| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08042190B2 |
Pre-boot protected memory channel
Machine readable media, methods, and computing devices are disclosed which establish a protected memory channel between an operating system loader of a user partition and services of a management partition. One computing device includes protected storage, read only memory, firmware, a storage device and a processor. The storage device is to store the virtual machine monitor and an operating system having an operating system loader. The virtual machine monitor is to establish a protected memory channel between the one or more integrity services of a management partition and the operating system loader of a user partition in response to measuring and verifying the operating system loader based upon the manifest. The processor is to execute the code of the read only memory, the firmware, the virtual machine monitor, the operating system, the operating system loader, the management partition, and the user partition. |
| US08042188B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information recording medium manufacturing apparatus, information recording medium, method and computer program
To provide an apparatus, a recording medium and a method for effectively preventing unauthorized use of a content. A content containing broken data different from correct content member data is recorded on an information recording medium. Furthermore, transform data, as the correct member data, to be substituted for the broken data, and a fix-up table storing setting position information of the content are recorded on the information recording medium. During the content playback process, the transform data is substituted for the content member data in accordance with the fix-up table recorded on the information recording medium. With this arrangement, even if the encryption key corresponding to the encrypted content recorded on the information recording medium is leaked, an apparatus unable to acquire the transform data cannot play back the content. Unauthorized use of the content is thus controlled. |
| US08042187B2 |
Security indication spanning tree system and method
A security indication spanning tree system and method is presented. In one embodiment the asset value of a network node is determined. The exposure rating of said network node is ascertained. The impact risk to a preferred functionality due to an attack from another network node is analyzed. A spanning tree schematic of a network including the network node is created, wherein the spanning tree schematic includes an indication of the asset value. |
| US08042185B1 |
Anti-virus blade
An anti-virus blade provides anti-virus services to a storage system and eliminates the need to develop an interface to initiate a scan operation at the blade. An anti-virus engine executed at the blade receives a request to scan data maintained by the storage system. The anti-virus engine creates a stub file (e.g., a file that has the same name as the Currently Amended file indicated in the request, but does not contain data) and issues an I/O command to the file. A file framework module executed at the blade intercepts the I/O to the dummy file and passes the I/O to an anti-virus application, which is registered with the file framework to receive I/Os from the anti-virus engine. The anti-virus application, in turn, initiates a scan operation by issuing a read request to the stub file, without receiving the request for scanning directly from the storage system. |
| US08042183B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting computer-related attacks
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting prefix hijacking attacks. A source node is separated from a destination network at a first time via an original path. The destination network is associated with a prefix. At a second time, a packet is transmitted from the source node to the destination network to determine a current path between the source node and the destination network. A packet is also transmitted from the source node to a reference node to determine a reference node path. The reference node is located along the original path and is associated with a prefix different than the prefix associated with the destination network. The current path and the reference node path are then compared, and a prefix hijacking attack is detected when the reference node path is not a sub-path of the current path. |
| US08042181B2 |
Systems and methods for message threat management
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting unsolicited and threatening communications and communicating threat information related thereto. Threat information is received from one or more sources; such sources can include external security databases and threat information data from one or more application and/or network layer security systems. The received threat information is reduced into a canonical form. Features are extracted from the reduced threat information; these features in conjunction with configuration data such as goals are used to produce rules. In some embodiments, these rules are tested against one or more sets of test data and compared against the same or different goals; if one or more tests fail, the rules are refined until the tests succeed within an acceptable margin of error. The rules are then propagated to one or more application layer security systems. |
| US08042179B2 |
False code execution prevention method, program for the method, and recording medium for recording the program
A method for preventing a return address from being falsified due to a buffer overflow during the program execution, and for detecting the buffer-overflow beforehand.When the return address is re-written during program execution, the debug function of the central processing unit is used to output an error. The falsification of the return address is detected through the error output. Then the falsified return address is re-written to a value stored in advance to enable the program to return to normal operation. When the falsification of the return address is detected, the executing program is terminated. |
| US08042178B1 |
Alert message control of security mechanisms in data processing systems
An authenticated secure network communication link is established between an alert message generating computer 2 and a destination data processing system 6. The alert message sent specifies a risk threat level and a suggested countermeasure amongst other data. The destination computer 6 automatically responds to the alert message as controlled by its local response configuration parameters to trigger security actions of one or more security mechanisms, such as malware scanners, firewall scanners, security policy managers and the like. |
| US08042176B2 |
Computer readable medium on which is stored a program for preventing the unauthorized use of program data
A storage medium stores a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a function for preventing unauthorized use of program data. The function has a process of judging whether or not a storage area of the program data is writable and a process of executing an unauthorized use prevention process to prevent an unauthorized use of the program data stored in the storage area when the storage area of the program data is writable. |
| US08042175B2 |
Digital signal processing apparatus
If content is transmitted/received through a digital signal bus, protection of copyright causes a problem because of no deterioration in quality. Accordingly, authentication is required. The quantity of information to be processed is, however, so large that a long time is required for authentication. Accordingly, both achievement of handling property as in conventional analog connection and protection of copyrighted content without user's awareness become an object. The foregoing object can be achieved by authentication which is executed, for management of copyright, among apparatuses connected to the digital signal bus when the apparatuses are powered on or connected to the digital signal bus or when an input terminal connected to the digital signal bus is selected. The object can be further achieved by an encryption key shared among these apparatuses. |
| US08042173B2 |
Semiconductor device with high security having JTAG ports
A semiconductor device includes JTAG ports receiving integrally command information representing a command and password information representing a password, a processor for performing a process in response to the command, an output port outputting consequence information representing a consequence of the process, a transfer section for transferring the command to the processor and for transferring the consequence information to the output port, and a cut off section. The cutoff section cuts off at least one of transferring the command information to the processor and transferring the consequence information to the output port when the password does not match a predetermined proper password. Thus, the semiconductor device can advantageously heighten its security effect. |
| US08042170B2 |
Bearer control of encrypted data flows in packet data communications
In a communication session in which data flows with encrypted data packets pass through a monitoring intermediary for data traffic control. The encrypted data packets include SPIs (Secured Parameter Indexes) which are used to identify SAs (Security Associations) for data decryption. During the initial signaling process for the communication session, the nodes seeking the communication session include the SPIs in the signaling messages and send the signaling messages through the monitoring intermediary which in turn matches the SPIs of the signaling messages with the corresponding SPIs extracted from the data packets. In enforcing data traffic control, the monitoring intermediary allows data flows to pass through if comparison matches in the SPIs are found. Otherwise, the data flows are rejected. |
| US08042169B2 |
Method for providing remote management of computer systems
A method for managing the computer systems of a private network from a remote physical location in a manner that does not require the installation of agents on the computer systems of the private network, or the reconfiguration of the firewall of the private network to permit access into the private network. |
| US08042165B2 |
Method and system for requesting and granting membership in a server farm
A server transmits to a server in a server farm a request for membership in the server farm and a first nonce. The server derives a Kerberos service ticket and a Kerberos authenticator, responsive to generating a hash of the server farm name, a passphrase, the name of the server, the name of the server in the server farm, the first nonce, and a second nonce. The server transmits the Kerberos service ticket and the Kerberos authenticator to the server in the server farm. The server in the server farm authenticates the requesting server responsive to the received Kerberos service ticket and the Kerberos authenticator and a generated hash. The server in the server farm transmits, responsive to the authentication, a secret to the requesting server. |
| US08042162B2 |
Method and system for native authentication protocols in a heterogeneous federated environment
A method is presented in which federated domains interact within a federated environment. Domains within a federation can initiate federated single-sign-on operations for a user at other federated domains. A point-of-contact server within a domain relies upon a trust proxy within the domain to manage trust relationships between the domain and the federation. Trust proxies interpret assertions from other federated domains as necessary. Trust proxies may have a trust relationship with one or more trust brokers, and a trust proxy may rely upon a trust broker for assistance in interpreting assertions. |
| US08042161B1 |
Automatic sharing of whitelist data
Whitelists are automatically shared between users and/or domains without compromising user/domain privacy. Potential trust partners with whom to share whitelist data are automatically identified. A handshaking procedure is carried out to confirm the trust relationship and verify the partner's identity. Once a trust partner is confirmed, the parties can exchange acceptance criteria specifying the types of whitelist data they want to receive. Each party can provide the other with the appropriate entries from its own whitelist. The parties keep each other updated, as their own whitelists change. |
| US08042160B1 |
Identity management for application access
A computer implemented method of identity management for application access. The method includes identifying access enabling information for users. The access enabling information related to users of a first enterprise network to enable the users to access applications on a second enterprise network. The method includes obtaining the identified access enabling information from the first enterprise network, and storing the access enabling information in an identity data store. The method also includes provisioning the access enabling information from the identity data store to one or more applications on the second enterprise network to enable the users of the first enterprise network to access the one or more applications on the second enterprise network. |
| US08042155B1 |
System and method for generating a single use password based on a challenge/response protocol
A system and method which generates a single use password based on a challenge/response protocol. A box manager module executing within a security appliance identifies a public key (P) and salt value (S) associated with an administrator's smart card and generates a random nonce (N). The box manager transmits a challenge comprising the following elements: |
| US08042151B2 |
Application context based access control
A context based access control system that includes a set of one or more authorization contexts that are activated in response to selection of different functions or tasks or other functional boundary object of an application program. The authorization contexts are associated with one or more access policies that are invoked in response to activation of the one or more authorization contexts. |
| US08042150B2 |
Automatic generation of policies and roles for role based access control
A method (400) of automatically generating policies and/or roles for role based access (RBAC). The method can include presenting a policy or policy generation table (300) identifying scripts (304) and roles (302) to which the scripts correspond to an operator, and receiving at least one operator input selecting a plurality of desired scripts to be associated with a desired policy or role. The method also can include parsing the scripts to identify corresponding verb-switches (204), and comparing the parsed verb-switches to existing policies or roles (114). When there is at least one of the parsed verb-switches that does not correspond to at least one existing policy, the parsed verb-switch that does not correspond to at least one existing policy can be identified and a policy (106) that includes the identified verb-switch can be generated. |
| US08042147B2 |
Network security appliance
A network security appliance that provides security to devices in industrial environments by transparently bridging traffic to the endpoint device. The security appliance securely communicates with a management server for receiving configuration data for operation of security modules in the appliance by encrypted communications. The security appliance utilizes the network address of the industrial device when communicating with a management server and is addressed by the management server using the address of one of the protected devices associated with the appliance. Learned device characteristics are provided by the appliance to the management server which tailors software and security rules to specific network vulnerabilities of the device and control protocol. The security appliance sends periodic heartbeat messages to the management server using the network address of the device. The heartbeat message can also report anomalous events which may required additional software being provided from the management server to the node. |
| US08042145B2 |
Method of controlling power states in a multimedia system
This invention relates to controlling the power states in a multimedia system comprising a multimedia connector box including a multimedia source interconnected to a transmitter module, and a multimedia device including a receiver module interconnected to a multimedia sink, wherein the transmitter and the receiver modules interface the multimedia connector box and the multimedia device via multimedia interfacing means. A signal detector detects the signal activity between the power sources of the multimedia system for determining the current power state of the power sources, and a power switching mechanism adapts the power states of the transmitter and receiving modules to the power states of the power sources. |
| US08042142B1 |
Streaming video processing
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing data identifying a video for processing and mapping an instruction graph to the video based on one or more predetermined criteria and the data identifying the video. The instruction graph describes a workflow for processing the video, and the workflow includes a series of services that each provide particular processing of the video. The method includes calling the services in series to process the video based on the instruction graph. The video streams to each service in series as the video processes. A downstream service may begin processing one or more portions of the video after an upstream service has finished processing the one or more portions of the video and before the upstream service has finished processing the video in its entirety. |
| US08042140B2 |
Buffering content on a handheld electronic device
A handheld device receives a wireless RF transmission that includes multiple video streams and buffers all video streams or selected video streams based on an identification of video streams to buffer. The device might also buffer all or selected audio streams or other real-time data content that is received in the wireless RF transmission. The wireless RF transmission may include a set of video streams (and/or audio streams, and/or other real-timed data) for the handheld device to buffer. A head end that sends the RF transmission may determine which streams to buffer based on operator input, user preferences, and other factors. Alternatively, the handheld device may automatically determine which streams to buffer based on information such as user preferences and information in the RF transmission. Alternatively, a user may select which streams to buffer. |
| US08042139B2 |
Method for configuring broadcast components of a broadcast system including a compression control system
A method and system for configuring broadcast components includes a broadcast operation channel management system (BMS) forming a bit rate allocation chart and a compression control system storing a stream map having a channel lineup. The BMS retrieves the channel line up from the compression control system and modifying the channel lineup to form a modified channel line up. The BMS communicates the modified channel lineup to the compression control system. |
| US08042136B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method, and computer program
Information about each of broadcast programs is subdivided into multiple items including program attributes and the other program association schemes for management. To each item, a relevance ratio with respect to a program is assigned. For example, the next broadcast schedule has the highest relevance ratio with respect to the program, the relevance ratio with respect to the program is high in order of cast, titles, and genre, and so on. Then, a database search is done for programs related to the base program for each item, the search results are arranged in order of decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program, and a base program related information page is created. Without deadening a user's interest inspired by watching a program, information related to the program being watched is given, and a user can be guided smoothly to the next preselected recording operation. |
| US08042134B2 |
Apparatus for managing selection and display of graphic user interface (GUI) information
An information processing apparatus includes: a managing module configured to manage pieces of image information corresponding to types of applications; a determination module configured to determine whether a present time satisfies a preset temporal condition; an image selecting module configured to select first image information corresponding to a type of an activated application, and second image information corresponding to the type of the activated application when the present time satisfies the temporal condition; and a display module configured to generate a first image based on the first image information to be displayed on a display device when the image selecting module selects the first image information. The display module generates a second image based on the second image information to be displayed on the display device in place of the first image when the image selecting module selects the second image information. |
| US08042133B2 |
Techniques for displaying data based on characteristics of a display device
A method of selecting a portion of a block of data for display based on characteristics of a display device. The method comprises several steps. In the first step, a block of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data is received at a communication device adapted to process this data. Next, an input is received at the communication device regarding an appearance of the display device. The communication device can be a set-top box. The appearance of the display includes, but is not limited to, the resolution, the aspect ratio (AR), and the physical size of the display. Based on these inputs, the communication device next selects a portion, more or fewer columns or rows, of the block of EPG data to be displayed on the display device. The portion of the EPG data selected is formatted and communicated to the display device, e.g. television, for viewing by the user. |
| US08042130B2 |
Optical driving device including a holder with a top face having a closed structure
The optical driving device according to the present invention includes a holder for holding a plurality of optical each of which focuses on an optical disk a light beam outputted from a light source, focusing coils, and tracking coils; a plurality of elastic support members for supporting the holder so as to be movable in an approximately radial direction of the optical disk and in an approximately perpendicular direction to the optical disk; and a base for holding inner yokes placed inside the holder, and magnets that generate magnetic fields with respect to the focusing coils and to the tracking coils; as for the optical driving device, the top face of the holder has a closed structure over the inner yokes. |
| US08042129B2 |
Disk recording and/or reproducing device
A disk recording and/or reproducing device includes a disk tray having a concave disk housing portion for putting in and taking out a disk-like recording medium; a tray housing case supporting the disk tray so as to be movable in a direction in which the disk tray is inserted and ejected; and a disk cover mounted to the tray housing case and covering over the disk housing portion of the disk tray when the disk tray is housed in the tray housing case. The disk cover includes an annular contact portion at an outer periphery thereof, extending outwardly and continuous in a circumferential direction thereof, a dimension of a width of the annular contact portion is larger than that of a thickness of the disk cover, and the annular contact portion is brought into contact with an entire periphery of the disk housing portion of the disk tray. |
| US08042128B2 |
Slot-in optical disk drive
The invention is to provided an emergency ejection device for a slot-in optical drive, which utilizes a feeding motor to rotate a transmission shaft from one end of the transmission shaft without self-locking. The other end of the transmission shaft extending to the front of the drive forms as a pincer-like slot, and a worm is disposed between the two ends. One end of a gear set having a plurality of gears drives a clamping unit, and the other end rotates a roller. A worm wheel is disposed on one of the gears in the middle of the gear set and is engaged with the worm with self-locking so that the transmission shaft can be rotated by hand to eject a disk. |
| US08042127B2 |
Optical disk player capable of monitoring the optical disk status
An optical disk player, which comprises: a shell, a plummer fixed in the shell, an optical disk transport mechanism, a guiding mechanism, an optical disk loading final position detection mechanism, and a control part; the shell is 80-90 millimeters wide at the optical disk insertion direction; the detection parts of the guiding mechanism are located between the plummer and the delivery roll of the transport mechanism; the optical disk loading final position detection mechanism comprises a support part and a trigger bar; one end of the support part is rotatablely fixed to the upper base plate near the detection part of one detection bar, and its middle is provided with an assorted part interacting with the detection bar; the middle of the trigger bar is rotatablely fixed to the free end of the support part, of which one end is provided with a contact part for contacting the periphery of an optical disk, and the other end is connected to the control part. When an optical disk is at the playing position, a part of the optical disk will be exposed out of the shell of the optical disk player, so, when the optical disk is played, the status of the optical disk in the optical disk player can be intuitively seen from the outside. |
| US08042126B2 |
Disc player
There is provided a disc player which can be reduced in the number of parts and in cost, and which can be designed to be thin and provided with a function of sufficiently self-holding a lock state.A drive unit 9 is constructed by a base plate 13 and a swing plate 17 for pinching a disc in cooperation with the base plate 13, and a lock mechanism 260 is disposed between the base plate 13 and the swing plate 17, and the operation of the lock mechanism 260 is interlocked with the operation of the swing plate 17. |
| US08042123B2 |
Optical disc handling for standard slim drive
A media library appliance comprises optical disc handling robotics developed for dual standard slim drives in a vertical orientation. The disc handling robotics comprise a disc transfer assembly for transferring discs to and from a rotatable circular carousel surrounding the optical drives. Each slim drive resides in a separate field-replaceable unit (“FRU”) that can be replaced by a customer in the field without powering down the appliance. The FRU includes various features that allow accurate 3-axis alignment and registration of the optical drive within the appliance. |
| US08042122B2 |
Hybrid resource manager
A hybrid resource manager is provided for use in a computing environment. The hybrid resource manager serves as the single resource manager that cooperates with an operating system to manage each of the individual device drivers associated with the various functions of a multifunction hardware device. In one example the hybrid resource manager implements a consistent management and policy framework to prevent conflicts from arising when multiple functions are simultaneously requested by various applications. |
| US08042116B2 |
Task switching based on the execution control information held in register groups
In a processor including a plurality of register groups, while a task is being executed using one of the register groups, a context of a task to be executed next is restored into another one of the register groups. If the execution of the task currently being executed is suspended before the restoration starts, the task execution is continued by using one of the register groups in which a context of a task executed previously remains and executing the task. |
| US08042115B2 |
Method and system for balancing component load in an input/output stack of an operating system
A system for balancing component load. In response to receiving a request, data is updated to reflect a current number of pending requests. In response to analyzing the updated data, it is determined whether throttling is necessary. In response to determining that throttling is not necessary, a corresponding request to the received request is created and a flag is set in the corresponding request. Then, the corresponding request is sent to one of a plurality of lower level components of an input/output stack of an operating system for processing based on the analyzed data to balance component load in the input/output stack of the operating system. |
| US08042114B2 |
Resource allocation in a NUMA architecture based on separate application specified resource and strength preferences for processor and memory resources
An apparatus, program product and method in which application program-specified resource allocation and allocation strength preferences are used to allocate hardware resources from a computer for that application program. The resource allocation preference is used to allocate hardware resources for the application program, while the allocation strength preference is used to determine whether to allocate alternate hardware resources when the resource allocation preference specified by the application program cannot be met. |
| US08042109B2 |
Framework for domain-specific run-time environment acceleration using virtualization technology
In some embodiments, the invention involves a framework for using virtualization technology to efficiently support a domain-specific run-time environment. In at least one embodiment, a framework is utilized to take advantage of virtualization technology (VT) to partition performance critical and non-performance critical tasks of the same domain-specific application. An embodiment of the invention utilizes a general-purpose operating system to execute non-performance critical aspects of a domain, and uses a privileged VT-root mode to execute performance critical aspects of the domain. Another embodiment uses one or more guest VMs to execute the performance critical aspects of the domain-specific run-time environment. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08042106B2 |
Data processing in a mediation or service provisioning system
Embodiments of the invention include a data processing system and method for processing data in a mediation or service provisioning system of a communications network. In the invention, a special logic definition structure is formed based on the processing logic. The logic definition structure is designed so that it is easy to modify and efficient to execute. This is made possible by defining the processing logic in the form of a series of byte code instructions, wherein each instruction contains a pointer to a piece of program code performing a function and a pointer to parameters to be used in performing the function. The instructions, the program codes performing the functions, the pointers and the data under processing are preferably stored in arrays thus allowing the use of efficient pointer mechanisms together with flexibility and ease of modification. |
| US08042104B2 |
Method and system for sending a rewrite control program to a control unit
A control unit has a first storing unit storing data of a rewrite control program received by the control unit in a rewritable storage medium at a destination address thereof received thereby. The control unit has a second storing unit storing the destination address in the rewritable storage medium at a destination storing address thereof received by the control unit. The control unit has an execution unit referring to the destination address stored at the destination storing address in the rewritable storage medium and executing the rewrite control program stored in the rewritable storage medium based on the referred destination address. |
| US08042103B2 |
Pre-translated files used in a virtual machine
A method and apparatus for speeding the startup of applications by making available a pre-translated class file to the class loaders. The Java virtual machine (JVM) starts faster if application class loaders can use the pre-translated class files or internal representations instead of fetching classes from Java archive files or system directories. JVM understands java executable format and can start faster by using them without the user application class loaders having to know the complexities of executable files. The Java archive file format is modified to allow the pre-translated class files to be stored in the Java archive file such that the class loaders are able to process the modified Java archive file without requiring any change to the class loader. |
| US08042101B2 |
Method and program for monitoring execution state of program
Item values associated with an execution state of a program executed on a computer are collected in detail while suppressing the computer load. When reducing the interval for collecting values of one item to be monitored, the interval for collecting values of items other than that item is increased. If the computer load is increased, an interval of at least one item is increased. Moreover, there is provided an upper limit for the number of items whose intervals can be reduced simultaneously. Moreover, when varying the interval of the item according to the values of the respective items, the interval variation range is varied according to the item state and the computer load. |
| US08042100B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer products for evaluating robustness of a list scheduling framework
Systems, methods, and computer products for evaluating robustness of a list scheduling framework. Exemplary embodiments include a method for evaluating the robustness of a list scheduling framework, the method including identifying a set of compiler benchmarks known to be sensitive to an instruction scheduler, running the set of benchmarks against a heuristic under test, H and collect an execution time Exec(H[G]), where G is a directed a-cyclical graph, running the set of benchmarks against a plurality of random heuristics Hrand[G]i, and collect a plurality of respective execution times Exec(Hrand[G])i, computing a robustness of the list scheduling framework, and checking robustness check it against a pre-determined threshold. |
| US08042098B2 |
Method and apparatus for producing software
A method is provided for determining a sequence of implementation of elements of a software design. The sequence of implementation may be determined by examining coupling between the elements. Further, a method for determining a sequence of testing of elements of the software design is provided which may also be determined by examining coupling between the elements. Further, a method is provided for reverse engineering a design of previously-implemented software, and to identify coupling in the software. Because a developer can determine the degree of coupling of the software, the software may be more easily modified, maintained, evaluated, and combined into larger software systems. Also, because coupling may be identified, elements of the design may be more easily grouped into object-oriented classes. Further, existing object-oriented designs may be evaluated based on the degree of coupling. |
| US08042097B2 |
Automated semantic-based updates to modified code base
An apparatus and program product generate difference data representative of modifications made to one release of a standard code base to facilitate the adaptation of later releases of the standard code base. The difference data is generated at least in part in connection with canonical parsing of a modified version of a release of a standard code base such that the difference data is representative of semantic changes made in the modified version. |
| US08042096B2 |
Method for automatically selecting a software application
Method for automatically selecting a software application being a program for execution on a virtual machine, including the steps of receiving an exit status value from a terminating software application; translating the exit status value to an identifier for the next software application to be executed, wherein a mapping table is used; executing on the virtual machine the next software application (J4) program that is represented by the identifier. |
| US08042085B2 |
Method for compaction of timing exception paths
A technique and apparatus for reducing the complexity of optimizing the performance of a designed semiconductor circuit is disclosed. This technique of path compaction is used to reduce the time taken for optimization. The path compaction tool is used in design optimization to reduce the optimizer execution time. Compaction helps readability, usability and reduces synthesis and static timing analyzer (STA) runtime. The aim of path compaction is to reduce the number of constraints the optimizer has to go through during the optimization process. Path compaction has three dimensions. The first is to reduce number of “-through” elements in the constraint, thereby reducing the complexity of constraints developed The second is to combine the paths to reduce the number of constraints. The third is to combine the constraints to reduce the number of constraints to be checked and optimized. Path compaction is used when generating timing exception using timing exception tools. |
| US08042083B2 |
Methods and systems for FPGA rewiring
There are disclosed a method and system for FPGA rewiring of a circuit. The method comprises: mapping the circuit into a first circuit, the first circuit being logically represented with a plurality of Look-Up Tables; rewiring the first circuit to obtain a second circuit, a mapping area of the second circuit being less than that of the first circuit; mapping the second circuit into a third circuit, the third circuit being logically represented with less Look-Up Tables than the first circuit; and routing the third circuit to generate a FPGA architecture file related to the circuit. |
| US08042081B2 |
Method and system for manufacturing a semiconductor device having plural wiring layers
A software product including codes for the method of determining parasitic resistance and capacitance from a layout of an LSI is executed by a computer. The method is achieved by providing a plurality of patterns of a wiring structure which contains a target interconnection; and by producing a library configured to store parameters indicating the parasitic resistance and the parasitic capacitance in relation to the target interconnection to each of the plurality of patterns. The producing is achieved by calculating the parameters to a plurality of conditions corresponding to deviation in manufacture of the wiring structure for each of the plurality of patterns. |
| US08042075B2 |
Method, system and application for sequential cofactor-based analysis of netlists
Methods, systems and computer products are provided for reducing the design size of an integrated circuit while preserving the behavior of the design with respect to verification results. A multiplexer is inserted at the gate being analyzed, and the multiplexer selector is controlled to provide a predetermined output for one frame at the point being analyzed. It is then determined whether the circuit remains equivalent during application of the predetermined output in order to decide whether the gate being analyzed is a candidate for replacement. |
| US08042063B1 |
Dynamic array presentation and multiple selection of digitally stored objects and corresponding link tokens for simultaneous presentation
A system and method for the multiple selection of digitally stored objects and the link-tokens of each selected object for simultaneous presentation and examination of the selected objects with their associated linked objects and information, including organized array presentation for graphical thumbnails that represent the selected objects, as well as sub-framing, which allows intelligent partitioning of information associated with an object. |
| US08042057B2 |
Facilitated source to target object editing functions
A method for editing software objects can include identifying at least one user selection of at least a portion of an electronic document displayed within an application and prompting a user for a target destination to which the user selection is to be posted. A user input specifying the target destination to which the user selection is to be posted can be received and the user selection can be duplicated to the target destination. |
