiving and analyzing these pieces of information. |
| US08036880B2 |
Enhancing perceptual performance of SBR and related HFR coding methods by adaptive noise-floor addition and noise substitution limiting
Methods and an apparatus for enhancement of source coding systems utilizing high frequency reconstruction (HFR) are introduced. The problem of insufficient noise contents is addressed in a reconstructed highband, by using Adaptive Noise-floor Addition. New methods are also introduced for enhanced performance by means of limiting unwanted noise, interpolation and smoothing of envelope adjustment amplification factors. The methods and apparatus used are applicable to both speech coding and natural audio coding systems. |
| US08036873B2 |
Efficient clock models and their use in simulation
Methods simulating a system of devices are described. A model that simulates the system is executed. The system model includes a plurality of modules. A clock object for a module can be disabled when it is not needed or not being used. |
| US08036872B2 |
Systems and methods for performing automatic real-time harmonics analyses for use in real-time power analytics of an electrical power distribution system
A system for conducting performing real-time harmonics analysis of an electrical power distribution and transmission system is disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, a power analytics server and a client terminal. The data acquisition component is communicatively connected to a sensor configured to acquire real-time data output from the electrical system. The power analytics server is communicatively connected to the data acquisition component and is comprised of a virtual system modeling engine, an analytics engine and a machine learning engine. The machine learning engine is configured to store and process patterns observed from the real-time data output and the predicted data output, forecasting harmonic distortions in the electrical system subjected to a simulated contingency event. |
| US08036870B2 |
Simulation method for efficient characterization of electronic systems under variability effects
A method of determining the behavior of an electronic system comprising electronic components under variability is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises for at least one parameter of at least one of the electronic components, showing variability defining a range and a population of possible values within the range, each possible value having a probability of occurrence, thereby defining an input domain. The method further comprises selecting inputs randomly from the input domain, wherein the probability to sample (PTS) is obtained from the probability of occurrence (PTOIR). The method further comprises performing simulation to obtain the performance parameters of the electronic system, thereby defining an output domain sample. The method further comprises aggregating results of the individual computations into the parameter/variability of the electronic system and assigning a frequency of occurrence (FoO) to the resulting sample, the parameter variability and the frequency of occurrence defining the behavior. |
| US08036867B2 |
Method and apparatus for analysis of molecular configurations and combinations
Computing units are determined for performing molecular docking calculations in parallel with the number of computing units and the width of the data paths allocated by relative complexity of operations. Data can be expected to arrive at downstream computing units as it is needed, leading to higher utilization of computing units. Computing units are hardware components that are specific to a calculation performed. For molecular docking calculations, functions of molecular subsets or of combinations of molecular subsets are calculated. Determinations include fit between molecular subsets, affinity or energy of “fit” between molecular subsets, etc. Affinity might include inter-atomic energy, bond energy, energy of atoms immersed in a field, etc. The calculations could be used to simulate and/or estimate likelihoods of molecular interactions. |
| US08036861B2 |
Method and means for determining the replication rate of a viral population
The present invention relates to methods and means for determining the replication rate of a viral population. More specifically, the invention provides methods and means for determining the replication rate of a viral population by performing a linear regression on signal data generated by cells infected with dilutions of the viral population. The methods are useful for monitoring the progression of diseases associated with viruses, identifying effective drug regimens for the treatment of viral infections, and identifying and determining the biological effectiveness of potential therapeutic compounds. |
| US08036859B2 |
Disambiguation with respect to multi-grained dimension coordinates
Each of a plurality of dimension coordinates corresponding to a report query has a finer grain and a coarser grain. A subset of the dimension coordinates are dimension coordinates for which there is ambiguity as to what coarser grain value should be associated with the finer grain value. For every unique finer grain value of the dimension coordinates of the subset, it is determined what coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value. The determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value. For each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate. A report is generated in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values. |
| US08036857B2 |
Design modelling
A design modelling system for operating on disparate data models in a single application is provided. The design modelling system comprises at least one source file defining a source data model, a modelling development environment module for consuming source files, and an internal generic data model transformed from the source data model in accordance with direction provided by elements of consumed source files. |
| US08036854B2 |
Communication of a diagnostic signal and a functional signal by an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit 300 includes a functional circuit 310 and a diagnostic circuit 330. The integrated circuit includes a signal interface controller 320 operable to monitor a signal associated with at least one of the functional circuit and the diagnostic circuit to control selective communication of a diagnostic signal and a functional signal for communication across a signal interface in dependence upon the monitored signal. A further integrated circuit has a signal interface providing a communication path and communicates a functional signal having at least one multi-bit value in which at least one bit is replaced by data of a diagnostic signal. |
| US08036849B2 |
Module for measuring physical attributes linked to exercise, system for analyzing physical attributes linked to exercise and including the module, and method of applying the module
A module for measuring physical attributes linked to includes a pad that is attachable or wearable to the body of a person; a signal sensing unit installed on the pad to sense at least one type of physical attributes signal that changes according to motions of the body; and a transmitting unit transmitting the physical attributes signal sensed by the signal sensing unit. A system including the module and a method of applying the module is also provided. |
| US08036843B2 |
Computer readable medium and method of improving ras characteristics relating to calibration algorithms in an automated robotic system
An automated data library system employs a calibration sensor, the fiducial target and a controller in electrical communication with the calibration sensor to create a calibration sensor pixel image of a calibration area surrounding an expected location of the fiducial target within the automated data storage library by executing one or more vertical calibration sensor scans and/or one or more horizontal calibration sensor scans of the calibration area, and monitoring an output of the calibration sensor scans at defined position intervals. The expected location of the fiducial target can be on a data storage drive of the library or a storage shelf of the library. The controller can execute a debugging procedure, a diagnostic test and/or an error recovery procedure based on the calibration sensor pixel image. |
| US08036840B2 |
Battery management method
A battery management method is provided which suitably includes measuring voltage, current and temperature of a battery, calculating the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery using the integration value of the measured current of the battery, and calibrating the calculated SOC of the battery. The voltage, current and temperature of the battery are measured by an Electronic control Unit (ECU). |
| US08036839B2 |
Battery state determining apparatus
A battery state determining apparatus is provided which can accurately determine a state of a lead battery in an automotive vehicle. The apparatus calculates a corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 from an open-circuit voltage (OCV) measuring section that measures the open circuit voltage Vst of the lead battery at an engine starting time in accordance with a temperature of the vehicle. The apparatus further calculates a battery determination voltage Vst_th representing a voltage of the lead battery at an engine starting time when a growth rate of internal resistance of the lead battery reaches a predetermined value from the open-circuit voltage OCV. The apparatus then determines the battery state of the lead battery by determining whether the corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 is larger than the battery determination voltage Vst_th and whether the corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 belongs to a predetermined region on a characteristic map. |
| US08036837B2 |
Diagnostic method for detecting control valve component failure
The claimed method and system identifies faults and/or deterioration of components in a process control valve. The system may use different sensor combinations to provide the necessary data to compute irregular component integrity. Alerts may be generated to indicate potential component integrity problems. In particular, the system may detect potential deterioration and/or faults in actuator springs, pneumatic tubing and piping, and bellows seals. The claimed system may be communicatively coupled to a process control network to provide a more elaborate alarm system. Moreover, additional statistical methods may be used to refine the detection accuracy of the system. |
| US08036825B2 |
Navigation system
A navigation system includes current position calculating sections 10, 13, 14, and 15 calculating the current position; an input section 3 inputting the destination and transit points; a route searching section 130 searching a route from the current position calculated by the current position calculating section to the destination or the transit points inputted by the input section; and a guiding section 140 guiding a user along the route searched by the route searching section. The navigation system further includes a control section 10, which, when the route searched by the route searching section contains special roads, causes the propriety of use of the special roads contained the searched route to be individually selected, and makes a re-search for a route containing the special roads the use of which is selected by control of the control section. |
| US08036816B2 |
Totally integrated temperature sensor
An idle control system for a vehicle is provided. |
| US08036815B2 |
System for restarting internal combustion engine when engine restart request occurs
In a system, a starter includes a motor for rotatably driving an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator that shifts the pinion toward a ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A monitor unit monitors a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops after an automatic control for stop of the engine. When an engine restart request occurs with the rotational speed being within a preset range during the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine dropping by the automatic control for stop of the engine, a drive unit drives the actuator to shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. The drive unit rotatably drives the motor with the pinion being engaged with the ring gear to thereby crank the crankshaft. |
| US08036812B2 |
Method for controlling an internal combustion engine
A system and method are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine in which actual concentration of combusted gas in the intake is compared with desired concentration of combusted gas in the intake. When a difference is detected, at least one of start of injection timing and quantity of fuel injected is adjusted in accordance with the difference. The actual concentration of combusted gas in the intake is estimated based on engine sensors such as an oxygen sensor coupled to an engine intake. The adjustment of injection timing and/or quantity of fuel is performed, according to some embodiments, during a transition between a low temperature combustion mode and a standard diesel combustion mode. |
| US08036811B2 |
Method for evaluating the quantity of fuel injected by a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine, particularly a diesel common-rail engine
A method is provided that includes, but is not limited to acquiring the crankshaft speed signal while one fuel injector is energized for a determined period of time (ET) in which all the other fuel injectors are de-energized, processing the acquired crankshaft speed signal so as to obtain signals or data (A) representative of the amplitude of a predetermined harmonic component of the crankshaft speed signal, and calculating the power (RMS/MS) of said harmonic component, and assuming the calculated power value (C) as an estimation of the quantity of fuel actually injected by the energized injector in said predetermined period of time (ET). |
| US08036807B2 |
Control strategy for transitioning among combustion modes in an internal combustion engine
A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of controllable engine actuators includes operating the engine in a first combustion mode using a first control scheme while simultaneously simulating operating the engine in a second combustion mode using a second control scheme and in accordance with simulated control settings for the plurality of controllable engine actuators, and transitioning operation of the engine to the second combustion mode using the second control scheme and initially in accordance with the simulated control settings for the plurality of controllable engine actuators. |
| US08036806B2 |
Variable valve actuation system of internal combustion engine and control apparatus of internal combustion engine
In a control apparatus of a supercharged internal combustion engine, a variable valve actuation system interacts with an engine control system. A controller is configured or programmed to increase an intake-valve lift by a variable valve lift mechanism, which is provided for variably controlling at least the intake-valve lift of engine valves, when starting from a vehicle stand-still state or when accelerating from an idling state or a light load state. The controller is further configured or programmed to increase a valve overlap of intake and exhaust valves by a variable phase control mechanism, which is provided for variably phase-shifting a central phase angle of a valve lift characteristic curve of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves, while increasing a boost pressure of intake air introduced into an engine cylinder by a supercharging device, after the intake-valve lift has been increased. |
| US08036801B2 |
Control device for vehicle drive device
A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including a differential mechanism including an electric motor. The drive system includes a switching clutch and switching brake to switch the transmission mechanism between a continuously-variable shifting state and a step-variable shifting state. A shifting control mechanism changes a manner of controlling shifting action of the transmission mechanism during shifting action of an automatic transmission portion, for reducing a shifting shock, depending upon whether a differential portion is placed in the continuously-variable shifting state in which engine speed is variable due to differential function irrespective of rotating speed of power transmitting member, or the non-continuously-variable shifting state in which the engine speed is more difficult to be variable than in the continuously-variable shifting state. |
| US08036799B2 |
Method and device for controlling a fluid-actuated control system
A method and device for controlling a fluid-actuated control system, to optimize post-switching times for actuation of control elements in such systems. The system includes at least one pressure medium source, at least one hydraulically controlled control element and a device for controlling the fluid-actuated control system. The optimum post-switching time after hydraulic actuation of the control element, depends on a number of different factors such as a control-element-specific parameter, a specific mounting location of the control element, at least one operating parameter of the fluid-actuated control system and/or of the vehicle. A post-switching time control device controls and/or regulates at least the duration of a post-switching time of the at least one control element and with the above factors determines the post-switching time. |
| US08036796B2 |
Seat apparatus for vehicle
A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a side support portion moved in first and second directions, a driving device moving the side support portion in the first direction and in the second direction, a vehicle location obtaining means for obtaining vehicle location information including a present location of the vehicle, a curve information preliminarily obtaining means for preliminarily obtaining curve information on a map data including a curve starting point located in an area existing a first predetermined distance ahead from the present location of the vehicle, a control starting point determining means for determining a point existing a second predetermined distance closer to the vehicle than the curve starting point as a control starting point, a control starting point memorizing means for memorizing the control starting point, and a drive control means for starting control on the driving device when the vehicle reaches the control starting point. |
| US08036795B2 |
Image based occupant classification systems for determining occupant classification and seat belt status and vehicles having same
An image based occupant classification system includes an image sensor and an image processor. The image sensor is configured to capture vehicular occupant information. The image processor is in communication with the image sensor. The image processor is configured to perform first sampling operations upon the vehicular occupant information to determine occupant classification. The image processor is further configured to perform second sampling operations upon the vehicular occupant information to determine a seat belt status. Each of the first sampling operations is conducted at a separate time from each of the second sampling operations. Vehicles are also provided. |
| US08036792B2 |
Method for determining a set steering angle of steered wheels of a vehicle
The invention relates to a method for determining a set steering angle βo of steered wheels of a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer that is articulated with regard to the tractor. This method makes it possible to produce a set value that can be used for various purposes. This set value can thus be used for controlling an actuator acting upon the steering angle or for being communicated in order to inform the driver. According to the invention, during reversing maneuvers: based on a target point C via which the driver would like the path of the vehicle to pass, an angle set value ?c between the axes of the trailer and of the tractor is determined according to said target point C and to the dimensions of the vehicle, and; the set steering angle β of the steered wheels is determined according to a servo-system causing the measured angle ? between the axis of the trailer and the tractor to tend toward said angle set value ?c. |
| US08036791B2 |
Vehicular damping force control device
A suspension ECU 13 calculates a target characteristic changing coefficient a_new for changing a target characteristic, which is represented by a quadratic function, by use of the maximum actual roll angle Φ_max generated in a vehicle body during the current turning state and a turning pitch angle Θ_fy_max which is a fraction of an actual pitch angle Θ generated as a result of turning, and changes the target characteristic by use of the coefficient a_new. Subsequently, the suspension ECU 13 calculates the difference ΔΘ between the actual pitch angle Θ and a target pitch angle Θh corresponding to the actual roll angle Φ on the basis of the changed target characteristic, and calculates a total demanded damping force F to be cooperatively generated by the shock absorbers so as to reduce the difference ΔΘ to zero. Furthermore, in proportion to the magnitude of a lateral acceleration Gl, the suspension ECU 13 distributes the total demanded damping force F into a demanded damping force Fi on the turning-locus inner side and a demanded damping force Fo on the turning-locus outer side. |
| US08036787B2 |
Control device for power storage device and vehicle
An SOC calculating unit calculates a first value based on an open voltage of a battery upon startup of a vehicle (when the operation of the battery starts), and has a calculated second value stored in a storage unit upon stop of the vehicle (when the operation of the battery ends). An initial value selecting unit selects the first value as an initial value when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and selects the second value as the initial value when this condition is not satisfied. In a case where the first value has low reliability, the second value is set as the initial value even if the second value may be deviated from an actual SOC value. This can reduce a difference between the SOC value stored in advance and the actual SOC value as compared with that in a case where the first value is set as the initial value. |
| US08036785B2 |
Hybrid vehicle powertrain control method
A method for controlling a powertrain of a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a motor/generator, a battery that is rechargeable using at least one of the engine and the motor/generator, and a powertrain control module (PCM) includes determining a current location of the vehicle as a starting point of a preferred route, recording a user-selected ending point of the preferred route, and processing route information using the PCM to thereby determine an optimally fuel efficient route for reaching the ending point. The method includes automatically executing the powertrain control strategy over the optimally fuel efficient route by substantially depleting a charge level of the battery as the vehicle travels over the optimally fuel efficient route such that the charge level of the battery is depleted when the vehicle reaches the ending point. When the ending point is not recorded, the PCM can default to a charge-sustaining mode. |
| US08036783B2 |
Device for error detection of adjustable flaps
With a device for error detection of adjustable flaps on aircraft wings, it is proposed that each flap is provided with a tube as a transmission element arranged in the wing span. The tube is connected fixedly at one end with the flap and is rotatably held. On the free end of the tube, a measuring arm is fixedly arranged on the tube and a sensor fixed to the flap structure is arranged. When an error occurs, the flap twists, whereby a distance change between the sensor and measuring arm occurs. The signals of the sensor are transmitted for error localization of each flap to an evaluation device, which switches off the drive via a control device with occurring errors. |
| US08036781B2 |
Driving operation assisting system, method and vehicle incorporating the system
A driving assisting for calculating risk potential by considering a response delay by the driver and transmitting information related to the risk potential to the operator in a haptic manner. A controller is provided to estimate the response delay based on an operation performed by the operator. Based on the estimated response delay, the controller calculates a future position at which the risk potential is to be calculated. The longer the response delay, the remoter the future position is. The shorter the response delay, the nearer the future position is. The calculated risk potential at the future position may be transmitted to the operator via a pressing force from one of right and left side portions of a driver's seat occupied by the operator. |
| US08036777B2 |
Room lighting atmosphere creating system
The present invention relates to a room atmosphere creating system having a microprocessor electrically connected to a sensing circuit, a storage memory, and a distributing unit. The distributing unit is connected to an atmosphere circuit. The microprocessor transmits the room atmosphere conditions in the storage memory to the atmosphere circuit via the distributing unit. The room atmosphere conditions controlled by the atmosphere circuit are divided into audio condition, light condition, and temperature condition. The light device, temperature device, and audio device generate corresponding room atmosphere effects to synchronously control the light, temperature, and audio effects in accordance with the room atmosphere mode set by the user, and in cooperation with the wireless circuit for receiving the room atmosphere conditions transmitted by the wireless remote control, remote controlling of the room atmosphere conditions is able to be achieved.If there is an emergency such as a fire alarm, the system may immediately stop the normal visual and audio effects and generate warning signals. |
| US08036775B2 |
Obstacle avoidance system for a user guided mobile robot
The system includes a mobile apparatus that moves after receiving an input of a path. The system has a path-setting unit for setting the path of a mobile apparatus according to the inputted path, a measuring unit for measuring an environment in which the mobile apparatus exists, an extracting unit for extracting an object existence region in the environment according to the values measured by the measuring unit, a judging unit that judges the validity of the path according to (1) the path set by the path setting unit and (2) the object existence region extracted by the extracting unit, a position determining unit that determines a target position to which the mobile apparatus is to move by selecting it from the portions of the path judged as valid, and a movement controller for controlling the mobile apparatus to move to the target position. |
| US08036774B2 |
Automated business system and method of vending and returning a consumer product
System and method of dispensing disc-based media and other consumer products. A user can interact with an automated business system to select disc-based media for rental and/or purchase. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the interior of the automated business system and dispense the selection through a port to the user. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the port in a return process. |
| US08036771B2 |
Transportation vehicle system and method of controlling transportation vehicle
A transportation vehicle measures its own absolute position, and transmits the measured absolute position to a ground controller. The ground controller keeps track of positions of a plurality of transportation vehicles in real time, and sends running instructions to travel, while avoiding interference between the transportation vehicles. As a result, the ground controller can control travel of the transportation vehicles in real time. |
| US08036770B2 |
Numerical control unit with set amount of execution
A numerical control apparatus with a single block function is provided including a start button (3), an execution amount setting unit (13), and a machining program execution controller (4). Once the amount of execution of the machining program to be executed by a single operation is set in the execution amount setting unit, the machining program execution controller (4) batch executes the blocks included in the set amount of execution upon a single operation, such as a depression, of the start button (3). Additionally, upon detecting a block including a non-cutting command or a command for abruptly changing a machining direction, the machining program execution controller (4) suspends the execution of the machining program as of that block and waits for the start button (3) to be depressed again. |
| US08036767B2 |