| US08042053B2 |
Method for making digital documents browseable
A method for making one or more digital documents browseable. In one implementation, the digital documents may be automatically, topically segmented into one or more topical segments. A topical segment may be selected from the topical segments. One or more topical segments that are substantially similar to the selected topical segment may be identified. One or more links between the selected topical segment and the identified topical segment may be established. The established links may be displayed. |
| US08042052B2 |
System for displaying and managing information on webpage using indicator
Disclosed is a system for displaying and managing information on a webpage using an indicator in which, a memo and so forth can be recorded in the desired contents of the webpage through the indicator and the URL of the webpage can be stored with the indicator to call out them at anytime, whereby providing a convenience in terms of search and manage of information. The system having a client server and a system server comprises an indicator displayed on a surface of specific contents of each webpage with reference to coordinate values corresponding to the specific contents of each webpage and for classifying and elaborating on the specific contents and may use an indicator generation module, an input portion for inputting information, a storage portion storing coordinate values, and an output portion for outputting an indicator. |
| US08042049B2 |
User interface for multi-device control
A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of system components connected via a wired and/or wireless communications network. The system components include audio/visual components (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). A portable controller allows a user to access and control the system components from any location within a controlled residential and/or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The portable controller includes a user and management interface that contains customized control screens for the system components. The control screens are stored in a hierarchical architecture that is searchable by region or component type. |
| US08042048B2 |
System and method for home automation
A home automation system and method are disclosed for configuring a device state including accessing a graphical user interface (GUI) in a database at a server, sending the GUI from the server to the client device, receiving an input from the client device at the server, configuring the device state in the database at the server in accordance with the input, and sending the configured device state from the server to the client device. The client device receives a device state for configuring home automation controllable devices. |
| US08042047B2 |
Interactive promotional content management system and article of manufacture thereof
A system for creating user defined advertisements. The system comprises a computer readable storage medium. The medium comprises a digitized film/video; an attribute database comprising predetermined attributes. Each attribute correlates to at least one scene of the film/video. An advertisement database is provided comprising predetermined advertisements of the film/video. A publication database is provided comprising critiques of the film/video. The medium also comprises selection instructions for the user to select, for viewing, one of the digitized film/video, the selected scene, the predetermined advertisements or the critiques. A machine capable of reading the computer readable storage medium implements the instructions for viewing. |
| US08042045B1 |
Full time on-screen assistance for video games and other computer software
Help implementation feature for video games. A two-tiered approach for offering guidance and assistance to the user of a computer software program. Event-generated help is activated when the user first initiates an event within the video game software program. Context-sensitive help is always available to the user but remains inactive until help is requested by the user. The event-generated help and context-sensitive help act in tandem to fully support the user at all times during game play. The invention can be implemented via a stand-alone computing system or such a system interconnected with other platforms or data stores by a network, such as a corporate intranet, a local area network, or the Internet. |
| US08042041B1 |
Method and apparatus for pipelined processing of data
A method and apparatus for pipelined processing of data are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a user request to process data, obtaining the data from a data storage based on the user request, grouping the set of data to create a hierarchical data, and paginating the hierarchical data to create a paginated result set. The pagination begins before the grouping is completed. The method further includes transferring one or more pages of the paginated result set to a client. The transferring begins before the pagination is completed. |
| US08042040B2 |
Systems and methods for mounting memorabilia
Systems and methods for mounting memorabilia in a manner that provides enhanced opportunity for the creative involvement of users. A page layout template is used as a basis for creating a page layout to which design elements are attached. The page layout is a pre-designed template that is configured to be selectively rotated and/or swapped to provide a refreshing theme and/or look, and can be used to more effectively utilize the memorabilia available for mounting and/or storage. The ability to rotate and/or swap the templates enables the ability of a user to reuse pre-established templates to create new looks and presentations. In addition, colors and/or objects can be added to enhance the themes. In one implementation, the templates include two templates per presentation. Each of the templates can be selectively rotated and/or swapped with another template to provide a refreshing theme and/or look, and can be used to more effectively utilize the memorabilia available for mounting and/or storage. |
| US08042035B2 |
Method and system for rapid access to frequently used or searched objects
A method and system to rapidly access frequently used objects and/or items is provided. More particularly, the method and system is designed to rapidly access frequently used or search objects and/or items using a placeholders (e.g., Memory Indicators) in a graphical user interface. a method of retrieving items is provided. The method includes detecting one or more selected items from a list of items; creating placeholders representing each of the selected one or more items in a graphical user interface; and continuously updating the placeholders in the graphical user interface upon detecting of newly selected items in the list of items. The placeholders are configured to eliminate subsequent searches for the one or more items in the list. |
| US08042034B1 |
Database with linked audio file
An audio file is linked to a record in a database. The record is accessed and the audio file related to the record is obtained. Once the audio file is obtained, it is recorded on a recording media. The audio file is then linked to the record. In one embodiment of the invention, linking the audio file to the record is accomplished by storing a pointer to the location of the audio file on the recording media in a field of the record. In another embodiment of the invention, the audio file is digitized and the digitized audio file is stored in a memory. The digitized audio file is stored in one of two ways: either in a field of the record, or separately from the record. In the latter case, a pointer to the audio file is stored in a field of the record. Linking the audio file to its related record allows quick and easy access to the audio file from the record. This is particularly useful for client databases since the linking allows quick and easy access to conversations with a client about the client's accounts and/or transactions. |
| US08042033B2 |
Protection of access information in wireless communications
Protection of access information in wireless communications is achieved by transmitting access information related to configuration to a terminal, receiving a result of a countermeasure procedure performed by the terminal, deciding whether the configuration is correct or not based on the received result, and if not correct, allowing the terminal to receive access information, or if correct, performing the configuration. |
| US08042030B2 |
Encoding apparatus, decoding apparatus, encoding method, decoding method, and storage device
An ECC decoder outputs, to a likelihood substituting unit, information on data in data blocks that is corrected to be valid. Based on the information, the likelihood substituting unit substitutes likelihood corresponding to the data corrected to be valid by the maximum value, and outputs it to an LDPC decoder. The LDPC decoder decodes user data with likelihoods partly substituted by the maximum value using LDPC parity, and calculates likelihood of data that constitutes the user data. The LDPC decoder outputs the calculated likelihood to a channel APP decoder as external data. |
| US08042026B2 |
Method for efficiently calculating syndromes in reed-solomon decoding, and machine-readable storage medium storing instructions for executing the method
A method for efficiently calculating syndromes in Reed-Solomon decoding is adapted to be implemented in a processor having a parallel processing instruction set. The method includes: (a) initializing a syndrome vector; (b) obtaining a symbol from a Reed-Solomon block code; (c) finding a lookup index based on the symbol; (d) using the parallel processing instruction set, obtaining a finite field product vector corresponding to the lookup index from a finite field vector multiplication table that includes at least one finite field product vector; (e) using the parallel processing instruction set, performing vector finite field addition on the finite field product vector corresponding to the lookup index and the syndrome vector, thereby obtaining an updated syndrome vector; and (f) outputting the updated syndrome vector. |
| US08042024B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for reconstructing a data stream
A method, system, and computer program product for reconstructing a data stream are provided. The method includes listening to an original data stream, and extracting messages from the original data stream. The method further includes determining statistical data from the extracted messages, and creating a reconstructed data stream using the statistical data. |
| US08042022B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for distributed decoding during prolonged refresh
Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for preserving, verifying, and correcting data in DRAM device during a power-saving mode. In the power-saving mode, memory cells in the DRAM device may be refreshed using a self-refresh operation. This self-refresh operation may allow bit errors to occur in the DRAM device. However, by employing error correction coding (ECC), embodiments of the present invention may detect and correct these potential errors that may occur in the power-saving mode. Furthermore, a partial ECC check cycle is employed to check and correct a sub-set of the memory cells during a periodic self-refresh process that occurs during the power-saving mode. |
| US08042021B2 |
Memory card and memory controller
A memory card has a plurality of non-volatile memories and a main controller for controlling the operation of the non-volatile memories. The main controller performs an access control to the non-volatile memories in response to an external access instruction, and an alternate control for alternating an access error-related storage area of the non-volatile memory with other storage area. In the access control, the speeding up of the data transfer between flash memories is achieved by causing the plurality of non-volatile memories to parallel access operate. In the alternation control, the storage areas is made alternative for each non-volatile memory in which an access error occurs. |
| US08042020B2 |
Data error correction circuit, integrated circuit for data error correction, and method of performing data error correction
A data error correction circuit includes a plurality of one-bit registers, a data error detection unit and a data error correction unit. The data error detection unit detects whether all the data values stored in the plurality of the registers are equal. The data correction unit determines a correct data value based upon each of the stored data values, and corrects each of the data values into the determined correct data value if the data values are not equal. Therefore, the data error correction circuit may correct a data error due to electrostatic discharge (ESD) or electromagnetic interference (EMI). |
| US08042017B2 |
Apparatus and method for practical and efficient broadcast in mobile ad hoc networks
The present invention demonstrates how network-coding can be applied to a deterministic broadcast approach, resulting in significant reductions in the number of transmissions in the network. We propose two algorithms, that rely only on local two-hop topology information and make extensive use of opportunistic listening to reduce the number of transmissions: 1) a simple XOR-based coding algorithm and 2) a Reed-Solomon based coding algorithm that determines the optimal coding gain achievable for a coding algorithm that relies only on local information. |
| US08042016B2 |
Method and device for efficiently retransmitting packets in wired/wireless network
Provided a method and device for efficiently retransmitting packets of which transmissions failed in wired/wireless network including detecting continuity by detecting whether or not a sequence ID of a received packet is continuous with a start sequence ID or an end sequence ID of packets included in reception blocks which are generated in advance of the received packet; depending on the result of the detection, manipulating reception blocks to renew or delete the reception blocks or generate a new reception block by using the sequence ID of the received packet; and transmitting an EBN (Explicit Block NACK) for requesting retransmission of lost packets in units of a block when discontinuity is detected. |
| US08042014B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus and method of disposing observation flip-flop
A semiconductor apparatus includes a functional block to observe a state of a signal line in the apparatus. The functional block includes a signal transfer section to receive, transmit and output the state of the signal line, and an observation flip-flop to store a state of an input terminal or an output terminal of the signal transfer section. |
| US08042011B2 |
Runtime programmable BIST for testing a multi-port memory device
One embodiment provides a runtime programmable system which comprises methods and apparatuses for testing a multi-port memory device to detect a multi-port memory fault, in addition to typical single-port memory faults that can be activated when accessing a single port of a memory device. More specifically, the system comprises a number of mechanisms which can be configured to activate and detect any realistic fault which affects the memory device when two simultaneous memory access operations are performed. During operation, the system can receive an instruction sequence, which implements a new test procedure for testing the memory device, while the memory device is being tested. Furthermore, the system can implement a built-in self-test (BIST) solution for testing any multi-port memory device, and can generate tests targeted to a specific memory design based in part on information from the instruction sequence. |
| US08042010B2 |
Two-phase clock-stalling technique for error detection and error correction
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that augments a circuit design with a mechanism for detecting and correcting timing errors. This system first partitions the circuit into a set of blocks that are clocked by an independent clock source, and integrates an error signal propagation circuit between the set of blocks. For a respective block, the system determines a set of internal registers that are to be implemented as double data sampling registers, and replaces the determined set of internal registers with double data sampling registers, wherein a given double data sampling register is configured to generate an error signal when it detects a timing error. Then, the system integrates a two-phase error correction circuit into the respective block, wherein when notified of a timing error by a double data sampling register, the two-phase error correction circuit is configured to stall registers in the respective block. |
| US08042009B2 |
Electronic control device
An electronic control device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an arithmetic device such as a microcomputer having a watchdog timer circuit, and a runaway monitoring circuit which monitors the arithmetic device for an operational failure by receiving a pulse output from the arithmetic device, in which the watchdog timer circuit or the runaway monitoring circuit detects occurrence of a failure of the arithmetic device according to the state (high level or low level) of an indication signal (wakeup signal) which shows the operational state of the arithmetic device. |
| US08042006B2 |
Automatic system for power and data redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network
Redundancy of data and/or Inline Power in a wired data telecommunications network from a pair of power sourcing equipment (PSE) devices via an automatic selection device is provided by providing redundant signaling to/from each of the pair of PSE devices, and coupling a port of one PSE device and a redundant port of the second PSE device to respective first and second interfaces of a port of the selection device. The selection device initially selects one of the two PSE devices and communicates data and/or Inline Power to a third interface of the selection device. A powered device (PD) coupled to that third interface communicates data and/or Inline Power with the selected one of the first and second PSE device through the selection device. Upon detection of a condition, such as a failure condition, the selection device may select the other of the two interfaces. |
| US08042005B2 |
Library apparatus, conveyance controller, and control method thereof
A library apparatus includes, a drive for accessing the mobile medium, a discharge unit for discharging the mobile medium, and a conveyance controller for controlling a conveyance unit. The conveyance controller includes, a memory for storing process content when the discharge unit discharges the mobile medium, a receiver for receiving control information regarding a control unit controlling a discharge operation of the mobile medium, where the control unit is arranged in a host apparatus. The library apparatus and controlling method include determining correct process content in the discharge operation of the mobile medium from the process content stored on the storage, in accordance with the received control information, and detecting a faulty discharge operation by determining, in accordance with the determination result of the correct process content, whether process content transmitted from the host apparatus is normal or not. |
| US08042004B2 |
Diagnosing communications between computer systems
Diagnosing communications between computer systems includes sending a message from a sending node to a receiving node. The receiving node detects an error in the receiving node receiving the message and captures the data regarding the error on the receiving. A diagnostic log request is sent from the receiving node to the sending node, the diagnostic log request including a request for the sending node to log information. The sending node diagnoses the communications error in response to the diagnostic log response. |
| US08042003B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating effectiveness of test case
Provided are a method and apparatus for evaluating the effectiveness of a test case used for a program test on the basis of error detection capability. The method includes: receiving a target program used for evaluating the effectiveness of the test case; generating an error program by inputting errors to the target program; detecting the errors by executing the test case on the generated error program; and calculating evaluation points of the test case using a ratio of the number of the detected errors to the number of the input errors. Thus, the capability of the test case used for a program test to detect errors can be evaluated. |
| US08042002B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling shared hardware and software debug resource events in a data processing system
For some data processing systems, it is important to be able to handle overlapping debug events generated by a shared set of debug resources which are trying to cause both exception processing and debug mode entry. However, exception processing and debug mode entry generally have conflicting requirements. In one embodiment, exception priority processing is initially given to the software debug event. Normal state saving is performed and the first instruction of the debug exception handler is fetched, but not executed. Priority is then switched from the software debug event to the hardware debug event and a debug halted state is entered. Once processing of the hardware debug event has been completed, priority is returned to the software debug event and the debug exception handler is executed. |
| US08041999B2 |
Effecting adapter commands upon sequential target system TAP states
A method comprises performing at least one zero-bit scan across an interface. The at least one zero-bit scan defines a command window. Further, the method implements one of a selectable plurality of control levels in the command window based on the number of the at least one zero-bit scans. |
| US08041995B2 |
Method and system for resetting fault tolerant computer system
There is disclosed a method capable of resetting a fault tolerant computer in complete synchronization among modules. The method includes a step of generating a reset requesting signal by one of the modules, a step of dividing the reset requesting signal to first and second reset requesting signals, a step of transmitting the second reset requesting signal to the other module, a step of delaying the first reset requesting signal in the one module by a time required for transmitting the second reset requesting signal to the other module, a step of resetting at least one CPU included in the one module by a first CPU reset signal generated based on the first reset requesting signal delayed in the one module, and a step of resetting at least one CPU included in the other module by a second CPU reset signal generated based on the second reset requesting signal transmitted to the other module. |
| US08041991B2 |
System and method for recovering solid state drive data
A method for recovering solid state drive (SSD) data may comprise: detecting a failed SSD comprising one or more data blocks; receiving a request to write data to the one or more data blocks of the failed SSD; writing the data to one or more data blocks of an operational drive; and rebuilding the failed SSD from the failed SSD and the one or more data blocks of the operational drive.A system for recovering solid state drive (SSD) data may comprise: means for detecting a failed SSD comprising one or more data blocks; means for receiving a request to write data to the one or more data blocks of the failed SSD; means for writing the data to one or more data blocks of an operational drive; and means for rebuilding the failed SSD from the failed SSD and the one or more data blocks of the operational drive. |
| US08041990B2 |
System and method for error correction and detection in a memory system
A system and method for error correction and detection in a memory system. The system includes a memory controller, a plurality of memory modules and a mechanism. The memory modules are in communication with the memory controller and with a plurality of memory devices. The mechanism detects that one of the memory modules has failed possibly coincident with a memory device failure on an other of the memory modules. The mechanism allows the memory system to continue to run unimpaired in the presence of the memory module failure and the memory device failure. |
| US08041987B2 |
Dynamic physical and virtual multipath I/O
Embodiments that dynamically manage physical and virtual multipath I/O are contemplated. Various embodiments comprise one or more computing devices, such as one or more servers, having at least two HBAs. At least one of the HBAs may be associated with a virtual I/O server that employs the HBA to transfer data between a plurality of virtual clients and one or more storage devices of a storage area network. The embodiments may monitor the availability of the HBAs, such as monitoring the HBAs for a failure of the HBA or a device coupled to the HBA. Upon detecting the unavailability of one of the HBAs, the embodiments may switch, dynamically, from the I/O path associated with the unavailable HBA to the alternate HBA. |
| US08041984B2 |
Redundancy information for adjusting threshold for component failure in a multi-layer system
A first unit and a second unit are provided in a multi-layer computing system, wherein the first unit is at a higher layer than the second unit in the multi-layer computing system, and wherein the first unit is a higher level unit and the second unit is a lower level unit. The higher level unit sends to the lower level unit, information to adjust a threshold for failure of components coupled to the lower level unit, wherein the higher level unit has more information on a degree of redundancy in the multi-layer computing system than the lower level unit. The lower level unit adjusts the threshold for the failure of the components, by using the information sent from the higher level unit. |
| US08041981B2 |
Synchronizing timing domains based on state variables
Embodiments of a synchronization circuit, a method for synchronizing clock signals, and electronic devices that include the synchronization circuit or a computer-program product (e.g., software) with instructions for operations in the method are described. This synchronization circuit synchronizes clock signals in different timing domains using state variables. In particular, the synchronization circuit generates a synchronization acquisition curve based on a temporal history of state-variable differences between the clock signals. Next, the synchronization circuit synchronizes the clock signals (without a discontinuous temporal transient in one or more state variables of a dependent one of the clock signals) based on the sum of the synchronization acquisition curve and the state-variable differences between the clock signals. This state variable may include: a phase of the dependent clock signal, a frequency of the dependent clock signal, and/or a rate of change of the frequency of the dependent clock signal. |
| US08041979B2 |
Method and a system for synchronising respective state transitions in a group of devices
A method of synchronizing respective state transitions in a group of devices including at least one responding device is disclosed. The group of devices is communicatively coupled to an initiating device via a communication network. The method includes the at least one responding device receiving a trigger message from the initiating device. The trigger message includes a state transition time or a time from which a state transition time is obtainable. The method further includes the at least one responding device jointly making a respective state transition at the state transition time. A responding device, and a system including the initiating device and the responding device are also disclosed. |
| US08041977B2 |
Notebook battery replacement time-saving method and battery detector thereof
A method to save time needed in battery replacement for a Notebook and a battery detector thereof is comprised of having placed the battery detector containing a voltage detection circuit and a register module in the Notebook. When the power level of the battery falls below a first threshold, a prompt menu including a battery replacement option is displayed. When battery replacement option is selected, the Notebook enters a sleep mode and a numeric value marking the need of an automatic power on for the Notebook is stored in the register module. If the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit is greater than a second threshold, and a numeric value marking the need of an automatic power on for the Notebook is stored in the register module, the Notebook is driven to perform a power on procedure. |
| US08041970B2 |
Cluster system with reduced power consumption and power management method thereof
Provided are a cluster system, which can reduce power consumption by controlling power at a cluster level according to loads, and a power management method of the cluster system. The cluster system includes a plurality of management target nodes for performing an actual task which the cluster system is supposed to perform, a load balancer/switch for distributing a user's request received through an external network into the management target nodes, and a power management master for monitoring a load of an entire system and performing a power management by controlling the load balancer/switch. The power management master classifies the management target nodes into a power on group and a power off group. |
| US08041967B2 |
System and method for controlling power to resources based on historical utilization data
A method comprises collecting utilization data for a resource, and predicting by a power management system, based on the collected utilization data, future utilization of the resource. The method further comprises controlling, by the power management system, power to the resource, based at least in part on the predicted future utilization of the resource. In one embodiment, the utilization data is collected for a plurality of resources that are operable to perform tasks, and the method further comprises determining, by the power management system, how many of the resources are needed to provide a desired capacity for servicing the predicted future utilization of the resources for performing the tasks. The method further comprises configuring, by the power management system, ones of the resources exceeding the determined number of resources needed to provide the desired capacity in a reduced power-consumption mode. |
| US08041966B2 |
Electric power supply system, terminal, electric power supply method and computer readable medium
The electric power supply system includes a first terminal that electric power is supplied thereto from a first power supply to operate, a second terminal that is connected to the first terminal and that electric power is supplied thereto from a second power supply to operate, and a controller that controls electric power supply so as to supply electric power from the first terminal to the second terminal based on the operation state of the first terminal. |
| US08041965B2 |
Power control device for processor
A processor has: a power table including a plurality of power control registers each rewritably storing power control information; a condition determiner for rewritably storing a plurality of operating conditions (e.g., a comparison address to be compared with the program counter) and determining which one of the plurality of operating conditions is satisfied by a current operation of the processor so as to supply an index signal to select one of the plurality of power control registers based on the determination; and a voltage/clock controller for controlling the power consumption in a control object circuit block according to the power control information in one of the power control registers that is selected by the index signal. |
| US08041964B2 |
Ultra low power wake-up circuit
An apparatus for selectively enabling power including a power supply, and a device having a controller and an input activated by a user. The controller is selectively powered by the power supply. While the device is in a sleep state, a sensing circuit senses activation of the input by the user and enables the power supply to provide power to the controller in response to the sensed activation of the input by the user. A latch circuit causes the power supply to continue to provide power to the controller. The controller is responsive to the sensed activation of the input by the user for enabling the latch circuit and for disabling the latch circuit, thereby reentering the device into a sleep state. |
| US08041958B2 |
Method for preventing malicious software from execution within a computer system
A method for preventing malicious software from execution within a computer system is disclosed. A permutation is performed on a subset of instructions within an application program to yield a permuted sequence of instructions before any actual execution of the application program on the computer system. A permutation sequence number of the permuted sequence of instructions is stored in a permuted instruction pointer table. The permuted sequence of instructions is executed in an execution module that is capable of translating the permuted sequence of instructions to an actual machine code of a processor within the computer system according to the permutation sequence number of the permuted sequence of instructions stored in the permuted instruction pointer table. |
| US08041956B1 |
Method and system for biometric authentication
A method of authentication is provided that includes capturing biometric data for a desired biometric type from an individual, determining an algorithm for converting the biometric data into authentication words, converting the captured biometric data into authentication words in accordance with the determined algorithm, including the authentication words in a probe, and comparing the probe against identity records stored in a server system. Each of the identity records includes enrollment biometric words of an individual obtained during enrollment. Moreover, the method includes identifying at least one of the identity records as a potential matching identity record when at least one of the authentication words included in the probe matches at least one of the enrollment biometric words included in the at least one identity record, and generating a list of potential matching identity records. |
| US08041955B2 |
Grid mutual authorization through proxy certificate generation
A mechanism for mutual authorization of a secondary resource in a grid of resource computers is provided. When a primary resource attempts to offload a grid computing job to a secondary resource, the primary resource sends a proxy certificate request to the user machine. Responsive to a proxy certificate request, the user machine performs authorization with the secondary resource. If authorization with the secondary resource is successful, the user machine generates and returns a valid proxy certificate. The primary resource then performs mutual authentication with the secondary resource. If the authorization with the secondary resource fails, the user machine generates and returns an invalid proxy certificate. Mutual authentication between the primary resource and the secondary resource will fail due to the invalid proxy certificate. The primary resource then selects another secondary resource and repeats the process until a resource is found that passes the mutual authorization with the user machine. |
| US08041953B2 |
Identity-based-encryption message management system
Systems and methods for managing email are provided. Some of the email may be encrypted using identity-based-encryption (IBE) techniques. When an incoming IBE-encrypted message for a recipient in an organization is received by a gateway at the organization, the gateway may request an IBE private key from an IBE private key generator. The IBE private key generator may generate the requested IBE private key for the gateway. The gateway may use an IBE decryption engine to decrypt the incoming message. The decrypted message can be scanned for viruses and spam and delivered to the recipient. Outgoing email messages can also be processed. If indicated by message attributes or information provided by a message sender, an outgoing message can be encrypted using an IBE encryption engine and the IBE public key of a desired recipient. |
| US08041952B2 |
Systems and methods for printing documents containing electronic signatures
Systems and methods for validating electronic signatures contained in a printable document prior to allowing the document to be printed. The systems and methods may be incorporated into a printing device or a computer. Documents without electronic signatures are printed normally. If the document contains one or more electronic signatures, then the electronic signature(s) must be validated before the document is allowed to print. Validation is accomplished by comparing a public key contained in the electronic signature to a public key stored in an electronic signature database. If the electronic signature is validated, then the document may print. |
| US08041948B2 |
Application level gateway for request verification
A system and method for request verification in an Application Level Gateway (ALG) located between a client and a server in a data transmission network. The ALG receives from a server a message that requires some responsive actions from a client. The ALG adds to this message Verification Data (VD) that includes information about expected actions required from the client. The ALG then sends the message with the above-mentioned additions to the client. The client receives this message and sends a response, with the actual actions and with the VD, to the server. The ALG obtains this response with the VD, and compares the description of the expected actions with actual actions of the client. If the actions of the client are legitimate, the ALG sends the client response to the server. |
| US08041947B2 |
Computer architecture for an electronic device providing SLS access to MLS file system with trusted loading and protection of program execution memory
System for providing a secure file service includes an MLS file service module (300) comprised of a cryptographic processor (302). The MLS file service module also includes an MLS file system (301) hosted by the cryptographic processor. A secure user processor (402) includes programming and communications hardware for requesting at least one classified file from the MLS file service module. The cryptographic processor includes cryptographic hardware and software to decrypt the classified file. The cryptographic processor is also performs an integrity check on the classified file. Once the file is decrypted and its integrity checked by the cryptographic processor, the MLS file service module serves the classified file to the secure user processor in decrypted form. If the classified file is an executable file, the method also includes selectively enabling a write function for program memory of the secure user processor. This write function is disabled immediately after the classified executable file has been loaded into the program memory to guard against self modifying programs. |
| US08041944B2 |
Group signature system and information processing method
In a group signature system of the present invention, user device 400 registered in the group, when receiving an issuing device public key of a set that includes order N of a cyclic group and its elements a—0, a—1 and a—2, determines such primes e and e′ that e′ is a prime that is obtained by subtracting a fixed number smaller than the prime e from the prime e, generates a user device secret key of a set including such numbers x and r that the product between a—0 and the result obtained by performing modular exponentiation of a—1 by number x, multiplied by the result obtained by performing modular exponentiation of a—2 by number r is equal to the result obtained by performing element A of the first cyclic group raised to the e-th power, based on order N as a modulus, and a user device public key of a set including prime e, prime e′ and element A, transmits prime e′ to revocation manager 300, receives B calculated based on prime e′ from revocation manager 300 to obtain a message, generates a signature statement for the message using the B value, the user device public key, the user device secret key and the message, and transmits the signature statement with the message and to verifying device 500. |
| US08041939B2 |
Addressing and routing mechanism for web server clusters
A method of establishing a Host Identity Protocol session between first and second Host Identity Protocol enabled hosts, where at least said second host is located behind a reverse-proxy. The method comprises providing the reverse-proxy with Diffie-Hellman public keying material of the second host, sending said Diffie-Hellman public keying material from the reverse-proxy to the first host as part of the Host Identity Protocol base exchange procedure, this material being bound to the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy for the purpose of the Host Identity Protocol session, and, at the first host, using the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy as the correspondent Host Identity for the Host Identity Protocol session, and, at the second host, using the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy as the originating Host Identity for the Host Identity Protocol session. |
| US08041935B2 |
Image forming apparatus reboot that accounts for automatic adjustment processing
An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware resource used in image formation; and a storage unit storing a program for processing the image formation; and a controller that is operable to: accepting rebooting commands for rebooting the hardware resource and the program; monitoring a state of the hardware resource and a state of the program and detecting whether or not at least one of the hardware resource and the program is in automatic adjustment processing; and rebooting the hardware resource and the program according to the rebooting commands after completion of the automatic adjustment processing, when the rebooting commands are accepted in a state that the hardware resource or the program is in the automatic adjustment processing. |
| US08041931B2 |
Branch prediction apparatus, systems, and methods
An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to predict a branch within a first operating context, such as a user context, using a first strategy; and to predict a branch within a second operating context, such as an operating system context, using a second strategy. In some embodiments, apparatus and systems may comprise one or more first storage locations to store branch history information associated with a first operating context, and one ore more second storage locations to store branch history information associated with a second operating context. |
| US08041929B2 |
Techniques for hardware-assisted multi-threaded processing
Techniques for processing each of multiple threads that share a core processor include receiving an intra-thread register address from the core processor. This address contains C bits for accessing each of 2c registers for each thread. A thread ID is received from a thread scheduler external to the core processor. The Thread ID contains T bits for indicating a particular thread for up to 2T threads. A particular register is accessed in a register bank that has 2(C+T) registers using an inter-thread address that includes both the intra-thread register address and the thread ID. The particular register holds contents for the intra-thread register address for a thread having the thread ID. Consequently, register contents of all registers of all threads reside in the register bank. Thread switching is accomplished rapidly by simply accessing different slices in the register bank, without swapping contents between a set of registers and memory. |
| US08041928B2 |
Information handling system with real and virtual load/store instruction issue queue
An information handling system includes a processor that may perform issue queue virtual load/store instruction operations. The issue queue maintains load and store instructions with a real/virtual dependency flag. The issue queue provides storage resources for real and virtual load/store instructions. Real load/store instructions execute in a load store unit LSU. Virtual load/store instructions are pending execution in the LSU. The LSU may keep track of each virtual load/store instruction within the issue queue by thread, type, and pointer data. Provided that all dependencies are clear for a pending virtual load/store instruction, the LSU marks the pending virtual load/store instruction as real. The pending virtual load/store instruction may then issue to the LSU as a real load/store instruction. |
| US08041924B2 |
Location-independent raid group virtual block management
A computer storage system is described. A range of volume block numbers (VBNs) is assigned to a volume. A range of storage device block numbers (DBNs) is assigned to each of a plurality of storage devices. A first mapping parameters are created to map a first range of VBN numbers to a first selected range of DBNs using a first portion of a new storage device. A second mapping parameters are created to map a second range of VBN numbers to a second range of DBNs on a second portion of the new storage device. |
| US08041918B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving parallel marking garbage collectors that use external bitmaps
A method for performing garbage collection involves obtaining a first reference bitmap including a block address and a set of mark bits, obtaining a first reference, identifying a mark bit of the set of mark bits based on the first reference, comparing an address associated with the mark bit with the first reference to generate a comparison, selecting an existing word from a global bit map based on the block address and the comparison, calculating a new word based on the set of mark bits and the existing word, replacing the existing word in the global bit map with the new word, and reclaiming a block of memory for reuse based on the global bit map after replacing the existing word. |
| US08041917B2 |
Managing server, pool adding method and computer system
In a computer system, even when the virtual storage capacity of pools is increased, it is possible to keep the availability of each pool at least at a desired level. The managing server compares a reference value beforehand stored therein with an evaluation value of availability which represents a degree of resistivity against destruction, the degree being derived by use of physical configuration information which is obtained from the controller and which is associated with the pool; and determines necessity of addition of an element to the pool if the availability evaluation value exceeds the reference value and indicates the addition of the element to the pool to the storage apparatus. |
| US08041912B2 |
Memory devices with data protection
A memory device comprises a memory array, a status register coupled with the memory array, and a security register coupled with the memory array and the status register. The memory array contains a number of memory blocks configured to have independent access control. The status register includes at least one protection bit indicative of a write-protection status of at least one corresponding block of the memory blocks that corresponds to the protection bit. The security register includes at least one register-protection bit. The register-protection bit is programmable to a memory-protection state for preventing a state change of at least the protection bit of the status register. The register-protection bit is configured to remain in the memory-protection state until the resetting of the memory device. |
| US08041911B2 |
Remote copy system and method of deciding recovery point objective in remote copy system
A remote copy system comprises a primary storage system having a primary volume, and a secondary storage system having a secondary volume forming a pair relationship with the primary volume. When the primary storage system receives a write command from a primary host computer, it stores the command in the primary volume and creates a journal added with time information. The secondary storage system receives the journal from the primary storage system and updates the secondary volume based on the received journal. The primary host computer determines, based on the operating status of the secondary storage system, either the time added to the latest journal that the secondary storage system received or the time added to the latest journal that updated the secondary volume as the recovery point objective, and provides the determined time this to the user. |
| US08041902B2 |
Direct memory move of multiple buffers between logical partitions
A method, apparatus and program product are provided for moving data from a source memory zone to a target memory zone of a computer. A source host operating system invokes a synchronous multiple move command for SBAL output buffers with a common target zone. The machine firmware identifies and validates the target argument of the first SBAL, validates the target zone state, moves the data associated with the first SBAL to the target zone; and then iteratively moves the data associated with the remaining SBALs to the target zone. |
| US08041901B2 |
Performance monitoring device and method thereof
A performance monitoring device and method are disclosed. The device monitors performance events of a processor. A counter is adjusted in response to the occurrence of a particular performance event. The counter can be associated with a particular instruction address range, or a data address range, so that the counter is adjusted only when the performance event occurs at the instruction address range or the data address range. Accordingly, the information stored in the counter can be analyzed to determine if a particular instruction address range or data address range results in a particular performance event. Multiple counters, each associated with a different performance event, instruction address range, or data address range, can be employed to allow for a detailed analysis of which portions of a program lead to particular performance events. |
| US08041900B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving transactional memory commit latency
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that executes transactions on a processor that supports transactional memory. The system starts by executing the transaction on the processor. During execution of the transactions, the system places stores in a store buffer. In addition, the system sets a stores_encountered indicator when a first store is placed in the store buffer during the transaction. Upon completing the transaction, the system determines if the stores_encountered indicator is set. If so, the system signals a cache to commit the stores placed in the store buffer during the transaction to the cache and then resumes execution of program code following the transaction when the stores have been committed. Otherwise, the system resumes execution of program code following the transaction without signaling the cache. |
| US08041899B2 |
System and method for fetching information to a cache module using a write back allocate algorithm
A write back allocate system that includes: (i) a store request circuit; (ii) a processor, adapted to generate a store request that comprises an information unit and an information unit address; and (iii) a cache module, connected to the store request circuit and to a high level memory unit. A single cache module line includes multiple segments, each segment is adapted to store a single information unit. A content of a cache module line is retrieved from the high level memory unit by generating a fetch burst that includes multiple segment fetch operations. The store request circuit includes a snooper and a controller. The snooper detects a portion of an address of a cache segment of a cache line that is being fetched during a fetch burst. The controller is adapted to request from the cache module to receive the information unit before a completion of the fetch burst if the portion of the address of the cache segment matches a corresponding portion of the information unit address. |
| US08041898B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for reducing memory traffic in a distributed memory system
The present disclosure provides a method for reducing memory traffic in a distributed memory system. The method may include storing a presence vector in a directory of a memory slice, said presence vector indicating whether a line in local memory has been cached. The method may further include protecting said memory slice from cache coherency violations via a home agent configured to transmit and receive data from said memory slice, said home agent configured to store a copy of said presence vector. The method may also include receiving a request for a block of data from at least one processing node at said home agent and comparing said presence vector with said copy of said presence vector stored in said home agent. The method may additionally include eliminating a write update operation between said home agent and said directory if said presence vector and said copy are equivalent. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US08041896B2 |
Virtualization platform with dedicated cache access
A computing system supports a virtualization platform with dedicated cache access. The computing system is configured for usage with a memory and a cache and comprises an instruction decoder configured to decode a cache-line allocation instruction and control logic. The control logic is coupled to the instruction decoder and controls the computing system to execute a cache-line allocation instruction that loads portions of data and code regions of the memory into dedicated cache-lines of the cache which are exempted from eviction according to a cache controller replacement policy. |
| US08041894B2 |
Method and system for a multi-level virtual/real cache system with synonym resolution
Method and system for a multi-level virtual/real cache system with synonym resolution. An exemplary embodiment includes a multi-level cache hierarchy, including a set of L1 caches associated with one or more processor cores and a set of L2 caches, wherein the set of L1 caches are a subset of the set of L2 caches, wherein the set of L1 caches underneath a given L2 cache are associated with one or more of the processor cores. |
| US08041876B1 |
Method and system for providing hardware support for memory protection and virtual memory address translation for a virtual machine
A method for providing hardware support for memory protection and virtual memory address translation for a virtual machine. The method includes executing a host machine application within a host machine context and executing a virtual machine application within a virtual machine context. A plurality of TLB (translation look aside buffer) entries for the virtual machine context and the host machine context are stored within a TLB. Memory protection bits for the plurality of TLB entries are logically combined to enforce memory protection on the virtual machine application. |
| US08041874B2 |
USB and ethernet controller combination device
A USB-to-Ethernet controller with a USB hub may be integrated into a single integrated circuit (IC) USB-Ethernet Combination (UEC) device. The UEC may provide the end user with an Ethernet port, multiple downstream USB ports, and an upstream USB port for connecting to a USB host controller. One or more of the USB hub ports may be brought off the IC, enabling an end user to connect them to any arbitrary USB device(s). The third hub port may be an internal downstream port without a physical layer, and may be configured to connect to an Ethernet controller, which may comprise a USB device controller. The Ethernet controller may connect to the internal downstream port via a digital interface such as UTMI. The UEC device may appear to the host computer as two separate devices, an Ethernet controller and a USB hub. The Ethernet controller may appear as a permanently attached device on the internal downstream port. |
| US08041872B1 |
Enabling multiple devices using a single bus bridge
Embodiments of the invention include a bus bridge that is capable of communicating with more than one MSC device coupled to it. In some embodiments, the bridge includes a processor that translates different routing numbers received from the bus into different addresses and routing numbers for devices connected to the bridge. The bridge masks the fact that multiple MSC devices are coupled to it by reporting to the host that only a single device having multiple LUNs are coupled to the bridge. |
| US08041871B2 |
System and method for providing address decode and virtual function (VF) migration support in a peripheral component interconnect express (PCEI) multi-root input/output virtualization (IOV) environment
The present invention is a method for providing address decode and Virtual Function (VF) migration support in a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) multi-root Input/Output Virtualization (IOV) environment. The method may include receiving a Transaction Layer Packet (TLP) from the PCIE multi-root IOV environment. The method may further include comparing a destination address of the TLP with a plurality of base address values stored in a Content Addressable Memory (CAM), each base address value being associated with a Virtual Function (VF), each VF being associated with a Physical Function (PF). The method may further include when a base address value included in the plurality of base address values matches the destination address of the TLP, providing the matching base address value to the PCIE multi-root IOV environment by outputting from the CAM the matching base address value. The method may further include constructing a requestor ID for the VF associated with the matching base address value, the requestor ID being based upon the output matching base address value and a bus number for a PF which owns the CAM. |
| US08041868B2 |
Bus relay device and bus control system including bus masters, interconnect section, and bridge section
A combination includes a first bus master coupled to a first bus to output a first signal group including at least one of signals onto the first bus, a second bus master coupled to the first bus to output a second signal group including at least one of signals onto the first bus, an interconnect section coupled between the first bus and a second bus to receive the first and second signal groups and to output a third signal group including at least one of signals onto the second bus, and a bridge section coupled between the second bus and a third bus to receive the third signal group and to output a fourth signal group including at least one of signals onto the third bus free from performing a selecting operation for the third signal group. |
| US08041864B2 |
Storage apparatus including a USB connector
A storage apparatus is provided, including a USB connector configured to communicate with an external device, a storage device including a cap for covering the USB connector, and an interface to control a communication with the external device via the USB connector. A memory stores data transferred from the external device via the USB connector and the interface. A controller manages the interface and the memory. A portable case is configured to contain the interface, the memory, and the controller. A user input button on an external surface of the portable case receives a user input so that the controller may control the memory to store different information based on how many times, or how long, the user actuates the button. |
| US08041863B2 |
Automated solution to provide personalized user environment on any public computer using portable storage devices with personalized user settings uploaded to local registry of public computer
The present invention permits registry settings and other pertinent shared artifacts to be distributed across many different computing devices. More specifically, the invention permits applications installed on an external drive to be activated, when the external drive is connected to a main computing device. When connected, a drive agent can detect registry settings stored on the external drive and can synchronize these settings with a main registry of the main computing device. Further, interface elements, such as icons for the new applications can be added to a GUI of the main computing device. Once the registry settings are included in the main registry, applications on the external drive can used from the main computing device. When the external drive is detached from the main computing device, the device agent can automatically remove all registry settings, shared artifacts, and interface elements. |
| US08041859B2 |
Apparatus and method for connectivity in networks capable of non-disruptively disconnecting peripheral devices
An apparatus and method for connectivity in networks configured for non-disruptive disconnection of one or more peripheral devices are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first logical layer associated with a first peripheral device, the first peripheral device arranged in a network configured for non-disruptive disconnection of at least one peripheral device, at least a second logical layer associated with at least a second peripheral device, the at least a second peripheral device arranged in the network configured for non-disruptive disconnection of at least one peripheral device, at least one power source associated with the first logical layer and the at least a second logical layer, and a first electrically conductive link coupled to the first logical layer, the at least a second logical layer, and the at least one power source associated with the first logical layer and the at least a second logical layer. |
| US08041858B2 |
Method of clock distribution for operating an automation system
A method of operating an automation system with a plurality of automation devices connected for communication with a central unit is provided. Each automation device handles communication in accordance with a send clock. The central unit stores for each automation device accessible for communication information about the send clock for this device in a database. Further, the central unit handles communication with the automation devices according to their individual send clock. |
| US08041857B2 |
Dynamic A-MSDU enabling
A dynamic A-MSDU enabling method is disclosed. The method enables the recipient of an aggregate MAC service data unit (A-MSDU) under a block ACK agreement to reject the A-MSDU. The method thus distinguishes between A-MSDU outside of the block ACK agreement, which is mandatory, from A-MSDU under the block ACK agreement, which is optional. The method thus complies with the 802.11n specification while enabling the recipient to intelligently allocate memory during block ACK operations. |
| US08041856B2 |
Skip based control logic for first in first out buffer
A system and method of a skip based control logic for a first in first out (FIFO) buffer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a FIFO buffer system includes a storage for storing data, a write pointer for pointing to a write address of the storage for a write operation, and a read pointer for pointing to a read address of the storage for a read operation. Further, the FIFO buffer system includes a control logic for incrementing the read pointer based on a skip parameter of a skip register. The skip parameter is used to characterize a validity of the data for the read operation. |
| US08041855B1 |
Dual-bus system for communicating with a processor
A system for communicating with a processor within an integrated circuit can include a dual-bus adapter (115) coupled to the processor (105) through a first communication channel (110) and a second communication channel (120). The dual-bus adapter further can be coupled to a memory map interface (135) through which at least one peripheral device communicates with the processor. Single word operations can be exchanged between the processor and the dual-bus adapter through the first communication channel. Burst transfer operations can be performed by exchanging signaling information between the processor and the dual-bus adapter over the first communication channel and exchanging data words between the processor and the dual-bus adapter through the second communication channel. |
| US08041853B2 |
Adjustable elasticity FIFO buffer with preload value having a number of storage cells equal to frequency offset times between data units in a data stream
A method of processing a data stream through a buffer is performed in accordance with a write clock and a read clock. The buffer has a plurality of sequentially numbered storage cells. The method includes the steps of selecting an initial preload value, with the selecting step including determining a product of the maximum frequency offset between the write and read clocks, and a maximum time between arbitrary symbols in the data stream. The storage cells then receive data units in response to a write pointer. Data units are then provided from the storage cells in response to a read pointer. |
| US08041851B2 |
Generic DMA memory space mapping
In a data processing system having multiple input/output adapters, a DMA memory block is assigned to each adapter. The DMA memory block has a data area and a generic common control area. All adapters have the same translation control entry for the control area. The control area includes a mapped page assigned to each adapter request and an unmapped buffer space interposed between the mapped pages. By mapping the generic DMA memory, memory space which is not required by an adapter is not mapped unnecessarily. Because the generic DMA memory space is part of each adapter's DMA memory space, adapters are unable to write to partitions to which they do not belong and the possibility of cross-partition memory writes is reduced. Moreover, runaway writes to dedicated DMA memory space may be caught as soon as they occur. |
| US08041848B2 |
Media processing method and device
A media processing system and device with improved power usage characteristics, improved audio functionality and improved media security is provided. Embodiments of the media processing system include an audio processing subsystem that operates independently of the host processor for long periods of time, allowing the host processor to enter a low power state. Other aspects of the media processing system provide for enhanced audio effects such as mixing stored audio samples into real-time telephone audio. Still other aspects of the media processing system provide for improved media security due to the isolation of decrypted audio data from the host processor. |
| US08041847B1 |
Periodic and conditional execution of DMA operations
Scheduling Direct Memory Access (DMA) operations. Blocks are provided in a first DMA chain, with each block in the first DMA chain corresponding to an operation and comprising a pair of pointers, a first pointer pointing to a command structure to be executed or a data structure to be moved, and a second pointer pointing to a next block in the first DMA chain. A DMA engine processes successive operations in the first DMA chain. Time remaining in an interval for processing the first DMA chain is tracked. A second DMA chain of conditional blocks are maintained, with each conditional block corresponding to a conditional operation and containing an estimate of time needed to complete the conditional operation. A conditional operation is executed from the second DMA chain if the remaining time in the interval is greater than the estimated time to complete processing of the conditional operation. |
| US08041846B2 |
Apparatus with reduced latency for master and slave storage devices
Disclosed is an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a first hard disk drive, a conversion circuit and a signal control circuit. The conversion circuit is connected with the first hard disk drive to determine whether a second hard disk drive corresponding to a slave exists when the first hard disk drive serves as a master, and the determine whether a first control signal has a first logic level in a first predetermined time. |
| US08041838B2 |
Content display device and content display method
The present invention is a content display device provided with: a main device including a plurality of telephone terminals under control; and a content delivery server for delivering a content to the main device. A content delivery server 30 includes a content converting unit for converting data received from the WEB server into text information. A main device 20 is provided with: a content-display control unit for editing the acquired content information; a transmission control unit for analyzing from which telephone terminal a content acquisition request is made and also for delivering the edited content information; and a storage unit for storing content request information including a location of the content delivery server and a parameter number necessary at the time of obtaining the content information. The telephone terminal includes a button unit for finalizing a plurality of tables of contents displayed on the display unit and parameters. |
| US08041837B2 |
Method and devices for filtering data packets in a transmission
A method for associating a data packet (DP) with a packet bearer (PB) in a user equipment (UE1) of a communication network is proposed. The packet bearer (PB) transmits the data packet to a communication entity in the communication network. The communication network comprises at least one control entity to exchange signaling information with the user equipment. The user equipment comprises at least one executing unit for executing one or more applications which create the data packet, a packet marking entity for marking at least one control field in the data packet and a transmission unit for sending the data packet on the packet bearer. After setting up the packet bearer between the transmission unit and the communication entity, a first signaling of filter parameters for defining a packet filter is received by the user equipment. The filter parameters correspond to a packet marking. A second signaling of the packet marking from the control entity is received by the user equipment and forwarded to the packet marking entity. The data packet is marked with the signaled packet marking. The packet filter corresponding to the filter parameters is established for scanning data packets forwarded from the executing unit to the transmission unit and is associated with the packet bearer. The data packet with the marking corresponding to the filter parameters is forwarded on the associated packet bearer. A corresponding mobile network, control entity, user equipment and computer program are also described. |
| US08041835B2 |
Network address translation type for flexible neighbor selection in overlay networks
An overlay network uses flexible neighbor selection based on network address translation (NAT) to define routing between nodes. The NAT type is used as a flexible neighbor selection criteria, either alone or in conjunction with other criteria. A method of selecting a neighboring node for a first node in a distributed hash table network includes determining a desired key value for a node finger table entry and requesting a set of candidate neighboring nodes near this desired key value. The method determines a network address translation type of each of the set of candidate neighboring nodes and ranks the set of candidate neighboring nodes accordingly. The method selects one of the set of candidate neighboring nodes based on the ranking. The NAT types of candidate neighboring nodes are determined by sending probe messages or from data received from a central overlay network server. |
| US08041833B2 |
Electronic network filter for classified partitioning
An electronic network filter for classified partitioning in an ATM network. The filter has a classified network buffer for identifying whether data is classified or unclassified to define invalid and valid data packets. Invalid data packets are dropped from the classified network buffer and valid data packets are sent to an unclassified network for testing without interrupting the operation of the classified network. In one embodiment, the classified network buffer is programmable to adapt to the continually changing requirements of classified networks. |
| US08041831B2 |
Method for broadcasting a series of contents from a source to receiver terminals, through a computer network, related signal, broadcasting source and terminal
A method of broadcasting a succession of contents through a computer network from a broadcasting source (S) to a plurality of receiver terminals able to receive from the source. The method includes, for each content, sending data units conveying the content from the source through the computer network, and supplying the receiver terminals with an indication enabling them to identify each transition between two successive contents, thus enabling the receiver terminals to determine the time of a transition between successive contents more precisely. The data units to be broadcast are marked by modifying the marking of the data units of the successive contents separated by a single transition. The receiver terminals (T) are supplied with marking information enabling them to distinguish between data units belonging to different contents (Cn, Cn+1) with the aid of their marking. |
| US08041830B2 |
Media download method and system based on connection speed
A method and system of offering a video file to a video receiver includes offering a progressive download, but not a non-progressive full download, of the video file to the video receiver via a network connection when a connection speed satisfies a first threshold value. The method includes offering the non-progressive full download, but not the progressive download, of the video file to the video receiver via the network connection when the connection speed is less than a second threshold value. The second threshold value is based on a bit rate at which the video file is encoded. |
| US08041828B2 |
Method and system for distributed streaming service of portable devices
A method and a system for a distributed streaming service of portable devices forming a short-distance communication network. A buffer size and a priority of each of the portable devices are determined according to their remaining memory capacity, respectively. Each portable device calculates a buffering time using the buffer size and the priority, and receives sub-contents, corresponding to the buffering time, of a streaming content from a streaming server. A master device of the portable devices plays the sub-contents by acquiring them from the other portable devices. |
| US08041819B1 |
Method and system for providing network services
A method for providing network services includes receiving a mobile station identifier (MSID) from a mobile node at a packet data serving node. The packet data serving node is operable to communicate with the mobile node. The method includes receiving a registration request (RRQ) from the mobile node and appending the MSID to the RRQ. The method includes forwarding the RRQ to a home agent. The home agent is operable to communicate with the packet data serving node. The method also includes receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the home agent. The IP address corresponds to the MSID. The MSID may be included in a normal vendor specific extension (NVSE) constructed by the packet data serving node. Appending the MSID to the RRQ may comprise appending the NVSE to the RRQ. |
| US08041818B2 |
Integrated point of presence server network and functionally organized web sites
A network of point of presence servers allows a customer to organize their web site by functions where functions are mapped into domain names. The functions have requirements that define what is needed by a server to satisfy the function. The domain names are mapped into resources or servers that can be addressed by the domain name and that satisfy requests for the function that domain name has been defined to support. This method of organization allows individual elements of a web page to be retrieved from different resources and gives the name server the control to direct users to an available and optimal server for a given resource. |
| US08041817B2 |
Anonymous location service for wireless networks
An anonymous location wireless network service for use in a wireless network that tracks the location and identity of network users, such as networks complying with enhanced 911 standards. The service provides content providers with the location of network users without revealing their identities. The service includes a wireless network having a proxy server, a network communication link to a plurality of web sites, and a wireless communication link to a plurality of handheld devices. The proxy server blocks identity by reading the location and identity information of network devices, generating dummy identifications, relating the dummy identifications to the identity information, storing the relationships in a memory storage, and forwarding the location information and dummy identifications to the global computer network. Upon receiving messages from the global computer network, the proxy server reads the dummy identifications, looks up the related identification information in the memory storage, and forwards the data to the appropriate network devices. |
| US08041812B2 |
System and method for supplicant based accounting and access
The method of the present invention comprises initiating a connection to a port on an access device by a supplicant and associating supplicant identification information with the port. The access device may comprise any network connectivity device, including a wireless access point. Data packets transmitted over the port by the supplicant are statistically sampled as they are transmitted, with each of the sample data packets also associated with the supplicant identification information. The sample data packets are stored according to their associated supplicant identification information in order to perform accounting. The sample data packets, with the supplicant identification information, are sent to a network management system where the data is archived and presented in a human readable form, e.g., charts, etc. |
| US08041811B2 |
Multi-chassis component corrector and associator engine
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a network management system (NMS) and a method performed on the NMS including one or more of the following: receiving a notification of a new endpoint discovered in the network, the new endpoint representing an endpoint in a multi-chassis pair; determining that an address of the new endpoint conflicts with an address of a first existing endpoint of an existing multi-chassis pair, wherein the first existing endpoint is currently paired with a second existing endpoint; determining whether the new endpoint or the first existing endpoint is a proper endpoint of the existing multi-chassis pair; and when the new endpoint is the proper endpoint of the existing multi-chassis pair, updating the data representing the topology in the storage module to replace the first existing endpoint with the new endpoint as paired with the second existing endpoint. |
| US08041807B2 |
Method, system and program product for determining a number of concurrent users accessing a system
A method, system and program product for determining a number of concurrent users being served by a system at a given point-in-time is provided. The method includes running, at a pre-determined point-in-time, a collection script for collecting user data from one or more target systems, the user data collected including a number of concurrent users logged into each of the target systems at the pre-determined point-in-time. The method further includes generating one or more electronic transmissions for transmitting the user data collected, loading the one or more electronic transmissions generated into a monitoring system, and creating an output file containing the user data. Further, the loading step includes parsing the user data loaded, storing the user data collected and parsed into a database and updating the stored user data. Moreover, the method includes transmitting the output file from the monitoring system to one or more monitoring system clients. |
| US08041806B2 |
Targeted electronic content delivery control systems and methods
Targeted electronic content delivery control systems and methods are disclosed. All communication traffic exchanged with a communication network subscriber over an access communication link that enables the subscriber to access electronic content is monitored, and behavioral information indicative of behavior of the subscriber in using the access communication link is collected from the monitored communication traffic. A behavioral profile of the subscriber is maintained based on the behavioral information. Delivery of targeted electronic content to the subscriber for presentation with electronic content accessed by the subscriber is controlled based on the behavioral profile. |