System for extracting and changing the reverberant content of an audio input signal
A method and apparatus for extracting and changing the reverberant content of an input signal is provided. The method of estimating an impulse response for a reverberant system includes sampling a signal from a reverberant system, having an impulse response, into a sequence of blocks, for each block of the sequence, determining a magnitude in dependence upon a magnitude of a previous block, forming an estimate of the impulse response using determined magnitudes as parameters for a finite impulse response filter. The method of creating a multi-channel signal using a signal with fewer channels from a reverberant system includes sampling the signal from a reverberant system, having an impulse response, into a sequence of blocks, for each block of the sequence, determining a magnitude in dependence upon a magnitude of a previous block, forming an estimate of the impulse response using determined magnitudes as parameters for a finite impulse response filter, applying an inverse of the estimated impulse response to the signal to derive at least one of a direct signal component and a reverberant signal component, and recombining the direct signal component and the reverberant signal component to create a multi-channel signal. |
| US08036765B2 |
Method for qualitative evaluation of a digital audio signal
The invention relates to a method of qualitatively evaluating a digital audio signal. It calculates a quality indicator consisting of a vector associated with each time window in real time, in continuous time, and in successive time windows. For example, the generation of a quality indicator vector calculates, for a reference audio signal and for an audio signal to be evaluated, the spectral power density of the audio signal, the coefficients of a prediction filter, using an autoregressive method, a temporal activity of the signal or the minimum value of the spectrum in successive blocks of the signal. To evaluate the deterioration of the audio signal, the method may calculate a distance between the vectors of the reference audio signal and the audio signal to be evaluated associated with each time window. |
| US08036764B2 |
Virtual sensor network (VSN) system and method
A method is used for providing sensing data to a control system of a machine. The method may include providing a plurality of virtual sensors, each of which may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include integrating the plurality of virtual sensors into a virtual sensor network; determining interdependencies among the plurality of virtual sensors; and obtaining operational information of the plurality of virtual sensors. Further, the method may include determining a first condition under which the virtual sensor network is unfit to provide one or more virtual sensor output parameter to the control system based on the determined interdependencies and the operational information; and presenting the determined first condition to the control system. |
| US08036763B2 |
Dynamic controller utilizing a hybrid model
A system and method for predicting operation of a plant or process receive an input value from the plant or process. An integrity of a non-linear model corresponding to a local input space of the input value may be determined. The non-linear model may include an empirical representation of the plant or process. If the integrity is above a first threshold, non-linear model may be used to provide a first output value. However, if the integrity is below the first threshold, a linearized first principles model may be used to provide a second output value. The linearized first principles model may include an analytic representation of the plant or process. Additionally, the analytic representation of the plant or process may be independent of the empirical representation of the plant or process. The first output value and/or the second output value may be usable to manage the plant or process. |
| US08036762B1 |
Adaptive compensation in digital power controllers
Complex filters may be used to achieve compensation of a plant, corresponding for example to a power regulator or point-of-load (POL) regulator. Digital filter coefficients may be mapped to analogous poles and zeros, or they may be mapped to values of the quality factor (Q) of the output, frequency, and gain. The plant may be observed and characterized using a network analyzer to generate the Bode plot (or Nyquist plot) for the plant. The digital filter coefficients may be mapped to features that may be identified on the Bode plot (or Nyquist plot) to easily correlate characteristics of the digital filter or digital compensator to the plant characteristics. The mapped features may be adjusted, for example by a user, either manually or by executing one or more optimization algorithms, to achieve the desired results relative to the Bode plot (or Nyquist plot). The mapped features may then be reverse mapped to the digital filter or digital compensator coefficients to fine tune and implement the digital filter or digital compensator. |
| US08036758B2 |
System and method for continuous supply chain control and optimization using stochastic calculus of variations approach
A system includes a first controller configured to monitor processes associated with a process facility and to generate control data for optimizing the process facility. The system also includes a second controller configured to use stochastic calculus of variations calculations to modify at least a portion of the control data and provide one of (i) continuous supply chain control and optimization for the process facility and (ii) discrete supply chain control and optimization for the process facility. The system further includes third controllers configured to operate in accordance with the control data to control the processes and to optimize the process facility. |
| US08036754B2 |
Use of stimulation pulse shape to control neural recruitment order and clinical effect
A method, electrical tissue stimulation system, and programmer for providing therapy to a patient are provided. Electrodes are placed adjacent tissue (e.g., spinal cord tissue) of the patient, electrical stimulation energy is delivered from the electrodes to the tissue in accordance with a defined waveform, and a pulse shape of the defined waveform is modified, thereby changing the characteristics of the electrical stimulation energy delivered from the electrode(s) to the tissue. The pulse shape may be modified by selecting one of a plurality of different pulse shape types or by adjusting a time constant of the pulse shape. |
| US08036751B2 |
Retinal prosthesis with side mounted inductive coil
The invention is a retinal prosthesis with an inductive coil mounted to the side of the eye by means of a strap around the eye. This allows for close coupling to an external coil and movement of the entire implanted portion with movement of the eye ball. |
| US08036747B2 |
System and method of rapid, comfortable parameter switching in spinal cord stimulation
A system and method for rapidly switching stimulation parameters of a Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system increases the number of stimulation parameter sets that may be tested during a fitting procedure, or alternatively, reduces the time required for the fitting procedure. The switching method comprises selecting a new stimulation parameter set, and setting the initial stimulation levels to levels at or just below an estimated perception threshold of the patient. The estimated perception level is based on previous stimulation results. The stimulation level is then increased to determine a minimum stimulation level for effective stimulation, and/or an optimal stimulation level, and/or a maximum stimulation level, based on patient perception. |
| US08036746B2 |
Temporary disablement feature for implantable device with anti-tachyarrhythmia functions
An implantable cardiac rhythm management device for delivering anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy is provided with a temporary disablement feature so that the delivery of anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy may be conveniently disabled and re-enabled. The feature is particularly useful to patients who are undergoing imaging procedures or surgical procedures where electro-cauterizing instruments may cause inadvertent triggering of cardioversion/defibrillation shocks and/or anti-tachycardia pacing. |
| US08036741B2 |
Method and system for nerve stimulation and cardiac sensing prior to and during a medical procedure
A method of performing a medical procedure, such as surgery, is provided. A nerve is stimulated in order to adjust the beating of the heart to a first condition, such as a stopped or slowed condition. The medical procedure is performed on the heart or another organ. The stimulation of the nerve is stopped in order to adjust the beating of the heart to a second condition, such as a beating condition. The heart itself may also be stimulated to a beating condition, such as by pacing. The stimulation of the nerve may be continued in order to allow the medical procedure to be continued. A sensor to sense a characteristic of a fluid or tissue, such as an impending contraction, may be also used during the medical procedure. Systems and devices for performing the medical procedure are also provided. |
| US08036740B2 |
Wet-tantalum reformation method and apparatus
A method of reforming a wet-tantalum capacitor includes providing a medical device comprising a wet-tantalum capacitor. The capacitor has a rated voltage and including a hydrated anodic deposit. The method further includes charging the capacitor to a voltage that is less than approximately seventy-five percent of the rated voltage and at least partially discharging the capacitor after the charging step. The charging step is performed at a sufficient voltage to dehydrate the anodic deposit while not significantly decreasing the service life of the capacitor. |
| US08036739B2 |
Electrical energy delivery tissue site validation
Electrical energy delivery tissue site validation systems and methods can determine an indication of a tissue type at a tissue site. This information can be used to enable or inhibit electrical energy delivery to the tissue site. The tissue type at the tissue site can be determined such as by delivering a test electrical energy and sensing a responsive electrical energy. An electrical connectivity to the tissue site can also be determined, such as by using a sensed intrinsic electrical signal at the tissue site. Tissue type information may be communicated externally, such as to allow user confirmation or override of the determined indication of tissue type at the tissue site, such as by a physician, user, or other operator. |
| US08036737B2 |
Automated impedance measurement of an implantable medical device
Aspects of the present invention relate to automatic impedance measurements between one or more electrodes in a set of electrodes that may be associated with a lead of an implanted device. A voltage measurement that is associated with a stimulation pulse between the two electrodes may be made. The voltage measurement may be used to determine the impedance between the two electrodes. The impedance measurement may be made for each possible pair of electrodes in the set of electrodes. The impedance measurements may be displayed to a clinician on a user interface. |
| US08036734B2 |
Method for determining cardiac impulse conduction and associated medical device
A method for determining cardiac impulse conduction, in particular three-dimensional cardiac impulse conduction, in a patient, comprising: generating an image recording of an area of the body of the patient capturing at least partially electrocardiogram electrodes arranged on the body of the patient by an imaging modality; determining positions of the electrocardiogram electrodes in a system of coordinates assigned to the imaging modality; recording of potential data of some of the electrocardiogram electrodes; and reconstructing cardiac impulse conduction depending on the determined positions of the electrocardiogram electrodes, the image recording and the recording of potential data of the electrocardiogram electrodes, wherein at least one image recording is generated substantially simultaneously with the recording of potential data of the electrocardiogram electrodes or is generated in the period between two recordings of potential data of the electrocardiogram electrodes. |
| US08036730B1 |
Temporal magnetic resonance imaging
A patient is subjected to magnetic resonance imaging at substantial intervals such as weeks, months or years, or after an interval sufficient for a therapeutic regimen to affect the anatomy, and the data acquired at different times is compared to show changes in the anatomy with time or due to the effects of the therapeutic regimen. Individual data elements or larger groups of plural data elements representing particular locations a set of image data acquired at one time can be automatically compared with data elements associated with the same locations in another set of image data acquired at another time to yield a set of comparison data. |
| US08036728B2 |
Signal processing apparatus
The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals using various processing techniques. In certain embodiments, the measured signals are physiological signals. In certain embodiments, the measurements relate to blood constituent measurements including blood oxygen saturation. |
| US08036726B2 |
Sliding module for portable terminal
A sliding module for a portable terminal which has a first housing and a second housing sliding on the first housing is disclosed, the sliding module slidably coupling the first and second housings. The sliding module includes a sliding plate mounted on a surface of the first housing; at least one guide rod mounted on a surface of the second housing and slidably coupled to the sliding plate, the guide rod being extended in the longitudinal direction of the second housing; at least one first guide rib formed on the sliding plate; and at least one second guide rib formed on the surface of the second housing, wherein the second guide rib is slidably engaged with the first guide rib, and maintains at least partial engagement with the first guide rib within a sliding range of the second housing. |
| US08036725B2 |
Mobile device
A mobile device includes a trigger having a molded component defining the outer shape of the mobile device, and a rod-like body fixed to the molded component at one end. A housing has a hole into which the rod-like body is inserted. Guide walls guide movement of the rod-like body in the direction in which the rod-like body is inserted into or pulled from the hole. A sensor detects that the trigger has been operated in the direction in which the rod-like body is pulled from the hole. An alarm device is activated in response to detection of the operation of the trigger by the sensor. The trigger has sheet-metal members fixed to the molded component and guided by the guide walls by their being moved in contact with the guide walls in the direction in which the rod-like body is inserted or pulled. |
| US08036723B2 |
Keypad and microphone arrangement
Disclosed is a keypad and microphone arrangement for a communication device. The arrangement comprises: a key having a cap portion and a stem portion; a base layer attached to the stem portion; a key circuit to recognize activation of the key; a support member to support the key and base layer; a microphone located beneath the support member; a port in the base layer extending from an upper surface of the base, through an interior of the base layer, to a lower surface of the base layer. The support member has an opening extending from its top surface, through its interior, to its bottom surface. There is also an air channel connecting the microphone to ambient air above the cap portion, the air channel comprising the port and the opening. The stem portion and the cap portion are located about the port such that the cap portion extends fully over the port. The arrangement may be used in any communication device having voice reception capabilities. |
| US08036721B1 |
Wearable access point
A portable access point comprises a wireless LAN transceiver that selectively establishes a plurality of Ethernet wireless links with a plurality of wireless client devices, respectively. A wireless WAN transceiver establishes an Ethernet data connection with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), receives and forwards Ethernet data packets from at least one of said wireless client devices to said ISP and receives and forwards Ethernet data packets from said ISP to said one of said wireless client devices. A routing device routes Ethernet data packets between said wireless LAN transceiver and said wireless WAN transceiver. A control module controls operation of said wireless LAN transceiver and said wireless WAN transceiver. A first storage device stores operating system and application instructions for said control module. |
| US08036720B1 |
Method and system for conserving power in a telecommunications network during emergency situations
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for conserving power in a telecommunications network during emergency situations. A permissible number list of emergency and/or priority numbers is stored in the telecommunications network. In the event of an emergency or power failure, input digits of a call to the telecommunications network are compared to the permissible number list. The call is processed in the telecommunications network and routed to its destination if the input digits match an entry in the permissible number list. The call is dropped without any further processing if the input digits do not match an entry in the permissible number list. Thus, power can be conserved in emergency situations by only allowing emergency and/or priority calls. |
| US08036711B2 |
System and method for antenna selection
Systems and methods that provide antenna selection in multi-antenna-element communication systems are provided. In one embodiment, a system that selects N antenna elements in an M-antenna-element transmitter or an M-antenna-element receiver, in which N is less than M, may include, for example, M antenna elements in the M-antenna-element transmitter or the M-antenna-element receiver; N RF chains; and a switch coupled to the N RF chains. The M-antenna-element receiver may determine a bit error rate for each possible N antenna element subset of the M antenna elements. The M-antenna-element receiver may determine the particular N antenna element subset with a lowest bit error rate. In response to the determination of the particular N antenna element subset with the lowest bit error rate, the switch may couple the N RF chains to the particular N antenna element subset with the lowest bit error rate. |
| US08036709B2 |
System for packet data service in the mixed network of asynchronous communication network and synchronous communication network and hand-over method thereof
Disclosed herein is a mobile communication terminal and handover method therefor, which enable handover of a mobile communication terminal that is using a packet data service or is in a dormant state in a mobile communication network in which asynchronous and synchronous networks coexist. In the handover method, if a channel is assigned between a mobile communication terminal and a synchronous mobile communication system in response to a request from an asynchronous mobile communication system as a mobile communication terminal using packet data service in the asynchronous mobile communication system moves into an area of the synchronous mobile communication system, call setup is performed. A node B of the asynchronous communication releases a connection to the mobile communication system and assigns a new mobile IP to the mobile communication terminal, thus providing continuous packet data service to the mobile communication terminal. |
| US08036708B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and mobile communication method
There is provided a mobile communication terminal in which at occurrence of instantaneous disconnection in the contact of a card, the disconnection is restored without displaying the alarm by use of a simple configuration and unpleasantness is not imposed to the user.The terminal includes an interruption detection module 110 to detect an inserted state of a card and an SIM communication controller 111 to determine presence or absence of removal or replacement of the card in response to detection by the interruption detection module 110; the controller 111 makes the terminal continue a normal operation if it is determined that neither the removal nor the replacement is present. |
| US08036707B2 |
Method and system for tracking mobile communication device using instant messaging
Provided is a method for tracking any mobile electronic device which accesses wireless or wired network using Instant Messaging (IM). The mobile device, capable of instant messenger (IM) functionality, allows storage of one or more IM IDs in a separate non-volatile memory. When the mobile device is lost/stolen, and another person changes the SIM card, the phone verifies if the SIM card is the same as that of the owner by matching the IMSI numbers of the two. If there is a mismatch, the mobile device triggers the tracking feature. The tracking feature automatically and stealthily transmits instant messages to the stored messenger IDs. Furthermore, with video/voice capability in the IM client, there is a provision for transmitting live video/voice of the person using the mobile phone after the tracking feature is enabled as video calls or voice calls respectively. |
| US08036700B2 |
Mobile communication system and mobile terminal
A mobile communication system comprise: a reception unit receiving data from a mobile terminal having a phone call function via a common channel being a communication channel through which a plurality of mobile terminals receive data; a storage unit storing data received by the reception unit and an identifier of the mobile terminal serving as a transmission source of the data in association with each other; and an answer unit reading, when a phone call device having a phone call function makes a call to the mobile terminal, the data stored in the storage unit in association with the mobile terminal serving as a call destination to send a response based on the data to the phone call device. |
| US08036699B2 |
Audio output device, its alarm output control method, and its control program
It is possible to surely protect the user's ear from a sudden large volume and enable the user to surely and clearly hear a sound as information to be alarmed. In case an incoming call signal is received when the user holds a mobile telephone (1) at the speaking position and listens to a message output from an audio output unit (8), a control unit (17) makes a vibrator (27) generate a vibration as an alarm to call user's attention. At the timing when the user has sufficiently separated the mobile telephone (1) from his/her ear, the control unit (17) makes the audio output unit (8) output a ringtone of large volume. Thus, it is possible to surely protect the user's ear from a sudden large volume. Even when a music composition to notify the receipt of incoming call signal is used as a ringtone, the user can surely and clearly hear the sound as information to be alarmed. |
| US08036695B2 |
Power control apparatus in mobile terminal
An apparatus for controlling power of a mobile terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a power conversion for providing a ground connection during a time interval if a power value is input for testing the mobile terminal and a power control unit having one terminal for controlling the power of the mobile terminal wherein, if the given power value is grounded during the time interval and a voltage level required to control power of the mobile terminal changes, the power control unit turns on power to the mobile terminal. |
| US08036692B2 |
Brew platform enabling advanced voice services (AVS) including push-to-talk, push-to-conference and push-to-message on wireless handsets and networks
A client application that provides advanced voice services (AVS), such as Push-to-Talk (P2T), Push-to-Conference (P2C), Upgrade to Conference (upgrade from P2T to P2C), Push-to-Message (P2M) and group SMS (Short Message Service), on wireless handsets and networks using a Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW™), which is an open architecture that serves as a common platform for wireless applications. The functionality provided by the BREW™ AVS client application includes menu displays for the handset, as well as user interaction with the menu displays. Specifically, the functionality includes One-to-One Conference Calls, One-to-Many Conference Calls, Dynamic Conference Calls, One-to-One Messaging, or One-to-Many Messaging. |
| US08036686B2 |
Motion adaptive wireless local area network, wireless communications device and integrated circuits for use therewith
A circuit includes an on-chip gyrating circuit that generates a motion parameter based on motion of the circuit. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver receives a GPS signal and that generates GPS position data based on the GPS signal. A processing module processes the motion parameter to produce motion data, generates position information based on at least one of the GPS position data and the motion data, converts outbound data into an outbound symbol stream, and converts an inbound symbol stream into inbound data. A wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver section generates an outbound RF signal from the outbound symbol stream, and converts an inbound RF signal into the inbound symbol stream. |
| US08036680B2 |
Location information system and method for performing notification based upon location
According to an embodiment, a location based notification method in a SLP (SUPL Location Platform) includes transmitting, by the SLP, a session initialization message including a notification mode parameter indicating one or more of notification and verification based upon the location of the terminal to the terminal; receiving a positioning initialization message from the terminal; calculating the location of the terminal by performing a positioning process with the terminal; transmitting a session notification message including a notification element to the terminal when the location of the terminal is calculated; receiving a session notification response message including a notification response by the user of the terminal from the terminal; and transmitting the location of the terminal to a client who has requested the location of the terminal when the session notification response message is received. |
| US08036676B2 |
Frequency sharing method, receiving station and transmitting station
In a frequency sharing radio system including a plurality of systems that share a specific frequency, upon establishment of a new system using a frequency that an existing system uses, a receiving station of the existing system receives a signal from a transmitting station of the existing system at a transmission frequency. The receiving station of the existing system transmits a beacon signal indicating a reception range thereof at the transmission frequency. A transmitting station of the new system detects a beacon signal transmitted from a receiving station of another system, and judges whether signal transmission is possible based on a result of the detection. |
| US08036674B2 |
Inter-cell interference prediction for frequency resource allocation
A method predicts resource allocations in a wireless network including a set of base stations (BSs). Each BS is in a cell, and serves a set of mobile stations. A sequence and rule of resource allocations are defined for all of the BSs. Previous resource allocations are acquired from the BSs in adjacent cells. In each BS, for a next allocation, inter-cell interference (ICI) is predicted independently for the set of MSs in the cell based on the previous resource allocations by the BSs in the adjacent cells and the sequence and rule of resource allocations. Then, each BS allocates the resources to the MSs in the cell based on the ICI and the previous resource allocations. |
| US08036673B2 |
Status notification method in wireless communication apparatus
A call connection request from an access terminal is suppressed in a state in which the base station judges that the call connection is impossible, thereby suppressing a waste of the wireless band and the generation of noise. A BCMCS management block of an access point receives information indicating whether there is an allocable channel, from a channel management block of the access point, and information indicating whether the start of QoS can be accepted, from a QoS acceptance determination block of the access point, and the BCMCS management block distributes the information to the access terminal. Accordingly, the access point can inform the access terminal that it is not serviceable before channel allocation is attempted. |
| US08036672B2 |