| US08041804B2 |
Utilizing captured IP packets to determine operations performed on packets by a network device
Methods and systems for utilizing captured packets to determine the operations performed on packets by a network device are described. One or more packets are captured and forwarded through the network device. Operations performed on the captured IP packets are logged. |
| US08041803B2 |
Method and system for delivering files in digital file marketplace
A method and system for delivering digital files in a peer-to-peer network comprising a plurality of nodes including at least one server is disclosed. The network includes a plurality of files that are available for accessibility by the nodes in which respective fingerprints are computed for each of the files based on content of the files. The method and system include partitioning each of the files into a plurality of file chunks, and assigning an error detecting code to each of the chunks. The file is then transmitted to a first node from at least one other node by transmitting the chunks of the file to the first node. The method and system further include computing a new error detecting code upon receipt of each chunk by the first node, and comparing the new error detecting code to the assigned error detecting code to verify that each chunk has been transmitted correctly, whereby the entire contents of the file does not have to be received before the first node discovers that the file is corrupt. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the method and system include determining the bandwidth contributed by each node that successfully transmitted a chunk of the file, and paying an owner of each node a fee based on the contributed bandwidth. |
| US08041800B2 |
Automatic orchestration of dynamic multiple party, multiple media communications
A communication orchestration service automatically orchestrates dynamic multiple party, multiple media communications. A customer expresses his or her communications needs in the form of a high-level goal or goals. A goal-based search finds a combination of building block predicates that can be used to satisfy the customer's needs. In conjunction with the search process, the mechanism uses the SIP OPTIONS request or presence information to actively query device status and capabilities during the search. This enables the search to actively explore the communications environment at runtime. Once a solution is found, the necessary parties can be contacted, resources can be provisioned, and the multiple media, multiple user collaboration/conference can be initiated. |
| US08041798B1 |
Self-healing grid mechanism
A self-healing grid mechanism using peer-to-peer platform protocols. In one embodiment, two or more nodes on a grid may be configured as master nodes. One of the configured master nodes may serve as the actual master node, and one may be backup or “shadow” master node, not actively serving as a master node. If the active master node goes down, the peer-to-peer protocols may be used to detect that the master node is not active and the backup master node may take over the master node operations for the grid. The backup master node may “shadow” the master node, keeping updated information about the grid configuration and operations via the peer-to-peer platform protocols, so that it can assume grid management operations seamlessly. |
| US08041791B2 |
Computer system, management server, and mismatched connection configuration detection method
The management of computers connected with I/O switch devices is simplified. A computer system S includes one or several computers (server devices), one or several I/O devices, one or several I/O switch devices, and a management server 101. Management server 101 is provided with a storage part storing I/O configuration information and I/O switch management information; and a processing part comparing pieces of I/O configuration information and pieces of I/O switch management information, judging whether there might be a mismatch in the connection configuration between a computer and an I/O device and, in case it is judged that there is a mismatch, terminating the activation for a computer having the mismatched connection configuration, allocating a substitutable I/O device, and updating said I/O switch management information. |
| US08041788B1 |
Systems and methods for development of secure shell devices
A shell device with minimal software and/or hardware resources can download from a server configuration information and/or user data in order to allow the shell device to communicate with other computing devices (whether cell phones, personal digital assistants, laptops, and the like). Various security features can also be used herein, including a shell device password and a server network access password. In another aspect, any time code and/or data is downloaded from the server to the shell device, such code and/or data resides on the shell device during the time of a communication between the server and the shell device; thereafter, it can be deleted, thereby returning the shell device to its minimalistic resource state. When the shell device contacts the server again and attempts to establish another communication, such code and/or data can be downloaded anew, and after the communication it can be deleted again. |
| US08041786B2 |
Configuration, management and monitoring of network resources using device specific command templates
Mechanisms operable to configure, monitor and manage network devices without regard for device type and/or manufacturer are disclosed. One implementation includes a network manager unit disposed between the network administrator and the network devices. The network manager unit allows the administrator to holistically view, configure and manage an entire network without regard to device type and/or manufacturer. The administrator can implement this holistic approach with the use of a central repository for all configuration information and/or a central posting location for all network events. A device-specific command template database may be provided for providing device-specific command templates for various device types and/or manufacturers. Configuration information for a network device may be used to populate fields of a device-specific command template, selected from the database based on a device type and/or manufacturer of the network device, to generate a device-specific command that is used to configure the network device. |
| US08041780B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically pushing content over wireless networks
The invention includes a method and apparatus for dynamically pushing content over a wireless network A method includes obtaining network-level state information and user-level state information for a user in response to an indication that content is available for the user, determining whether a network-level condition is satisfied using the network-level state information, determining whether a user-level condition is satisfied using the user-level state information, and pushing the available content toward the user terminal of the user using the wireless network in response to the conditions being satisfied. The network-level state information includes cell utilization information for a cellular region associated with the user terminal of the user. The user-level state information includes at least one of a user channel quality, a user terminal power state, a user terminal battery power status, a user terminal memory status, at least one user terminal capability, and user subscription information for the user. |
| US08041778B2 |
Extended browser data storage
A technique for a server application to store data in excess of a standard-size cookie on a client system. The technique employs a client-side abstraction layer that stores the data in a plurality of cookies associated with sub-domains associated with the server application. The technique further provides for the retrieval and aggregation of data stored in the plurality of cookies associated with sub-domains. The technique can be transparent to the server and a client-side browser. Through the technique, server applications can store data such as personal information and/or preferences in excess of a standard-size cookie. |
| US08041777B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic variation of content-download depending on foreground or background nature of download
A method is disclosed for dynamically varying a content download depending on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download. When a server receives a content-request from a device, the server determines whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated and accordingly selects a set of content to transmit in response to the device. If the content-request is background-generated, for instance, the server may select a smaller quantity of content, since the device user might not be actively involved with the download. On the other hand, if the content-request is foreground-generated, the server may select a larger quantity of content, since the user is involved at the time. Alternatively, the device itself may select a location from which to request content, based on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download. |
| US08041776B2 |
Asynchronous real-time retrieval of data
A data retrieval system includes a gateway server and an access client. The gateway server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server. The gateway server then relays the requested information back to the user's remote communication device. |
| US08041768B2 |
Voice instant messaging
Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data include enabling instant messaging communication between a sender an at least one recipient through an instant messaging host. In addition, voice communication is enabled between the sender and the recipient through the instant messaging host. |
| US08041767B2 |
Conference terminal apparatus in electronic conference system, electronic conference system, and display image control method
A conference terminal apparatus is used by a speaker of an electronic conference for transmitting image information displayed on a screen and causing a remote conference terminal apparatus used by an audience to display the image information on a remote screen. In the conference terminal apparatus, a screen control part displays a plurality of image information items on the screen. A priority allocation part allocates to each of the displayed image information items priority for being displayed on the remote screen. An information transmission processing part transmits to the remote conference terminal apparatus the displayed image information items and the priority allocated to each of the image information items. |
| US08041765B1 |
Method and apparatus providing sender information by way of a personal virtual assistant (PVA)
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing additional information related to a sender of a communication is presented. A communication intended for a recipient is received, the communication including information related to the sender of the communication. A Personal Virtual Assistant (PVA) acquires in real time additional information related to the sender of the communication. The additional information related to the sender of the communication is then presented to the recipient attached to the communication where possible. The PVA is capable of acting on the recipient's real time instructions relating to the additional information. |
| US08041764B1 |
Generating preview bundles corresponding to content pages
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating and/or processing a preview bundle. Embodiments include receiving a request from a client to generate a preview network page that corresponds to a production network page generated in a production environment. Embodiments further include specifying at least a portion of the preview network page as a user developed portion. Embodiments also include generating the preview network page that is based at least upon the production network page and by replacing source elements of the production network page associated with the user developed portion with at least one data structure element that contains the data elements referenced by the source elements of the corresponding production network page. |
| US08041763B2 |
Method and system for providing sharable bookmarking of web pages consisting of dynamic content
A system that automatically obtains Web page-specific scripts to save and restore the state of a Web page. When a user bookmarks or copies a Web page URL to the clipboard, a function is called to create a page state file that is stored together with the current URL to create a bookmark. When the bookmark is loaded or pasted into the location bar of the Web browser, the system reads the URL and page state file, and loads but does not yet display the Web page indicated by the URL of the bookmark. The system then locates the Restore Page State function in the loaded Web page's script, and executes the Restore Page State function on the page state file, resulting in modification to the DOM (Document Object Model) representation of the Web page and display of the Web page to the user based on the modified DOM. |
| US08041761B1 |
Virtual filer and IP space based IT configuration transitioning framework
A system and method enables gradual transitioning of a server, such as a filer, to a new security domain and/or IP address scheme. A single physical platform may comprise multiple logical servers, such as virtual filers (vfilers), that simultaneously participate in different security domains and IP address schemes. Each logical server is allocated its own set of storage resources, such as volumes and qtrees, and network resources, such as network addresses. Additionally, a common set of storage resources may store a data set that is accessible to logical servers that participate in the different security domains and/or IP address schemes. Therefore, the server can transition from an old security domain to a new, e.g., upgraded, security domain, by gradually phasing out file access requests sent to a logical server in the old domain and redirecting those requests to a logical server in the new security domain. Similarly, the server can transition from an old IP address scheme to a new IP address scheme by gradually redirecting file access requests from one logical server to another. Since the invention enables multiple logical servers to access the server's data set, clients do not experience any downtime in service during the server's transition to a new security domain and/or IP address scheme. |
| US08041758B2 |
Multiplier and arithmetic unit
A multiplier has a multiplication array in which partial products are generated by performing multiplication between a multiplier and a multiplicand, and a partial product control circuit which generates an enable signal for activating an effective region in the multiplication array corresponding to effective figures of the multiplier and the multiplicand. The effective figures depend on the format of the multiplier and the multiplicand. The partial product control circuit controls the status of the enable signal according to a multiplication command designating the format. The multiplication array is constituted by a dynamic circuit. The dynamic circuit in an initial stage of the multiplication array has a switch which is turned on/off by the enable signal. When the enable signal is ineffective, the switch is turned off and a discharging operation in the dynamic circuit is stopped. |
| US08041757B2 |
Low power and low complexity adaptive self-linearization
A method of signal processing comprises receiving an unknown input signal that includes a distorted component and an undistorted component, the unknown input signal having a sampling rate of R; and performing self-linearization based at least in part on the unknown signal to obtain an output signal that is substantially undistorted, including by generating a replica distortion signal that is substantially similar to the distorted component, the generation being based at least in part on a target component having a sampling rate of R/L, L being an integer greater than 1.A digital signal processing system comprises an input terminal configured to receive an unknown input signal that includes a distorted component and an undistorted component, the unknown input signal having a sampling rate of R; and an adaptive self-linearization module coupled to the input terminal, configured to perform self-linearization based at least in part on the unknown input signal to obtain an output signal that is substantially undistorted, wherein the adaptive self-linearization module includes a replica distortion signal generator configured to generate a replica distortion signal that is substantially similar to the distorted component, the generation being based at least in part on a target component having a sampling rate of R/L, L being an integer greater than 1. |
| US08041754B1 |
Establishing thread priority in a processor or the like
In a multi-threaded processor, one or more variables are set up in memory (e.g., a register) to indicate which of a plurality of executable threads has a higher priority. Once the variable is set, several embodiments are presented for granting higher priority processing to the designated thread. For example, more instructions from the higher priority thread may be executed as compared to the lower priority thread. Also, a higher priority thread may be given comparatively more access to a given resource, such as memory or a bus. |
| US08041753B2 |
Method and systems for hyperlinking files
A method and apparatus for hyperlinking a main file with N target files stored in a computer readable medium (N≧1). A primary filename of the main file, which is hyperlinked with N target file addresses to form a composite filename, has a form of F.E. The composite filename has a form of F(A).E, wherein F and E respectively represent a name component and an extension component of the primary filename. The N target files are denoted as T1, T2, . . . , TN having the associated N target file addresses respectively denoted as A1, A2, . . . , AN, wherein A represents A1, A2, . . . , AN. The symbol ( between F and A denotes a first control character that separates F and A. The symbol ) between A and E denotes a second control character that separates A and E. The composite filename is stored in the computer readable medium. |
| US08041750B2 |
Method and apparatus for organizing and playing data
The present invention provides a general solution to presenting media interface and navigation tools for content provided from a plurality of sources. The invention maintains a user at a single site regardless of the source of the media content. This permits a consistent interface to be presented to the user. Because the user remains at the same site, differences in tiered membership may be tracked so that the user is only presented with content that the user is permitted to view. The invention uses a metadata language to characterize content so that viewer type, membership level, and other information can be maintained and used for an enjoyable viewing experience. |
| US08041749B2 |
Systems and methods of managing specification, enforcement, or auditing of electronic health information access or use
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to managing specification, enforcement, or auditing of electronic health information use. In general, data characterizing a request to modify access rights to health information is received and the access rights are modified in accordance with the request, where the modifying includes modifying a property characterizing access rights of a relationship between a first user and second users, or an organization of the second users. The access rights may be independent of the health information and modification of access rights may be independent of a security of the health information. |
| US08041745B2 |
Methods for managing aggregated address books
Methods of managing data associated with an entity include providing an address book entry for the entity in an address book of a user. The address book entry has an associated name and includes a plurality of identifications associated with the entity. Data records associated with the entity are automatically obtained from a plurality of applications based on the plurality of identifications associated with the entity, including a communications service of the entity. The obtained data records and the address book entry are formatted to provide an address book record for the entity in the address book. The address book record includes contact information for the entity and includes an identification of communications between the user and the entity and/or common appointments of the user and the entity. |
| US08041736B1 |
Method and system for maintaining disk location via homeness
A method and system manages ownership information about disks in a storage network without the need for an emulated, partner mode system. The method and system provides for ownership information, including a current owner and a home owner for resources, such as disks, to be stored on each disk in a storage system, as well as to be stored in memory on each storage system node in the network. A further aspect of the invention is a disk homeness application program interface (API), which provides commands that can be utilized by an administrator at a host computer to set, modify and disco play ownership information about each disk in the cluster. Upon a takeover, any node in the network can takeover one or more disks by reading the ownership information stored on the disks or in the tables. |
| US08041735B1 |
Distributed file system and method
A distributed file system and method distributes file system objects across multiple self-contained volumes, where each volume is owned by a unique file system node. Logical links are used to reference a file system object between volumes. Each file system node includes a relocation directory in which is maintained hard links to locally-stored file system objects that are referenced from another file system node using logical links. Various file system operations that involve multiple volumes are performed without having to place a write lock on more than one volume at a time. Various caching schemes allow the various file system nodes to cache file system object data and metadata. |
| US08041732B2 |
System and method for downloading text content and images in web pages
A computer-based method for downloading text content and images in web pages is provided. The method includes downloading a web page as a temporary extensible markup language (XML) file in an application server, and searching the temporary XML file for predetermined information in the temporary XML file. The method further includes searching the temporary XML file for text content in the temporary XML file. Furthermore, the method includes converting a relative path of the image uniform resource locator (URL) to an absolute path by joining the URL of the web page to the front of the relative path of the image URL, and generating a local path for each image in the temporary XML file and storing each image into an application server according to the local path. |
| US08041730B1 |
Using geographic data to identify correlated geographic synonyms
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that that uses geographic data to identify correlated geographic synonyms in search queries. A correlated geographic synonym occurs when two terms that are possible synonyms should not be considered synonyms because they are associated with related geographic context. During operation, the system receives a term and a possible synonym for the term. The system then determines whether the term and the possible synonym are both present in a geographic data set. If so, the system uses the geographic data set to determine whether the possible synonym is a correlated geographic synonym for the term. |
| US08041729B2 |
Categorizing queries and expanding keywords with a coreference graph
A method and apparatus is provided for determining related keywords to narrow a query, and/or for categorizing a query. A keyword graph connects keyword nodes to each other based on degrees of cross-reference indicating how frequently keywords associated with the nodes appear in searches. A domain node representing a category hooks to a category-matching node in the keyword graph. Based at least in part on a degree of cross-reference between another node and the category-matching node, the domain node hooks to the other node. Alternately, the domain node hooks to nodes that match user-identified keywords. At query time, the query is categorized by the domain node closest to a node matching the query. Keywords related to the category may be determined from the nodes that are hooked to the domain node. The related keywords can be used to narrow a search or expand the metadata of a document. |
| US08041727B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for finding web services using example queries
A system, method, and computer program product allows a web service consumer to create an example query which illustrates the web service desired. The example query is compared, element by element, to potentially relevant web services. The difference between each element in the example query and any element in the web service being compared is quantified as a distance metric, based on the relationship between the elements. The relationships might be classified as: exact match, direct synonym, fuzzy synonym, hyponym, hypernym, or no match. The distance metric for each element in the example query is summed to calculate a total distance between the example query and the web service being compared. This sum is an expression of the difference between the example query and the web service being compared. |
| US08041724B2 |
Dynamically modifying a sequence of slides in a slideshow set during a presentation of the slideshow
Mechanisms for dynamically modifying a sequence of slides in a slideshow set during a presentation of the slideshow are provided. Tag metadata may be provided for each slide of a slideshow set such that this tag metadata may be used to establish logical subsets of slides within the slideshow set. Options may be provided for a user to select an interface item to obtain slides, from the current slideshow set or another slideshow set, that are associated with a currently displayed slide in the slideshow set. User interface items may be provided through which the user may temporarily redirect the sequence of the original slideshow set to incorporate one or more of these related slides and, upon termination of this “detour”, may return to the point at which the sequence diverted. |
| US08041723B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying premium content items in a result set
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for identifying premium content items (such as video content items) that are responsive to a query. According to one embodiment, a method for identifying one or more items of video content responsive to a given query comprises receiving a query comprising one or more terms from a given user, identifying one or more items of video content responsive to the received query and generating a result set comprising one or more links to the one or more items of video content responsive to the received query. The one or more links in the result set associated with items of premium video content are identified and the one or more links in the result set associated with items of premium video content are filtered on the basis of information associated with the user from which the query was received. |
| US08041722B2 |
Refining collections of entities in a service registry environment
A method for factorizing a property metadata filter in a service registry includes receiving a user's request for factorizing a property metadata with a specific name and value in a registry; generating a new filter for the property metadata with the specific name and value; applying the new filter to a search that has other filters; determining whether the search has an existing filter for name only, where the name is equal to the name in the new filter; and determining whether the search has an existing filter for value only, where the value is equal to the value in the new filter. |
| US08041720B2 |
Ordering telemetry messages
A method for ordering telemetry messages containing attributes individually not sufficient to establish total ordering is provided. An initial rank value is assigned for a first telemetry message. For a subsequent telemetry message, it is determined if an attribute of the subsequent telemetry message indicates an ordering of the subsequent telemetry message with respect to the first telemetry message. If the attribute indicates the ordering of the subsequent telemetry message, a subsequent rank value is assigned to the subsequent telemetry message one higher than a highest rank value already assigned, otherwise a correct slot of the subsequent message is determined by minimizing a distance from an S slot corresponding to the highest rank value already assigned to a first non-empty slot by application of a Lazy Walker algorithm. |
| US08041719B2 |
Personal computing device-based mechanism to detect preselected data
A method and apparatus for detecting pre-selected data stored on a personal computing device is described. In one embodiment, contents of data storage media of a personal computing device are searched for pre-selected sensitive data. In one embodiment, if at least a portion of the pre-selected sensitive data is detected, a notification of the detection of the pre-selected data is sent to a system via a network. In another embodiment, if at least a portion of pre-selected sensitive data is detected, the access to this data is blocked. |
| US08041718B2 |
Processing apparatus and associated methodology for keyword extraction and matching
An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit acquiring keywords extracted from text data representing a first content to be a base of a search and scores of the respective keywords, and keywords extracted from text data representing a second content for calculating a degree of matching with the first content, and scores of the respective keywords, a matching-degree calculation unit calculating the degree of matching between the first content and the second content based on scores of keywords commonly included in the acquired keywords relating to the first content and the acquired keywords relating to the second content, and an output unit outputting, as a search result, information on a predetermined number of the second content which has a high degree of matching with the first content based on a result of calculation performed by the matching-degree calculation unit. |
| US08041716B2 |
Apparatus, methods and computer products for selection of content based on transcript searches
An apparatus, methods, and computer program products for selection of content. The content search method includes receiving a search request having search data including search terms, utilizing the search request to query against databases comprising transcripts of programs yet to be released, and returning results to the search request. |
| US08041711B2 |
Method and system for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user
A method for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user which includes defining a customized viewpoint for the user. The viewpoint includes a preference for the user that provides an association between a data pattern and a computer network resource. The method also includes generating a request for content, receiving an electronic file in response to the request, and evaluating the electronic file to recognize a match between at least one portion of the electronic file and the data pattern. Upon recognizing a match, the electronic file is modified to include a link to the computer network resource associated with the matching data pattern, and the modified electronic file is presented to the user. Thus, the link included in the electronic file presented to the user is customized for the user, and different users who retrieve the same content can be provided with links to different computer network resources depending on their respective viewpoints. |
| US08041710B2 |
Automatic diagnosis of search relevance failures
Search relevance failures are diagnosed automatically. Users presented with unsatisfactory search results can report their dissatisfaction through various mechanisms. Dissatisfaction reports can trigger automatic investigation into the root cause of such dissatisfaction. Based on the identified root cause, a search engine can be modified to resolve the issue creating dissatisfaction thereby improving search engine quality. |
| US08041706B2 |
Information integration across autonomous enterprises
A system, method, and computer program product for processing a query spanning separate databases while revealing only minimal information beyond a query answer, by executing only specific information-limiting protocols according to query type. |
| US08041705B2 |
Microhubs and its applications
A system and method of crawling at least one website comprising at least one URL includes maintaining a lookup structure comprising all of the URLs known to be on a website; calculating a hub score for each webpage of the website to be recrawled, wherein the hub score measures how likely the to be recrawled webpage includes links to fresh content published on the website; sorting all the to be recrawled pages by their hub scores; and crawling the to be recrawled pages in order from highest hub scores to lowest hub scores. The calculating comprises computing a first value equaling a percentage of a number of new relative URLs on the to be recrawled page; computing a second value equaling a percentage of a previous hub score of the to be recrawled page; and computing the hub score as a sum of the first and the second values. |
| US08041704B2 |
Searching for virtual world objects
Systems and methods for searching for objects located in a virtual world include having a virtual construct such as a bot crawl the virtual world by moving from place to place. Object information is collected about the objects associated with the place and the object information is stored in a searchable database. Users can search the database for objects in the virtual world. The information can be further filtered or classified to aid in searching. |
| US08041695B2 |
Automatically extracting data from semi-structured documents
This description provides tools and techniques for automatically extracting data from semi-structured documents. A computer-readable storage medium may contain computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to receive a request for data representing an inferred structure of an input document. For the request, the computer may determine whether a repository containing mined information includes the requested data. If the repository contains the requested data, the computer may return the data representing the inferred structure of the input document in response to the request. |
| US08041692B2 |
System and method for processing concurrent file system write requests
A method for processing concurrent write operations in a computer system, the method comprising a first step of copying data residing in one or more source buffers to a contiguous intermediate buffer, prior to acquiring a lock for a write operation. In a second step, on acquiring the lock performing a translation operation between the intermediate buffer and a destination buffer, to process the write operation. |
| US08041690B2 |
Storing information for dynamically enlisted resources in a transaction
A method, apparatus and program product dynamically enlist a plurality of resources to be committed by a transaction during execution of the transaction and store information about each enlisted resource in the plurality of resources with the transaction in a transaction log, including information about a state of each resource, to facilitate recovery of the transaction. Enlisting and storing may be performed during the execution of the transaction, and the resources to be committed by the transaction may be unknown prior to execution of the transaction. By doing so, a more complete record of all the resources that were enlisted during runtime may be maintained. |
| US08041687B2 |
Dynamic generation of XML Schema for backend driven data validation
The present invention comprises a Schema Generation Program (SGP) and Schema Update Program (SUP). The SGP creates an initial XML Schema and copies the database into a hashtable. At the occurrence of a query interval, the SGP compares the database to the hashtable. If the database is identical to the hashtable, then the SGP resets the query interval and repeats the comparison. If the database and the hashtable are not identical, then the SGP deletes the old hashtable, stores a copy of the database as a new hashtable, and creates a new XML Schema. The XML Schema is stored in the web server so that a registered party may access the XML Schema and check the validity of a group of data before sending the data to the web server as a proposed addition to the database. The SUP notifies registered parties of updates to the XML Schema. |
| US08041682B2 |
Storage control system and method
A disk array system including a plurality of disk drives, including: a plurality of first-type disk drives being used to form a first-type logical unit having a plurality of a first-type of chunks; a plurality of second-type disk drives being used to form a second-type logical unit having a plurality of a second-type of chunks; and a storage controller, if the storage controller copies data stored in a source chunk to a destination chunk, selecting the destination chunk from the first-type of chunks or the second-type of chunks. |
| US08041680B2 |
Backing up a database
Backing up a database, including providing, in the database by a DBMS, at least one record with at least one backup field, the backup field being a data element that controls the backing up of the record, and backing up, by a backup module, the a record in dependence upon a value of the backup field. |
| US08041678B2 |
Integrated data availability and historical data protection
A single native integrated system may be provided for replicating data to one or more copies of high-availability data and for replicating the data to one or more copies of backup data. The data may be replicated, in near real-time, to the one or more copies of high-availability data as changes occur to the data. The data may be replicated and later incorporated to a copy of the backup data at different points in time. The single native integrated system may have a single set of functions for replicating the data to the one or more copies of high-availability data and for replicating the data for the one or more copies of the backup data. Administrative access to the one or more copies of high-availability data may be isolated from administrative access to the one or more copies of the backup data. |
| US08041676B2 |
Backup and restore of file system objects of unknown type
File system objects of unknown type are backed up and restored. A list of file system objects is received from a file system. The file system objects are to be backed up. For each file system object that has a file type that is unknown, the following is performed. First, the file system is queried to obtain information regarding the file system object that is sufficient for the file system to later recreate the file system object if necessary. Second, the file system object and the information regarding the file system object are stored. Examples of file system object types of the file system that may be unknown to an application running on a Microsoft Windows® operating system include symbolic links, named pipes, and special device files. |
| US08041675B1 |
Method for performing incremental backup of database files
A method and apparatus for incrementally backing up database files is described. In one embodiment, the present invention replicates an original database file for the purpose of creating a backup database file. The backup database file is subsequently stored in a data store and the original database file is monitored for at least one change (i.e., new e-mail message). In response to a detected change, the change to the original database file is copied to the backup database file so that the two database files are replicas of each other. |
| US08041674B2 |
Method and system for data processing with data replication for the same
To guarantee the contents of an update by a transaction in a parallel database management system, the database management system includes a replica database management unit that manages the replica database, records synchronous information at a timing at which one of the transaction generated is valid in every database management unit and other transactions are invalid in every database management unit, extracts update information and the synchronous information for creating the replica database from the update logs, and causes the replica database management unit to import the update information of each transaction that has become valid before the synchronous information was recorded. |
| US08041670B2 |
Data aggregation module supporting dynamic query responsive aggregation during the servicing of database query requests provided by one or more client machines
Improved method of and apparatus for aggregating data elements in multidimensional databases (MDDB). In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus is realized in the form of a high-performance stand-alone (i.e. external) aggregation server which can be plugged-into conventional MOLAP systems to achieve significant improvements in system performance. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the stand-alone aggregation server contains a scalable MDDB and a high-performance aggregation engine that are integrated into the modular architecture of the aggregation server. The stand-alone aggregation server of the present invention can uniformly distribute data elements among a plurality of processors, for balanced loading and processing, and therefore is highly scalable. The stand-alone aggregation server of the present invention can be used to realize (i) an improved MDDB for supporting on-line analytical processing (OLAP) operations, (ii) an improved Internet URL Directory for supporting on-line information searching operations by Web-enabled client machines, as well as (iii) diverse types of MDDB-based systems for supporting real-time control of processes in response to complex states of information reflected in the MDDB. |
| US08041668B2 |
Methods and apparatus for capturing and detecting inconsistencies in relational data using conditional functional dependencies
Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting data inconsistencies. Methods are disclosed for determining whether a set of conditional functional dependencies are consistent; determining a minimal cover of a set of conditional functional dependencies and detecting a violation of one or more conditional functional dependencies in a set of conditional functional dependencies. The conditional functional dependencies comprise one or more constraints that data in a database must satisfy including at least one pattern with data values. |
| US08041656B2 |
Method and apparatus for leveraging end user terminals in self-learning networks
The invention includes a method and apparatus for configuring a self-learning network using feedback information received from an end user terminal communicating via the self-learning network. A method includes receiving feedback information from the end user terminal, generating configuration information for at least one network element of the self-learning network using the received feedback information, and configuring the at least one network element using the generated configuration information. The at least one network element of the self-learning network is configured by executing commands on each of the at least one network element and/or by propagating configuration information to each of the at least one network element. The feedback information may include user and/or terminal feedback information. The configuration information may include any information adapted for use in configuring the at least one network element of the self-learning network (and may also include configuration information for the end user terminal). |
| US08041653B2 |
Method and system for a hierarchical temporal memory utilizing a router hierarchy and hebbian and anti-hebbian learning
Methods and systems for constructing biological-scale hierarchically structured cortical statistical memory systems utilizing fabrication technology and meta-stable switching devices. Learning content-addressable memory and statistical random access memory circuits are detailed. Additionally, local and global signal modulation of bottom-up and top-down processing for the initiation and direction of behavior is disclosed. |
| US08041649B2 |
Methods and systems for postcode-to-postcode delivery interval and routing calculation
Systems and methods are disclosed for calculating a delivery date. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving, at a delivery processor, origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives an item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office. The delivery processor determines whether the scan time is before a cut-off acceptance time for scanning items at the origin delivery office and sets a start date and time based on the scan time determination. The delivery processor also determines a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office, and determines a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office. Thereafter, the delivery processor calculates the estimated delivery date based on the start date and time, the first estimated date and time, and the second estimated date and time, and provides the estimated delivery date to a source data processor. |
| US08041647B2 |
System and method for an automated project office and automatic risk assessment and reporting
In the automation of project risk identification, various qualitative and quantitative measures are combined to report a project's risk level, areas, and mitigation in an automatic and objective manner. The software package includes a risk assessment and report framework and a risk engine, a portfolio analysis, a project plan validator, an integrated project management office toolkit and process asset library, and an integrated skills tracking, locating and availability module with a skills engine. |
| US08041645B2 |
Document security utilizing color gradients
The present invention includes apparatus and methods for printing and verifying postage stamps on demand via a personal postage stamp printer. The indicium by which the stamp is printed includes a color stripe and a data field including authentication data that corresponds to the color stripe. To authenticate the stamp, the authentication data in the data field is read and compared with authentication data extracted from the color stripe. |
| US08041644B2 |
Cryptographic module for secure processing of value-bearing items
An on-line value bearing item (VBI) printing system that includes one or more cryptographic modules and a central database is disclosed. The cryptographic modules are capable of implementing the USPS Information Based Indicia Program Postal Security Device Performance Criteria and other required VBI standards. The modules encipher the information stored in the central database for all of the on-line VBI system customers and are capable of preventing access to the database by unauthorized users. Additionally, the cryptographic module is capable of preventing unauthorized and undetected modification, including the unauthorized modification, substitution, insertion, and deletion of VBI related data and cryptographically critical security parameters. |
| US08041643B2 |
System and method of providing media content
A method of providing media content access is disclosed that includes providing a list of available media content to a display device and receiving a selection related to the list of available media content. The method further includes sending data related to the selection to a content source and to an access rule source and receiving media content from the content source based on the selection and an access rule related to the media content from the access rule source. The method also includes applying the access rule to the selected media content, where the access rule defines a restriction to limit access to the media content. |
| US08041642B2 |
Predictive software license balancing
A predictive software license balancing system for allocating a predetermined number of software licenses between two or more license servers located at different sites. Each license server compiles software license usage statistics and shares the usage statistics with the other license servers. Based in the compiled software license usage over time, the software license usage for each site is predicted and the available software licenses distributed accordingly, thus balancing the number of software licenses available at each site based on predicted software license usage. |
| US08041641B1 |
Backup service and appliance with single-instance storage of encrypted data
One implementation of a method for providing backup storage services for encrypted data includes receiving signatures of convergently encrypted portions of data from client computers, determining whether the encrypted portions are already present on a backup storage, and obtaining only the needed portions. Users unassociated with a particular user account are denied access to information backed up in that account. The backup storage also stores password protected key files holding signatures of the unencrypted portions of data. One implementation of a system includes a memory, a single-instance storage circuit, a user account management circuit, and a signature index. The memory holds a user-account database and backup copies of convergently encrypted portions of data. The single-instance storage circuit uses the signature index to prevent duplicative backup copies. The user account management circuit responds to download requests after authenticating the user information associated with the requested data. |
| US08041638B2 |
Router-based remittance systems and methods
In some aspects, what is disclosed relates to a processor-based payment method for transferring user-provided payment data through a router that parses the payment data and transfers the parsed data to a plurality of receivers in distinct locations, detecting the parsed data at each of the plurality of receivers, and originating an ACH debit against the user, or an e-check, based on the parsed data. |
| US08041635B1 |
Systems and methods for automated payment processing
Apparatus and methods to process loss payments are described herein. In one example, an apparatus includes one or more data stores, a rules engine, an audit engine and a payment engine. In another example, the method may include receiving a notice of loss, deriving a payee, processing one or more rules using the information, determining whether an automatic payment can be made and transferring funds if the automatic payment can be made. In a further example, the method may include receiving a notice of loss, the loss having one or more exposures, processing one or more rules for each of the exposures in parallel, determining if an automatic payment can be made for each of the exposures and removing the automatic payment for an exposure if it can not be made while continuing processing payments for the remaining exposures. |
| US08041634B2 |
Payment processing system debt conversion notification
When a buyer's debt to a seller cannot be paid using an account issued to the buyer by an issuer within a payment processing system, then either or both the seller and the buyer are solicited to conduct future transactions payable on the account. If the debt can be paid using the account, then a sub-account is created unique to the seller and buyer. Transactions between the buyer and seller can be processed using the sub-account including the option of aggregating the debts prior to the processing. The credit limit of the sub-account can be set to match the amount of the aggregated debts. |
| US08041633B2 |
System and method of electronic data transaction processing
A transaction process system (10) provides for data transactions between parties. In a credit card transaction, the parties are the merchant (20), acquiring bank (24), card association (34), issuing bank (14), and cardholder (12). A transaction processing center (30) is positioned between the acquiring bank and the card association. The transaction processing center provides data processing channels for message-based processing (72) and filed-based processing (76). The file-based processing uses an incoming queue (80) and outgoing queue (84) to simplify the interface. The transaction processing center also provides for currency conversions and account reconciliation on a per transaction basis. The transaction processing center uses a scheduler (160) to efficiently manage the data processing resources. |
| US08041632B1 |
Method and system for using a Bayesian belief network to ensure data integrity
The present invention relates to a method and system for assessing the risks and/or exposures associated with financial transactions using various statistical and probabilistic techniques. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for identifying plausible sources of error in data used as input to financial risk assessment systems using Bayesian belief networks as a normative diagnostic tool to model relationships between and among inputs/outputs of the risk assessment system and other external factors. |
| US08041630B2 |
System and method for selectively displaying market information related to a plurality of tradeable objects
A graphical interface and method are provided for selectively displaying market information corresponding to a plurality of tradeable objects. According to one example method, a scanning feature is provided in relation to a number of tradeable object indicators. Upon detecting a predefined movement of a user input device in relation to the plurality of indicators, a graphical interface dynamically displays market information corresponding to the tradeable objects as a predefined movement of the user input device is detected in relation to the tradeable object indicators. |
| US08041628B2 |
Method for directing and executing certified trading interests
Preferred embodiments of the subject invention comprise: (a) electronically receiving securities order-related data regarding a set of securities market participants; (b) electronically storing the received order-related data regarding the set of securities market participants; (c) electronically receiving a securities order-related query (or order parameters) from a first securities market participant; (d) based on the order-related query (or order parameters) received from the first securities market participant and on the securities order-related data regarding the set of securities market participants, computing a dissemination list of securities market participants based on ranking likely contras by probability of execution; and (e) transmitting that dissemination list to an entity who has been granted the privilege of receiving such lists in exchange for being contractually bound to respect confidentiality of the dissemination list and to use the list only for the purpose of sending securities-related information to members of the list. |
| US08041624B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring and evaluating limit order trading
Systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means for generating quality data associated with an option limit order are provided. In some embodiments, an option limit order is received, the option limit order including information identifying a customer, information identifying a desired option, and information that indicates a limit price for said option limit order. A substantially real time feed of option market date is received and the option market data is used in real time to identify at least one of a trade-through and a trade-at transaction relevant to the option limit order. Alerts may be generated based on the identified trade-through or trade-at transaction. Trade-at or trade-through data may be tabulated and analyzed to evaluate option limit order trading activity. Analysis to generate trade-at or trade-through data may be performed on a batch processing basis relying entirely or in part on data received in real time or on a batch basis. |
| US08041618B2 |
Computer-implemented method for evaluating an investment
A computer-implemented method for evaluating an investment employs primary entries and associated impact groups to represent financial outflows and inflows over the investment period. During a calculation phase, the primary entries are processed to generate data the represents such financial inflows and outflows in a form suitable for discounting into a net present value. Distribution factors can be used to allocate the value of the primary entry over corresponding user-defined budgeting periods. Annual entries can be defined and allocated during the calculation phase into corresponding primary entries. Calculations pertaining to conditional inflows and outflows can also be carried out in the calculation phase. In addition, rules-based logic can be used to adjust dates pertaining to the inflows and outflows (such as shifting days ahead in manner that accommodates for non working days). The user can apply variation factors to numeric values used in the calculation phase. Such variation factors permit the methodology to quickly and conveniently model scenarios that affect a primary entry or item or other calculation.In another aspect of the invention, the data generated by the computer-implemented method can be password protected by a user and forwarded on to other user(s). In the protected state or mode, the other user(s) can manipulate the data by a set of permitted actions, while another set of actions are not permitted to be carried out by the other user(s). |
| US08041617B1 |
System and method for providing web-based user interface to legacy, personal-lines insurance applications
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a web-based graphical user interface to a legacy insurance data process system to increase the functionality and ease of use in issuing insurance quotes and policies, providing insurance information and other insurance related services. The system and method integrate use of Internet technology in business work flows, provide dynamic data entry for insurance coverage packages and pricing programs, offer easy access to value-added products and services, and enable local printing of professional insurance applications, proposals and forms to facilitate immediate delivery of professional-quality proposals to customers. |
| US08041614B2 |
Inventory item expiration and renewal in a virtual universe
The present invention relates to inventory item expiration and renewal in a virtual universe. A method for in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention provides at least one item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying whether the item must be renewed and how often. Instructions are obtained regarding a renewal of the item and the item is renewed based on the instructions. |
| US08041612B1 |
On-line video and image system
A system is provided that allows a photographer to take images for a customer and provide those images to order servicing equipment with which the images are placed on-line for the customer to view. The customer may place orders for the images and products and services related to the images. The order servicing equipment may credit the photographer when the customer orders images, products, or services. Images may be manipulated before images, products, or services are ordered. Images may be taken using film-based cameras or digital image acquisition equipment. Image presentation options may be selected. Content may be appended to the images. Web sites and digital albums may be created using the images. The photographer may check the status of assignments that have been submitted to the order servicing equipment and may check on account status. Different rights levels may be established for different parties. Loyalty rewards may be awarded for frequent use of the system. |
| US08041611B2 |
Pricing and auctioning of bundled items among multiple sellers and buyers
A number of sets of methods and apparatuses applicable to online shopping are disclosed. One set, “Bin Packing Methods with Approximate Membership”, includes methods in pricing and auctioning a bundle of items, some of which could belong to another bundle. Significantly, the membership of a bundle, during pricing and auction, could change. Another set, the “Shopping Console”, puts a structure into the online shopping experience, so that through one interface various shopping activities can be facilitated, including but not limited to researching, pricing, negotiation, group buying, and tracking of purchases. Still another set, “Flash Mob Shopping”, allows sellers and a (spontaneous) group of shoppers to connect on prices without requiring shoppers' hard commitments, and with sellers revealing only necessary price information. |
| US08041609B2 |
System and method for providing publicly vended content via a wireless network
A system and method for vending digitized content over an Internet network path, at least a portion of which is wireless, such as an SDMA high data rate directional wireless path. Content in the form of IP packets is provided to a user terminal via a connect server in response to user requests, which can be real-time requests or which can be requests embodied in a user-defined or system-defined user profile. The user is billed using one or more of several billing paradigms, including by the content piece, by the number of IP packets sent to the user, by the length of time the user accesses the system, by the subscription, and so on. |
| US08041606B2 |
Online purchasing method
According to the invention, a process for authorizing an online purchase between a customer and a vendor site is disclosed. In one step, transaction information is received from the vendor site. A new web browser window is automatically opened for the customer. A transaction amount is presented in a new browser window. The customer is capable of assenting to the transaction amount through interaction with the new web browser window. Authorization is received from the customer of a debit for the transaction amount to cover the online purchase. The vendor site is notified of the authorization. |
| US08041601B2 |
System and method for automatically targeting web-based advertisements
A system and method for automatically targeting Web-based advertisements is described. Advertisements are identified relative to a query, wherein identified advertisements describe characteristics relative to at least one of a product and a service. The advertisements are scored according to match between the query and the characteristics of the identified advertisements. At least some of the advertisements are provided as Web-based content. |
| US08041598B1 |
Rapid performance management matrix method
A method of defining, monitoring, and managing performance, influencing behavior, and aligning behaviors to strategic objectives involves determining with clarity, simplicity and materiality the why, the expectations, the levels of performance, and the projected response, to a set behaviors, accomplishments, and results. For individuals or groups, important behaviors, accomplishments and results are identified, prioritized, and a certain number selected and placed on an RPM matrix and weighted. The RPM matrix lists the weighting as well as specifying levels of performance. After completion of a measurement period, the RPM matrix calculates an RPM score for the individual or group. This RPM score is then used to determine an appropriate reward or response, and can be fed into web-based reporting software. |
| US08041597B2 |
Self-calibrating outlier model and adaptive cascade model for fraud detection
A system and method for detecting fraud is presented. A self-calibrating outlier model is hosted by a computing system. The self-calibrating outlier model receives transaction data representing transactions, and is configured to calculate transaction-based variables, profiles and calibration parameters, and to produce a score based on the transaction data according to the transaction-based variables, profiles and calibration parameters. An adaptive cascade model is also hosted by the computing system, and is configured to generate a secondary score for the transaction data based on profile information from the variables and/or profiles calculated by the self-calibrating outlier model, and based on a comparison with labeled transactions from a human analyst of historical transaction data. |
| US08041594B2 |
System for importing calendar data from a computer screen into a calendar application
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for performing calendaring and reminder activities for a computer user. The method includes analyzing text displayed on a computer screen, identifying calendar parameters resulting from the analysis, creating a calendar entry record that includes a source of the calendar parameters, pasting the calendar parameters into the calendar entry record, and automatically storing the calendar entry record in a calendar application without opening the calendar application. Calendar parameters include at least one of a date, a time, a meeting type, and a subject. |
| US08041593B1 |
Method of providing personalized souvenirs
A method for providing a personalized souvenir is disclosed. The method may include the steps of contacting a souvenir retailer, preparing artwork, selecting names for personalization of the souvenirs, providing a rack to the souvenir retailer for displaying the souvenirs, and servicing the racks to ensure that the rack is maintained with the proper inventory. Additionally, determining an age range of a sales demographic such that the most popular names are selected to include on the souvenir within that age range. |
| US08041583B2 |
System and method for enhancing organizational efficiencies to deliver health care in an ambulatory health care setting
The invention is a system and method for managing patient care workflow, staff and resource allocation in real time in an ambulatory health care (clinic) setting providing the clinic with improved operating efficiencies. The system can stand alone or integrate seamlessly with enabling Electronic Health Record (EHR) applications by presenting the most relevant EHR view and form to the user at appropriate times in the workflow. Embodiments of the invention provide users with enhanced clinical practice functionality, efficiency and effectiveness. |
| US08041580B1 |
Forecasting consequences of healthcare utilization choices
A computer system implemented method and process for forecasting the consequences of healthcare utilization choices whereby health data associated with a user is obtained and analyzed to determine disease risk factors. Any determined disease risk factors present in the healthcare data are then used to generate a healthcare utilization consequences report based on various user actions/inactions. The healthcare utilization consequences report can include healthcare recommendations, economic information, actuarial information and comparisons between implementing/not implementing the healthcare recommendations. |
| US08041578B2 |
Encoding an information signal
The transient problem may be sufficiently addressed, and for this purpose, a further delay on the side of the decoding may be reduced if a new SBR frame class is used wherein the frame boundaries are not shifted, i.e. the grid boundaries are still synchronized with the frame boundaries, but wherein a transient position indication is additionally used as a syntax element so as to be used, on the encoder and/or decoder sides, within the frames of these new frame class for determining the grid boundaries within these frames. |
| US08041574B2 |
Dialog apparatus, dialog method, and computer program
A dialog apparatus includes a dialog unit configured to perform a dialog with a user and to collect a plurality of items to be referred to in accordance with the dialog as the dialog continues, a dividing unit configured to divide the items into normal items related to any usable application and unusable items related to any usable application deleted, a managing unit configured to manage the items which the dialog unit refers to during the dialog with the user, in the normal items and the unusable items, an applying unit configured to apply a plurality of changes in the items to managing of the normal items and the unusable items, and a referring unit configured to refer to the managing unit in accordance with the items collected by the dialog unit and to determine to output a use-disapproval notice when the collected items include at least one unusable item. |
| US08041572B2 |
Speech processing method based upon a representational state transfer (REST) architecture that uses web 2.0 concepts for speech resource interfaces
The present invention discloses a method of performing speech processing operations based upon Web 2.0 type interfaces with speech engines. The method can include a step of interfacing with a Web 2.0 server from a standard browser. A speech-enabled application served by the Web 2.0 server can be accessed. The browser can render markup of the speech-enabled application. Speech input can be received from a user of the browser. A RESTful protocol, such as the ATOM Publishing Protocol (APP), can be utilized to access a remotely located speech engine. The speech engine can accept GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE commands. The speech processing engine can process the speech input and can provide results to the Web 2.0 server. The Web 2.0 server can perform a programmatic action based upon the provided results, which results in different content being presented in the browser. |
| US08041568B2 |
Business listing search
A method of operating a voice-enabled business directory search system includes prompting a user to provide a type of business and an identifier of a specific business, receiving from the user a speech input having information about the type of business and the identifier, and recognizing, using a speech recognition module, the identifier based on the type of business. |
| US08041565B1 |
Precision speech to text conversion
A speech-to-text conversion module uses a central database of user speech profiles to convert speech to text. Incoming audio information is fragmented into numerous audio fragments based upon detecting silence. The audio information is also converted to numerous text files by any number of speech engines. Each text file is then fragmented into numerous text fragments based upon the boundaries established during the audio fragmentation. Each set of text fragments from the different speech engines corresponding to a single audio fragments is then compared. The best approximation of the audio fragment is produced from the set of text fragments; a hybrid may be produced. If no agreement is reached, the audio fragment and set the text fragments are sent to human agents who verify and edit to produce a final edited text fragment that best corresponds to the audio fragment. Fragmentation that produces overlapping audio fragments requires splicing of the final text fragments to produce the output text file. |
| US08041564B2 |
Multi-pass echo residue detection with speech application intelligence
Echo residue is detected using speech application data. The echo residue is detected using a method that includes correlating audio data from an input channel with audio data from an output channel to obtain a correlation result. A determined value of the correlation result is compared with a predetermined threshold. The audio data for the input channel is categorized in a first category when the determined value of the correlation result is greater than the predetermined threshold. The audio data for the input channel is categorized in a second category when the determined value of the correlation result is less than the predetermined threshold. The first category includes audio data that is determined to include an acceptable level of residual echo. The second category includes audio data that is determined to include an unacceptable level of residual echo. |
| US08041559B2 |
System and method for disambiguating non diacritized arabic words in a text
The present invention proposes a solution to the problem of word lexical disambiguation in Arabic texts. This solution is based on text domain-specific knowledge, which facilitates the automatic vowel restoration of modern standard Arabic scripts. Texts similar in their contents, restricted to a specific field or sharing a common knowledge can be grouped in a specific category or in a specific domain (examples of specific domains; sport, art, economic, science . . . ). The present invention discloses a method, system and computer program for lexically disambiguating non diacritized Arabic words in a text based on a learning approach that exploits; Arabic lexical look-up, and Arabic morphological analysis, to train the system on a corpus of diacritized Arabic text pertaining to a specific domain. Thereby, the contextual relationships of the words related to a specific domain are identified, based on the valid assumption that there is less lexical variability in the use of the words and their morphological variants within a domain compared to an unrestricted text. |
| US08041558B2 |
Text creating and editing device and computer-readable storage medium with dynamic data loading
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a device and a computer-readable storage medium for creating and editing documents or messages by dynamically loading the required data on the computing device as the documents or messages are being created or edited. These exemplary embodiments have relevance for creating or editing documents or messages in non-English languages using a computing device that is pre-configured to create English documents or messages, but not non-English documents or messages. Further, these embodiments allow a user to create and edit documents and messages on a computing device that may not have been configured a priori or have limited storage capability to support the entire data set required for creating the documents or messages in a specific language. The computing device is required to communicate with a data storage device to dynamically load the required data from therein. |
| US08041555B2 |
Language translation based on a location of a wireless device
A method, information processing system, and wireless communication device that translate text within an image captured by a wireless device. At least one image (114) is received image from a wireless device (104). A location where the image (114) was captured by the wireless device (104) is determined. A set of text characters is identified (414) within the image (114). A language associated with the set of text characters is determined (416) based on at least the location that has been determined. The set of text characters is translated (418) into a language that is different than language that has been determined. |
| US08041554B1 |
Method and system for the development of high-assurance microcode
The present invention is a methodology for developing high-assurance microcode. The method may comprise one or more of the following steps: (a) receiving a plurality of requirements detailing intended behavior of microcode (b) creating a model of microcode behavior; (c) generating microcode based on the model; (d) generating test cases based on the model; (e) simulating the behavior of the microcode; (f) translating the model into a verification tool-specific format; and (g) formally verifying the model using a verification tool. |
| US08041551B1 |
Algorithm and architecture for multi-argument associative operations that minimizes the number of components using a latency of the components
An algorithm and architecture are disclosed for performing multi-argument associative operations. The algorithm and architecture can be used to schedule operations on multiple facilities for computations or can be used in the development of a model in a modeling environment. The algorithm and architecture resulting from the algorithm use the latency of the components that are used to process the associative operations. The algorithm minimizes the number of components necessary to produce an output of multi-argument associative operations and also can minimize the number of inputs each component receives. |
| US08041548B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating a proposed solution to a constraint problem for a nuclear reactor involving channel deformation
A method of and a system for evaluating constraint functions for improving nuclear reactor performance involve generating an operational solution for a nuclear reactor using a constraint to account for a problem with the operation of the nuclear reactor. The problem is based at least in part on channel deformation criteria. |
| US08041546B2 |
Capacitance modeling
A method of modeling capacitance for a structure comprising a pair of long conductors surrounded by a dielectric material and supported by a substrate. In particular, the structure may be on-chip coplanar transmission lines over a conductive substrate operated at very high frequencies, such that the substrate behaves as a perfect dielectric. It is assumed that the surrounding dielectric material is a first dielectric with a first permittivity (ε1) and the substrate is a second dielectric with a second permittivity (ε2). The method models the capacitance (C1) for values of the first and second permittivity (ε1, ε2) based on known capacitance (C2) computed for a basis structure with the same first permittivity (ε1) and a different second permittivity (ε2). Extrapolation or interpolation formulae are suggested to model the sought capacitance (C1) through one or more known capacitances (C2). |
| US08041540B2 |
System, device, and method for acoustic and visual monitoring of a wind turbine
A method for monitoring a wind turbine. A monitoring signal, including an audio signal and/or an image signal, is received from a monitoring device. Operating data are calculated based on the received monitoring signal. An operating condition and/or a deviation is determined by comparing the operating data to baseline data. |
| US08041535B1 |
Low-cost integration of inertial sensor with angle encoder on a swivel mount to accurately track angle changes from a reference bearing
The present invention is a targeting system for tracking angle changes from a reference azimuth. The system includes a mount. The mount may be configured for supporting a sighting scope. The system further includes an angle encoder which is integrated within the mount and is configured for tracking angle changes from the reference azimuth. The system further includes an inertial sensor which is communicatively which is also integrated within the mount and is configured for tracking angle changes from the reference azimuth. The system may be configured for selectively relying on angle change tracking provided by either the angle encoder or the inertial sensor. |
| US08041534B2 |
Sensor device, and sensor system and electronic device using the sensor device
A sensor device which detects a positional relationship between an first member and second member, includes a signal source generating an electrical signal, a first electrode receiving the electrical signal and storing an electrical charge at a first part on the first member, a second electrode inducing an electrical charge at the second part on the second member, a third electrode inducing an electrical charge at the third part on the second member, a fourth electrode inducing an electrical charge at the fourth part on the first member, a reference electrode disposed at a fifth part on the second member to be connected to a reference voltage point, a fifth electrode inducing an electrical charge at the sixth part on the first member, and a differential amplifier amplifying a voltage difference between the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode and outputting a difference signal. |
| US08041533B2 |
IC device-in-pocket detection with angular mounted lasers and a camera
A detection method and apparatus is provided. The detection apparatus includes at least two angular mounted lasers, a surface for receiving laser lines emitted by the angular mounted lasers, a camera for detecting a laser pattern formed by the laser lines on the surface, and a processor for analyzing the laser pattern. The lasers emit orthogonal laser lines on a surface of the device. The camera detects a laser pattern on the surface of the device and the processor analyzes the laser pattern to determine whether the position of the device is in pocket based on the analysis and position algorithms. |