Methods and apparatus related to resource allocation in a wireless communications system
Methods and apparatus of efficient communication of resource allocation are described. A base station transmits a resource assignment message, e.g., a state transition message, to a wireless terminal including a first part, e.g., a base station assigned wireless terminal On state identifier, identifying a resource being assigned and a second part, e.g., an ON state mask, identifying a portion of the resource allocated to the wireless terminal. The same resource allocation message information also communicates one of a plurality of different modes of commanded On state operation. The resource allocation message structure supports flexible allocation of available resources facilitating a resource to be partitioned differently at different times accommodating current needs. A predetermined recurring channel structure and association of segments with particular mask bits, facilitates allocated control segments to be used unambiguously without the need to include an overhead wireless terminal identifier field with the control report bits being communicated. |
| US08036670B2 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent WiMAX and GSM operation
Concurrent WIMAX and GSM operation is facilitated in a user device by coordinating for WiMAX absence periods during WiMAX frames that may conflict with corresponding GSM frames. |
| US08036669B2 |
Orthogonal resource reuse with SDMA beams
A wireless communication system can implement beamforming across multiple omni-directional antennas to create beams at different spatial directions. The communication system can arrange the beams in sets, with each set arranged to provide substantially complete coverage over a predetermined coverage area. The communication system can arrange the multiple SDMA beam sets to support substantially complementary coverage areas, such that a main beam from a first set provides coverage to a weak coverage area of the second beam set. The wireless communication system assigns or otherwise allocates substantially orthogonal resources to each of the beam sets. The wireless communication system allocates resources to a communication link using a combination of beam sets and substantially orthogonal resources in order to provide improved coverage without a corresponding increase in interference. |
| US08036668B2 |
Method for planning a cellular mobile telecommunications network
A method for planning a cellular mobile telecommunications network includes at least one network cell and is intended to provide network services to users located in the network cell, wherein the method includes: a) setting a current provisioning rate to the highest of the provisioning rates; b) estimating a power required to the at least one network cell for providing the at least one network service in the service area at the current provisioning rate; c) comparing the estimated required power to a maximum power deliverable by the at least one cell; and, if the estimated required power exceeds the maximum deliverable power; d) reducing the service area so that the estimated power required to the at least one network cell for providing the at least one network service at the current provisioning rate in the reduced service area does not exceed the maximum deliverable power; e) updating the current provisioning rate to the immediately lower provisioning rate of said plurality, if any; and f) repeating steps b) and c) and, if required, steps d) and e). |
| US08036667B2 |
Method and devices for distributing service requests to service providers
The invention relates to methods and devices for generating a distribution function. To that end preference vectors are defined for each instance something is distributed to from which elements are selected by means of an arbitration vector. |
| US08036664B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining rove-out
Some embodiments are implemented in a communication system that includes a first wireless communication system that includes a Femtocell access point (FAP) and a network controller that can communicatively couple the FAP to a second wireless communication system. In some embodiments, the network controller can communicatively couple to the second wireless communication system through a UTRAN Iu interface. In some embodiments, the FAP can communicatively couple to a user equipment using a short-range licensed wireless frequency. Some embodiments provide method that determines whether a user equipment (UE) has roved-out of the first wireless communication system. The method receives a periodic message at the FAP from the UE. When the FAP fails to receive a pre-determined number of the periodic messages, the method sends a deregister message to the network controller over a unique connection dedicated to the UE and releases the dedicated connection. |
| US08036662B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing handoff in mobile network communication by immediately terminating a connection before changing the point of attachment to save network resources
A server including: a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with a mobile terminal through one of wireless network gateways; and a processing unit for receiving registration request information from the mobile terminal through the communication unit, executing handoff from one wireless interface to another wireless interface and sending a signal instructing the termination of wireless connection generated by the processing unit to the wireless network gateway through the communication unit to release wireless connection before handoff between the server and the access point when the registration request information indicates the termination of the current wireless connection. |
| US08036657B2 |
Radio communications system
A base station is operable in a local area communication radio network within the coverage of a wide area communication radio network. The base station comprises a code generator configured to generate an acquisition code, and a modulator configured to modulate the acquisition code onto an acquisition signal to be broadcast by the base station. The acquisition signal is broadcast over a listening channel of the wide area communication radio network. The acquisition code associated with the local area communication radio network is different from all acquisition codes used by the wide area communication radio network. |
| US08036653B2 |
Establishing and conducting communications within a network
Systems and methods are disclosed for establishing and conducting communications within a network. The discloses systems and methods may include determining a scheduled time period for communications between a first communication node and a second communication node. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include determining a direction of transmission for transmitting data from the first communication node to the second transmission node and receiving data transmitted from the second transmission node and determining a direction of transmission for receiving data from the first communication node and transmitting data from the second transmission node to the first transmission node. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods may include establishing communications between the first communication node and the second communication node. |
| US08036648B1 |
System and method for operating a user functionality in a mobile communications device
A system and method for operating a user functionality in a mobile communications device is disclosed. In an embodiment of the system, a communications infrastructure provides interoperability between a first communications network utilizing a first technology and a second communications network utilizing a second technology. The infrastructure provides an indicator to a mobile communications device in communication with the first communications network to either activate the user functionality or deactivate the user functionality. In accordance with an embodiment of a method of the present invention, the method includes providing the indicator to the mobile communications device in communication with the first communications network utilizing the first technology by the communications infrastructure. The user functionality is activated if the indicator is provided in a first state and the user functionality deactivated if the indicator is provided in a second state. |
| US08036647B2 |
Vehicle information communication system, management server, on-vehicle device, and vehicle information communication method
A vehicle information communication system includes a management server 2 whereby an information terminal 4 connected to a network 1 and an on-vehicle device of the vehicle 5 are in communication with each other; wherein the management server 2 includes a contractor confirming part 12 configured to send contractor information of the vehicle information communication system to the vehicle 5. |
| US08036646B1 |
Right-sized multimedia content distribution over a cellular network
Systems and methods of wirelessly transmitting multimedia data over a cellular network are disclosed which may, in some embodiments, comprise transmitting a segmented multimedia content from a data center to a base transceiver station, transmitting the content from the base transceiver station to a wireless device, and tracking a usage of the content by a user on the wireless device. These systems and methods may further comprise transmitting the usage of the content of the user to the base transceiver station, transmitting the usage of the content of the user from the base transceiver station to the data center, and creating a customized content based on the usage of the content on the wireless device by the user. In addition, these systems and methods may also further comprise transmitting the customized content to the base transceiver station and transmitting the customized content from the base transceiver station to the wireless device. |
| US08036645B2 |
Call intercept methods, such as for customer self-support on a mobile device
A method for intercepting calls from a remote or mobile device for customer self-support detects when users or subscribers dial one or more predetermined numbers. If the number corresponds to one of the predetermined numbers (such as a customer support number), the phone may intercept the call and display a list of potential solutions to the subscriber's problems. Various other features and embodiments art disclosed. |
| US08036642B2 |
Wireless network and method of transmitting content from locally stored server
One example embodiment of the present invention discloses a method of delivering content from a base station of a wireless network to a mobile station including receiving a request for content from a mobile station, accessing the requested content from content stored in association with the base station, and transmitting the requested content to the mobile station. |
| US08036639B2 |
Method and system for confirming secure communication network setup in a wireless local area network (WLAN)
In a communication network, a method and system for confirming secure communication network setup in a wireless local area network (WLAN) are provided. After a secure communication configuration is completed in a wireless network between a configurator station and a client station, a test exchange operation may be utilized during a configurator registration window to verify or validate the successful exchange of the SSID and passphrase to the client station. In this regard, the test exchange verifies the ability of the client station to connect to the corresponding WLAN. The test exchange may comprise an IEEE 802.11 or WLAN exchange phase, a Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) exchange phase, and a secure configuration protocol echo exchange phase. The WLAN and WPA exchanges may be utilized to enable a WPA joining of the client station while the secure configuration protocol echo exchange may be utilized to provide further authentication support. |
| US08036638B2 |
Mobile banking
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying circumstances where end-to-end security is not available to a mobile banking customer. The user may be alerted/warned or restricted from accessing some banking services through his/her WAP-enabled mobile device if the server (e.g., bank server) determines that end-to-end security is not available. In some instances, the bank server may access a computer data file containing a list of known end-to-end secure devices and gateways to verify the integrity of the data communication. The server may verify the integrity of the data communication using loose matching. |
| US08036637B2 |
Billing in a packet data network
A method for billing in a packet data network (WISP1) comprising at least one user's terminal (MN), comprising the steps of: forming a data link between the terminal and the packet data network; requesting a user identity from the terminal; generating billing data based on the user identity; and sending the billing data to an accounting server (HAAA) of an external telecommunications network. |
| US08036635B2 |
System and method for providing service in a communication system
A system and method for providing a service in a communication system are provided, in which upon receipt of a request for provisioning of the service with a requested QoS class from an MS, a service server transmits a QoS information request message to an interface server and, upon receipt of a QoS information response message for the QoS information request message from the interface server, the service server provides the service with the requested QoS class to the MS. |
| US08036629B2 |
Methods of operating electronic devices, and methods of providing electronic devices
Some embodiments include a method disposing an integrated circuit die within a housing, the integrated circuit die having integrated circuitry formed thereon, the integrated circuitry including first transponder circuitry configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals, wherein the integrated circuit die is void of external electrical connections for anything except power supply external connections; and disposing second transponder circuitry, discrete from the first transponder circuitry, within the housing, the second transponder circuitry being configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals, wherein the first and second transponder circuitry are configured to establish wireless communication between one another within the housing, the second transponder circuitry being disposed within 24 inches of the first transponder circuitry within the housing. |
| US08036626B2 |
Method and system for a distributed transceiver with DDFS channel selection
Aspects of a method and system for a distributed transceiver with DDFS channel selection may include frequency-translating a first signal to generate one or more second signals utilizing a distributed mixer and an in-phase and quadrature mixing stage. The first signal may be an input signal to the distributed mixer, which may comprise a plurality of frequency conversion stages. The input signal to the distributed mixer may be an input signal to at least one of the plurality of frequency conversion stages and an output signal of the distributed mixer may be generated from one or more output signals or the plurality of conversion stages. The output signal from the distributed mixer may be an input signal to the in-phase and quadrature mixing stage and the one or more second signals may be generated from one or more output signals of the in-phase and quadrature mixing stage. |
| US08036625B1 |
Method and apparatus for mixing a signal
In a method for mixing an information signal, a digital information signal at a sampling frequency fs is generated. A mixed signal is generated as a multiplication of the digital information signal with a mixing signal at the sampling frequency fs, wherein the mixing signal corresponds to a sinusoid having a frequency fm equal to fs/8. |
| US08036619B2 |
Oscillator having controllable bias modes and power consumption
Disclosed is an oscillator circuit (10) for use in a local oscillator of an RF communications device (100) that communicates over an RF channel. The oscillator circuit includes an oscillator transistor coupled to a power supply voltage (Vcc) through a buffer transistor, and a biasing network having bias voltage outputs coupled to a control input of the oscillator transistor and to a control input of the buffer transistor. In one embodiment the bias voltage network is coupled to Vcc, while in another embodiment the bias voltage network is coupled to a separate voltage (Vbias). Circuitry is provided for setting a magnitude of Vcc and/or Vbias as a function of at least one of RF channel conditions, such as channels conditions determined from a calculation of the (SNR), or an operational mode of the RF communications device. |
| US08036618B2 |
Auto gain controller and control method thereof
An auto gain controller (AGC) and a control method thereof are provided. An input signal is amplified by a radio frequency (RF) amplifier and an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier. When strength of the input signal is lower than a threshold, a gain curve of the RF amplifier is lowered while a gain curve of the IF amplifier is raised. When the strength of the input signal is greater than the threshold, a takeover point (TOP) of the IF amplifier is changed from a first takeover point to a second takeover point. |
| US08036616B2 |
Noise parameter determination method
According to an aspect of the present description a method for determining selected parameters of a noise characterization equation which describes a noise performance of a device as a function of a controllable variable of the device is provided. The method includes selecting a number of different values of the controllable variable of the device, the number of different values being equal to or larger than the number of parameters that are to be determined; measuring the noise performance of the device for the different values; utilizing the noise characterization equation to set up a number of independent relations which relate the parameters with the measurement results, the number of independent relations being equal to the number of parameters that are to be determined; and determining the parameters from the relations. |
| US08036611B2 |
Polar transmitter, method and apparatus for phase modulation
A phase modulation method with a polar transmitter. A target frequency is first designated by comparing the RF signal with a reference frequency and the phase sample. An oscillator control word is generated based on the target frequency. A digital oscillator can modulate from a first phase to a second phase to synthesize a preliminary RF signal based on the oscillator control word. When the target frequency exceeds the modulation capability of the digital oscillator, the oscillator control word is generated based on the target frequency minus 180 degrees, and the preliminary RF signal is shifted by 180 degrees to be the RF signal having the target frequency. When the target frequency does not exceed the modulation capability of the digital oscillator, the oscillator control word is generated solely based on the target frequency to output the preliminary RF signal to be the RF signal having the target frequency. |
| US08036610B2 |
Wireless terminal and level measurement method
A wireless terminal using switchable first and second reception antennas to perform diversity reception of data transmitted from a base station is proposed. The terminal includes an average value calculation unit that calculates an average value of a reception level measurement result of the first reception antenna and a reception level measurement result of the second reception antenna; and a correction unit that corrects the average value calculated on the basis of a predetermined thermal noise level, a received RSSI value measurement result of the first reception antenna, and a received RSSI value measurement result of the second reception antenna. |
| US08036607B2 |
Wireless terminal and wireless base station
In a case where a switching source wireless communication system is a wireless communication system in which a transmission timing of a packet or data rate can be controlled in a wireless base station, the switching source wireless communication system, which notifies information on a timing when a wireless terminal communicates the switching destination wireless communication system with respect to the switching source wireless communication system in advance, starts time-division communication between switching destination and switching source wireless communication systems, and receives the timing information, controls a transmission timing or a data rate in accordance with the timing information. |
| US08036604B2 |
Transmitting and receiving circuit and semiconductor device including the same
An object is to provide a circuit configuration with which the number of transistors can be reduced and power conversion efficiency can be prevented from being reduced, in a transmitting and receiving circuit. The transmitting and receiving circuit includes a voltage doubler rectifier circuit having N stages, each of which includes a capacitor, where N is a positive integer. The voltage doubler rectifier circuit having N stages is connected to a circuit having a modulation function. In the capacitor in any one of the N stages, one electrode of the one capacitor is connected to an input terminal of the transmitting and receiving circuit, and a node to which the other electrode of the one capacitor is connected is connected to a circuit having a demodulation function. Since the transmitting and receiving circuit can be formed of fewer transistors, it can be reduced in size. Since a reduction in power conversion efficiency can be prevented, a power supply potential can be efficiently generated. |
| US08036600B2 |
Using a bluetooth capable mobile phone to access a remote network
In one example, a Bluetooth enabled mobile device discovers the Bluetooth profile capability of a plurality of mobile phones and stores the profile information in a database. Thereafter, when access to a remote network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network is necessitated by an event, the Bluetooth enabled mobile device can establish a Bluetooth connection with an available mobile phone according to a comparison of the event to the stored profile information for that mobile phone. The Bluetooth enabled mobile device can then establish a transport layer connection that extends over the established Bluetooth connection and a wireless telecommunications network associated with the available phone and exchange data with a remote network using the established transport layer connection. |
| US08036598B1 |
Peer-to-peer transfer of files with back-office completion
A method of data transfer using short range technology. An originating short range wireless technology enabled device wirelessly communicates a first portion of content to a destination short range wireless technology enabled device along with location information that enables retrieval of a remaining portion of the content from a back office location. The destination short range wireless technology enabled device processes the first portion of content. The remaining portion of the content may be retrieved for processing by the destination short range wireless technology enabled device before the completion of processing of the first portion of content. |
| US08036597B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a level of involvement of mesh points in a wireless communication system
In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of mesh points (MPs), a method for determining a level of involvement of MPs within the system includes a first MP transmitting a network status request signal to a second MP. The second MP responds to the first MP with network status information. The first MP receives the network status information from the second MP, and determines a level of involvement in the wireless system based on the network status information. |
| US08036588B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus including an image forming section which forms an image on a sheet and a conveyance section which conveys the sheet to the image forming section, the conveyance section includes: a registration roller, a plurality of loop forming rollers which cause the sheet to form a loop, provided upstream of the registration roller in a sheet conveyance direction and arranged in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, a skew detection sensor which detects a skew of the sheet, and a conveyance roller provided upstream of the loop forming roller; and a control section which controls independently each of the plurality of loop forming rollers based on the detected result of the skew detection sensor. The conveyance roller is swung in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction. |
| US08036587B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus 10 includes: a body frame 11 including an image forming section 60; and an image reading section 40, as an upper member openably mounted on top of the body frame, that is provided with a document stage on which a document is loaded and that reads an image of the document. The image forming apparatus further includes: first holding member 6 placing the image reading section 40 over the image forming section and holding it in a closed state; and second holding member 1 holding the image reading section rotatably relative to the image forming section and having a guide shaft and guide slots that are in a disengaged state when the image reading section is in the closed state and that engage with each other so as to function as a hinge when the image reading section is rotated from the closed state to the open state, relative to the image forming section. |
| US08036586B2 |
Developer delivering device and image forming apparatus
The developer delivering device includes a first delivering path, a second delivering path, a helical delivering blade disposed in the second delivering path, and a developer breaking member disposed in a connecting portion of the first delivering path and the second delivering path. The developer breaking member includes a breaking portion disposed opposite to a side wall of the second delivering path in a developer delivering direction of the second delivering path, a contact portion that is in contact with the helical delivering blade and extended in the developer delivering direction between the breaking portion and a center of the rotation of the helical delivering blade, and a coupling portion. The breaking portion has a first breaking portion and a second breaking portion. The contact portion has a first contact portion and a second contact portion. The coupling portion couples the first contact portion to the second contact portion. |
| US08036582B2 |
Belt driving device and image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus, during a rotation of an intermediate transfer belt performed after a contact-state-changing rotation in which the number of photoconductors contacting the intermediate transfer belt has changed, a control unit of a belt driving device controls the driving speed of a belt driving motor based on a period of the intermediate transfer belt determined in the rotation immediately before the contact-state-changing rotation instead of a period determined in the contact-state-changing rotation. |
| US08036579B2 |
Developing device and developer cartridge
A developing device and a developer cartridge are provided. The developing device includes a first housing that receives a developing roller; a second housing that is disposed adjacent to and detachable from the first housing and stores developer; first and second communication paths that allow an inside of the first housing to communicate with an inside of the second housing and an agitator that is provided within the second housing and conveys the developer from the first communication path toward the second communication path. The developing cartridge includes a housing that stores developer and an agitator including a rotational shaft that is disposed in one direction and a first blade that is provided at a midpoint in the axial direction of the rotational shaft and conveys the developer from the midpoint in the axial direction of the rotational shaft to both end portions of the rotational shaft. |
| US08036576B2 |
Developing device including a stirring mechanism for a two-component developer and image forming apparatus including same
A developing device including a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image bearing member with a developer comprising a toner and a carrier, and a circulation unit configured to collect the developer from the developing unit and return the developer to the developing unit. The circulation unit includes a container including a main body having an inverted cone shape, a supply opening provided in a top thereof, and a discharge opening provided in a bottom thereof, configured to hold a part of the developer and provided on an upstream side from the developing unit relative to a direction of circulation of the developer. The container includes a plurality of agitation members configured to agitate the developer collected from the developing unit and fresh toner so that a plurality of flows of the developer is produced in the container. |
| US08036569B2 |
Image forming apparatus having co-planer top cover and operation panel
An image forming apparatus has a first body with a scanner and an operation panel disposed on one side of the scanner. A top surface of the scanner and a top surface of the operation panel are in a same plane. A second body is disposed below the first body, to support the first body. The first body rotates between open and closed positions relative to the second body. |
| US08036564B2 |
Image forming apparatus including cooling device
An image forming apparatus comprising a main body, a cooling device, and a coupling assembly. The cooling device cools a cooling target such as a heat generator, and includes a heat-receiving section forming a heat-receiving-section channel through which a coolant flows to absorb heat from the cooling target, a cooling section to cool the coolant, and a circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section, cooling the coolant at the heat-receiving section, and transporting the coolant back to the heat-receiving section. The cooling target is detachable from the main body together with the heat-receiving section. The cooling section is provided at the main body. The coupling assembly connects the heat-receiving-section channel and the circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section whether with the cooling target installed in or detached from the main body. |
| US08036562B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of the same
An image forming apparatus 1 to form a panel sheet 100 placed at sections 111 to 113, 115 to 117 and 119 to 121 where operation buttons to be operated by a user are located, having a display 24b to display country setting screen to conduct country setting, operation buttons 24a at the sections 111 to 113, 115 to 117 and 119 to 121 to received operation to select a country in a state where the country setting screen to conduct country setting is being displayed on the display 24b. The panel sheet 100 corresponding to the language selected via the operation buttons 24a at the sections 111 to 113, 115 to 117 and 119 to 121. |
| US08036557B2 |
Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and heating control method for fixing device
A fixing device includes a heat roller having a degaussing alloy material, an induction heating member for exciting the heat roller, an inverter circuit for giving power at a predetermined frequency to the induction heating member, and a control unit, and when driving at a first drive frequency and fixing small size sheets by continuous passing, a local temperature rise occurs at an end part of the heat roller, and the end part approaches the Curie temperature, and when impedance of the inverter circuit reduces and an excessive current flows in the circuit, the fixing device drives at a higher second drive frequency, thereby increases a resistance of the heat roller by an epidermal effect of magnetic flux, increases an apparent resistance of the inverter circuit, makes it possible to use a flowing current within a normal range, heating a central part of the heat roller, and continues the fixing. |
| US08036556B2 |
Fixing device having an electric power control system to an induction heating coil for image forming apparatus
A fixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention controls, using a CPU and a temperature comparator, an inverter circuit that supplies electric power to an induction heating coil and performs temperature control for a heat roller. The CPU adjusts and controls a power value supplied by the inverter circuit. When the adjustment and control of the power value by the CPU is late, the inverter circuit is ON-OFF controlled by the temperature comparator. |
| US08036552B2 |
Method for correcting registration errors by superimposing a black developer on a background of a color
A color image forming apparatus causes a light emitting unit to emit light to a superimposed pattern in which a black developer (Bk) is superimposed on a color developer (Y, M, C) as a background color, detects diffuse reflected light by a light receiving unit, calculates positional deviation among the colors using the black developer (Bk) as a reference color based on a detection result, and adjusts an image forming condition. |
| US08036550B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearing members, a developing unit, an intermediate transfer belt, a secondary transfer body, and a registration roller. A linear speed difference between the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer body is variably set based on a basis weight of a recording medium. |
| US08036548B2 |
Customer replaceable unit monitor (CRUM) unit, replaceable unit and image forming apparatus comprising the CRUM unit, and unit driving method thereof
A replaceable unit to participate in an image forming job of an image forming apparatus includes a storage unit to store therein a driving condition corresponding to an operation environment, a detecting unit to monitor the operation environment, a controlling unit to detect a corresponding driving condition from the storage unit if the detecting unit detects the driving environment, and an interface unit to provide a main body of the image forming apparatus with the detected corresponding driving condition. Accordingly, the replaceable unit can be driven under optimum driving conditions. |
| US08036542B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
Disclosed are an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. The control method of an image forming apparatus includes mounting a cartridge including a status indicating element, determining whether the mounted cartridge is a new one based on identification information of the mounted cartridge and status information of the status indicating element, and performing initial settings with respect to the new cartridge if it is determined that the mounted cartridge is a new one. With this, it is possible to induce a user to use an authenticated cartridge and prevent an image from being deteriorated and a component from being worn due to use of a fraudulent cartridge. |
| US08036538B2 |
Method and optical amplifier for laser safety protection and method for loading identification signal
A method for laser safety protection in an optical communication system includes: a downstream station detecting whether an identification signal loaded by an upstream station on a main optical channel in a direction from the upstream station to the downstream station, exist on the main optical channel; if the identification signal is not detected, the downstream station executing a scheduled safety protection procedure. Methods for loading an identification signal on a main optical channel in an optical communication system and an optical amplifier of laser safety protection, which implement loading the identification signal by controlling the change of pump light of optical amplifier or the wave motion of signal light of main optical channel, are also provided. The solution makes it possible to reliably detect a fiber failure when RAMAN amplifiers or remotely-pumped amplifiers exist, thereby implementing laser safety protection. |
| US08036535B2 |
Pluggable optical transceiver with command line pulled up to external power supply
A pluggable optical transceiver with a function not affecting the command status of the host system appeared in the internal bus, which is coupled with the command line within the transceiver, even when the transceiver is plugged in the host system. The optical transceiver provides a power supply circuit and a control unit. The power supply circuit, by receiving an external electric power, generates an internal electric power with a substantial time lag from a moment when the optical transceiver is plugged in the host system. The control unit communicates with the host system through the command line pulled up to the external electric power within the optical transceiver. |
| US08036531B2 |
Hybrid switch for optical networks
A optical switch and switching system is provided for effecting a switchover from a first optical fiber to a second optical fiber includes a first, large scale switching component and a second, small scale switching component. The first, large scale switching component is configured to establish a cross connect between the second optical fiber and the second, small scale switching component. The second, small scale switching component may then be configured to select the cross connect following establishment of the cross connect, thereby ensuring rapid switchover from the first fiber to the second fiber, regardless of the speed of the first large scale switching component. |
| US08036529B2 |
Wavelength conversion apparatus in time division multiplexing—passive optical network system based on wavelength division multiplexing system, and optical transmission apparatus and method using the same
Provided are a wavelength conversion apparatus in a Time Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Network (TDM-PON) system based on a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) system, and an optical transmission method using the wavelength conversion apparatus. Each subscriber does not need to have its own wavelength but transmits an uplink signal using a wavelength band used in the TDM-PON system and routs optical network unit (ONU) uplink signals belonging to the same ONU to a wavelength conversion apparatus positioned in a subscriber area. The wavelength conversion apparatus converts the ONU uplink signals into wavelengths and uplinks the wavelengths of an optical line terminal (OLT) of a central office (CO) so as to enable a WDM transmission. Thus, a method of constituting a wavelength conversion apparatus and a remote node (RN) using the wavelength conversion apparatus can be suggested to realize a hybrid-PON system into which TDM-PON system and WDM systems are combined. In the hybrid-PON system, an ONU uses a wavelength used in the TDM-PON system and requires a lower optical power than an ONU of the TDM-PON system. Therefore, the WDM system can be easily applied in an area in which the TDM-PON system is installed. |
| US08036528B2 |
Data transmission unit for high bit-rate signals, especially high bit-rate optical data signals greater than 1 Gbit/s
The invention relates to a data transmission unit for high bit-rate optical data signals, in particular, high bit-rate optical data signals with a backplane, which has a line structure connecting several plug-in positions for several receiver or transceiver cards to each other and/or to one or more additional data processing cards, with the cards, each held in one of the plug-in positions and each having at least one input port for a high bit-rate data signal. Each card also has at least one output port, to which the relevant one or more high bit-rate data signals can be fed, and each of these output ports is connected via a serial data line between the plug-in position holding the relevant receiver or transceiver card and an input port of a central selection unit with the relevant input port. The output ports connect serially to the central selection unit. |
| US08036525B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion compensation
A motion compensation apparatus for a camera module with a half-shutter function is provided. The apparatus includes an initialization unit for selecting a subject, a motion of which is to be detected, from images secured in a half-shutter state, and calculates motion information of the subject; a tracking unit for tracking the selected subject and the motion information provided from the initialization unit, and calculates prediction information of the subject; and a controller for generating a control signal for controlling a speed of a shutter and a sensibility of an image sensor based on the prediction information provided from the tracking unit. |
| US08036523B2 |
Focus adjustment device, imaging device and focus adjustment method
A focus adjustment device includes an image sensor that includes imaging pixels for capturing an image formed via an imaging optical system and focus detection pixels for detecting a focus adjustment state at the imaging optical system through a first pupil division-type image shift detection method, a focus detector that detects a focus adjustment state at the imaging optical system through a second pupil division-type image shift detection method different from the first pupil division-type image shift detection method, and a focus adjustment controller that executes focus adjustment for the imaging optical system based upon the focus adjustment states detected by the image sensor and the focus detector. |
| US08036519B2 |
Motion compensation device and photographic device
A motion compensation device comprising, a detector to detect a vibration of an imaging device which takes an image, a controller to control a compensation amount of an influence of said vibration based on an output of said detector, said controller increasing said compensation amount according to lapse of shooting time of said imaging device. |
| US08036516B2 |
Recording and reproducing apparatus
A recording and reproducing apparatus includes an information recording unit that generates reproduction range information indicating the range of image signals to be reproduced as moving picture and that records it on an optical disk. When representative images representing contents of the image signals recorded on the optical disk are displayed, the representative images are displayed as moving picture obtained by reproducing the image signals recorded on the optical disk based on the reproduction range information. |
| US08036515B2 |
Reproducer, program, and reproducing method
When a plurality of AVClips recorded on a BD-ROM and Local Storage 18 constitute one stream sequence, a Playback Control Engine 32 starts playback if at least one AVClip of the stream sequence is in an enable status, even when the stream sequence also includes an AVClip which is in a disable status. While one AVClip is being played back, a Virtual FileSystem unit 38 changes a remaining AVClip to the enable status of being recognizable by the Playback Control Engine 32 or the disable status of being unrecognizable by the Playback Control Engine 32, according to a method call by an application. |
| US08036514B2 |
Closed caption tagging system
A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. Tags indicate the start and end points of a program segment. Program segments such as commercials are automatically replaced by the receiver with new program segments that are selected based on various criteria. |
| US08036506B2 |
Multi-fiber section tunable optical filter
A tunable optical filter is formed by the longitudinal alignment of two opposing end sections of single-mode optical fibers. On at least one of the end sections is a collimator fiber section which is formed from a section of a graded-index, multimode optical fiber which is an odd number of quarter pitches long. The collimator fiber section has an angled end surface which joined to the reciprocally angled end surface of the at least one single-mode optical fiber end section. Piezoelectric material controls the separation between the first and second single-mode optical fiber end sections and sets the wavelengths of optical signals carried through the first and second single-mode optical fiber end sections. |
| US08036499B2 |
Acousto-optic filter
Optical waveguides are provided on a substrate, a thin film whose refractive index is optically less than the refractive indices of the optical waveguides is provided on the surface of the substrate, and a surface-acoustic-wave waveguide is arranged on the thin film so as to cross the optical waveguides in a direction oblique thereto. The optical waveguides are not directly influenced by the location of the SAW waveguide and the phase matching condition of the optical waveguides is not changed, whereby the sidelobe characteristic of an optical filter is not degraded by assigning weights to the SAW intensity. |
| US08036497B2 |
Method, program and apparatus for storing document and/or image using invariant values calculated from feature points and method, program and apparatus for retrieving document based on stored document and/or image
A document/image retrieval method for retrieving a document/image corresponding to a captured digital image from a database by comparing features calculated based on feature points of the captured digital image with features preliminarily calculated based on feature points of each of documents and/or images stored in the database, the method comprising: extracting the feature points from the captured digital image; defining a local set of feature points for each of the extracted feature points; selecting feature points from the defined local set to define a feature point subset of the local set; determining invariant values as values characterizing the defined subset for combinations of the feature points in the subset, the invariant values being invariant to a geometric transformation; calculating a feature by combining the determined invariant values; and performing a voting process on the documents and/or images in the database based on the preliminarily calculated features of the documents and/or images; whereby the document/image corresponding to the captured digital image is retrieved from the database. |
| US08036492B2 |
Method of detecting the orientation of an object in an image
A method of detecting the orientation of a radiographic image represented by a digital signal representation wherein mathematical moments of the digital signal representation are calculated relative to different reference entities and wherein a decision on the orientation of the radiographic image, for example the position of the thorax edge in a mammographic image, is obtained on the basis of an extreme value (minimum, maximum) of the calculated moments. |
| US08036489B2 |
Systems and methods for creating photobooks
A method for producing a photo album includes providing a library of page layouts, selecting a first group of one or more images to be placed in the first page of the photo album, selecting a second group of one or more images to be placed in the second page of the photo album, graphically displaying the first group of one or more images within a first border that represents a first page, graphically displaying the second group of one or more images within a second border that represents a second page, automatically selecting a first page layout from the library of page layouts, and automatically placing the first group of one or more images into the one or more image receiving areas in the first page layout to produce the first page in the photo album. |
| US08036485B2 |
Systems and methods for measuring loss of detail in a video codec block
Picture quality measurement systems and methods are provided for measuring DC blockiness within video blocks. Block boundaries are located within a test video frame. The relative AC differences within each block are measured using a reference video frame, a statistically estimated reference or a default value of the white video level divided by two. An objective DC blockiness map, a subjective DC blockiness map or both may be generated. |
| US08036484B2 |
In-place averaging of packed pixel data
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for averaging data in packed format are provided. The data may be image data, such as data words containing color-specific data portions representative of pixels of a captured image. A first data word containing first image data is received. A second data word containing second image data is received. A logical AND of the first data word and the second data word is performed to generate a third data word. A logical exclusive OR (XOR) of the first data word and the second data word is performed to generate a fourth data word. A right shift of the fourth data word is performed. The third data word and the right shifted fourth data word are summed to generate a fifth data word that is an average of the first and second data words. |
| US08036476B2 |
Image encoding/decoding device and method thereof with data blocks in a determined order
The invention provides an image encoding/decoding device and method. An encoding/decoding architecture of the invention includes: encoders for encoding image data into data blocks; a reordering multiplexer for receiving the data blocks and determining an order by which the data blocks are written into a memory according to an order of an achieved percentage of an encoding progress for each encoder; a memory writing unit, a memory dispatcher, a memory controller, and a memory reading unit, for writing the data blocks into the memory and reading the data blocks from the memory; a request demultiplexer for receiving the read data blocks from the memory reading unit and outputting the received data blocks according to data request signals; and decoders for generating the data request signals, receiving the output data blocks from the request demultiplexer, decoding the received data blocks, and then outputting the decoded data blocks. |
| US08036471B2 |
Joint amplitude and position coding of coefficients for video compression
A coding method, apparatus, and medium with software encoded thereon to implement a coding method. The coding method includes jointly encoding joint events that each are defined by a cluster of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, each joint event defined by three parameters: the number of zero-valued coefficients preceding the cluster, the number of non-zero-valued coefficients in the cluster, and an indication of which trailing coefficients up to a maximum number of M trailing coefficients have amplitude greater than 1, with the coding using a 3-dimensional joint VLC table. The method further includes encoding the amplitude of the non-zero-valued trailing coefficients that have amplitude greater than 1 encoding the amplitude of any remaining non-zero-valued coefficients in the clusters that have more than M non-zero-valued coefficients. |
| US08036464B2 |
System and method for automatic segmentation of ASR transcripts
Text segmentation based on topic boundary detection has been an industry problem in automating information dissemination to targeted users. A system for automatic segmentation of ASR output text involves boundary identification based on “topic” changes. The proposed approach is based on building a weighted graph to determine dependency in input sentences based on bi-directional analysis of the input sentences. Furthermore, the input sentences are segmented based on the notion of segment cohesiveness and the segmented sentences are merged based on preamble and postamble analyses. |
| US08036456B2 |
Masking a visual defect
An image rendering method for masking a visual defect is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes determining a location of the visual defect, identifying a plurality of sub-pixels neighboring the visual defect and utilizing contrast sensitivity functions and visual masking characteristics of a human visual system to optimize adjustments to the plurality of neighboring sub-pixels to mask the visual defect. |
| US08036455B2 |
Method and apparatus of analyzing and generating image data
It is received first image data described on the basis of a first color space. It is acquired color space converting information adapted to be used to convert the first image data into second image data described on the basis of a prescribed second color space. The first image data is converted into the second image data in accordance with the color space converting information. A prescribed feature quantity is extracted from the second image data. |
| US08036446B2 |
Semiconductor mask inspection using die-to-die and die-to-database comparisons
A mask forming method includes preparing design data of mask including pattern regions having identical repetition patterns respectively, generating mask pattern data of mask based on the design data, generating inspection control information for controlling inspection of defect on mask based on the mask pattern data, the information including positional information of the pattern regions and inspection sensitivity information of the repetition pattern, providing the inspection control information to mask pattern data, forming mask pattern of mask based on the mask pattern data, and inspecting the mask pattern based on the mask pattern data comprising inspecting portion in the mask pattern different from the pattern regions by Die-to-Database comparison method, the inspecting the portion including selecting portion corresponding to repetition pattern from the mask pattern based on the positional information, and inspecting the selected portion by Die-to-Die comparison method at an inspection sensitivity corresponding to inspection sensitivity information. |
| US08036445B2 |
Pattern matching method, program and semiconductor device manufacturing method
A pattern matching method includes: detecting an edge of a pattern in a pattern image obtained by imaging the pattern; segmenting the detected pattern edge to generate a first segment set consisting of first segments; segmenting a pattern edge on reference data which serves as a reference for evaluating the pattern to generate a second segment set consisting of second segments; combining any of the segments in the first segment set with any of the segments in the second segment set to define a segment pair consisting of first and second segments; calculating the compatibility coefficient between every two segment pairs in the defined segment pairs; defining new segment pairs by narrowing down the defined segment pairs by calculating local consistencies of the defined segment pairs on the basis of the calculated compatibility coefficients and by excluding segment pairs having lower local consistencies; determining an optimum segment pair by repeating the calculating the compatibility coefficient and the defining new segment pairs by narrowing down the segment pairs; calculating a feature quantity of a shift vector that links the first and second segments making up the optimum segment pair; and performing position matching between the pattern image and the reference data on the basis of the calculated feature quantity of the shift vector. |
| US08036442B2 |
Method for the processing of radiological images for a detection of radiological signs
In a method for the processing of radiology images for detection of radiological signs, an algorithm is provided to detect such radiological signs on projections as a function of their contrasts. These contrasts are measured by using the responses of linear differential filters with different scale parameters. The method can be used to color or enhance the intensity of the radiological signs detected as a function of their degree of malignancy. The algorithm may be applied directly to the signal given by the detector. |
| US08036441B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing 2D to 3D registration
A method and apparatus for performing 2D to 3D registration includes an initialization step and a refinement step. The initialization step is directed to identifying an orientation and a position by knowing orientation information where data images are captured and by identifying centers of relevant bodies. The refinement step uses normalized mutual information and pattern intensity algorithms to register the 2D image to the 3D volume. |
| US08036440B2 |
System and method for computer aided detection of pulmonary embolism in tobogganing in CT angiography
A method for detecting pulmonary embolisms in computed tomographic (CT) angiography includes providing a digitized (CT) image acquired from inside a pulmonary vessel, the image comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a 3-dimensional grid of voxels, for each voxel in the image, extracting a first pulmonary embolism (PE) candidate and PE boundary from the voxel, and for each voxel in the PE boundary, selecting a voxel from the PE boundary, extracting a subsequent PE candidate and PE boundary from the voxel, merging the subsequent PE candidate with the first PE candidate, and merging the subsequent PE boundary with the first PE boundary. |
| US08036439B2 |
Size measurement apparatus, image display unit, computer-readable size measurement program storage medium, and computer-readable image display program storage medium
A size measurement apparatus comprises a designation section that designates parts in images of two or more medical images acquired through image taking for a subject; a first measurement section that measures a size of an image on a part designated by the designation section, of the medical image, as to a measurement direction associated with a geometry of the image; and a second measurement section that measures a size of a common measurement direction common to two or more medical images, the common measurement direction being determined in accordance with the measurement direction in the first measurement section. |