| US08041529B2 |
Changing parameters in a tested system using virtual working pages
Methods and systems for managing virtual working pages are disclosed. One method includes storing a first set of parameters in a working page within the tested system, where the first set of parameters is used for calibration of the tested system. The method also includes storing a second set of parameters in a virtual working page within an observation system having a plurality of virtual working pages. The method further includes transferring the second set of parameters from the observation system to the tested system. The method also includes storing one or more parameters of the second set of parameters in the working page. A related user interface is also disclosed. |
| US08041526B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for reducing waste in production systems
A production system includes at least one production component having a production cycle which is interruptible by a detected production failure, at least one detector configured to monitor an output of the at least one production component, the detector configured to detect a production failure and to generate a signal indicative of the production failure, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to, in response to the signal from the detector, cause the respective production component to reject production material for a first predetermined duration of time, and in response to the expiration of the first predetermined duration of time, to slow down production for at least a second predetermined duration of time. The control unit can further return the production system to a normal production state in response to receiving a restart signal before the expiration of the first or second predetermined duration of time. |
| US08041524B2 |
Method of power factor correction
A method of power factor correction without using current sensing or a multiplier is disclosed. A generated predictive pulse is used to charge and discharge a power factor correction (PFC) inductor so that the current in the PFC inductor has a similar phase angle as the input AC voltage. Each ON portion of the pulse is used for charging while each OFF portion is used for discharging. As the input voltage increases in phase, the predictive pulse gradually increases in ON time duty and the PFC inductor is charged in increasing amount and discharged in decreasing amount per pulse. When peak is reached the duty ratio is reduced each pulse and the PFC inductor current is reduced along with the input AC voltage source until phase angle reaches 180 degrees and the ON time becomes zero. |
| US08041522B2 |
System and method for recursively estimating battery cell total capacity
A system and method for determining an estimated battery cell total capacity indicative of a total capacity of a battery cell is provided. The method includes receiving a first battery cell state-of-charge estimate at a first time and receiving a second battery cell state-of-charge estimate at a second time subsequent to the first time, measuring an integrated battery cell current value indicative of the integrated battery cell current between the first time and the second time, updating at least one recursive parameter based on the first battery cell state-of-charge estimate, the second battery cell state-of-charge estimate, and the integrated battery cell current value, determining the estimated battery cell total capacity based on at least one recursive parameter, and storing a value corresponding to the estimated battery cell total capacity in a memory. |
| US08041513B2 |
Systems and methods involving data patterns such as spectral biomarkers
The present invention is generally related to the separation, fractionation, and/or characterization of molecules and/or biomolecules in one or more mixtures. After fractionation, different phases of a partitioning system can be analyzed via an analytical technique such as spectral analysis, chromatography, or the like, to produce a spectrum or other symbolic representation of the species after fractionation, and the spectra of the various fractions/phases compared to define a comparative spectrum as a marker or otherwise providing information about the sample, including such information that is independent of the original level of abundance of the molecules in the mixture. Comparative spectra of various samples can be compared to each other and/or to controls or reference spectra and/or comparative spectra to determine a variety of information. In some embodiments, the methods can be used for discovering and/or identifying patterns in a mixture of species and/or corresponding patterns of species in a second mixture, where each mixture of species originates from biological systems with different physiological conditions as markers associated with specific diagnostics, and can be used for screening for such markers once discovered and identified during diagnostics screening. |
| US08041511B2 |
Method for optimizing calibration maps for an algorithm of estimation of a control quantity of an internal combustion engine
Described herein is a method for optimizing a plurality of calibration maps for an algorithm of estimation of a control quantity of an internal combustion engine, each of the maps comprising a plurality of calibration values of said control quantity estimated by said algorithm. The optimization method comprises measuring the control quantity, estimating the control quantity, and individually optimizing each calibration map based on the measured control quantity and the estimated control quantity. |
| US08041510B2 |
Continuous reservoir monitoring for fluid pathways using microseismic data
A system and method monitor a hydrocarbon reservoir for drainage in volumetric three dimensions. Monitoring between wells is imperative for optimum reservoir management and is achieved by mapping the hydrocarbon fluid pathways in a producing reservoir. Unlike conventional 4D or time-lapse reflection seismic imaging systems that use a controlled active seismic source and records reflected seismic energy at receivers, the system and method exploit the minute vibrations, or micro-earthquakes generated in the reservoir layers that are induced by fluid movement. These microseisms are detected as the fluids move in the reservoir. |
| US08041506B2 |
Mapping in mobile devices
A computer-implemented mapping method is disclosed and includes displaying a first map view of a geographic area on a display of a computing device, receiving a voice or key-press zoom command and generating a first zoom box of a predetermined size on the display relative to the first map view in response to the zoom command, and displaying a second map view of a zoomed geographic area corresponding to the zoom box. |
| US08041505B2 |
Navigation services based on position location using broadcast digital television signals
A service depends on the location of a device. The device location is determined using DTV signals. More specifically, the device location is determined based on pseudo-ranges between the device and a plurality of digital television (DTV) transmitters and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on broadcast DTV signals received by the device from the DTV transmitters. Examples of DTV signals include the American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) signals, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) signals and the Japanese Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) signals. |
| US08041504B2 |
Method and system for display of guidance reference for traffic situational awareness
Situational Awareness and Guidance Reference (SAGR) and associated methods and systems are disclosed. A system in accordance to one embodiment of the disclosure includes a display system utilized for a traffic application and an SAGR associated with the own-ship symbol providing longitudinal and lateral guidance reference. In a manual implementation, the SAGR aids human operators achieve required longitudinal and lateral spacing from selected traffic by depicting a small operating region on a navigational map display within which an aircraft will have achieved the required spacing. Such depiction of the deviation guidance may be with respect to time or distance relative to selected traffic aircraft or to fixed structure, and engaged in an automatic or manual mode. |
| US08041503B2 |
Traffic information providing system using digital map for collecting traffic information and method thereof
The present invention relates to a traffic information providing system and method using a traffic information collecting digital map. A traffic information collecting terminal receives GPS data from at least one GPS satellite, and generates traffic information target location information with reference to traffic information established based on the GPS data. The traffic information target location information includes a coordinate and a time and can further include a type or an order on the traffic information target location information. The traffic information providing system matches traffic information target location information provided by the terminals on nodes and links for collecting traffic information of a traffic information collecting digital map, generates section communication information for a section, processes the section communication information, and provides it as traffic information. Therefore, accurate communication information is generated and more accurate traffic information is provided. For example, it is possible to generate accurate traffic information excluding a traveling time (or a traveling speed) error caused by a probe vehicle's entrance to a rest area from the link having an expressway rest area. |
| US08041502B2 |
Engine misfire detection apparatus for internal combustion engine and engine misfire detection method
The engine misfire detection process according to one aspect of the invention first makes tentative detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in execution of both vibration control and rotation speed control. In response to the tentative detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process subsequently makes final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire. In the event of no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in prohibition of the vibration control. In the event of still no final detection of an engine misfire, the engine misfire detection process makes tentative detection and final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in further prohibition of the rotation speed control. Even in the event of no final detection of an engine misfire in execution of both the vibration control and the rotation speed control, the procedure of the invention makes final detection on the occurrence or the non-occurrence of an engine misfire in prohibition of execution of the vibration control and further the rotation speed control. This arrangement desirably increases the detection frequency of engine misfires. |
| US08041501B2 |
Method and system for monitoring an active hydrocarbon adsorber
A method and system for monitoring an exhaust gas adsorber includes a comparison module comparing the first exhaust gas constituent signal corresponding to an amount of exhaust gas constituent in an exhaust conduit and a second exhaust gas constituent signal corresponding to an amount of exhaust gas constituent in the exhaust gas adsorber. The system includes a fault module generating a fault in response to comparing in the comparison module. |
| US08041496B2 |
Method and device for checking the operability of a tank venting device for an internal combustion engine
The tank venting device has a fuel vapor reservoir connected to a fuel tank to deliver escaping fuel vapors to the fuel vapor reservoir, and is connected to the internal combustion engine in such a manner that during a tank venting operation the fuel vapors contained in the fuel vapor reservoir are delivered as regeneration gas. To check the operability of the venting device the fuel concentration in the regeneration gas is ascertained at a minimum of two different points in time during the venting operation. The fuel concentration values in the regeneration gas are compared with respective reference values representing the regeneration gas fuel concentration in the situation in which no additional fuel vapors are delivered during the venting operation. The assessment of the venting device operability is carried out by comparison of the values ascertained for the fuel concentration in the regeneration gas with the reference values. |
| US08041489B2 |
Method for controlling a transmission during acceleration from idle
A method for controlling a transmission in a motor vehicle during acceleration from an idle condition begins when the vehicle is stationary, the engine is at idle, and the transmission is in the first gear range or ratio. When the vehicle begins to accelerate, the method includes the steps of monitoring the rate of vehicle acceleration and comparing the rate of vehicle acceleration to a rate of vehicle acceleration threshold. If the rate of vehicle acceleration is less than the acceleration threshold, then the transmission allows one of the currently engaged clutches to slip. This clutch slip reduces the torque load on the engine. The method then monitors the engine output speed. If the engine output speed exceeds an engine output speed threshold, then the clutch is fully applied. |
| US08041488B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the security of transmission between two frictionally engaged motion transmitting components
A method and apparatus for determining a motion transmission value that provides security of motion transmission between two components that transfer motion through frictional engagement. The motion transmission value provides security of motion transmission through the reaction of the motion transmitted to a change in the contact force between the components that are frictionally engaged. The contact force is modulated in a predetermined frequency range during the motion transmission, and the change in the motion transmitted during the modulation of the contact force is detected. The change in the motion transmitted is evaluated using a filtering process, and the motion transmission value is determined as the result of the evaluation. |
| US08041487B2 |
Commanded and estimated engine torque adjustment
An engine control system comprises first and second integral modules, a summer module, and a torque adjustment module. The first integral module determines an engine speed (RPM) integral value based on a difference between a desired RPM and a measured RPM. The second integral module determines a torque integral value based on a difference between a desired torque output for an engine and an estimated torque of the engine. The summer module determines an RPM-torque integral value based on a difference between the RPM and torque integral values. The torque adjustment module determines a torque adjustment value based on the RPM-torque integral value and adjusts the desired torque output and the estimated torque based on the torque adjustment value. |
| US08041486B2 |
Method of gear-shifting in a servo-controlled manual gearbox
A method of gear shifting in a servo-controlled gearbox. The method generates an oscillation on angular velocities of primary and secondary shafts of the gearbox, separates the primary shaft from the secondary shaft thus disengaging a first current gear when the oscillation has taken the angular velocity of the primary shaft close to the angular velocity that the primary shaft must assume to engage a second next gear, and connects the primary shaft to the secondary shaft thus engaging the second next gear when the oscillation has led the angular velocity of the secondary shaft to equalize the current angular velocity of the primary shaft multiplied by the transmission ratio of the second next gear. |
| US08041484B2 |
Abnormality reporting device for vehicle and control program
There are provided an abnormality reporting device that can generate vibration which can be easily perceived by a driver even when the driver is in a vibrating vehicle during running, and a control program therefore. The abnormality reporting device is equipped with a detector 2 for detecting the state of a driver 10 or the state of a vehicle 20 as a prescribed state when the vehicle 20 is moving, a judging unit 4 for judging on the basis of the detection result of the detector 2 whether it is under an abnormal state, and a vibrating unit 8 for applying vibration of a predetermined vibration pattern to the driver 10 when the abnormality state is judged, and the vibrating unit 8 can apply the vibration while varying the vibration pattern when the abnormality state is continued. |
| US08041483B2 |
Exterior airbag deployment techniques
Externally deployed airbag system for a vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags deployable outside of the vehicle, an anticipatory sensor system for assessing the probable severity of an impact involving the vehicle based on data obtained prior to the impact and initiating inflation of the airbag(s) in the event an impact above a threshold severity is assessed, and an inflator coupled to the anticipatory sensor system and the airbag for inflating the airbag when initiated by the anticipatory sensor system. The airbag may be housed in a module mounted along a side of the vehicle, in a side door of the vehicle (both for side impact protection), at a front of the vehicle (for frontal impact protection) or at a rear of the vehicle (for rear impact protection). Also, the externally deployed airbag can be deployed to cushion a pedestrian's impact against the vehicle. |
| US08041481B2 |
Power steering system and method of influencing the damping of a power steering system
A power steering system is disclosed herein that includes an electronic control unit that determines a set-point value for a damping moment in the power steering system. The system also includes a first sensor connected to the control unit and operable to determine a sign of a steering angle. The sign of the steering angle refers to a clockwise angle from dead center being designated as positive or negative and a counter-clockwise angle from dead center being assigned the other designation. The system also includes a second sensor connected to the control unit and operable to determine the sign of a steering wheel angular velocity. The sign of the steering wheel angular velocity refers to movement of the steering wheel in the clockwise direction being designated as positive or negative and movement in the counter-clockwise direction being assigned the other designation. The control unit can establish the set-point value for the damping moment with a predefined first damping multiplier when the steering angle and the steering wheel angular velocity have the same sign and with a predefined second damping multiplier when the steering angle and the steering wheel angular velocity have different signs. |
| US08041479B2 |
Vehicle suspension system
A suspension system including: (a) a suspension spring; (b) a shock absorber; and (c) a generator for generating a displacement force forcing sprung and unsprung members of a vehicle to be displaced toward or away from each other. The generator includes (c-1) an elastic body connected one of the sprung and unsprung members and (c-2) an actuator disposed between the elastic body and the other of the sprung and unsprung members. The actuator includes a motor, and is operable to generate an actuator force based on a motor force generated by the motor, such that the generated actuator force acts on the elastic body and such that the generated actuator force is transmitted to the sprung and unsprung members via the elastic body so as to act as the displacement force. The suspension system further includes (d) a controller for controlling operation of the motor so as to control the displacement force. The controller performs a damping-force control for controlling the displacement force as a damping force for damping vibration of the spring member and/or the unsprung members. |
| US08041477B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing access to vehicle electronic systems
One embodiment is directed to providing access between external systems and embedded vehicle electronic systems. That is, an interface module may receive information from a system external to the vehicle, determine an embedded system of the vehicle to which to provide the information, and provide the information to the embedded system. Similarly, the interface module may receive information a embedded electronic systems of a vehicle, determine a system external the vehicle to which to provide the information, and provide the information to the external system. |
| US08041476B2 |
Error message details for debug available to end user
A diagnostic tool for diagnosing a vehicle, includes a signal translator communicating with the vehicle in at least one protocol, an input device for inputting information, a processor controlling a software according to the input information from the input device and communication with the vehicle from the signal translator, the processor controlling a reception of diagnostic data of the vehicle through the signal translator, a memory storing a software controlled by the processor, the memory storing information relating to the diagnostic tool and information relating to the configuration of the diagnostic tool and the configuration of the communication with the unit being tested, and an output unit connected to the processor indicating information according to the received and processed information relating to the diagnostic tool and information relating to the diagnosing of the vehicle. |
| US08041474B2 |
Method and vehicle electric system for a motor vehicle with a pre-emptive temporary load reduction of the vehicle electric system
A method is provided for reducing the energy consumption of a motor vehicle having at least one vehicle electric system, to which at least a first electric consumer is connected. In order to achieve an efficient vehicle electric system, which, in addition, contributes to a reduced energy consumption of a motor vehicle, in a first operating mode of the motor vehicle, the level of the electric load on the vehicle electric system without at least the first consumer is at a first level. In a second operating mode of the motor vehicle, the level of the electric load on the vehicle electric system without at least the first consumer is decreased temporarily to a second level that is lower than the first level. A device, which is intended for detecting the driving situation and is provided in the vehicle, recognizes an imminent specific driving situation on the basis of the previous behavior of the driver in controlling the vehicle and/or the behavior of the vehicle in advance and initiates a temporary switch in the level of the electric load on the vehicle electric system to the second lower level. |
| US08041468B2 |
Method for dynamically cooling when detecting RAID controller with battery present in computer system
For dynamically cooling an input/output (I/O) controller, the presence of the I/O controller is automatically detected. The I/O controller includes an electronic component capable of generating heat that is greater than a predefined amount when the electronic component is operating in a predefined state. The I/O controller provides a control output in response to a demand indicative of operating the electronic component in the predefined state. The control output is provided to a baseboard management controller (BMC) that is capable of providing additional cooling to the I/O controller in response to the control signal. |
| US08041467B2 |
Optimal dispatch of demand side electricity resources
A method of load dispatch generates a load dispatch curve in response to both the opportunity cost of dispatching resources with a contractually limited number of dispatches in a given time period and estimated rebound effect data. The method identifies a best time period for dispatch based on the load dispatch curve and also supply curve data and generates a resultant load dispatch schedule. The resultant load dispatch schedule is transmitted to one or more smart home meters to dispatch loads in a manner that provides the greatest economic benefit. |
| US08041464B2 |
Network radiality in reconfiguration of a radial power distribution system using a matrix-structured knowledge-based system
A knowledge-based system is defined that ensures network radiatity during reconfiguration of a power distribution system. Network radiality heuristics idenufy a pair of switching operations that will preserve radiality. A line section table specifies the line section identifier, start bus, end bus, line section type, and switch existence for each line section in the network. A bus table identifies the line section that supplies the bus and those line sections that are fed by the bus for each bus in the network. A matrix-structured knowledge base with five distinct rule bases is used. The line section and bus tables must be updated after any switching operations are enacted. Extensive simulations of the knowledge-based system revealed that a solution was found in a time-efficient manner. This knowledge-based system enhances network reliability and hence prevents power outages. Also, the knowledge-based system can be used to preserve radiality during optimization of power distribution system operations for different objectives. |
| US08041455B2 |
Robotic cart pulling vehicle
A robotic cart pulling vehicle includes a positioning error reducing system for reducing accumulated error in the ded-reckoning navigational system. The positioning error reducing system including at least one of a low load transfer point of the cart attaching mechanism, a floor variation compliance structure whereby the drive wheels maintain a substantially even distribution of load over minor surface variations, a minimal wheel contact surface structure, a calibration structure using at least one proximity sensor mounted on the robot body, and a common electrical and mechanical connection between the cart and the robot vehicle formed by a cart attaching post. |
| US08041452B2 |
Logistical system and method for controlling flow of postal mail in real-time
A method and system for controlling the flow of postal mail in real-time are provided. The logistical system includes a pre-application processing system, a real-time mail planning and adjusting system, and a real-time working planning and performing system. The pre-application processing system registers bulk mail inputted in a generating system, and generates sending data and quantity data of the registered bulk mail. The real-time mail planning and adjusting system collects predetermined working plan quantities to process the quantity data for respective distribution centers, and allocates temporary vehicles when a quantity for delivery between the distribution centers exceeds processing capacities of the distribution centers. The real-time working planning and performing system uses the quantity data to transfer a quantity of mail for processing to postal distribution centers, and collects and compares working plans from each of the postal distribution centers. |
| US08041449B2 |
Bulk feeding disk drives to disk drive testing systems
A method of supplying disk drives to a disk drive testing system includes placing a disk drive tote, carrying multiple disk drives, in a presentation position accessible to an automated transporter of the disk drive testing system. The method includes actuating the automated transporter to retrieve one of the disk drives from the disk drive tote, and actuating the automated transporter to deliver the retrieved disk drive to a test slot of the disk drive testing system and insert the disk drive in the test slot. |
| US08041444B2 |
Intelligent production station and production method
One aspect related to design of systems and methods for manufacturing products that include technology in skilled areas is configuring a production station for use by an operator without specialized skills. The present invention contemplates an approach to designing a station configurable to perform one or more of incoming inspection, assembly, testing, and branding. A preferred approach includes verifying data associated with units prior to accepting them for incorporation, preventing incorporation of an incorrect unit, and guiding an operator in possible remedial action. This approach includes storing data in a server and making such data substantially instantly accessible to production stations once written in the server. Such data preferably includes software to configure the production station such that the operator need not have specialized skills. A production station designed using this approach is particularly useful in the manufacture of an outdoor unit of a split-mount microwave radio system. |
| US08041441B2 |
Production management method and production management system
A production management system has processing devices A, B, C, D, E, and P. A kind of product α is processed in the order of the processing devices A, P, B, P, and C, and a kind of product β is processed in the order of the processing devices D, P, E, and P. To determine whether the processing device P is to be used to produce the product α or the product β, an input ratio of each kind of product is multiplied by the number of times of passing the processing device P for each kind of product, thereby calculating a core of each kind of product. Based on the calculated score, whether the processing device P is to be used to produce the product α or the product β is determined. Accordingly, the work-in-process balance of key processes between different kinds of products can be equalized. |
| US08041439B2 |
Method for manipulating a dental virtual model, method for creating physical entities based on a dental virtual model thus manipulated, and dental models thus created
A 3D virtual model of an intra oral cavity in which at least a part of a finish line of a preparation is obscured is manipulated in virtual space by means of a computer or the like to create, recreate or reconstruct finish line data and other geometrical corresponding to the obscured part. Trimmed virtual models, and trimmed physical models, can then be created utilizing data thus created. The virtual models and/or the physical models may be used in the design and manufacture of copings or of prostheses. |
| US08041435B2 |
Modular object dynamic hosting
An object can be used in an industrial control configuration in relation to performing a function or task. Matching can occur such that an object with operational requirements can bind with a host that has capabilities that meet those operational requirements—matching can occur automatically as well as through user operation. Once matched, different functionality can be presented to a user pertaining to the object. To assist the user, the object can include external references, logic, local or private data, as well as others in addition to resources. To facilitate operation, capabilities and resources can be published in a directory that can be accessed by different entities—sometimes with security constraints in order to protect configuration integrity. Likewise, a subscription system can be employed such that when a change to a related entity is made, a notice can transfer to related entities and operation can alter based upon the change. |
| US08041432B2 |
Implantable medical device with two or more telemetry systems
An implantable medical device comprises a near field telemetry module to wirelessly receive first information into the IMD, a far field telemetry module to wirelessly receive second information into the IMD, and a processor in electrical communication with the near field telemetry module and the far field telemetry module. The processor is configured to establish, in relation to a communication signal received by the near field telemetry module, a time period during which communication via the far field telemetry module is available, and operate the IMD according to the received second information upon receiving third information via the near field telemetry link. |
| US08041431B2 |
System and method for in situ trimming of oscillators in a pair of implantable medical devices
A system and method for in situ trimming of oscillators in a pair of implantable medical devices is provided. Each frequency over a range of oscillator trim frequencies for an initiating implantable medical device is selected and a plurality of commands are sent via an acoustic transducer in situ over the frequency selected. Each frequency over a range of oscillator trim frequencies for a responding implantable medical device is selected and a response to each of the commands received is sent via an acoustic transducer in situ over the frequency selected. The responses received by the initiating implantable medical device are evaluated and a combination of the oscillator trim frequencies for both implantable medical devices that together exhibit a strongest acoustic wave is identified. Oscillators in both implantable medical devices are trimmed to the oscillator trim frequencies in the combination identified. |
| US08041426B2 |
Selective resynchronization therapy optimization based on user preference
A method and system for calculating an atrio-ventricular delay interval based upon an inter-atrial delay exhibited by a patient's heart. The aforementioned atrio-ventricular delay interval may optimize the stroke volume exhibited by a patient's heart. The aforementioned atrio-ventricular delay interval may be blended with another atrio-ventricular delay interval that may optimize another performance characteristic, such as left ventricular contractility. Such blending may include finding an arithmetic mean, geometric mean, or weighted mean of two or more proposed atrio-ventricular delay intervals. |
| US08041420B2 |
Apparatus for measuring tissue samples electrical impedance
Apparatus for measuring the electrical impedance of a tissue sample comprises a probe and a sheath comprising an elongated tubular body having one closed end and one open end providing an internal cavity. The sheath is composed of a material which when contacted with a tissue sample is capable of providing a conductive path through the sheath between the electrodes and the tissue sample. The resistivity of the material forming the sheath when contacted with the tissue sample is greater than the resistivity of the tissue sample. The probe is received within the internal cavity of the sheath. The sheath is impervious to bacteria and viruses. |
| US08041419B2 |
System and method for monitoring or treating nervous system disorders
A medical device system that includes a brain monitoring element, cardiac monitoring element and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a brain signal from the brain monitoring element and a cardiac signal from the cardiac monitoring element. The processor is further configured to compare the brain signal to the cardiac signal. A method of comparing a brain signal to a cardiac signal is also provided. |
| US08041413B2 |
Systems and methods for three-dimensional ultrasound mapping
An automated medical system comprises a first instrument assembly including a first ultrasound transducer having a first transducer field of view that transmits and receives ultrasound signals in imaging planes disposed circumferentially about a guide instrument, and a second instrument assembly including a second ultrasound transducer having a second transducer field of view coupled to one of a second flexible guide instrument and a working instrument. A computing system is operatively coupled to the respective first and second transducers and configured to determine a relative spatial orientation of the respective first and second transducers based at least in part on detecting a signal transmitted by one of the first and second transducers and received by the other of the first and second transducers, the received signal having an amplitude indicating the receiving one of the transducers is in the field of view of the transmitting one of the transducers. |
| US08041412B2 |
System for image-guided endovascular prosthesis and method for using same
Systems and methods for obtaining position sensor space data regarding an endovascular prosthesis within an anatomical region of a patient include at least one position indicating element which is movable within an endovascular prosthesis is tracked by a tracking system. A guidance portion of the endovascular prosthesis constrains movement of position indicating elements within the endovascular prosthesis. |
| US08041411B2 |
Device and method for controlling a magnetic element in the body of a patient
A device for the magnet-assisted catheter intervention comprises magnets for controlling a magnetic tip of a catheter. An x-ray device serves to generate three dimensional ambient images of a patient. A data processing unit calculates the probability of the magnetic tip colliding with an obstacle in the body of the patient from the ambient images and the current position of the magnetic tip and if necessary acts mechanically on the guide element so as to generate a haptically perceivable signal, with which guide element the movement of the catheter is controlled. |
| US08041408B2 |
Battery fastening apparatus and portable terminal using the same
A battery fastening apparatus and a portable terminal using the same includes a case an exterior and having a battery seating portion formed on a side so as to be exposed to a surface of the case. A battery is seated on the battery seating portion. A locking knob has a latching protrusion protruding into the battery seating portion so that the battery remains fastened to the battery seating portion. The locking knob is partially exposed to an outside of the case and supported by an elastic member so that the latching protrusion engages with the battery. A stopping lever limits movement of the locking knob when the latching protrusion engages the battery. The battery fastening apparatus prevents the battery from unintentionally detaching from the body of the terminal during operation. |
| US08041406B2 |
Portable information terminal equipment
Portable information terminal equipment having a function to perform the informing process at the time of reception in cooperation with a connecting section driving mechanism as well as a function to enable the open/close movement of the upper and lower units through one-touch operation making use of the connecting section driving mechanism. Depending on informing modes, a motor drive circuit drives a motor under the control of a controller on receipt of a call or a message to apply a driving force to the open/close mechanism of a hinge unit. Thereby, the portable information terminal equipment is folded/unfolded, that is, the posture of the portable information terminal equipment is changed, and a user is informed of the receipt of the call or the message. Besides, the portable information terminal equipment performs conventional informing processes, such as ringing, light emitting, message or image display and the like, in combination with the open/close or rotative operation. |
| US08041404B2 |
Multiple network wake-up
A system and method for managing messaging in a mobile communication system (e.g., having power-save capability) in a multiple network environment. For example, the mobile communication system may operate in a power-save mode (e.g., a mode in which the mobile communication system does not communicate messages). The mobile communication system may exit the power-save mode. After exiting from the power-save mode, the mobile communication system may determine to establish communication with a second system (e.g., a message server) over a second communication path instead of a first communication path. Communication with the second system may be established over the second communication path, and message-related information may be communicated between the mobile communication system and the second system. Such message-related information may, for example, comprise message information, information regarding message availability, or information regarding the communication of message information. |
| US08041399B2 |
Mobile terminal comprising a scalable display
The invention relates to a mobile terminal provided with an interactive display device. The invention is characterized in that a pivotable projection device is provided and constructed in such a way that a variable size projection display and means for detecting the position and/or the movement thereof are obtainable. |
| US08041398B2 |
Method for realizing a presence service and presence system