| US08036437B2 |
Perfusion assessment method and system based on animated perfusion imaging
An embodiment of a medical imaging system is proposed. The system includes means for providing a sequence of recorded input images each one offering a digital representation at a corresponding instant of a body part being perfused with a contrast agent, each input image including a plurality of visualizing values each one representing a corresponding portion of the body part, and means for associating each sequence of corresponding sets in the input images of at least one visualizing value with a model function of time; the system further includes means for generating a sequence of computed images at further instants, each computed image including a plurality of further visualizing values each one being determined by an instantaneous function-value which is calculated from the associated model function at the corresponding further instant, and means for displaying the sequence of computed images. |
| US08036436B2 |
System and method for segmenting a region in a medical image
A method and computer program are provided for segmenting a prostate from a medical image such as an ultrasound image. Each slice in a study is analysed and uses a manual initialization to obtain an initial contour, in which a user selects initial points that are automatically rendered on the image. An automatic refinement stage then snaps the contour to the prostate boundary in the image based on a pre-stored anatomical atlas and edge information obtained from the image. A manual adjustment stage may then be performed and if selected, the contour is automatically propagated to the next image slice to avoid the manual initialization. An auxiliary image slice may be referred to, which indicates how the prostate shape changes from slice to slice, e.g. by providing a perpendicular profile. |
| US08036434B2 |
Post-processing of medical measurement data
A method and a device are disclosed for selecting at least one post-processing method for the post-processing of medical measurement data. In this method, different post-processing components are registered. In addition to the measurement data, context data with respect to the measurement data are acquired and/or derived. Following this, a structured document is evaluated so that at least one post-processing method, for example an optimally designed method, can be selected for the respective measurement data. |
| US08036430B2 |
Image-processing device and image-processing method, image-pickup device, and computer program
An image-processing device configured to process image data including at least one face image includes an image-input unit configured to input the image data, a face-detection unit configured to detect the at least one face image from an image frame of the input image data, an importance-determination unit configured to determine importance of each of the at least one detected face image, and a priority-determination unit configured to determine priority of each of the at least one detected face image based on the determined importance. The importance-determination unit determines the importance considering data on the size and position of the detected face image shown in the image frame, and a priority determined by the last time by the priority-determination unit. |
| US08036425B2 |
Neural network-controlled automatic tracking and recognizing system and method
A neural network-controlled automatic tracking and recognizing system includes a fixed field of view collection module, a full functions variable field of view collection module, a video image recognition algorithm module, a neural network control module, a suspect object track-tracking module, a database comparison and alarm judgment module, a monitored characteristic recording and rule setting module, a light monitoring and control module, a backlight module, an alarm output/display/storage module, and security monitoring sensors. The invention relates also to the operation method of the system. |
| US08036424B2 |
Field recognition apparatus, method for field recognition and program for the same
A field recognition apparatus includes a first camera for imaging a forward field and a second camera for imaging a road surface. The second camera has a light axis tilted toward a downward direction for accurately tracking a characteristic point in consecutively captured images to calculate an optical flow and for accurately recognizing road structure information. In this manner, three dimensional information of obstacles in a field is accurately processed and detected. |
| US08036423B2 |
Contrast-based technique to reduce artifacts in wavelength-encoded images
A system for identifying artifacts in an image. The system includes an input for receiving images from an imager, the images comprising a pixel of interest. The images can be generated by reflecting light off an object. The system further includes a processor coupled to the input for defining and using at least one contrast value of a second pixel associated with the pixel of interest to identify artifacts in the image. |
| US08036419B2 |
Digital watermarks
The present invention relates generally to digital watermarking and steganographic data hiding. In one embodiment a method of rendering content to a user is provided. The rendered content includes a digital watermark embedded therein. In another embodiment, digital watermarking is utilized to facilitate purchase or lease of audio or video content over a network or with a remote computer. In still another embodiment, a compression characteristic is determined, and subsequent steganographic embedding is influenced based on the characteristic. Other embodiments are provided as well. |
| US08036418B2 |
Systems and methods of managing audio and other media
The presently claimed invention relates to audio and video processing. One claim recites a method including: obtaining streaming audio or video on a handheld wireless device, the handheld wireless device comprising: i) a programmed electronic processor, and ii) memory; using the programmed electronic processor, analyzing data representing the audio or video to extract identifying information there from; obtaining a device identifier or user identifier from the memory; communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier to a database as part of a request to add a title corresponding to the streaming audio or video to a media collection associated with the device identifier or user identifier, and in which the title is associated with the identifying information. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. |
| US08036416B2 |
Method and apparatus for augmenting a mirror with information related to the mirrored contents and motion
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a user to visually compare the effects of one or more clothing sets in front of a mirror. During operation, the system detects and stores images of a user wearing a piece of clothing in front of mirror. Similar stored poses from either the user or from members of the user's social network can be retrieved later to compare the effects of the current piece of clothing to the retrieved clothing. The poses are then displayed in close proximity to the mirror so that the user can visually compare the effects. Displaying multiple such poses in sequence and in fast response to changes in the user's orientation creates the effect that the system is tracking the user's movements and presenting poses that are substantially synchronized to the user's movements. |
| US08036405B2 |
Hearing aid system, a hearing aid and a method for processing audio signals
A composite hearing aid system comprises two hearing aids (11, 31) with respective microphones (12, 32) and electronic receivers (17, 37), a microphone (42) and a transmitter (41) adapted to transmit the signal from the microphone (42) to the electronic receivers. At least one of the hearing aids (11, 31) comprises means for inverting the phase of the signal received by the electronic receivers (17, 37). When the phase of the received signal is inverted in one of the hearing aids (11, 31), a release from masking is obtained, and the perceived signal-to-noise ratio is improved. The invention provides a composite hearing aid system, a hearing aid and a method for processing audio signals. |
| US08036403B2 |
Directional sound wave radiator
The present invention belongs to the field of loudspeaker and relates to directional sound wave radiator comprising a sound transmission duct, a reverser, an annular director, a parabolic reflector, and a straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder. The sound transmission duct is mounted substantially coaxially with said parabolic reflector. The straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder is connected to said parabolic reflector. The reverser is provided inside said straight tubular loudspeaker cylinder and at the outlet end of said sound transmission duct; the outlet end of said reverser has an annular section, which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of said parabolic reflector and is positioned substantially at the focus of said parabolic reflector. The annular director is mounted around said sound transmission duct and at the outlet end of said reverser to define an annular shape of the outlet end of said reverser. The reverser and said annular director are fixed to said sound transmission duct by supporting screws. |
| US08036401B2 |
Calibrated microelectromechanical microphone
A MEMS microphone comprising a MEMS transducer having a back plate and a diaphragm as well as controllable bias voltage generator providing a DC bias voltage between the back plate and the diaphragm. The microphone also has an amplifier with a controllable gain, and a memory for storing information for determining a bias voltage to be provided by the bias voltage generator and the gain of the amplifier. |
| US08036397B2 |
Method for estimating the position of a sound source for online calibration of auditory cue to location transformations
A method for estimating the location of a sound source. First, a first microphone and a second microphone are moved relative to the sound source. Then the Intra-aural Time Difference (ITD) between the two microphones is measured. The moving and the measuring are repeated until the Intra-aural Time Difference (ITD) is smaller than a predefined threshold. |
| US08036392B2 |
Method and device for determining an effective vent
The acoustic properties of so-called instant fit ear tips, which in contrast to otoplastics are not produced individually, should be able to be better taken into consideration when adjusting a hearing aid for an individual wearer. To this end a method is proposed in which an OLG measurement, in other words an open loop gain measurement, is performed on the hearing aid when it is being worn. The OLG measurement curve obtained is compared with an OLG reference curve. A value is ascertained from the comparison which represents the level of closure of the hearing aid or of its otoplastic in the ear of the wearer. On the basis of this value the gain of the hearing aid is finally corrected. Furthermore, a corresponding adjustment device is provided. It is thus possible in a simple manner to take into consideration the individual, current level of closure during the adjustment. |
| US08036391B2 |
Automatic adjustments of audio alert characteristics of an alert device using ambient noise levels
The automatic adjustment of audio alert characteristics of an alert device using ambient noise levels is described. In one aspect of the invention, a machine-readable medium has executable instructions to cause a machine to perform a method to receive an audio sample of ambient noise and adjust a characteristic of the audio alert, such as, the volume level of the audio alert, based on the ambient noise level. |
| US08036390B2 |
Scalable encoding device and scalable encoding method
A scalable encoding device prevents sound quality deterioration of a decoded signal, reduces the encoding rate, and reduces the circuit size. The scalable encoding device includes a first layer encoder for generating a monaural signal by using a plurality of channel signals (L channel signal and R channel signal) constituting a stereo signal and encoding the monaural signal to generate a sound source parameter. The scalable encoding device also includes a second layer encoder for generating a first conversion signal by using the channel signal and the monaural signal, generating a synthesis signal by using the sound source parameter and the first conversion signal, and generating a second conversion coefficient index by using the synthesis signal and the first conversion signal. |
| US08036388B2 |
Information sending system, information sending device, information receiving device, information distribution system, information receiving system, information sending method, information receiving method, information distribution method, apparatus, sending method of information receiving device, playback method of apparatus, method of using contents and program storing medium
Content data encrypted with a content key, the content key encrypted with an individual key specific to an information sending device, and the individual key encrypted with a distribution key that is updated in a predetermined cycle, and supplied are sent to an information receiving device, and the information receiving device decrypts the individual key with the distribution key, decrypts the content key with the individual key, and decrypts the content data with the content key. Thus, the information sending device does not have the distribution key, and accordingly piracy of content data can be prevented with a simple configuration. Also, the information receiving device sends the content key and a playback command to other apparatuses. Thus, other apparatuses can play back contents using the playback command and the content key. Furthermore, the information sending device decrypts the content key with the distribution key before being updated, and stores the same. Thus, contents purchased by an advance order can be actually purchased regardless of expiration dates of the distribution key. Furthermore, usage right is passed from a first information receiving device to a second information receiving device different in registration information at the tome of using contents. Thus, contents can be used among information receiving devices different from each other in registration information. |
| US08036387B2 |
Method for the transmission of management data
This invention relates to a method for the transmission of management data to at least one multimedia unit or a group of multimedia units. This method is characterized in that said management data is sent in the form of at least one authorization message encrypted by means of at least one synchronization key (SK), the sending of said at least one authorization message being repeated cyclically and intended for said multimedia unit or said group of multimedia units, and in that the synchronization key is modified at least during each cycle. |
| US08036383B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure communication between cryptographic systems using real time clock
Provided are a method and apparatus for secure communication between cryptographic systems using a Real Time Clock (RTC). The method and apparatus allow a transmitting cryptographic system to transfer partial RTC data and a receiving cryptographic system to restore entire RTC data, thereby minimizing data to be transferred between the cryptographic systems. The method includes: calculating a largest RTC deviation between a transmitting cryptographic system and a receiving cryptographic system; calculating the smallest number of bits of partial data on an RTC required for restoring entire data on the RTC on the basis of the calculated largest RTC deviation; calculating the partial RTC data on the basis of the calculated smallest number of bits of the partial RTC data; and transferring the calculated partial RTC data to the receiving cryptographic system. |
| US08036382B2 |
Conditional access system and method for prevention of replay attacks
In a conditional access system, a headend transmits content to one or more receivers in encrypted transport streams. The system provides a multi-layer security architecture, rendering the system resistant to key replay attacks; if one layer is circumvented, subsequent layers remain intact. A first layer prevents unencrypted keys from being recorded by shielding the unencrypted keys from users and encrypting the path from the receiver's conditional access module to the transport decryption module; a second layer prevents a key recorded on one receiver from being played back to the transport decryption module on a second receiver; a third layer prevents a user from decrypting transport streams without the encryption module by encrypting the stream a second time prior to being passed through any user-accessible memory or processor.Event tables are transmitted with the transport stream, either unencrypted for immediate use or encrypted, to prevent unauthorized use. |
| US08036380B2 |
Efficient data integrity protection
A message authentication code, MAC, is generated in an electronic circuit, wherein the MAC integrity protects a data value, PD. A random challenge word, RND, is received from a source that is external to the electronic circuit. A first function G(RND,K) is evaluated that generates a first encrypted value, K′, from RND and K, wherein K is a secret key value that is stored on the electronic circuit. A second function F(RND,K) is evaluated that generates a second encrypted value, K″, from RND and K. The MAC is then generated in accordance with MAC=K″+m1K′+m2K′2+ . . . +MlK′l, wherein m1, m2, . . . , ml are derived by representing the data value, PD, as an l-tuple of elements in a field, GF(2n), wherein n is an integer greater than zero. A hardware-efficient arrangement is also disclosed for generating this and other MACs. |
| US08036379B2 |
Cryptographic processing
Executable instructions designed to provide faster cryptographic processing, fixed-timing memory access, and dedicated memory usage are implementable on an x86 CPU utilizing XMM registers. The instructions can be utilized to implement cryptographic processing in accordance with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). To encrypt, a single instruction performs nonlinear transformation, rotation, and linear transformation. Another single instruction used during encryption performs nonlinear transformation and rotation. New instructions also are implemented to perform decryption. The instructions implemented to perform decryption perform the mathematical inverse functions of their counterparts used for encryption. |
| US08036372B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamically reallocating a preferred request to one or more generic queues
Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamically reallocating a preferred request in one or more specific queues to one or more generic queues. A preferred request in a specific queue can be reallocated to another queue. A specific queue is monitored to determine if a service level target will be satisfied. Thereafter, the preferred request is dynamically reallocated to another queue if the service level target will not be satisfied. The specific queue may be one of a plurality of queues, each having an assigned service level target. A performance level of the specific queue can be evaluated relative to the service level target. For example, the service level target can be a predicted wait time. |
| US08036369B2 |
Method and system for realizing direct dialing to an extension across PBXs
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for realizing direct dialing to an extension across Private Branch Exchanges (PBXs), in witch firstly a calling terminal of a PBX seizes a PBX circuit; secondly the calling terminal initiates a call to a called extension terminal in a PBX cluster by dialing a called extension terminal number directly; then a exchange system resolves the number of the PBX switchboard to which the calling terminal belongs according to a calling terminal number, and obtains a number of the PBX switchboard to which a called extension terminal belongs according to information of the called extension terminal number; and then the exchange system initiates a call to the PBX switchboard to which the called extension terminal belongs, and, when receiving an answer to the call from the PBX switchboard, sends the called extension terminal number, to connect the calling terminal with the called extension terminal. |
| US08036368B2 |
Local route groups and transformation patterns
In one embodiment, method can include: receiving an address in a call agent, the address being associated with a call; triggering a trunk group selection algorithm in response to at least a portion of the received address, the trunk group selection algorithm providing a selection result from among a trunk group placeholder and a plurality of trunk groups; and forwarding the call to a trunk group determined by a caller-associated attribute when the selection result comprises the trunk group placeholder. |
| US08036362B1 |
Communication system and call forwarding management
A call management system enables each of multiple prospective callers to specify how to forward (e.g., direct or redirect) future calls to one or more target phone devices or users. For example, each of multiple persons provide call forwarding configuration information to the call management system. Upon initiation of a call by a user, the call management system intercepts and forwards a user's call in accordance with call forwarding configuration information previously provided by the user. |
| US08036359B2 |
Communication system, server apparatus, and display control method
According to one embodiment, a server apparatus includes a connection controller which selectively executes first processing to execute the communication connections among the several data terminals, respectively, and second processing to make the several data terminals, respectively, to communication-connect to the conference processing unit, a processor which executes a first screen display mode to individually display a plurality of screens, related to each of the several data terminals, and executes a second screen display mode to display screens, in which a plurality of screens related to each of the several data terminals are synthesized by the conference processing unit, based on the prescribed conditions, and a switching controller which selectively executes switching from the first screen display mode to the second screen display mode, or from the second screen display mode to the first screen display mode, and maintaining a screen display mode before switching, based on the prescribed conditions. |
| US08036352B2 |
Method and system for determining migration of ported telephone numbers between service providers
A method and system include obtaining at a first time a first image of a database having number portability records for each telephone number which has been ported between service providers. The first image is indicative of the LNP records in the database at the first time. At a second time a second image of the database is obtained. The second image is indicative of the records in the database at the second time. The first and second images are compared to determine migration of ported telephone numbers. |
| US08036350B2 |
Audio chunking
A voice mail system that allows for the delivery of voice messages by chunks, thereby optimizing the delivery of the information. When a subscriber attempts to listen to his or her voice mail message, the header information for the first voice mail message is down loaded and played back to the subscriber. While the subscriber listens to the header information, the next two blocks of data of the voice message are downloaded. Upon the completion of the playback of the header information, the first two blocks of the voice mail message are available for playback and the first block is immediately available for playback. As the subscriber listens to the voice mail message subsequent blocks of the first voice mail message, and optionally header information and blocks of subsequent voice mail messages are simultaneously down loaded. Thus, the subscriber is able to seamlessly listen to the voice mail messages without a delay in the retrieval of the voice mail messages regardless of the order the subscriber listens to the messages. |
| US08036348B2 |
Sequential presentation of long instructions in an interactive voice response system
A method of presenting instructions to a user sending an incoming communication to a service center includes presenting a menu to the user. The menu includes a plurality of procedure descriptors to the user. The user is presented, according to a selection of one of the procedure descriptors by the user, a sequence of instructions which enable completion of a procedure described by the selected procedure descriptor. The incoming communication is transferred at a position in the sequence of instructions to a representative. The incoming communication is also transferred back to the same position in the sequence of instructions. |
| US08036347B1 |
Method and apparatus providing additional information to an interactive voice response (IVR) system user
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing additional information to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system user is presented. A call from a user is received at the IVR system, and a session is provided for the user. Additionally, a page is generated for the session. The page is communicated to the user; and is dynamically updated for the user as the user traverses menus of the IVR system. |
| US08036343B2 |
Audio and data communications system
A communications system is disclosed that allows users to effectively communicate. |
| US08036338B2 |
Method and device for simultaneous measurement of magnetostriction and magnetization
Since measurement of magnetostriction is accompanied by measurement of magnetization, magnetostriction and magnetization are measured conventionally by separately prepared devices, with efforts for observing the same region of the sample. Measurement of the magnetostriction is difficult due to the difficulty of compensation and calibration. The value of magnetostriction coefficient in low temperature region cannot be correctly determined. A convenient method which can measure magnetostriction and magnetization simultaneously at the same region of the sample and at the same time is developed by combining the method of measurement of magnetostriction by X-ray diffraction and the method of measurement of magnetic X-ray diffraction. The observed X-ray diffraction intensity as a function of the magnetic field from the sample can be separated to symmetric component and asymmetric component, which contain signals proportional to the magnetostriction and magnetization, respectively. |
| US08036337B2 |
Method and device for inspection of liquid articles
Disclosed are a method and a device for security-inspection of liquid articles with dual-energy CT imaging. The method comprises the steps of obtaining one or more CT images including physical attributes of liquid article to be inspected by CT scanning and a dual-energy reconstruction method; acquiring the physical attributes of each liquid article from the CT image; and determining whether the inspected liquid article is dangerous based on the physical attributes. The CT scanning can be implemented by a normal CT scanning technique, or a spiral CT scanning technique. In the normal CT scanning technique, the scan position can be preset, or set by the operator with a DR image, or set by automatic analysis of the DR image. |
| US08036336B2 |
X-ray imaging apparatus, X-ray imaging method and method of controlling X-ray imaging apparatus
A simplified X-ray imaging apparatus is capable of computationally determining effective atomic numbers with small error factors even for light elements. The X-ray imaging apparatus has an X-ray generation unit 101 (400) for generating X-rays and a detector 105 (405) for detecting X-rays transmitted through an object of examination 104 (403). A computing unit 106 (406) computationally determines a quantity of an X-ray phase attributable to the object of examination and an X-ray transmittance of the object of examination from data detected by the detector. The computing unit also computationally determines an effective atomic number of the object of examination from ρet determined from the quantity of the X-ray phase and μt it determined from the X-ray transmittance. |
| US08036332B2 |
Communication signal symbol timing error detection and recovery
Communication signal symbol timing error detection and recovery apparatus and techniques are disclosed. A communication signal that includes symbols is sampled according to receive symbol timing. The samples are band-edge filtered to provide a filtered output signal including band edges of the samples. The filtered output signal is converted to baseband, and a phase error of the receive symbol timing is calculated based on the down converted baseband signal. The communication signal may include symbols associated with quadrature channels, in which case a respective filtered output signal that includes band edges of samples associated with each quadrature channel may be down converted. The down converted baseband signals may then be separated into upper and lower band-edge signals, which are used to calculate a phase error of the receive symbol timing. The upper and lower band-edge signals may also be used for other purposes, such as slope equalization and/or carrier synchronization. |
| US08036329B2 |
Sychronization during anti-collision
An RFID system comprises at least one reading device (1) and at least one transponder (2, 2′, 2″, 2′″), which are configured for non-contact communication by means of modulated electromagnetic signals (SS), which contain data and/or commands packed in data frames, in which the reading device (1) is configured for transmitting a group of data frames (D-SYNC), which contain synchronization information (Preamble, Start Delimiter) for synchronization with the transponder (2, 2′, 2″, 2′″) and to transmit another group of data frames (D-NOSYNC) which do not contain such synchronization information, in which the transponder (2, 2′, 2″, 2′″) has synchronization means (14, 20, 21) which are configured to effect synchronization with the reading device (1) with the help of synchronization information (Preamble, Start Delimiter) contained in received data frames (D-SYNC) and synchronization status test means (15,15′,15″,22) configured for detecting whether the transponder runs synchronously with the reading device and in the event of it not running synchronously, to switch on the synchronization unit (14, 20, 21). |
| US08036320B2 |
Pulse receiving circuit, pulse receiving method and pulse wireless communication device
A pulse receiving circuit which receives a receiving signal from the outside includes: a template pulse generating circuit which generates a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal having phase different from that of the first pulse signal based on a pulse position timing signal; a first multiplying circuit which multiplies the receiving signal by the first pulse signal and outputs a first multiplication signal; a second multiplying circuit which multiplies the receiving signal by the second pulse signal and outputs a second multiplication signal; a first low band pass filtering circuit which extracts low frequency component from frequency components of the first multiplication signal and outputs a first low frequency signal; a second low band pass filtering circuit which extracts low frequency component from frequency components of the second multiplication signal and outputs a second low frequency signal; and an envelope detection circuit which performs envelope calculation by using the first low frequency signal and the second low frequency signal and outputs a detection signal. |
| US08036312B2 |
System and method for determining signal phase
A receiver circuit (200) is provided, comprising: an agile clock (250) configured to generate an agile clock signal having a controllable agile clock phase based on agile clock control signals; a code processor (260) configured to receive an incoming signal and the agile clock signal, and to generate an on-time signal (110) and an error signal (120) corresponding to the incoming signal; a coarse acquisition circuit (270, 310) configured to identify a coarse acquisition phase based on a total power of the on-time signal and plus a total power of the error signal; a fine acquisition circuit (270, 320) configured to identify a fine acquisition phase based on the coarse acquisition phase and a magnitude of the on-time signal; and an acquisition controller (270, 330) configured to control operation of the coarse acquisition circuit and the fine acquisition circuit, and to provide a final acquisition phase as a current phase based on the one or more fine acquisition phases. |
| US08036308B2 |
Method and system for a wideband polar transmitter
Certain aspects of a method and system for a wideband polar transmitter may be disclosed. Aspects of the method may include polar modulating a plurality of signals by generating a plurality of modulated intermediate frequency (IF) signals corresponding to each of a plurality of wireless communication protocols within a transmitter that handles the plurality of wireless communication protocols. The generated plurality of modulated IF signals may be upconverted to a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals. The plurality of RF signals may be combined and the combined plurality of RF signals may be amplitude modulated. |
| US08036304B2 |
Apparatus and method of differential IQ frequency up-conversion
A balanced transmitter up-converts I and Q baseband signals directly from baseband-to-RF. The up-conversion process is sufficiently linear that no IF processing is required, even in communications applications that have stringent requirements on spectral growth. In operation, the balanced modulator sub-harmonically samples the I and Q baseband signals in a balanced and differential manner, resulting in harmonically rich signal. The harmonically rich signal contains multiple harmonic images that repeat at multiples of the sampling frequency, where each harmonic contains the necessary information to reconstruct the I and Q baseband signals. The differential sampling is performed according to a first and second control signals that are phase shifted with respect to each other. In embodiments of the invention, the control signals have pulse widths (or apertures) that operate to improve energy transfer to a desired harmonic in the harmonically rich signal. A bandpass filter can then be utilized to select the desired harmonic of interest from the harmonically rich signal. |
| US08036303B2 |
Transmitter apparatus
A transmitter apparatus capable of reducing the distortions of vector modulated waves. This apparatus includes variable coefficient filters (110,112) in a stage preceding an amplitude signal voltage generating part (104) and also includes variable coefficient filters (111,113) in a stage preceding a phase modulated wave generating part (105). These variable coefficient filters (110-113) are used to perform a pulse shaping, thereby adjusting the delay between an amplitude component modulated signal (r(t)) and a phase component modulated signal (SC(t)) whereby a resolution, which is finer than the sampling period of a signal processing, can be used to adjust the delay time difference between the amplitude component modulated signal (r(t)) and the phase component modulated signal (SC(t)). As a result, the distortions of vector modulated waves (Srf(t)) can be reduced to a sufficiently small level. |
| US08036297B2 |
Apparatus and method for space-time coding in multiple-antenna system
Disclosed is a space-time coding apparatus and method to flexibly adjust diversity/multiplexing orders in a multiple-antenna system. The transmitting apparatus for the multiple-antenna system includes a space-time code controller, an encoder, a demultiplexer, and a space-time encoder. The space-time code controller generates space-time codes by determining bases according to a multiplexing order required by a receiver. The encoder modulates and encodes data destined for the receiver in accordance with a predetermined modulation level. The demultiplexer demultiplexes data received from the encoder in order to transmit the data through at least one antenna. The space-time encoder space-time-codes the demultiplexed data using the space-time codes. |
| US08036295B2 |
Radio communication system that uses a MIMO receiver
A receiver uses a transmission channel matrix to obtain a superior signal separation characteristic regardless of differences in levels of multipath signals. A multipath linear combining unit performs linear combining of the multipaths in received signals of the reception antennas by means of the transmission channel matrix between the plurality of transmission antennas and the plurality of reception antennas. A maximum likelihood detector compares signals in which multipaths have been combined by the multipath linear combining unit with reception replicas that have been found using the transmission channel matrix to estimate the transmitted signals of each of the transmission antennas. |
| US08036290B2 |
Methods and systems for computing a minimum variance unbiased estimator of carrier and sampling clock frequency
Various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein may be used to compute a minimum variance unbiased estimator by receiving a first OFDM signal at a pilot tone, receiving a second OFDM signal sent in the same frequency band and determining a differential phase metric between the first OFDM signal and the second OFDM signal. In some embodiments, the differential phase metric may be used to diversity combine synchronization statistics. In various embodiments, the differential phase metric may be used to detect a narrow-band interference. |
| US08036289B2 |
Apparatus and method for correcting iterative residual frequency and phase in turbo coded OFDM system
Provided is an iterative residual frequency and phase compensation apparatus for an OFDM system and a method thereof. The apparatus includes: a first classifying unit for classifying symbol sequences by each subcarrier wave; a soft-decision calculating unit for calculating a soft-decision value of a data symbol using a soft-decision reliability obtained from iterative decoding performed by the iterative decoder; a classifying unit for classifying the soft-decision values by a carrier wave; a frequency estimating unit for estimating a residual frequency error of each carrier wave using the soft-decision value; a phase estimating unit for estimating an average residual phase error using the soft-decision value; a frequency and phase compensating unit for compensating frequencies and phases for input symbols of each carrier wave using the estimated frequency error and the estimated phase error; and a buffer for temporally storing the compensated symbols to provide it to the first classifying unit. |
| US08036288B2 |
Ultra-wideband communication system provided with a frequency controlled dispersive antenna
Radiocommunication equipment and method comprising at least the following elements: at least one frequency scan antenna connected to a modem adapted to generate a spectrum OFDM modulation-based waveform by increasing the duration of an OFDM symbol by reproducing the FFT pattern. |
| US08036284B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting data with reduced coupling noise
A first integrated circuit is coupled to a first connector. A second connector is coupled to the first connector through multiple conductors, in which alternating pairs of conductors are reversed. A second integrated circuit is coupled to the second connector through a second group of conductors. The first integrated circuit includes multiple differential drivers and the second integrated circuit includes multiple differential receivers. The inductive coupling coefficient of the first device is modified to be substantially the same as the inductive coupling coefficient of the second device. |
| US08036283B2 |
Data/strobe encoding scheme circuit and data/strobe encoding method
In a data/strobe encoding scheme circuit in which data and a strobe signal are transmitted through different lines, changes respectively in the data and the strobe signal are employed as clock signals for a latching operation, and the data is transmitted to a succeeding-stage circuit operating on a second clock signal. The circuit latches predetermined data by an FF circuit and passes a data pair including a signal indicating that the data has been latched and held therein as well as the latched data to the succeeding-stage circuit, activates, if assertion of a signal indicating reception of the data is received from the succeeding-stage circuit, again the FF circuit which has latched the data and has entered a stop state, and receives new data. There is provided a data/strobe encoding scheme circuit and a data/strobe encoding method, it is possible to implement a data/strobe encoding scheme circuit and a data/strobe encoding method capable of realizing a low-cost data/strobe encoding scheme which is independent of LSI device characteristics and which can be easily designed. |
| US08036280B2 |
Image coding and decoding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics
An image coding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics are provided. The image coding method comprises (a) modeling image quality distribution of an input image in units of scenes such that the quality of an image input in units of scenes is gradually lowered from a region of interest to a background region, (b) determining a quantization parameter of each region constituting one scene according to the result of modeling of image quality distribution, (c) quantizing image data in accordance with the quantization parameter, and (d) coding entropy of the quantized image data. |
| US08036274B2 |
SIMD lapped transform-based digital media encoding/decoding
A block transform-based digital media codec achieves faster performance by re-mapping components of the digital media data into vectors or parallel units on which many operations of the transforms can be performed on a parallel or single-instruction, multiple data (SIMD) basis. In the case of a one-dimensional lapped biorthogonal transform, the digital media data components are re-mapped into vectors on which butterfly stages of both overlap pre-/post-filter and block transform portions of the lapped transform can be performed on a SIMD basis. In the case of a two-dimensional lapped biorthogonal transform, the digital media data components are re-mapped into vectors on which a Hadamard operator of both overlap pre-/post-filter and block transform can be performed on a SIMD basis. |
| US08036270B2 |
Intra-frame flicker reduction in video coding
The embodiments of the present invention provide for methods, devices, and systems adapted to reduce flickers introduced in the encoding process, particularly during the generation of intra-coded pictures. The method provides for the determination of flicker areas within pictures and applying a flicker-control cost function, for example, on those determined flicker areas when selecting an intra-prediction mode. |
| US08036268B2 |
Moving image encoding apparatus, moving image encoding method, and video device
According to one embodiment, a moving image/picture encoding apparatus of an embodiment comprises an encoded information acquisition module, an encoding complexity calculation module, an encoding complexity conversion module, and a transcode module. The encoded information acquisition module reads MPEG header information from the input stream to acquire information on a quantization scale, generated bits and a picture type for each frame. The encoding complexity calculation module uses the acquired information to calculate, for each of the frames, encoding complexity represented in a form of the product of the quantization scale and the generated bits. The encoding complexity conversion module uses a linear function prepared for each of the picture types to convert the calculated encoding complexity into encoding complexity of H. 264/AVC. The transcode module uses the converted encoding complexity of H. 264/AVC to transcode the input stream into the output stream. |
| US08036256B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating and transmitting code sequence in a wireless communication system
A method of generating a code sequence in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes recognizing a desired length of the code sequence, generating a code sequence having a length different from the desired length, and modifying the length of the generated code sequence to equal the desired length. Here, the step of modifying includes discarding at least one element of the generated code sequence or inserting at least one null element to the generated code sequence. |
| US08036253B2 |
Resonant Fabry-Perot semiconductor saturable absorbers and two photon absorption power limiters
An intracavity resonant Fabry-Perot saturable absorber (R-FPSA) induces modelocking in a laser such as a fiber laser. An optical limiter such as a two photon absorber (TPA) can be used in conjunction with the R-FPSA, so that Q-switching is inhibited, resulting in laser output that is cw modelocked. By using both an R-FPSA and a TPA, the Q-switched modelocked behavior of a fiber laser is observed to evolve into cw modelocking. |
| US08036250B1 |
Method and apparatus of mutliplexing media streams
An apparatus and method for generating a multiplex of media streams, the method includes the steps of: (i) receiving a set of media streams that comprises first type media stream components and second type media stream components; (ii) applying a modification process that is not adapted to modify second type media stream components, such as to provide at least one modified first type media stream component; and (iii) multiplexing at least the second type media stream components and the modified first type media stream components. |
| US08036245B2 |
System and method for packet based communications and arrangement therefor
A system and method for packet-based communications is performed by implementing arbitrated packet-based communications. According to an example embodiment, packet-based data is arbitrated and output with verification data. For each arbitrated packet stream, verification data is generated in response to detecting an end of frame (EOF) symbol in the arbitrated packet stream, and the verification data is added to the packet stream. A merged packet stream is provided at an output, the merged packet stream including the plurality of arbitrated packet streams with verification data added thereto. |
| US08036244B2 |
Transmitter, receiver, communication system, communication method, non-transitory computer readable medium
Provided is a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver which carry out communication by establishing connection of their plurality of communication layers. The transmitter generates a connection request containing a command and data required for connecting a number of contiguously adjacent layers among the plurality of communication layers and transmits the connection request to the receiver. The receiver receives a connection request containing a command and data required for connecting a number of contiguously adjacent layers among the plurality of communication layers, extracts the command and data from the connection request, and establishes connection for the plurality of communication layers based on the command and data. In this way, the time taken to establish connection is reduced. Therefore, even when the connection is cut off during the data exchange, the connection can be established again without taking much time, allowing quick recovery of data exchange. |
| US08036242B2 |
Dynamic capacity operating point management for a vocoder in an access terminal
A variable rate vocoder is configured to encode speech signals with a plurality of encoding rates and to change from a first encoding rate to a second encoding rate according to a received signal indicating reverse link load. |
| US08036241B2 |
Method and system for contention resolution in telecommunication networks
A method and system for contention resolution in a communications network are disclosed. As one example, a method for contention resolution in a communications network is disclosed. The method includes the steps of transmitting a first contention message during a first time interval, determining if a second contention message has been received during the first time interval, if the second contention message has been received during the first time interval, deferring a use of a network resource in the communications network, and if the second contention message has not been received during the first time interval, using the network resource during a second time interval. |
| US08036239B2 |
Method and system for HSDPA bit level processor engine
A method for processing signals in a communication system is disclosed and may include pipelining processing of a received HSDPA bitstream within a single chip. The pipelining may include calculating a memory address for a current portion of a plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream, while storing on-chip, a portion of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream that is subsequent to the current portion. A portion of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream that is previous to the current portion may be decoded during the calculating and storing. The calculation of the memory address for the current portion of the plurality of information bits may be achieved without the use of a buffer. Processing of the plurality of information bits in the received HSDPA bitstream may be partitioned into a functional data processing path and functional address processing path. |
| US08036236B2 |
Gateway for use in an electronic communications recording system
A media gateway (34.2) comprises a line interface (54) comprising at least one input port, which is connectable to a time division multiplex (TDM) communications carrier. The at least one input port being configured to receive input data in at least one of a) clear channel data in a data carrier type and b) TDM framed in a primary rate carrier. The gateway comprises an extractor (66) for extracting the clear channel data and a formatter (64) for formatting the framed data. The gateway further comprises an interface (67) for making the extracted data and/or formatted data available as packet data network (PDN) data at a PDN output port of the gateway. |
| US08036231B2 |
Wall-mountable connector
In one embodiment, a media converter comprises a power interface that extracts power from a communication medium coupled to the media converter for powering the media converter. In another embodiment, a connector comprises a first media attachment interface to physically attach a first communication medium to the connector and a second media attachment interface to physically attach a second communication medium to the connector. The connector further comprises a mounting interface to physically attach the connector to a structure. The connector communicatively couples the first communication medium and the second communication medium. The connector processes management data communicated over at least one of the first communication medium and the second communication medium. |
| US08036229B2 |
Switch with virtual network identifier re-write capability
A switch includes a processor, an ingress port having ingress port logic, and an egress port. It may also include a virtual network identifier rewrite component for rewriting a virtual network identifier in a data frame received the ingress port with a new virtual network identifier. Also included is a virtual network identifier rewrite rule set, where a rule may have one or more of the following: a received virtual network identifier, a source Fibre Channel identifier (FCID) address, an ingress port identifier, and a new virtual network identifier. The ingress port logic may insert a received virtual network identifier into the data frame received at the ingress port, where the virtual network identifier may correspond to the ingress port. The virtual network identifier rewrite component may assign the new virtual network identifier to the data frame according to a specific virtual network identifier rewrite rule. |
| US08036227B2 |
Quality of service support for A/V streams
An access control mechanism in a network connecting one or more sink devices to a server providing audio/visual data (A/V) in streams. As a sink device requests access, the server measures available bandwidth to the sink device. If the measurement of available bandwidth is completed before the sink device requests a stream of audio/visual data, the measured available bandwidth is used to set transmission parameters of the data stream in accordance with a Quality of Service (QoS) policy. If the measurement is not completed when the data stream is requested, the data stream is nonetheless transmitted. In this scenario, the data stream may be transmitted using parameters computed using a cached measurement of the available bandwidth to the sink device. If no cached measurement is available, the data stream is transmitted with a low priority until a measurement can be made. Once the measurement is available, the transmission parameters of the data stream are re-set. With this access control mechanism, A/V streams may be provided with low latency but with transmission parameters accurately set in accordance with the QoS policy. |
| US08036221B2 |
Method and system for dynamic secured group communication
A system and method directed to carrying out dynamic secured group communication is provided. The method includes obtaining a first packet that includes a first header. The first header includes a first source address of a first source node of a first network, and a first destination address of a first destination node of the first network. The method also includes forming a frame that includes the first header in encrypted form, combining the first header and the frame to form a second packet, and forming a second header. This second header includes a second source address of a second source node of a second network, and a second destination address of a second destination node of the second network. The method further includes encapsulating the second packet with the second header to form a third packet, and communicating the third packet into the second network from the second source node for termination to the second-destination node. |
| US08036218B2 |
Technique for achieving connectivity between telecommunication stations
A technique for enabling a secure, point-to-point wireless connection between a secondary computer (e.g., a personal digital assistant, etc.) and a primary computer (e.g., a notebook, a desktop, etc.) is disclosed. The primary computer is associated with an extended infrastructure through an access point. The present invention enables the secondary computer to communicate either with the associated primary computer or with an extended network indirectly through the access point. |
| US08036217B2 |
Method and apparatus to count MAC moves at line rate
A method and apparatus for counting Media Access Control (MAC) address moves at line rate is described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a line card in a network bridge receives a frame at a port having a source MAC address that is associated with a different port of the network bridge. The line card signals a control card of the network bridge that the source MAC address has moved. The control card processes the source MAC address move and increments a MAC address move counter. If the MAC address move counter exceeds a MAC address move count threshold for a given time interval, the control card signals each line card in the network bridge to count each frame they receive on any port having that source MAC address. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08036216B1 |
Method and apparatus for packet cut-through
A method and apparatus for packet cut-though have been disclosed. In packet cut-through mode successive packet fragments are associated an identical logical data flow. This allows, for example, a SPI-4 interface to be able to successively transmit a whole packet for a logical port without intervening by traffic of other logical ports. |
| US08036211B1 |
Legacy user proxy call session control function
A Legacy User Proxy CSCF (“L-CSCF”) provides multimedia services from a SIP based network to legacy access networks and devices. The L-CSCF includes a legacy service control state machine; a P-CSCF state machine and associated protocols; a mapping between a user's legacy network address and a corresponding network entry point; a database and logic for mapping between legacy user addresses and corresponding authentication data; legacy specific QoS control mechanisms; and an interworking function to handle incompatibilities between the legacy and SIP call models. The L-CSCF may be disposed logically between the legacy network and the multimedia network to translate and process communications such that legacy network and multimedia network devices need not require extensive modifications in order to support operation. |
| US08036200B2 |
Efficient polled frame exchange on a shared-communications channel
A technique is disclosed for dealing with transmissions between telecommunications stations on a shared-communications channel that avoids some of the costs and disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. The present invention introduces transmission rules that alleviate timing constraints. By following the transmission rules in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, stations exchanging data with each other can prepare frames for transmission far enough in advance to overcome timing constraints. |