In one aspect, a method for realizing a presence service with a buddy list that can be displayed on a display device of a terminal is provided. In an activated state, the buddy list itself is displayed, and in a deactivated state, the buddy list itself is not visible. The buddy list is updated by a control device during a change in state of at lest one subscriber to be monitored and/or of at least one device assigned to the subscriber. According to the invention, the updating of the buddy list ensues in the deactivated state by means of the control device while using a method other than one used in the activated state. |
| US08041395B2 |
Multiple-antenna system for cellular communication and broadcasting
A multiple-antenna system for use in cellular communication and broadcasting. The multiple-antenna transmission system can be controlled, adjusted, configured, or reconfigured to produce desirable radiation beam patterns suitable for different types of applications. A signal distribution network may be provided in the multiple-antenna system. The signal distribution network is embedded in a transmitter and controls the distribution of signals to one or more antennas in accordance with application requirements. Various antenna radiation patterns suitable for different applications can be generated by reconfiguring the connections and gain settings in the signal distribution network. For example, narrow beams may be generated for use in unicast applications, whereas sector beams may be generated for use in broadcast applications. Certain techniques may be employed to manage the transition from one type of transmission mode to another type of transmission mode. |
| US08041393B2 |
Basestation for cellular communication system
A basestation in a cellular communication system corrects frequency errors in signals generated within the basestation. The frequency errors may be corrected on the basis of signals transmitted by one or more other basestations within the network. As an alternative, the basestation may request information from one or more mobile devices that are also able to detect transmissions from other basestations. |
| US08041390B2 |
Mobile terminal and data uploading method thereof
A mobile communication terminal, a computer program product and a data uploading method by which data stored in a mobile terminal can be shared in a manner of uploading the data to websites. The mobile communication terminal includes a camera for capturing an image, a memory for storing data, a display for displaying the stored data, an input unit for selecting one of the stored data to upload to a website, the input unit for inputting an upload information on the selected data, a wireless communication unit for transmitting the selected data to upload to the website, and a control unit, if the selected data is completely uploaded, the control unit causing access to the website to be automatically released. |
| US08041389B2 |
Camera cell phone with integrated wireless mouse
An improvement to a cellular camera phone comprising a source of illumination positioned adjacent to the camera unit and configured to illuminate a portion of an underlying surface within the field of view the camera unit; programming effective to (a) collect a current tracking image frame, (b) compare the current tracking image frame with a prior tracking image frame, (c) compute a relative displacement between the tracking image frames, and (d) store the current tracking image frame as a prior tracking image frame; and a wireless peripheral interface, wherein the wireless peripheral interface communicates the relative displacement to a computer. Also, a method of retrofitting a cellular camera phone to provide wireless mouse functionality comprising the steps of providing an accessory unit for engagement with the cellular phone configured to position a source of illumination adjacent to the camera unit and to illuminate a portion of an underlying surface within the field of view the camera unit; providing the aforedescribed programming, and providing programming to communicate the relative displacement to a computer. |
| US08041388B2 |
Method for using applications in a mobile station, a mobile station, and a system for effecting payments
The invention relates to a method for using an application (18) in a mobile station (1). The application has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, whereby the first mode of operation is passive, and in the second mode of operation the application controls the master control unit (MCU) of the mobile station. The invention also relates to a system for making payments, comprising at least one mobile station (1), which has an application (18), means for using the application (18), and the first means of data transfer (IR, 20, RF) for local data transfer. The system also comprises at least one cash register (21) or the like, which has the second means for data transfer (IR2), and the application (18) comprises means for transferring data between the first means for data transfer (IR) and the second means for data transfer (IR2). |
| US08041386B2 |
Configurable multiple mode RFIC
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a baseband processing module and a radio frequency (RF) section. The baseband processing module is coupled to convert outbound data or an outbound voice signal into at least one of amplitude modulation information, phase modulation information, and frequency modulation information. The RF section includes an oscillation module, a frequency divider, and power amplifier modules. The oscillation module produces an RF oscillation that it modulates based on the phase or frequency modulation information to produce a modulated RF signal. The frequency divider divides the frequency of the modulated RF signal to produce a frequency divided modulated RF signal. The first power amplifier module amplifies the modulated RF signal in accordance with the amplitude modulation information or a constant to produce a first frequency band outbound RF data or voice signal. The second power amplifier amplifies the frequency divided modulated RF data signal in accordance with the amplitude modulation information or a constant to produce a second frequency band outbound RF data or voice signal. |
| US08041385B2 |
Power management mechanism for unlicensed wireless communication systems
A method is disclosed. The method includes a mobile station (MS) operating on a licensed communication network via a first radio, the MS switching operation from the licensed communication network to operating on an unlicensed communication network via a second radio and deactivating the first radio upon switching operation to the unlicensed communication network. |
| US08041380B2 |
Power control in cognitive radio systems based on spectrum sensing side information
For cognitive radio systems, the transmit power of a cognitive radio device is controlled so that the cognitive, unlicensed radio device does not interfere with the use of a shared spectrum by a primary, licensed device. Controlling the transmit power includes determining a distance, or a function of the distance, between a primary transmitter of the primary device and the cognitive radio device based on sensing information from a spectrum sensing process. The maximum transmit power of the cognitive radio device is then dynamically controlled based on the distance, or the function of the distance, while considering a worst case scenario of an underlying cognitive radio model, to guarantee a quality of service requirement of the primary device. |
| US08041379B2 |
Reducing co-interference by hushing selective cellular devices
Embodiments described herein provide for reducing cellular co-interference. A primary cellular device is selected. A secondary cellular device that causes co-interference with the primary cellular device is also selected. Whether the primary cellular device is a transmitting device or a receiving device is determined. Upon determining that the primary cellular device is a transmitting device, a first hush command is transmitted to the primary cellular device. Upon determining that the primary cellular device is a receiving device, a second hush command is transmitted to the secondary cellular device. The first hush command instructs the primary cellular device to increase a first transmit power from the primary cellular device to a cellular tower. The second hush command instructs the secondary cellular device to decrease a second transmit power from the secondary cellular device to the cellular tower. |
| US08041374B2 |
Application execution method, file data download method, file data upload method, communication method, network identifier setting method and wireless communication terminal
A game device is provided with an SSID setting unit and a channel setting unit. The SSID setting unit sets up an SSID (a network identifier) in accordance with a communication mode. Communication modes include a download standby mode, a download mode, a lobby mode and a game mode. By setting up an SSID for each communication mode, wireless networks for respective modes are formed. The channel setting unit sets up a communication channel in accordance with the SSID. |
| US08041365B1 |
Location-based survey via mobile device
A system and method are provided for obtaining information on inquiries related to location dependent facts utilizing mobile networked communication devices and preselected respondents who obtain information on the requested facts. The system includes a call center comprising a communication server and one or more work stations manned by call center agents. A plurality of respondents act as information gatherers to find answers to inquiries forwarded to the respondents by the call center. Customers first contact the call center, and inquiries are parsed for location and subject matter. The inquiry is then allocated to a qualified respondent within the area of the location of interest. The respondent gathers information necessary to answer the inquiry and forwards the answer to the call center, preferably by use of the mobile networked communication device carried by the respondent. Respondents log in to the system indicating availability for servicing inquiries. Location tracking is provided so that the call center is aware of the locations of respondents. Global position satellite techniques as well as phone triangulation techniques may be used to track the respondents' locations. |
| US08041362B2 |
Downlink resource allocation and mapping
Embodiments of the present invention provide for downlink resource allocation among a plurality of users. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08041360B2 |
Method of seamless roaming between wireless local area networks and cellular carrier networks
A scheme that enables seamless roaming between the WLAN and the cellular carrier network by enabling a user that originates a call in the WLAN and happens to go outside the range of the WLAN to automatically switch over to the cellular carrier network without losing connection with the other party. This solution assumes that the mobile device has the capability to operate in at least two modes that include the WLAN mode and one of the cellular carrier modes, such as the GSM, IS-95 CDMA, IS-136 TDMA, and iDEN. |
| US08041359B1 |
Method for maintaining a communication link in wireless network groups
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for maintaining communication between a dependent and a communications network when the dependent is outside a coverage area associated with its master using a controller and a communications network. In one embodiment, when the dependent is in a piconet, the dependent is within communication range of its master using a communication channel on frequency band fband(1). When the dependent moves outside the piconet, the dependent should be within communication range of the controller and, thus, switches to another communication channel within frequency band fband(1) such that it may communicate with the controller. When the dependent moves outside the communication range of the controller, the dependent should be within communication range of a communications network or a base station and, thus, switches to a communication channel within another frequency band fband(2). |
| US08041357B2 |
Apparatus and method for reallocating segments in broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and a method for reallocating segments in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. An average density for all cells in system and an average minimal inter-cell distance R are computed. A circle is determined having a radius kR and a center at a corresponding cell by increasing a constant k until a density of the circle becomes less than or equal to the average density. A cluster is generated for each cell, which is composed of cells included in the determined circle. Accordingly, segment allocation capability can be improved while minimizing a width of segment reallocation. |
| US08041351B2 |
Establishing communication between entities in a wireless communication system
In a wireless communication system, the time required to establish network connectivity for subscriber stations can be reduced by prioritizing and/or reducing contention between the subscriber stations. The subscriber stations can be divided into acquisition groups and assigned specific uplink channels on which to range. The subscriber stations can randomly or pseudo-randomly range on uplink channels. |
| US08041349B2 |
Home subscriber server configuration method and system
The present invention is to provide a home subscriber server configuration method and system that is accessible in switching to any one of plural HSS servers in a redundant configuration. Information stored in such plural HSS servers (e.g., HSS-A server 40A and HSS-B server 40B) are synchronized as identical information. When an interrogation for a particular HSS server to be accessed from the I-CSCF server 30 or the S-CSCF server 21 is received, the access information for the plural HSS servers 40A, 40B corresponding to the interrogation is returned after rearranging to the predetermined order of priority to the I-CSCF server 30 or the S-CSCF server 21 from which the inquiry is originated. If no response is received from either one of the HSS servers returned from the SLF server 50 within a predetermined time after the access or if no response is received to the resend operations, the I-CSCF server 30 or the S-CSCF server 21 selects the next HSS server from the plural HSS servers and gains access to such HSS server after switching thereto. |
| US08041347B2 |
Transmitter controlled communication links
A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. The wireless communication system may include transmitter units and a receiver. In one embodiment, each transmitter has an address and logic programmed to perform the steps of receiving a user selection and, responsive to the receiving, repeatedly transmitting a wireless selection signal until a wireless acknowledgment signal is received. The wireless selection signal may include the address and the user selection. The receiver may include means to receive a wireless selection signal and logic programmed to transmit a wireless acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of each wireless selection signal. |
| US08041335B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing of emergency services for unauthorized user equipment in a home Node B system
Some embodiments are implemented in a communication system that includes a first communication system comprised of a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network, and a second communication system comprising a plurality of user hosted access points and a network controller. In some embodiments, each access point operates using short range licensed wireless frequencies to establish a service region. In some embodiments, the network controller communicatively couples the core network to the plurality of access points. The method enables an unauthorized user equipment to call from an access point it is not allowed to use for emergency purposes. The method receives at an access point a service request from an unauthorized user equipment with an establishment cause of emergency call. The method sends a registration request to the network controller. The method sends a message to the core network indicating the location of the user equipment. |
| US08041334B2 |
Communication device and method of providing location information therein
A communication device, computer program product and method of providing location information therein are disclosed. The communication device includes a wireless communication unit, a display, a memory and a controller operatively connected to the memory, the display, and the wireless communication device, the controller configured to transmit virtual movement information of the communication device to a different communication device, the different communication device registered with a location information providing service. |
| US08041332B2 |
Broadcast communication system and method for providing users with information associated with a geographical area
A method is presented for providing information associated with a geographical area to users of broadcast communication receivers. The information, as well as an indication of the geographical area associated with the information, are transmitted to, and received by, each of the broadcast communication receivers. In each of the receivers, the indication of the geographical area is compared with a geographic code associated with, and stored within, the receiver. Each of the receivers also relays the information to the user of the receiver if the geographic code indicates that the receiver is located within the geographical area. |
| US08041327B2 |
Wideband resistive input mixer with noise-cancelled impedance
A radio frequency (RF) mixing circuit including a quadrature mixer that receives non-overlapping in-phase and quadrature local oscillator (LO) signals, and a plurality of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) operatively connected to the quadrature mixer, the plurality of LNAs presenting an input impedance at a baseband. A first voltage at an input node of the quadrature mixer is equal to a second voltage across the impedance up-converted to a frequency of a LO signal received by the quadrature mixer. The second voltage across the LNA input impedance includes a frequency of an input signal of the quadrature mixer down-converted by a frequency of the in-phase and quadrature LO signals and filtered by the impedance. The quadrature mixer down-converts an input signal by a frequency of the in-phase and quadrature LO signals and transfers the noise cancelled impedance to a RF to achieve a noise cancelled match. |
| US08041326B2 |
Data transmission method
A data transmission system includes a transmitter configured to transmit a data signal in the form of a data stream of data bursts in at least two transmission modes to a receiver, in the first mode a reference signal being transmitted by the transmitter in each data burst and being evaluated in the receiver, and in the second mode no reference signal being transmitted by the transmitter in each data burst. In the second mode, in place of the reference signal, additional redundancy data of the data signal are transmitted in each data burst. |
| US08041322B2 |
RF receiver device
A radio-frequency receiver includes an RF amplification circuit which amplifies a received RF signal and generates an amplified RF signal, a mixing circuit which converts the amplified RF signal into an intermediate-frequency signal, an IF amplification circuit which generates an amplified IF signal, a first level detection circuit which detects a level of the amplified RF signal, a second level detection circuit which detects a level of the IF signal, a third level detection circuit which detects a level of the amplified IF signal, a RF reference level generation circuit which generates an RF reference level based on one of respective detection signal levels of the first and second level detection circuits, and an RF gain control circuits which controls an amplification gain of the RF amplification circuit so that a detection signal level of the third level detection circuit becomes equal to the RF reference level. |
| US08041318B2 |
Relative frequency error compensation for multi-carrier receivers
A wireless receiver utilizes a single analog oscillator to down-convert multi-carrier signals in one or more receiver front-end paths. The received signals are digitized, and the different carrier signals received at each antenna are separated in digital domain by mixing the digitized signal from each antenna with a carrier/antenna separation digital oscillator to down-convert a desired carrier signal and low-pass filtering to remove unwanted carriers. A coarse frequency correction adjusts the analog oscillator, and fine frequency corrections adjust digital oscillators mixing with the separated signals. In one embodiment, the fine frequency correction is applied to the carrier/antenna separation digital oscillators in the separation function. In another embodiment, the fine frequency correction is applied to frequency adjustment digital oscillators mixing with the separated signals. The frequency corrections may be based on reference symbols in the received signals. |
| US08041308B2 |
Method of transmitting channel quality information in mobile communication system
A method of exchanging channel quality information between a base station and a user equipment in a mobile communication system is disclosed. A method of transmitting channel quality information in a mobile communication system which transmits channel quality information from a user equipment to a base station comprises transmitting channel quality information, which is measured based on a signal received from the base station, to the base station, receiving feedback information of the channel quality information from the base station, and transmitting difference information to the base station, the difference information for matching the channel quality information transmitted from the user equipment with channel quality information received by the base station based on the feedback information. |
| US08041307B2 |
Method of controlling wireless communications
An exemplary method of controlling wireless communications includes generating a control signal that indicates a desired transmission timing of a plurality of interference signals from a respective plurality of interference devices. The control signal is transmitted to the plurality of interference devices. |
| US08041306B2 |
Cross-core calibration in a multi-radio system
A Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver includes a first RF transceiver group, a second RF transceiver group, local oscillation circuitry, and calibration control circuitry. Each of the RF transceiver group has an RF transmitter and an RF receiver. The local oscillation circuitry selectively produces a local oscillation to the first RF transceiver group and to the second RF transceiver group. The calibration control circuitry is operable to initiate calibration operations including transmitter self calibration operations, first loopback calibration operations, and second loopback calibration operations. During loopback calibration operations, test signals produced by an RF transceiver group are looped back to an RF receiver of another RF transceiver group. |
| US08041305B2 |
Selectively rendering a communication at a communication device
A method to selectively rendering a communication at a receiving communication device comprises receiving a communication and determining whether an association exists between the receiving communication device and a source of the communication. If an association does not exist between the receiving communication device and the source of the communication, rendering the communication at the receiving communication device or distributing the communication to the receiving communication device in order for the communication to be rendered at the receiving communication device. If an association does exist between the receiving communication device and the source of the communication, preventing the communication from being rendered at the receiving device. |
| US08041296B2 |
Profile and capability of WAP-terminal with external devices connected
Data communication system and a method in a data communication system comprising a terminal 2, e.g. a mobile phone, adapted to communicate with an application server 4 using a wireless transmission protocol, preferably WAP, including a terminal profile. The wireless transmission protocol also includes an attached device's profile that is dynamically updated with data related to a device 12 attached to the terminal. |
| US08041289B2 |
Interactive book with detection of lifted flaps
An interactive system for providing multimedia data in response to interaction with lift-the-flap elements. The system may include a housing which forms a substantially planar surface configured to support at least one printed media sheet. The printed sheet may include at least one lift-the-flap element. The system may further include a playback device configured to provide multimedia data relating to the lift-the-flap element. The system may include a detector which is configured to detect a position of the lift-the-flap element and provide position information. The system may further include a processing unit configured to cause playback of the multimedia data via the playback device based on the position information provided by the detector. |
| US08041287B2 |
Image forming apparatus including an attachable and detachable both-face printing device
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body; an image forming section that is arranged within the image forming apparatus main body, and that forms an image in a recording medium; a discharging member that discharges the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image forming section; a driving source that normally and reversely rotates the discharging member; and a both-face printing assembly body that returns the recording medium pulled-back by reversely rotating the discharging member to the image forming section, the driving source and the both-face printing assembly body being separately freely attached and detached with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. |
| US08041286B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a structure to lift or lower a paper loading tray without a separate drive source while preventing damage to constituent elements even under an abnormal situation in that excessive force is transmitted to the paper loading tray. The image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette including a paper loading tray and a lifting member to lift or lower the paper loading tray, the paper feeding cassette being detachably coupled to the body, a power intermittence device to intermit power to be transmitted from a drive source provided in a body of the image forming apparatus to the lifting member, and a power transmission device to transmit the power transmitted through the power intermittence device to the lifting member by use of at least one worm gear. The image forming apparatus further includes a safety lever having one end to cooperate with a pickup roller assembly. The other end of the safety lever is pivotally rotatable between a first position where the other end of the safety lever restrains the power intermittence device so as not to transmit power to the lifting member and a second position where the other end of the safety lever is spaced apart from the power intermittence device so as to transmit the power to the lifting member. |
| US08041283B2 |
Sheet feeding device and image reading device
A sheet feeding device, including: a first tray on which sheets to be fed are stacked; a second tray which is disposed above the first tray to provide a two-tier structure and on which the sheets after having fed from the first tray are stacked; a sheet-feed path extending from the first tray to the second tray; a sheet-feed mechanism which is operable to separate one of the sheets stacked on the first tray, to feed the one of the sheets into the sheet-feed path, and to discharge the one of the sheets to the second tray such that the one of the sheets slides under another of the sheets that has been discharged immediately before the one of the sheets; and at least one sheet guide which is configured to warp the sheets discharged to the second tray, in a direction perpendicular to a sheet-feed direction in which the sheets are fed. |
| US08041282B2 |
Powder container, cleaning device, and image forming apparatus
A powder container includes a first container to contain powder falling from an opening located in an upper portion of the powder container, a second container that contains the powder and is located in the first container, on a route through which the powder that falls from the opening, a powder transport mechanism to transport the powder from the first container to the second container, and a detection mechanism to detect whether or not the first container is completely or nearly filled with the powder based on a load to the powder transport mechanism. |
| US08041280B2 |
Lubricant applying device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A lubricant applying unit has a residual-toner collection rate X of 50% when the lubricant applying unit has not been used. The collection rate X is obtained by X=(Ta−Tb)/Ta×100, where Ta is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has not come into contact with the lubricant applying unit, and Tb is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has come into contact with the lubricant applying unit. |
| US08041277B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a guide member configured to guide a sheet to a nip section between a heating roller and a pressing roller disposed close to the upstream side of the rollers and on the pressing roller side. A downstream end of the guide member is disposed on the heating roller side with respect to the nip surface between the rollers so that a header of the sheet to be printed is in contact with the heating roller first, and a downstream end of the fixing device introduction guide member is concavely curved. |
| US08041276B2 |
Image forming apparatus having toner with specific adherence properties
An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearer that bears a latent image to be developed as a toner image, and a second image bearer that includes an intermediate transfer member. A first transfer device transfers the toner image from the first to the second image bearers. A second transfer device transfers the toner image from the second image bearer to a printing medium. One of the below described inequalities is satisfied when the toner has been subjected to a centrifugal force of 2.6×104 (N/m2) per particle, wherein Ftp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between toner particles, Fpp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between the toner and the first image bearer, and Fbp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between the toner and the second image bearer; Fbp>Ftp, and Fbp>Fpp. |
| US08041269B2 |
Development apparatus having two developer bearers and two development chambers
A development apparatus includes a first developer chamber configured to store and supply the developer, a first developer bearer configured to convey the developer supplied from the first developer chamber to a first development domain, defined by a portion of the first developer bearer facing a latent image bearer, to develop the latent image, a second developer bearer configured to convey the developer passed through the first development domain to a second development domain, defined by a portion of the second developer bearer facing the latent image bearer, to develop the latent image, a second developer chamber configured to recover the developer passing through the second development domain and store the recovered developer, and a transfer prevention member provided between the second developer chamber and the second developer bearer to reduce a transfer of the developer from the second developer chamber to the second developer bearer. |
| US08041267B2 |
Developing device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a toner carrying member and an electric-field forming unit. The electric-field forming unit forms electric fields having different characteristics at a first area of the surface of the toner carrying member located within a developing area and a second area of the surface of the toner carrying member located out of the developing area such that a hopping height of toner at the first area is higher than that at the second area. |
| US08041261B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a light scanning lamp blocking device, operating method thereof and a cartridge usable with the image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body, a light scanning lamp, and a lamp controller. The image forming apparatus has a surface capable of accepting an electric potential. The light scanning lamp can scan a lamp light toward the photosensitive body to change the electric potential of the photosensitive body. The lamp controller moves between a blocking position to block the lamp light from reaching the surface of the photosensitive body, and an unblocking position that is spaced from the blocking position and allows the lamp light to reach the surface of the photosensitive body. |
| US08041258B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge is configured to be mounted in an apparatus main body along a predetermined mounting direction. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum drive input member into which a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is inputted; and a frame which holds the photosensitive drum and the drum drive input member; the frame including: a substantially cylindrical first protecting member which is formed on the frame. The first protecting member is configured to accommodate the drum drive input member, and project in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, wherein a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at a downstream side in the mounting direction is smaller than a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at an upstream side in the mounting direction. |
| US08041250B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus with seal members
A developing device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a housing; a developing roller comprising a roller main body having a circumferential surface, the developing roller being rotatably supported to the housing; and seal members respectively disposed to face both end portions of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to a rotational axis direction thereof and to press contact with the roller main body. Each of the seal members comprises: a base material formed of an elastic element; and a sliding frictional member that is formed of fibers and contacts with the circumferential surface of the roller main body such that the roller main body frictionally slides on the sliding frictional member. Both edges of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to the rotational axis direction thereof are brought into contact with the base materials. |
| US08041249B2 |
Developer collecting/charging device, image forming apparatus and cleaning method
After-transfer remaining toner is reversely transferred from a transfer member to an image carrier. A toner collecting/charging device for temporarily collecting and charging the after-transfer remaining toner remaining on the transfer member includes a toner collecting/charging roller which is provided in such proximity to the transfer member as not to make contact with a primarily transferred toner image, and which has a collecting function of temporarily collecting the after-transfer remaining toner and a charging function of charging the after-transfer remaining toner to a specified polarity, power supplies which are so connected that a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage is applied to the toner collecting/charging roller, and a selector switch for changing a waveform of the AC voltage so that the toner collecting/charging roller is switched between a toner-collecting mode and a toner-releasing mode. |
| US08041247B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method of the same, recording medium for the same, and image forming system
A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image forming paper accommodating unit accommodating papers on which an image is formed, a specific paper accommodating unit accommodating specific papers, an image forming processing unit forming an image based on single-side or double-side image page data for papers, a sheet discharge unit to which the papers are discharged, and a control unit configured to control all the units, in which, when determining that the image forming job assigned to the specific papers accommodated in the specific paper accommodating unit is the double-side image forming job, the specific papers are fed from the specific paper accommodating unit based on the image page data assigned to a front side of the double-side image forming job and the image page data assigned to a rear side of the double-side image forming job are deleted. |
| US08041244B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming units respectively including first and second photosensitive members and first and second toner image forming devices for forming a toner image on the first and second photosensitive members respectively, and first and second transfer members configured to transfer the toner image formed on the first and second photosensitive members onto the belt member. The second image forming unit is arranged on a downstream side of the first image forming unit and is adjacent to the first image forming unit. An image forming apparatus further includes first and second photodischarging devices for discharging potential of the first and second photosensitive members respectively by irradiating thereon with light, wherein the first photodischarging device is turned off when the current is detected by applying the voltage to the second transfer member. |
| US08041243B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method capable of effectively transferring toner images
A first degradation degree detector detects a first degradation degree of one of a plurality of image forming devices for forming toner images, respectively, which is provided at an extreme downstream position in a direction of rotation of an intermediate transfer member. A first degradation degree judgment device judges whether or not the first degradation degree of the extreme downstream image forming device detected by the first degradation degree detector reaches a first level of deterioration. A bias controller decreases a bias to be applied by a transfer device to transfer the toner images, which are formed by the plurality of image forming devices and transferred on the intermediate transfer member, onto a transfer sheet, when the first degradation degree judgment device judges that the first degradation degree of the extreme downstream image forming device detected by the first degradation degree detector reaches the first level. |
| US08041242B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method thereof
A method of forming an image with a plurality of colors of developer, the method including generating color printing data corresponding to colors, sensing remainders of the plurality of colors of developer, converting the color printing data into mono printing data for a reference color corresponding to color density of each color printing data if at least one of colors of developer is insufficient, and printing the mono printing data. |
| US08041239B2 |
Image forming apparatus controlling the recycling of toner based on paper quality
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image supporting body, a developing device, a cleaning device, an input device, a recycling mechanism, and a controller. The image supporting body is for having a latent image based on image data formed on a surface thereof. The developing device applies a developer to the image supporting body to develop the latent image. The cleaning device eliminates developer remaining on the surface of the image supporting body, after a developer image formed by the developing has been transferred to paper. The input device receives a setting input related to a type of paper for use in image forming. The recycling mechanism transports the developer eliminated by the cleaning device to the developing device as recycled developer. The controller is configured to selectively operate the recycling mechanism based on the type of paper set by the input device. |