| US08036197B2 |
Signalling
A network element may provide a plurality of user equipments with a dedicated pilot sequence for uplink reference signal transmission. A user equipment may, after receipt of a dedicated pilot sequence, spread the pilot sequences using a block spreading method. |
| US08036196B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication system, wireless communication method and program
A wireless communication apparatus includes: a channel setting portion that sets an working channel and an acquisition channel; a remainder obtaining portion that obtains a remaining time length that can be used to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication apparatuses that form part of the same wireless network using the working channel; a remainder determination portion that determines if the remaining time length is equal to or less than a specified acquisition reference remaining number and equal to less than a specified change reference remaining number; and if the remainder determination portion determines that the remaining time length is equal to or less than the change reference remaining number, an acquisition portion acquires signals transmitted using the acquisition channel and the channel setting portion changes the working channel based on the signals that have been acquired by the acquisition portion. |
| US08036194B2 |
Communication device
According to one embodiment, a communication device connected wirelessly to a source-side communication device includes a wired communication module, first and second wireless communication modules, and a communication controller. The wired communication module transmits a video signal and exchanges a data signal with a sink device via wired communication. The first wireless communication module receives a video signal through a first wireless communication system. The second wireless communication module transmits and receives a data signal through a second wireless communication system. The communication controller performs processing related to a physical address used in the communication system of the wired communication module. The communication controller relays information as to data communication capability exchanged between the sink device and the source device, and exchanges information as to data communication capability with the source-side communication device. When the devices are capable of data communication, the communication controller sets data communication as possible. |
| US08036190B2 |
Methods and devices for allocating data in a wireless communication system
A system and method for identifying a resource region including a plurality of symbols, allocating pilot signals to the resource region, identifying pilot-free symbols free of the pilot signals in the plurality of symbols, arranging sacrifice carriers for a first region of a group of symbols in the pilot-free symbols at a first density for a first communication station, and arranging sacrifice carriers for a second region of the group of symbols in the pilot-free symbols at a second density for a second communication station, the first communication station mobile with respect to an access communication station at a first relative speed and the second communication station is mobile with respect to the access communication station at a second relative speed, and wherein the first density of sacrifice carriers is greater than the second density of sacrifice carriers if the first relative speed is greater than the second relative speed. |
| US08036189B2 |
Mobile node and communication control method
A technology is disclosed for a mobile device with multiple interfaces to make use of its multiple interfaces capability with Mobile IP. According to this technology, MN (Mobile Node) 100 comprises a cellular interface to connect to the cellular network 112 and a Wireless-LAN interface to connect to the local network 122 and 132, and sends a Binding Update message to set the address of the Wireless-LAN interface to CoA (Care-of Address) to HA (Home Agent) at the cellular network or CN (Correspondent Node) 160. This Binding Update message includes a special label indication that the cellular interface is currently connected to the home network. |
| US08036182B2 |
Communication system and communication control equipment
Mobile IPv6 assigns MN (Mobile Node) with a fixed home address in order to guarantee an arrival to MN 7. A SIP process of HA (Home Agent) 2 is provided with a unit for notifying Binding information of MN to a presence server 1. Alternatively, the presence server 1 is provided with a unit for requesting HA 2 for the Binding information of MN. An information delivery server 3 is provided with a unit for acquiring a Care of Address of MN from the presence server 1 and selecting information corresponding to the Care of Address. Presence service can be provided to MN existing in a network other than a home network. |
| US08036179B2 |
Method for transmitting multicast data in WiMax/WiBro relay system
A method for transmitting multicast data in a WiMax/WiBro relay system, including transmitting carrier-interference-noise ratios from UEs to corresponding Relays; selecting the minimum value among the carrier-interference-noise ratios; determining the modulation and coding mode according to the selected minimum value; transmitting the modulation and coding mode to BS; selecting a modulation and coding mode with a highest rate for multicast data on an access link; transmitting the final modulation and coding mode to the Relays; and transmitting data via the access link with the modulation and coding mode determined by the BS. |
| US08036175B2 |
Handoff method between heterogeneous networks and system thereof
A handoff method between a source network to which a terminal is connected in order of a Base Station (BS) and an Access Service Network (ASN), and a target network to which the terminal is connected in order of a Packet Data Service Node (PDSN), a Packet Control Function (PCF) and an Access Network (AN). The terminal sends a handoff request message with AN information of the target network to the ASN via the BS. The ASN forwards the handoff request message to the PCF via the PDSN using the AN information. Upon receipt of the handoff request message, the PCF sends a request for session information to the ASN via the PDSN. The PDSN sends a request for context information to the ASN. Upon receipt of the session information request and the context information request, the ASN transfers the context information to the PDSN and transfers the session information to the AN via the PDSN and the PCF. |
| US08036174B2 |
Wireless multicasting service method using relayed transmission scheme
A wireless multicasting service method using a relayed transmission scheme is provided. In the wireless multicasting service method, a mobile node moves from a first wireless network to a second wireless network. Then, the mobile node performs a new joining request to a mobile multicast agent managing a multicasting service in the second wireless network. If the mobile node receives a joining approval for the new joining request, the mobile node performs a secession request to a previous mobile multicast agent managing a multicasting service in the first wireless network. |
| US08036172B1 |
Stateful home agent recovery protocol (SHARP)
A method and system for resilient mobile communications in a network when network elements are removed, upgraded or fail are provided. A mobile device communicates with an endpoint through foreign and home agents communicatively connected to the network. An active home agent stores communication information for the mobile node and multicasts the communication information to non-active home agents associated with the active home agent. When an active home agent is removed, upgraded or fails, the mobile device is able to maintain mobile communications with the endpoint through one or more non-active home agent. A non-active home agent having a high priority is transitioned to active status to maintain communication service between the mobile node and endpoint. |
| US08036169B2 |
Method for improving high-speed downlink operation in CELL—FACH state for a wireless communications system and related apparatus
A method of improving a high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH state for a network terminal of a wireless communications system includes using a first function but not using a second function when a user equipment, hereinafter called UE, initiates a cell update procedure. The network terminal wirelessly communicates with the UE, and the network terminal and the UE both support the high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH state. The first function is used for allocating a dedicated HS-DSCH radio network transaction identifier (H-RNTI) to the UE, so as to manage the UE to perform the high-speed downlink operation in CELL_FACH based on the dedicated H-RNTI. The second function is used for not allocating the dedicated H-RNTI to the UE. |
| US08036166B2 |
Signaling of implicit ACK/NACK resources
A method includes, in response to receiving implicit signaling of the radio resource, and in response to a plurality of wireless communication system cell-specific static and semi-static input parameters, determining a plurality of output parameters and allocating radio resources using the determined output parameters. Also disclosed are computer readable storage mediums for storing programs that operate in accordance with the methods, as well as various devices that operate in accordance with the methods and that include the computer readable storage mediums. |
| US08036165B2 |
Channel allocation method for allocating channels to terminal apparatuses to be communicated and base station apparatus utilizing the same
The quality of signals during SDMA is raised.In an uplink, a signal processing unit receives signals respectively from a plurality of terminal apparatuses which have been multiple-accessed by division of time. It derives receiving channel characteristics corresponding to the plurality of terminal apparatuses, respectively, for each time slot. In a downlink, the signal processing unit derives transmitting channel characteristics from the receiving channel characteristics derived and, based on the transmitting channel characteristics derived, it transmits signals respectively to the plurality of terminal apparatuses to which SDMA has been performed. In the downlink, a control unit allocates channels to the plurality of terminal apparatuses, respectively, in a manner that the plurality of terminal apparatuses are multiple-accessed by SDMA; and in the uplink it allocates channels to the plurality of terminal apparatuses, respectively, in a manner that the plurality of terminal apparatuses are multiple-accessed by TDMA. |
| US08036164B1 |
System and method for selecting a transmission channel in a wireless communication system that includes an adaptive array
A method for establishing wireless communication between a transmitter and a receiver in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The receiver includes an adaptive array that has at least two antennas. Each antenna receives a signal and produces a received signal. The transmitter includes at least two transmission channels for communicating the signal from the transmitter to the receiver. The wireless communication system suppresses interference at the receiver by applying an interference suppression technique when combining the received signals. The selection of a channel at the transmitter is based on the channel performance at the receiver for each transmission channel. The channel performance is based on a combining technique different from the interference suppression technique. |
| US08036162B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless communication device
A wireless communication system and a wireless communication device capable of performing communication by each transmission signal without mutual interference, when a plurality of transmission signals of different communication systems or the same communication systems exist within the same frequency band. The system includes a first wireless communication device, a second wireless communication device, a third wireless communication device, and a fixed band-pass filter and a variable band-pass filter in the third wireless communication device. The first wireless communication signal includes control information indicating a variable pass band in the variable band-pass filter, and the control information is given to the variable band-pass filter, thereby allowing the first wireless communication signal to be selectively passed through the variable band-pass filter, while removing the second wireless communication signal. |
| US08036160B1 |
Systems and methods for location based call routing
Disclosed herein are a system, method, and computer-readable medium with instructions for recommending a service provider based on a user's approximate current location. The service provider may be recommended for a service that is verified under a user's insurance policy and is also within proximity to the user's approximate current location. The user's approximate current location may be determined by location-based technology. The entity that receives and/or recommends the service provider may initiate a request for the service from the service provider. Further embodiments are related to routing a call to provide information to the user that is responsive to the user's location-relevant request. For example, systems, such as an automotive telematics system, may request information and be routed to the appropriate division of a user's insurance provider such that the automotive telematics system can provide services to the user that are user-specific (e.g., covered by the user's insurance policy). |
| US08036158B2 |
System, method, and device for providing communications using a distributed mobile architecture
A device for providing a communication path between two or more wireless telephones via one or more wireless transceivers is disclosed. The device includes a housing that includes a mobile switching center module and includes a base station controller module. Further, in another particular embodiment, the mobile switching center module includes a program for switching received telephone calls. Additionally, the mobile switching center module includes a program to establish a peer-to-peer connection with a remote distributed mobile architecture server. The mobile switching center module further includes a program to transmit telephone calls to a remote distributed mobile architecture server via one or more peer-to-peer Internet protocol connections. |
| US08036157B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system. The system includes a wireless communication terminal, a base station to which the wireless communication terminal wirelessly connects at a time of starting communication with the specific communication party, another base station to which the wireless communication terminal newly connects after starting communication with the specific communication party and a transfer unit which transfers information transmitted from the specific communication party to the another base station. |
| US08036155B2 |
Method and system for adaptive modulation scheduling
Provided is a method and system for transmitting MPEG frames between a DOCSIS based satellite modem termination system (SMTS) and a corresponding satellite modem (SM) system. The method includes identifying at least one data stream requiring transmission between the SMTS and the SM, the data stream including one or more MPEG frames. Next, the MPEG frames are organized within SMTS data queues based upon predetermined parameters and then transmitted based upon their organization within the data queues. |
| US08036149B2 |
Multi-casting communication system, server used for the system, and method of making multi-casting communication
In the multi-casting communication system, on receipt of a signal transmitted from one of mobile communication terminals with a half-duplex communication switch thereof being on, the PoC server records a user of the mobile communication terminal in a subscriber list as a next speaker, if there is another mobile communication terminal presently making multi-casting communication, and further if no mobile communication terminals are recorded in the subscriber list. Thus, it is clear who speaks next. |
| US08036145B2 |
Frame structure for a wireless communication system
A frame format used in a wireless communication system, more particularly an OFDMA TDD wireless communication system, of the kind that includes a base station and a plurality of fixed or mobile subscriber stations, the base station maintaining connections with each of the subscriber stations by performing wireless communication in units of frames having the frame format, and within each frame, allocating resources for data transmission and signalling. Each frame has a plurality of downlink subframes and a plurality of uplink subframes including, in time order, a first downlink subframe, a first uplink subframe, a final downlink subframe and a final uplink subframe. One or more further downlink subframe/uplink subframe pairs may be interposed between the first and final subframes as desired, and the configuration can be changed dynamically. |
| US08036142B2 |
Control frame handling by a provider backbone bridge
A method and Bridge in a Provider Backbone Bridge Network (PBBN) for enabling frames from a Higher Layer Entity attached alternatively to a Provider Instance Port (PIP) on an I-Component of a Backbone Edge Bridge or to a Customer Backbone Port on a B-Component of the Backbone Edge Bridge, to reach an intended entity in the PBBN. A Virtual Instance Port Service Access Point (VIP SAP) is configured for every VIP and every Higher Layer Entity configured on the I-Component. An Enhanced VIP Port Connectivity function utilizes the VIP SAP to tunnel customer-initiated Layer 2 Control Protocols (L2CPs). A Special Multiplexed SAP handles the frames of the Higher Layer Entity, and is assigned an I-SID value that is universally recognized to identify the L2CPs. A Service Instance Multiplex Entity utilizes the Special Multiplexed SAP to transfer frames between the PIP or the Customer Backbone Port and the entity inside the PBBN. |
| US08036139B2 |
Internal BGP downloader
Improved systems and methods for distributing interdomain routing information within an Autonomous System (AS). A protocol extension to BGP, iBGPd (internal Border Gateway Protocol downloader), has been developed to replace IBGP in distributing BGP interdomain routing information within an AS. The iBGPd technique distributes routing information hop-by-hop using a reliable multi-party transport protocol. Scalability is greatly improved since the use of a full mesh of TCP connections is avoided. Also, there are improvements in routing information propagation delay and routing stability. Drawbacks related to the use of route reflectors and confederations are avoided. |
| US08036137B2 |
Methods and apparatus for supporting a half-duplex mode of operation for user equipment communications in a radio communication system
Embodiments include methods performed in time division duplex (TDD) radio communication systems in which information is communicated between a first node (e.g., a base) and a second node (e.g., user equipment) in a context of a data frame that includes a plurality of slots. The second node applies an adjustment to an alignment between a second node transmit clock and a second node receive clock based on a propagation delay between the first node and the second node. The adjusted alignment ensures that second node receive slots and second node transmit slots are non-overlapping with each other in time, and that the second node will operate in a half-duplex mode of operation. The second node transmits a transmit burst during the second node transmit slots, and receives a first node transmit burst from the first node during the second node receive slots. |
| US08036130B2 |
Minimization of channel filters within wireless access nodes
A wireless access node includes a first radio operable to transmit/receive on one of at least N transmission channels. A second radio is operable to transmit/receive on another one of the at least N transmission channels. A first filter bank, of less than N filters, filters a first transmit/receive signal of the first radio. A second filter bank, of less than N filters, filters a second transmit/receive signal of the second radio. Generally, N is greater than 2. |
| US08036129B2 |
System and method for avoiding stall using timer for high-speed downlink packet access system
At least one timer is used to prevent a stall condition. If a timer is not active, the timer is started for a data block that is correctly received. The data block has a sequence number higher than a sequence number of another data block that was first expected to be received. When the timer is stopped or expires, all correctly received data blocks among data blocks up to and including a data block having a sequence number that is immediately before the sequence number of the data block for which the timer was started is delivered to a higher layer. Further, all correctly received data blocks up to a first missing data block, including the data block for which the timer was started, is delivered to the higher layer. |
| US08036125B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting multimedia stream using virtual machines based on a number of transmissions at a data rate
An apparatus and method are provided for variably transmitting a multimedia stream according to requirements of a client device and the state of a channel. The multimedia stream transmission apparatus includes: a plurality of virtual machines corresponding to the multiple client applications, each of the virtual machines determining a specific parameter set and obtaining a change value for the parameter set from network statistics and a requirement of a corresponding client application; a parameter adjustment unit which adjusts values of parameters used in a network interface by the change value; and the network interface which transmits the multimedia stream based on the adjusted parameters. |
| US08036124B1 |
Early load detection system and methods for GGSN processor
A device may store a first and second queue of packets, calculate an average queue size based on the number of packets in the first and second queues and discard a packet when the packet is a session creation packet and the calculated average queue size is greater than a threshold value. |
| US08036123B1 |
Integrated circuit for network stress testing
An integrated circuit having a corresponding method comprises a plurality of ports to transmit and receive packets of data; a forwarding engine to transfer the packets of data between the ports; and a controller to receive one or more packet definitions that specify characteristics of a packet; and wherein at least one of the ports comprises a packet generator to originate one or more packets of data according to one or more of the packet definitions received by the controller. |
| US08036119B2 |
System and method of providing bandwidth on demand
An improved system and method of providing bandwidth on demand for an end user and/or enterprise is disclosed. In one example, the method includes receiving, by a controller positioned in a network, a request for a high quality of service connection supporting any one of a plurality of one-way and two-way traffic types between an originating end-point and a terminating end-point. The controller determines whether the originating end-point is authorized to use the requested amount of bandwidth or the codec and whether the terminating end-point can be reached by the controller. The controller directs a portal that is positioned in the network and physically separate from the controller to allocate local port resources and negotiates to reserve far-end resources for the terminating end-point. The controller also provides routing instructions to the portal. |
| US08036115B2 |
Synchronization of multiple incoming network communication streams
A device, method, and computer readable medium are disclosed. In one embodiment the device includes a first network packet storage queue that is capable of storing incoming network packets from a network. The device also includes a second network packet storage queue that is capable of storing incoming network packets from a network. The device also includes flush logic to synchronize a flush of the network packets stored in the first and second network packet storage queues. The flush is triggered by a flush event affecting at least one of the storage queues. |
| US08036112B2 |
System and method for transmission control protocol (TCP) transmission rate control
The present invention provides a smooth friendly TCP based transport layer protocol method and apparatus for data and streaming applications. In accordance with the invention, a low pass filter that uses history information modifies the multiplicative decrease portion of TCP's additive increase multiplicative decrease strategy, thereby creating an additive increase smooth decrease solution. The present invention smoothes the variation of the congestion window in case of drop events and provides smooth transfer rates for streaming applications. |
| US08036111B2 |
Connection set-up in a communication system
In a communication system a procedure is initiated to establish a communication connection for a user equipment. A data bearer may be established via one or more nodes of the communication system for the user equipment before the communication connection procedure is completed. An instruction is signalled to at least one of the nodes associated with the data bearer to prevent transportation of data to or from the user equipment using the data bearer. Based on the instruction, transportation of data to or from the user equipment is prevented until the communication connection establishment procedure has been completed. According to a further aspect, an indication is signalled to at least one of the nodes that the communication connection establishment procedure is completed. Charging record unit associated with charging of data transportation prior said completion are closed in response to the signal. |
| US08036110B2 |
Base station apparatus, user equipment, and method used in mobile communication system
A base station apparatus communicating with a user equipment terminal in a mobile communication system is disclosed. The base station apparatus includes a determination unit determining whether an uplink signal received from the user equipment terminal is to be retransmitted, a control information generation unit generating control information to permit the user equipment terminal to transmit an uplink signal, and a transmission unit transmitting the control information to the user equipment terminal. Further, in the base station apparatus, when the determination unit determines that the uplink signal is to be retransmitted, the control information generation unit generates the control information so as to include retransmission information indicating that an uplink signal transmitted before from the user equipment terminal is to be retransmitted. |
| US08036108B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing gateway to transmit IPv6 packet in a wireless local area network system
A method and apparatus for providing a gateway for IPv6 packet transmission in a WLAN system are provided, in which a gateway takes over a TCP/IP protocol stack from a legacy 6LoWPAN node for providing a gateway for IPv6 packet transmission in a WLAN system. One or more service request messages for data communications are received from a plurality of 6LoWPAN nodes, and a virtual interface is generated for allocating IPv6 addresses to the 6LoWPAN nodes by adding a predetermined IPv6 address prefix to addresses of the 6LoWPAN nodes set in the service request messages. A socket adaptation layer is interfaced for receiving the IPv6 addresses from the virtual interface and transmitting data packets to the 6LoWPAN nodes, and when data packets are transmitted and received to and from the 6LoWPAN nodes, an on-going file is controlled and managed, and the data packets are routed. |
| US08036104B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improving resiliency of communication networks
Techniques for supporting fault tolerance in communications systems are described. Fault notification messages are communicated which may be affected by a detected/reported service disruption. End nodes receiving a fault notification message determine if the message indicates a disruption in a node that is critical to the end node receiving the message. If the indicated disruption is in a critical node, the end node takes action to ameliorate the effect of the reported condition. Fault notification messages indicating disruptions in nodes which are not critical to the end node receiving the fault notification message may be ignored once it is determined that the indicated disruption is in a node which is not critical to the end node receiving the message. The invention described herein minimizes service disruption following fault, failure or outage of critical network nodes, improving overall system robustness and resiliency. |
| US08036102B2 |
Protocol definition for software bridge failover
A method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for protocol definition for software bridge failover. In a first aspect of the present invention, a first software bridge determines the proper working operation of a physical adapter. Limbo packets are sent to a second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic responsive to the physical adapter failure in the first software bridge. The second software bridge receives the limbo packets, and, in response to receiving the limbo packets, asserts primary control and initiates bridging of traffic. In an alternative aspect of the present invention a first software bridge sends keep-alive packets. A second software bridge monitors the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge and, in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, the second software bridge initiates bridging of traffic. |
| US08036101B2 |
Retransmission apparatus and method for high-speed data processing
A method for retransmitting high-speed packet data in a transmission apparatus of a mobile communication system that simultaneously performs Automatic Retransmission reQuest (ARQ) that retransmits an ARQ packet reconfigured by allocating a sequence number to data delivered from an upper layer, and Hybrid Automatic Retransmission reQuest (HARQ) that multiplexes a plurality of ARQ packets into one HARQ packet and performs repeated retransmission on the HARQ packet within a maximum retransmission limit value. A transmitting HARQ entity checks a missing ARQ packet and sends a Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) for the missing ARQ packet to a transmitting ARQ entity. The transmitting ARQ entity receives an Acknowledged (ACK) for ARQ packets from a receiving ARQ entity, detects at least one missing ARQ packet according to the NACK and the ACK, configures a retransmission packet with the detected ARQ packet, and retransmits the retransmission packet. |
| US08036099B2 |
Method and apparatus for linearly precoding downlink transmissions to reduce temporal variations in interference
According to one or more method and apparatus embodiments taught herein, network base stations reduce temporal variations in the interference perceived by mobile stations operating within the network by slowing down the rate at which they change or otherwise update the linear precoding settings applied to their transmitted Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signals in comparison to the rate at which the base stations perform link adaptation. That is, the precoding-related component of measured interference (e.g., other-cell interference) at the mobile stations is made quasi-stationary with respect to channel quality reporting and link adaptation intervals by fixing the preceding settings used by each base station over time intervals substantially longer than the channel reporting/link adaptation intervals. |
| US08036096B2 |
Optical recording medium for retail activation
An optical recording medium to be used for a retail activation solution is proposed. The optical recording medium is a modified ROM disk that can only be played after the application of an activation process. For this purpose at least a part of a reflective layer of a read-only area of the optical recording medium is replaced by a light sensitive layer stack that changes its reflectivity upon illumination.Also proposed are a method for producing such an optical recording medium as well as methods and apparatuses for initializing and/or activating such an optical recording medium. |
| US08036093B2 |
Optical head device and recording/reproduction device
An optical head device includes a first light source and a second light source respectively emitting a first light beam and a second light beam, a luminous flux separating section selectively separating the first and second light beams for which the same optical path is used, to first and second optical paths, respectively, and a first objective lens converging the first light beam that has been separated to the first optical path on the first optical information recording medium. Further, the optical head device includes a second objective lens made of resin and converging the second light beam separated to the second optical path on the second optical information recording medium, and a first filtering section formed on a beam exit face of the second objective lens and reducing the transmittance of the first light beam to be lower than transmittance of the second light beam. |
| US08036089B2 |
Optical pick-up, method of generating aberration for compensation and optical information processing apparatus using the same
An optical pick-up to perform recording or reproducing for an optical recording medium is disclosed, which includes a light source configured to emit a light beam, an objective lens configured to focus the light beam onto the optical recording medium, and an aberration generation device provided between the light source and the objective lens, configured to generate coma aberration for the beam focused by the objective lens, based on a detected value from a device configured to detect a degree of tilt of the optical recording medium, wherein the tilt is compensated for by the coma aberration generated by the aberration generation device. |
| US08036088B1 |
Optical tape drive movable planarizer subsystem and method for minimizing damage to an optical pickup unit
In an optical tape drive system, a movable planarizer subsystem includes a tape planarizer support structure for supporting an optical tape planarizer. The support structure is moveable between an operational position and a non-operational position. The movable planarizer subsystem also includes an actuator for moving the support structure and the optical tape planarizer between the operational position and the non-operational position. The operational position of the support structure positions the optical tape planarizer to permit reading/writing of information from/to an optical tape via an optical pickup unit (OPU), and the non-operational position of the support structure positions the optical tape planarizer to permit passage of a tape leader though the tape drive system without damage to the OPU. |
| US08036087B2 |
Optical disc and optical disc device
In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method. |
| US08036085B2 |
Recording medium and method and apparatus for recording data on the same
AV stream files and original management files are initially recorded in a first data recordable area of an optical disc. After the recordation of the original management files in the first data recordable area, at least one backup management file is recorded in a second recordable area of the disc. When associated original file system information is recorded in the first data recordable area after the recordation of the backup management file, backup file system information is recorded in a third data recordable area. All of the first, second, and third data recordable areas are closed after the recordation of the backup file system information. |
| US08036082B2 |
Optical disk drive carry out focus pulling-in with improved operation accuracy
An optical disk drive includes a servo control unit 7 for causing an optical disk A to be driven; an optical pickup 2 for reading recorded data from the recording surface of the optical disk A after carrying out focus pulling-in of an object lens; a CPU 8 for controlling the servo control unit 7 and optical pickup 2 to perform readout operation of data recorded on the optical disk A; and a temperature detecting unit 9 for detecting temperature in the optical disk drive. The CPU 8 calculates the focus pull-in level in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit 9, and carries out the focus pulling-in of the optical pickup 2 using the focus pull-in level. |
| US08036081B2 |
Optical disk device and optical disk processing system having optical disk device
An optical disk processing system having a recording unit and a printing unit is provided. The optical disk processing system comprises a printing unit and a recording unit. A drive controller of the recording unit rotationally drives a loaded optical disk (D) and detects whether or not a rotational speed is reduced during acceleration. When the rotational speed is reduced, it is judged that a stick-slip has occurred and loading of a plurality of the optical disks (D) is detected. |
| US08036078B2 |
Optical disc apparatus and optical pickup
An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes: an optical pickup including an optical system that converges a light beam on an optical disc and a photodetector that detects light reflected from the optical disc; and a fingerprint detector for detecting, based on the output of the photodetector, multiple fingerprint dots on the surface of the optical disc. The fingerprint detector confirms the presence of a fingerprint on the optical disc on sensing the output of the photodetector change according to the pattern of the fingerprint dots. |
| US08036074B2 |
Information recording medium, information recording device and method, and computer program
An information recording medium (10) is provided with: a first area in which first data is recorded, first data region information being assigned to the first data; a second area in which second data is recorded, second data region information being assigned to the second data; and a control area in which control data including setting command data (72) is recorded, the setting command data setting the first data region information as reference region information, which is referred to by an information reproducing apparatus, if the first data is reproduced. |
| US08036068B1 |
Digital alarm clock with user-selectable alarm sound source including from internet
A user can select an alarm sound source from a list including, e.g., radio and Internet, and at the user-defined alarm time, audio received from the source is automatically displayed on a speaker to awaken the user. |
| US08036064B2 |
Distance measurement for building automation devices with wireless data communications
In a building environment, a distance associated with a building automation device is determined as a function of an interval or an inserted time delay between a wireless transmission of a signal and wireless reception of another signal. For example, a two-way communication is provided with an automatic interval or a desired time delay inserted before responding to a received transmission. By using two-way transmissions, the building automation devices may be free of clock synchronization. Acoustic signals may be used in a building environment to determine a distance. The building automation device may also use radio frequency information for communicating with other devices. |
| US08036063B2 |
System and method for automatic sensitivity adjustment of an acoustic detector
A method and system for automatically adjusting a sensitivity of an acoustic detector. The method comprises receiving an acoustic signal from a remote device, detecting the unique pattern embedded therein, changing a mode of operation based upon the detection, measuring a voltage created by the reception of the acoustic signal and adjusting the sensitivity of the acoustic detector based upon a measured voltage. The acoustic signal contains a unique pattern indicative of the remote device. |
| US08036062B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for driving the same
A semiconductor memory device includes: a modulation controller for generating a modulation control signal for controlling a frequency modulation operation; a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for performing a delay locking operation to generate first and second DLL clocks and outputting a frequency-modulated DLL clock in response to the modulation control signal; and a data strobe signal generator for outputting the frequency-modulated DLL clock as a data strobe signal. |
| US08036053B2 |
Semiconductor memory device capable of suppressing a coupling effect of a test-disable transmission line
Semiconductor device and semiconductor memory device include a plurality of internal circuits configured to perform test operations in response to their respective test mode signals and a plurality of test-mode control units configured to control the test operations of the internal circuits to be disabled in response to a test-off signal. |
| US08036052B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and test method thereof
Example embodiments disclose a semiconductor memory device and a test method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array that provides first and second data groups at a first data rate and an output circuit, in a normal mode of operation, serially outputs the first and second data groups at a first data rate on an external terminal. In a test mode of operation, the output circuit outputs the first data group or the second data group at a second data rate on the external terminal in response to control signals, without switching the test mode. The second data rate may be lower than the first data rate. |
| US08036048B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit having DRAM word line drivers
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to one aspect of the present invention may includes a plurality of driving circuits to drive a respective plurality of word lines with either a first voltage supplied from a first power supply or a second voltage supplied from a second power supply in accordance with a control signal, and a plurality of gate transistors in each of which a gate is connected to one of the plurality of word lines, and a connection state between a storage node and a bit line is changed based on the voltage provided to the word line connected to the gate. In the semiconductor integrated circuit, a gate oxide film of each of the plurality of gate transistors is thinner than a gate oxide film of each of transistors constituting the plurality of driving circuits. |
| US08036034B2 |
Semiconductor storage device equipped with a sense amplifier for reading data and threshold-voltage-information data
A semiconductor storage device comprises: a sense amplifier circuit; a first data retaining circuit and a second data retaining circuit configured to retain data and threshold voltage information, the second data retaining circuit output the data and the threshold voltage information to the outside; and a control circuit configured to control operation. The sense amplifier circuit is configured to perform a data-read operation and a threshold-voltage-information read operation at the same time. The control circuit is configured to control read operations so that either one of the data or the threshold voltage information for which a read operation is finished earlier is output from the second data retaining circuit, and the other one of the data or the threshold voltage information for which a read operation is not finished yet is read from a memory cell array and retained in the first data retaining circuit. |
| US08036031B2 |
Semiconductor device having a field effect source/drain region
A semiconductor device includes an active region defined in a semiconductor substrate, and gate electrodes crossing over the active region. Source/drain regions are defined in the active region on two sides of the gate electrode. At least one of the source/drain regions is a field effect source/drain region generated by a fringe field of the gate. The other source/drain region is a PN-junction source/drain region having different impurity fields and different conductivity than the substrate. At least one of the source/drain regions is a field effect source/drain region. Accordingly, a short channel effect is reduced or eliminated in the device. |
| US08036030B2 |
Multi-level cell copyback program method in a non-volatile memory device
A multi-level cell copyback program method in a non-volatile memory device is disclosed. The method includes performing a multi-level cell copyback program operation; performing selectively a first verifying operation, a second verifying operation or a third verifying operation in accordance with data stored in an MSB node of the first register or data stored in an LSB node of the second register. The first verifying operation is based on a first verifying voltage. The second verifying operation is based on a second verifying voltage higher than the first verifying voltage. And the third verifying operation is based on a third verifying voltage higher than the second verifying voltage. The copy back program operation is performed repeatedly in accordance with result of the verifying operation. |
| US08036028B2 |
Method of programming a non-volatile memory device with timely-adjusted voltages applied to word lines to prevent program disturb
A method of programming a non-volatile memory device with timely-adjusted voltages applied to word lines to prevent program disturb includes applying a first pass voltage to word lines in a direction of a source select line based on a first word line selected for a program operation, wherein the word lines do not include a second word line adjacent to the first word line in a direction of the source select line; and applying a first voltage, a program voltage and a second pass voltage when the first pass voltage reaches a given level. The first voltage is applied to the second word line, the program voltage is provided to the first word line, and the second pass voltage is applied to word lines in a direction of a drain select line on the basis of the first word line. |
| US08036027B2 |
Semiconductor device and memory
A memory applicable to an embedded memory is provided. The memory includes a substrate, a gate, a charge-trapping gate dielectric layer, a source, and a drain. The gate is disposed above the substrate. The charge-trapping gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate and the substrate. The source and the drain are disposed in the substrate beside the gate respectively. |
| US08036025B2 |
Magnetoresistive element
A magnetoresistive element which records information by supplying spin-polarized electrons to a magnetic material, includes a first pinned layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a first magnetization directed in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a free layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a second magnetization directed in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, the direction of the second magnetization reversing by the spin-polarized electrons, and a first nonmagnetic layer which is provided between the first pinned layer and the free layer. A saturation magnetization Ms of the free layer satisfies a relationship 0≦Ms<√{square root over ( )}{Jw/(6πAt)}. Jw is a write current density, t is a thickness of the free layer, A is a constant. |
| US08036024B2 |
Magnetic storage element storing data by magnetoresistive effect
In a ferromagnetic tunnel junction element, a recording layer is in a circular shape, which can suppress an increase in magnetization switching field due to miniaturization of the element. Further, the recording layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a first non-magnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a second non-magnetic layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer successively stacked. The first and second ferromagnetic layers, and the second and third ferromagnetic layers are coupled antiparallel to each other, so that it is possible to control the magnetization distribution of the recording layer in an approximately single direction. |
| US08036020B2 |
Circuit for reading a charge retention element for a time measurement
A method and a circuit for reading an electronic charge retention element for a temporal measurement, of the type including at least one capacitive element whose dielectric exhibits a leakage and a transistor with insulated control terminal for reading the residual charges, the reading circuit including; two parallel branches between two supply terminals, each branch including at least one transistor of a first type and one transistor of a second type, the transistor of the second type of one of the branches consisting of that of the element to be read and the transistor of the second type of the other branch receiving, on its control terminal, a staircase signal, the respective drains of the transistors of the first type being connected to the respective inputs of a comparator whose output provides an indication of the residual voltage in the charge retention element. |
| US08036015B2 |
Resistive memory
A resistive memory includes a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of reference cells having mutually different resistance values, at least one sense amplifier having a first input terminal connected to one selected memory cell which is selected from the plurality of memory cells at a time of read, and a second input terminal connected to one selected reference cell which is selected from the plurality of reference cells at the time of read, and one latch circuit which holds offset information of the at least one sense amplifier. The resistive memory further includes a decoder which selects, in accordance with the offset information, the one selected reference cell from the plurality of reference cells, and connects the one selected reference cell to the second input terminal of the at least one sense amplifier. |
| US08036014B2 |
Phase change memory program method without over-reset
Memory devices and methods for operating such devices are described herein. A method as described herein includes applying a fixed sequence of voltage pulses across the memory cell of increasing pulse height to change the resistance state from the lower resistance state to the higher resistance state. The fixed sequence of voltage pulses cause increasing current through the phase change memory element until change to the higher resistance state occurs, and after the change the voltage pulses in the fixed sequence causing a voltage across the phase change memory element less than the threshold voltage. |
| US08036009B2 |
Method for supplying and discharging power to and from a resistive-inductive load, and rectifier used therein
Power is supplied to excitation windings in order to generate magnetic fields, preferably for activating superconducting coils. An AC transformer is used, and triggering of the coil is performed via a rectifier having little power loss. Preferably, a two-way rectifier using a freewheeling circuit is utilized in the associate device, thus preventing losses when power is supplied and especially when the power is discharged. |
| US08036006B2 |
Power supply circuit having resistance element changing its resistance value to limit current flowing to capacitive load
A power supply circuit includes a control circuit which outputs a control signal when an in-rush current flows and a power-supply-resistance control circuit which supplies a current to a capacitive load. The power-supply-resistance control circuit, provided in the current path between a power supply and the capacitive load, increases the resistance of the current path in response to the control signal and reduces the resistance of the current path in response to a stop page of the control signal, whereby the control signal is output or stopped so that the in-rush current is suppressed to a value smaller than or equal to a given value. |
| US08036005B2 |
Switching apparatus for grounding an inverter
A switching apparatus for grounding an inverter (3) that converts a direct current voltage into an alternative current voltage at mains frequency, with an inverter housing (7) and with a safety fuse (8) that connects a positive or a negative direct current voltage to a grounding terminal, is intended to be provided such that a technician has the possibility of grounding an inverter appliance optionally positively or negatively at little expense, with the possibility for an IP-65 region of the appliance to remain closed. This is achieved in that a safety fuse (8), which is accessible and can be plugged from the outside, is arranged on said inverter housing (7) and can be contacted optionally to a positive or a negative direct current voltage in such a manner that either a positive or a negative direct current voltage is grounded through said safety fuse (8). |
| US08036003B2 |
Switching power supply device and electrical apparatus using the same
The present invention provides a switching power supply device capable of automatically restarting an electrical apparatus without a user operation when a voltage of the electrical apparatus or an operation of the electrical apparatus is abnormal. The switching power supply device is provided with a short-circuiting switch for a shunt regulator included in the feedback circuit. When an abnormal condition occurs in a secondary side circuit, the short-circuiting switch is turned on by means of a control signal to reduce a voltage of a primary side auxiliary winding and temporarily stop an operation of a primary side control circuit and of a switching element. A primary side capacitor continues to be charged by a power supply through a starting resistor. The primary side control circuit and the switching element automatically restart to operate. |
| US08035999B2 |
Isolating self-oscillation flyback converter
An isolating self-oscillation flyback converter includes a coupling transformer T1, a FET TR1, a transistor TR2, a photoelectric coupling isolator OC1 and a load feedback circuit Adj. The common polarity terminal of a feedback winding Nfb of the coupling transformer T1 is connected to the gate of the FET TR1 via a capacitance C1 and a resistance R2, and connected to the base of the transistor TR2 via a capacitance C2. The base of the transistor TR2 is also connected to the emitter of the photoelectric coupling isolator OC1. The photoelectric coupling isolator OC1 is connected to the positive terminal of the output voltage. The opposite polarity terminal of the feedback winding Nfb is connected to the collector of the photoelectric coupling isolator OC1 via a resistance R5, and connected to ground via a capacitance C5. The common polarity terminal of the feedback winding Nfb is also connected to the cathode of a diode D, and the anode of the diode D is connected to ground. A set of windings are removed by forming a loop circuit directly between the feedback winding Nfb and the photoelectric coupling isolator OC1. |
| US08035998B2 |
Switching power supply
A switching power supply includes an active device for pulling out a part of a control signal from a control terminal of the switching device in an RCC, and a control signal generation circuit that applies adjustment voltage as ON/OFF time control voltage to a control terminal of the active device. The active device pulls out the control signal so as to decrease or increase an OFF time of the switching device while fixing the ON time of the switching device when the adjustment voltage is decreased or increased in the active region of the active device, respectively. An element of a timing circuit in the RCC pulls out the control signal so as to increase or decrease an ON time of the switching device while fixing the OFF time of the switching device when the adjustment voltage is decreased or increased in the cut-off region of the active device, respectively. |
| US08035985B2 |
Avionics rack arrangement
The present invention relates to an electronic equipment rack arrangement principle. In order to allow for the maximum use of COTS (component off the shelf) modules, or, at least, maximum use of “standardized” modules, primarily in relation to the electronic functions of said rack, the electronic equipment rack according to the invention offers a configuration in which the function modules (3) and the interface modules (8) are juxtaposed, preferably vertically, and the electronic functions handled by the function modules (3) are decoupled from the interface functions handled by the interface modules (8). Such a rack also allows for all the maintenance operations to be done through the front panel (F) of said rack, all of its component modules being made accessible from this side. |
| US08035982B2 |
Power converter apparatus
A power converter apparatus that includes a substrate, plate-like positive and negative interconnection members, capacitors, and a cover is disclosed. Pairs of groups of switching elements are mounted on the substrate. The cover is arranged over the substrate to encompass the switching elements, the positive interconnection member, the negative interconnection member, and the capacitor. The positive interconnection member and the negative interconnection member each have a terminal portion that is joined to a circuit pattern on the substrate by ultrasonic bonding. |