| US08041234B2 |
Method and apparatus for sensing locations on a belt
Aspects of the disclosure can provide a sensor system. The sensor system can include a belt having an undesirable portion and an aperture formed at a distance from the undesirable portion, a reflector located in the aperture, and a detector that senses a light reflected by the reflector to determine a location of the undesirable portion. |
| US08041231B2 |
Supervisory controlling method and supervisory controlling system of optical repeater
The present invention aims at providing a technique capable of supervising and controlling optical repeaters, without affecting transmission characteristics and wavelength bands of signal lights, by utilizing the Raman effect. To this end, the present invention provides a supervisory controlling system of an optical repeater, in an optical amplifying-and-repeating transmission system for amplifying and repeatingly transmitting signal light propagated through an optical transmission path by the optical repeater, wherein the supervisory control signal light is amplified due to the Raman effect by the signal light acting as excitation light in an optical transmission path (Raman amplifying medium), to thereby supervise and control the optical repeater in accordance with the thus Raman amplified supervisory control signal light. |
| US08041229B2 |
System and method for optoelectrical communication
A system for optoelectrical communication includes a transmitter configured to transmit optical signals. It also includes a pluggable form factor module. The module includes an input port, an output port, and a receiver configured to convert optical signals received at the input port into electrical signals. The system further includes an optoelectrical connector coupled to the module and the transmitter. The connector includes an embedded fiber coupled to the transmitter and configured to transmit the optical signals from the transmitter to the output port of the module. The connector also includes electrical contacts configured to receive the electrical signals from the receiver. The system includes a cage in a pluggable form factor configured to house the module and the connector, wherein the transmitter is positioned outside the cage. |
| US08041224B2 |
Optical frequency division multiplexed communications over the horizon
A non-line of sight (NLOS) communications system and method are provided that implement orthogonal frequency, division multiplexing. A data generator produces a digital data stream, which is converted into M parallel frequency sub-carrier digital data streams (where M is an integer), each sub-carrier is encoded with data and an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform operation is applied, and an output signal is converted to an analog signal, which is imposed onto an optical beam generated by a light source. The beam is transmitted skywards at an elevation angle above the horizon in at least one direction. The beam is scattered due to Mie and Raleigh effects, forming a scattered waveform. At least a part of the scattered waveform is received by a receiver outputting an electrical signal, which enters a DSP unit. The DSP unit digitizes the electrical signal, performs Fourier transformation and recovers data from M sub-carrier signals. |
| US08041221B2 |
Method and apparatus for coupling optical signal with packaged circuits via optical cables and lightguide couplers
Method and apparatus for coupling electrical and communication circuits, included in a packaged semiconductor comprising photo receivers, photo transmitters and photovoltaic cells, through lightguide and optical fiber cables. The packaged semiconductor combinations comprise one, two or plurality of photo elements for a single or plurality one way optical signal, receive or transmit, and a single or plurality of two way optical signal communications via direct optical links and via optical prisms, filters, half mirrors and lenses. The packaged semiconductor includes at least one optical access to a single or plurality of lightguides or optical fiber with single core and for multicore lightguides. A built-in or attachable holders are used for attaching the different lightguide cables to the one or plurality of optical accesses with the attached cable end is terminated by cutting, trimming and shaping. The packaged circuit comprising electrical switches, current sensors, basic elements such as diodes, transistors and FETs, switches and power switches and different basic electrical circuit and communication, distribution circuits including CPU, DSP and complex semiconductor circuits, as used for communicating within limited short distances through optical network of lightguides and fiber optical cables. A packaged semiconductor of an SPDT power switch circuit is integrated with an SPDT manually activated switch, for providing dual switching for lights and other electrical appliances, via manual action and remotely via the lightguide or the optical fiber. |
| US08041220B2 |
Remote control device and remote control system
A remote control device controls a medical device or a medical control device for controlling the medical device by infrared light communication, and includes: an infrared light emission unit for emitting infrared light for performing infrared light communication; a control unit for allowing the infrared light emission unit to emit first infrared light for conveying control information for control of the medical device, and second infrared light conveying predetermined information and having a frequency different from that of the first infrared light; and an infrared light reception unit for receiving the infrared light emitted from the infrared light emission unit. The control unit determines whether or not the infrared light received by the infrared light reception unit is the second infrared light. |
| US08041219B2 |
Optical network element with Brillouin effect colorless wavelength shift
A method of optical communication includes generating an amplified optical signal from at least a portion of a first optical signal having a first carrier wavelength, λ1. The amplified optical signal is applied to Brillouin media to stimulate generation of a Brillouin effect signal at a wavelength λ2. The Brillouin effect signal is modulated to produce a second optical signal having a second carrier wavelength, λ2. In one embodiment, the first optical signal is a downstream optical signal and the second optical signal is an upstream optical signal of a passive optical network. |
| US08041217B2 |
System and method for managing wavelength drift in an optical network
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for managing wavelength drift in an optical network is provided. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving traffic in one or more optical channels transmitted by one or more transmitters, each channel having successive timeslots, each transmitter assigned to transmit in a channel in allocated timeslots in the channel. The method also includes determining whether the traffic received in a particular channel in a particular timeslot was transmitted by one of the transmitters that was not assigned to transmit in the particular channel. The method further includes, if the traffic in the particular channel was transmitted by one of the transmitters that was not assigned to transmit in the particular channel, identifying the transmitter that was not assigned to transmit but that did transmit in the particular channel, assigning the identified transmitter to transmit in the particular channel, and allocating timeslots in the particular channel to the identified transmitter. |
| US08041216B2 |
System and method for channel-adaptive error-resilient burst mode transmission
In a passive optical network, an upstream transmission rate from an ONT to an OLT can be optimized by matching a transmission scheme for a channel to the upstream transmission characteristics of the channel. An FEC coding can be made channel dependent so that channels with low error rates can use minimal protection, and therefore minimal overhead, while channels with high input bit error rates can use the level of FEC coding required to produce a desired output bit error rate. |
| US08041213B2 |
Optical transmission equipment and optical network
In order to insert a regenerator into a wavelength cross-connect equipment, there is provided at least one port that demultiplexes one wavelength among the wavelength multiplexed signals that are input to a wavelength selective switch. An output of the port that demultiplexes one wavelength is input to the regenerator, and an output of the regenerator is again input to the WSS. The wavelength output from the regenerator is converted into another wavelength different from the wavelength that is input to the regenerator and can be processed by the WSS in advance. The output from the regenerator is input to the WSS through an optical coupler or another input port of the WSS. |
| US08041211B2 |
Optical signal quality monitoring apparatus and method
A sampling optical pulse generation unit emits a sampling optical pulse. The sampling optical pulse has a period different from a predetermined offset time to integral multiplication of a clock period of a data signal, and the data signal modulates an optical signal of a monitoring target. An optical sampling unit performs sampling of the optical signal of the monitoring target using an electroabsorption optical modulator. The electroabsorption optical modulator has a characteristic in which an absorption index is changed with respect to light propagating through an optical path according to a level of an electric field. The optical signal of the monitoring target is input into one of two optical terminals of the electroabsorption optical modulator. The sampling optical pulse is input into another of the two optical terminals through a photocoupler. The absorption index with respect to the optical signal of the monitoring target is lowered by generating a mutual absorption saturation characteristic of the electroabsorption optical modulator when the sampling optical pulse is supplied, and the sampling of the optical signal of the monitoring target is performed to output an optical pulse signal from the other of the two optical terminals through the photocoupler. |
| US08041208B2 |
Imaging apparatus having foreign substance removal member which overlaps shutter blade moving locus in optical axis direction
An imaging apparatus includes a foreign substance removal member configured to move along a surface of an optical member to remove foreign substances, a shutter blade configured to open and close an photographic optical path, the shutter blade being disposed closer to an object side than the optical member, and a cover plate configured to restrict an operation range of the shutter blade toward the optical member side, wherein the cover plate has an opening larger than the photographic optical path, and an area other than the photographic optical path of the opening includes a standby position for the foreign substance removal member, and at least a part of the foreign substance removal member is positioned inside the opening. |
| US08041197B2 |
Heating apparatus, heat treatment apparatus, computer program and storage medium
A heating apparatus for heating a target object W is provided with a plurality of heating light sources, including LED elements for applying heating light having a wavelength within a range from 360 to 520 nm to the object. Thus, a temperature of only the shallow surface of the object, such as a semiconductor wafer, is increased/reduced at a high speed in uniform temperature distribution, irrespective of the film type. |
| US08041193B2 |
Recording medium having data structure for managing reproduction of auxiliary presentation data and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses
In the data structure for managing reproduction of text subtitle data, a recording area stores at least one subplayitem. The subplayitem identifies more than one clip information file name, and each clip information file named by the subplayitem indicates an associated clip of auxiliary presentation data to reproduce from the recording medium. The auxiliary presentation data in each clip is associated with at least a portion of main presentation data recorded on the recording medium, and the subplayitem indicates a single presentation interval for the associated clips. |
| US08041189B2 |
Information processing device and method, program, and recording medium
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, an information processing program, and a recording medium for said program, which are designed to facilitate the editing process and permit the recording medium to be used conveniently. The edit list editing unit 55 generates the edit list (which is information about the result of editing) according to information of various kinds which has been generated by editing in the clip data editing unit 54. The resulting edit list is stored in the memory unit 63. At this time, the edit list editing unit 55 generates the clip metadata for the edit list according to the clip metadata of the clips to be edited, which do not need to be in real time. The edit list editing unit 55 generates the discontinuous point of the LTC corresponding to the video data of the clip to be edited and also generates the conversion table for the frame number. The present invention will be applied to the assistance system for video program production. |
| US08041188B2 |
Contents recording system and contents recording method
A contents recording system and a contents recording method reducing a time taken for recording and editing of video content and other video contents. An optical disk device for recording video content and a computer are connected via a network. The computer is supplied with low resolution proxy AV data from the optical disk device, streaming reproduces it as live video and, at the same time, introduces essence marks as meta-data to any positions of the proxy AV data, and describes them in a meta-data file. Then, after finishing shooting one clip, the computer merges a meta-data file generated on the optical disk device side in accordance with camera adjustment and a meta-data file generated on the computer side in accordance with the user operation. |
| US08041180B2 |
Hardware apparatus and method having video/audio encoding and multiplexing functionality
The apparatus includes a video signal acquisition device, an audio signal acquisition device, a time information processing device, a video signal encoding device, an audio signal encoding device, a multiplexing device and an output device. The video signal acquisition device receives the video signals and converts them into digital video data. The audio signal acquisition device receives the audio signals and converts them into digital audio data. The time information processing device receives a clock signal for synchronization of the digital video and audio data. The video signal encoding device encodes the digital video data. The audio signal encoding device encodes the audio video data. The multiplexing device converts the encoded video and audio signals into a single piece of bit stream data. The output device outputs the bit stream data. The time information processing device provides the two pieces of time information respectively as a video reference clock and an audio reference clock. The video reference clock and the audio reference clock are multiplexed into the bit stream data as capture time points. |
| US08041176B2 |
Cable exit trough with cover
A cable exit trough with pivoting cover. The cover having a cover plate and a pivot plate hingedly mounted thereto for easy access to the trough. The exit trough may define an insert aperture for receiving modular cable management inserts. The modular insert providing an additional cable management device such as a curved guidewall. The cable management device may alternatively be fixed to the cable exit trough. Removable snap-mounted flanges may also be included in the exit trough. |
| US08041174B2 |
Cable exit trough with insert
A cable exit trough defining an insert aperture for receiving a modular cable management inserts. The modular insert providing an additional cable management device such as a curved guidewall. The cable management device may alternatively be fixed to the cable exit trough. Removable snap-mounted flanges may also be included in the exit trough. The exit trough may also include an exit cover having a cover plate and a pivot plate hingedly mounted thereto for easy access to the trough. |
| US08041171B2 |
Nanocomposites
This invention provides composite materials comprising nanostructures (e.g., nanowires, branched nanowires, nanotetrapods, nanocrystals, and nanoparticles). Methods and compositions for making such nanocomposites are also provided, as are articles comprising such composites. Waveguides and light concentrators comprising nanostructures (not necessarily as part of a nanocomposite) are additional features of the invention. |
| US08041169B2 |
Optical signal processing device
An optical signal processing device has nonlinear optical medium, first and second power controllers, and polarization controllers. To the nonlinear optical medium, signal light, and first and second pumping lights having wavelengths different from the signal light are input. The first and the second power controllers are provided at the input side of the nonlinear optical medium, and control the powers of the first and the second pumping lights so that a predetermined gain is obtained in the nonlinear optical medium. The polarization controllers are provided at the input side of the nonlinear optical medium, and adjust the first and the second pumping lights so that the polarization states of the first and the second pumping lights are mutually orthogonal. |
| US08041167B2 |
Optical-fiber loose tube cables
Disclosed is an improved optical fiber that employs a novel coating system. When combined with a bend-insensitive glass fiber, the novel coating system according to the present invention yields an optical fiber having exceptionally low losses.The coating system features (i) a softer primary coating with excellent low-temperature characteristics to protect against microbending in any environment and in the toughest physical situations and, optionally, (ii) a colored secondary coating possessing enhanced color strength and vividness.The improved coating system provides optical fibers that are useful in buffer tubes and cables having relatively high filling coefficients and fiber counts. |
| US08041166B2 |
Flat drop cable
The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic cable including an outer jacket having an elongated transverse cross-sectional profile defining a major axis and a minor axis. The transverse cross-sectional profile has a maximum width that extends along the major axis and a maximum thickness that extends along the minor axis. The maximum width of the transverse cross-sectional profile is longer than the maximum thickness of the transverse cross-sectional profile. The outer jacket also defines first and second separate passages that extend through the outer jacket along a lengthwise axis of the outer jacket. The second passage has a transverse cross-sectional profile that is elongated in an orientation extending along the major axis of the outer jacket. The fiber optic cable also includes a plurality of optical fibers positioned within the first passage a tensile strength member positioned within the second passage. The tensile strength member has a highly flexible construction and a transverse cross-sectional profile that is elongated in the orientation extending along the major axis. |
| US08041162B2 |
Delivering light via optical waveguide and multi-view optical probe head
Techniques, apparatus and systems that use an optical probe head to deliver light to a target and to collect light from the target for imaging, monitoring, medical diagnostics and medical treatment applications. |
| US08041161B1 |
Adaptive photonic coupler
A method to maximize the coupling efficiency between a collimated, free-space optical signal and a fiber optic waveguide using an active optical element to steer and focus the collimated beam driven by an adaptive controller that periodically auto-calibrates the active optical element's parameters to maximize the measured power received by the waveguide using a gradient ascent optimization algorithm. |
| US08041160B2 |
Optical communications device having a mounting core and method
A parallel optical communications device is provided that has a mounting core that functions as a mounting system for mounting core components of the parallel optical communications device. In addition, the mounting core functions as a heat dissipation system for the core components of the parallel optical communications device, and also protects the core components and other elements of the communications device from dust and damage that can be caused by handling and other factors. In addition to performing the aforementioned functions, the mounting core is configured to enable the parallel optical communications device to be made extremely small in size while also protecting signal integrity. |
| US08041154B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method and program
An information processing apparatus includes clustering means for performing clustering on multiple images so as to more strongly connect the images at a closer distance based on the distances determined by metadata of the images, and grouping means for grouping the images such that the number of images of each group can be equal to or lower than a predetermined number of images in accordance with the strength of connection among the images. |
| US08041150B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the surface area of a threaded fastener
A method and apparatus are provided for the determination of a surface area of a fastener, such as a threaded fastener. Specifically, an image of the fastener is acquired, and the image is separated into at least two regions, for instance three regions, and the surface area of each region is determined. The surface areas determined for each region are summed to determine the surface area of the fastener. |
| US08041149B2 |
Image processing apparatus, and control method and program of the same
It is intended to provide an image composition apparatus, a control method and program of an image processing apparatus which, when a user wants to combine a photo image and a handwritten image, even if the image processing apparatus is used for other purposes or even if the power of the image processing apparatus is turned off while the user is creating the handwritten image, enables the user to subsequently resume the image composition work. |
| US08041144B2 |
Apparatus and method for improving visibility of an image in a high illuminance environment
An apparatus and method for improving visibility of an image. The apparatus includes: a lookup table (LUT) generating module generating an LUT having image data in a high illuminance environment corresponding to image data of an input image set therein so as to increase lightness and chroma of the input image according to external illuminance; an image mapping module mapping the image data of the input image into the image data in the high illuminance environment on the basis of the generated LUT; and a local contrast increasing module increasing local contrast of the mapped image data using a parameter for adjusting the local contrast according to the external illuminance. |
| US08041138B2 |
Image processor
An image taken via lens system (100) and CCD (101) is converted at A/D (102) into digital signals that are then stored in buffer (103). An output of buffer (103) is connected to output block (106) via noise reduction processing block (104), edge enhancement processing block (107) and signal processing block (105) in order. Noise reduction processing block (104) separated an image signal read out of buffer (103) into multiple frequency components. Transform processing is applied to the respective separated components that are then synthesized for noise reductions. |
| US08041135B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and control method thereof
An apparatus and method encodes into block units an image in which halftone images and character and/or line images are mixed, and makes a substitution value, substituting for pixels in which pixels of a character and/or line image exist, a value whereby the occurrence of quantization errors of direct current components after frequency conversion is substantially zero, thereby minimizing block distortion of images when decoding. Therefore, a blocking unit inputs images in 8×8 pixel blocks. An acquisition unit acquires pixel data of character and/or line images as acquisition color information and acquires identification information identifying character and/or line image pixel positions. A substitution unit substitutes pixel data acquired as character and/or line images in image data of input blocks with a substitution value determined based on pixel data having halftone attributes. |
| US08041130B2 |
Compressive overdrive circuit and associated method
A compressive overdrive circuit includes: a compression unit for compressing a current frame to generate compressed data for buffering, where the compressed data comprises pixel values of a plurality of non-encoded pixels and a plurality of index values associated with the non-encoded pixels; and a decompression unit for decompressing according to the pixel values of the non-encoded pixels and the index values to generate data of a previous frame. The overdrive circuit performs overdrive processing according to the current frame and the previous frame. |
| US08041128B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for processing image having hierarchical structure
The image processing apparatus comprises a wavelet transform unit, a frame buffer, a quantization unit, a bit plane coding unit, an arithmetic coding unit, and a stream generating unit, and converts an original image into coded image data hierarchically by using these units. A copyright level management table manages copyright levels to be permitted to users who use the coded image data. A copyright level recording unit records copyright level information on the corresponding profile into a header or other areas of the coded image data in consideration of such factors as users and regions to be provided. |
| US08041126B1 |
Intelligent document scanning
A method, apparatus, and system, for scanning a first portion of a data to generate a second portion of data is provided. A control parameter relating to a level of detail associated with filtering a first portion of data is received. The filtering of the first portion of data is performed based upon the control parameter. The filtering of the first portion of data includes a rule-based filtering, a context-based filtering, a statistical-based filtering, or a semantic-based filtering. Performing the filtering provides for a reduction of a portion of the first portion of data. A second portion of data that is smaller than the first portion of data is provided based upon the filtering of the first portion of data. |
| US08041122B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method for controlling image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing related program
An image processing apparatus can generate a vector sequence representing each color region of a color image. The image processing apparatus divides the image into plural regions based on attribute information of the image, and extracts region boundary information relating to a boundary line between different regions. The image processing apparatus generates inter-edge point vector data for each boundary connecting a first edge point to a second edge point corresponding to intersections of boundaries between neighboring regions, based on the extracted region boundary information. The image processing apparatus identifies one or more inter-edge point vector data representing a boundary of each divided region based on the generated inter-edge point vector data, and generates individual region vector data. |
| US08041121B1 |
Algorithm for rapid endmembers determination (ALRED) in hyperspectral data
A method for rapid processing of large sets of hyperspectral data. A hyperspectral image, with hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels measured at hundreds of wavelengths, can contain over a gigabyte of data. Even modern computers can be quite slow when performing involved calculations on data sets of this size. An algorithm requiring a minimal amount of floating point calculations that still yielded useful results is disclosed. |
| US08041119B2 |
Method for determining orientation of chinese words
A method for determining the orientation of Chinese words is provided. The amount of dark pixels in each column of a Chinese word image is calculated. Then, a first point, a second point, and a third point are determined. The first point and the second point correspond to the columns with the largest and the second largest amount of dark pixels, respectively. The third point is located between the first point and the second point. The Chinese word is right-side up if the third point is located on the left side of the Chinese word. The Chinese word is upside down if the third point is located on the right side of the Chinese word. |
| US08041114B2 |
Optimizing pixel labels for computer vision applications
Computer vision applications often require each pixel within an image to be assigned one of a set of labels. A method of improving the labels assigned to pixels is described which uses the quadratic pseudoboolean optimization (QPBO) algorithm. Starting with a partially labeled solution, an unlabeled pixel is assigned a value from a fully labeled reference solution and the energy of the partially labeled solution plus this additional pixel is calculated. The calculated energy is then used to generate a revised partially labeled solution using QPBO. |
| US08041111B1 |
Subjective and locatable color theme extraction for images
Systems, methods, and program products for subjective and locatable color theme extraction for images. Determining a color density for each of a plurality of colors in an image where each of the plurality of colors belongs to a color space, extracting one or more distinct theme colors from the plurality of colors based on qualitative parameters and the determined color densities, and mapping each extracted theme color to a color occurring in the image where the mapping is based on a color distance between the theme color and colors occurring in the image. |
| US08041110B2 |
Pixel interpolation method
An image processing circuit inputs pixels of an RGB Bayer array therein. A chroma value calculation circuit calculates a chroma factor (KL) for evaluating the chroma of a surrounding area of a specified pixel. A correlation value calculation circuit calculates correlation values for gray image and color image. If the chroma factor (KL) is larger than a threshold value (TH1), a correlation judgment method for color image and a pixel interpolation method for color image are selected, if the chroma factor (KL) is not larger than a threshold value (TH1) and larger than a threshold value (TH2), a correlation judgment method using a correlation value obtained by overall judgment on the correlation values for gray image and color image and a pixel interpolation method for color image are selected, and if the chroma factor (KL) is not larger than a threshold value (TH2), a correlation judgment method for gray image and a pixel interpolation method for gray image are selected. |
| US08041107B2 |
OVD (optical variable device) inspection method and inspection apparatus
A method and apparatus for inspecting defects and attachment position of an attached OVD without any influence of a change in the pattern of the OVD due to fluttering or undulation during conveyance of the printed product. Image input means and illumination means are arranged at positions where mirror reflected light and diffracted light from the OVD have values equal to or less than a threshold value upon a binarization process by image processing means. The image processing means executes the binarization process, compares the image data with the reference image data or the image data with the reference image data and the data indicating the reference position, and determines the acceptability of at least one of the form, area, and position of the OVD attached to the base material on the basis of a comparison result. |
| US08041105B2 |
Pattern evaluation method, computer-readable medium, and semiconductor device manufacturing method
A pattern evaluation method includes: acquiring a plurality of examination images obtained in regard to an evaluation target pattern, at least one of the plurality of examination images being different from the other examination images; detecting all edges of the evaluation target pattern in each of the examination images; executing alignment of the evaluation target pattern in the respective examination images with a sub-pixel accuracy based on the detected edges; superimposing the aligned pattern edges to generate a single combined edge; measuring the combined edge; and evaluating the evaluation target pattern based on a result of the measurement. |
| US08041100B2 |
System for specifying equipment causing failure
A first defect distribution superimposed image is formed by superimposing defect distributions on individual substrates processed by a causal equipment unit candidate on one another. Second defect distribution superimposed images are formed by superimposing, on one another, defect distributions on individual substrates processed by equipment units other than the causal equipment unit candidate in one same step as that executed by the causal equipment unit candidate. The first defect distribution superimposed image and the second defect distribution superimposed images are displayed in contrast on one display screen. |
| US08041098B2 |
Document processing system using full image scanning
A system for tracking currency bills comprises a currency scanning device. The scanning device includes a sensor that retrieves currency identification characteristic information of each bill processed. The currency identification characteristic information permits the unique identification of each bill processed. The system further comprises a customer identification means and means for associating each processed bill with the customer depositing the bill. Means for identifying the customer (or customer account) associated with a particular processed bill after the deposit transaction has been completed is also included in the system. |
| US08041088B2 |
Brain image alignment method and system
A technique for automatically labeling a CT image of the brain with anatomical information. The anatomical information is obtained from an atlas of the brain prepared from an MR image of the brain. The atlas contains image data that is referenced to the Talairach coordinate system. The atlas is aligned to the CT image and the coordinate system of the CT image data is transformed to the Talairach coordinate system. The alignment of the CT image and the atlas is performed using anatomical landmarks that are visible on both the CT image and the atlas. The CT image is then labeled automatically with the anatomical information in the atlas. |
| US08041087B2 |
Radiographic imaging display apparatus and method
The present invention is an anatomy display method for radiographically obtained data. The anatomy display method comprises obtaining an anatomy dataset comprised of pixels, each of the pixels having a luminance, and the pixels being arranged in slices. A portion of the anatomy dataset is selected. A representative slice of the portion of the anatomy dataset is used to establish a threshold pixel luminance within the entire selected portion of the anatomical dataset. All pixels in the selected portion of the anatomy dataset below the threshold are set to zero luminance. A selected organ in the selected portion is isolated by volumetric analysis. A volumetric matrix of the pixels corresponding to the selected organ is saved. The matrix may be further manipulated for examination by rotating it, tracking it, rendering it transparent and enlarging subvolumes. |
| US08041085B2 |
Minutiae mask
A system and method of authenticating fingerprints. A method of authenticating a fingerprint includes comparing a geometric shape of a scanned fingerprint to a corresponding geometric shape of a stored fingerprint. The geometric shape and the corresponding geometric shape are defined by vertices. The vertices are defined by minutiae points, while the vertices are spaced apart from the minutiae points. |
| US08041083B2 |
Fingerprint sensing circuit
A fingerprint sensing circuit for detecting a fingerprint of a user, including a signal source, at least a sensing unit, a resistor, an electrode, and a detecting circuit. The signal source provides a reference signal. The electrode is coupled to a reference level. The sensing unit generates a sensed value according to the electrode and the fingerprint of the user. The resistor is coupled between the signal source and the output node. The detecting circuit is coupled to the output node. The resistor, the sensing unit, and the electrode constitute a filter circuit to the signal source. At least a first signal is generated to the output node according to the reference signal and the sensed value, and the detecting circuit detects the first signal to generate a corresponding detected result indicative of the fingerprint. |
| US08041082B1 |
Inferring the gender of a face in an image
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a plurality of images having human faces. The method further includes generating a data structure having representations of the faces and associations that link the representations based on similarities in appearance between the faces. The method further includes outputting a first gender value for a first representation of a first face that indicates a gender of the first face based on one or more other gender values of one or more other representations of one or more other faces that are linked to the first representation. |
| US08041079B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting obstacle through stereovision
According to an apparatus and method for detecting an obstacle through stereovision, an image capturing module comprises a plurality of cameras and is used for capturing a plurality of images; an image processing module edge-detecting the image to generate a plurality of edge objects and object information corresponding to each edge object; an object detection module matches a focus and a horizontal spacing interval of the camera according to the object information to generate a relative object distance corresponding to each edge object; a group module compares the relative object distance with a threshold distance and groups the edge objects with the relative object distance smaller than the threshold distance to be an obstacle and obtains a relative obstacle distance corresponding to the obstacle. |
| US08041077B2 |
Method of motion detection and autonomous motion tracking using dynamic sensitivity masks in a pan-tilt camera
A method of identifying motion within a field of view includes capturing at least two sequential images within the field of view. Each of the images includes a respective array of pixel values. An array of difference values between corresponding ones of the pixel values in the sequential images is calculated. A sensitivity region map corresponding to the field of view is provided. The sensitivity region map includes a plurality of regions having different threshold values. A presence of motion is determined by comparing the difference values to corresponding ones of the threshold values. |
| US08041071B2 |
Diaphragm and speaker device
A diaphragm and a speaker unit which can prevent generation of abnormal sound by suppressing rolling phenomenon. The speaker unit has a diaphragm. The diaphragm includes a portion for supporting a voice coil, and a sound emitting portion formed continuously to one end thereof. The voice coil supporting portion has a shape extending reversely to the sound emitting direction. The sound emitting portion includes a step portion having a surface substantially perpendicular to the sound emitting direction, and a bent portion having a cross-section bent toward the inside of the voice coil supporting portion from one end of the step portion. Consequently, the voice coil supporting portion is movable to describe an arc having a radius substantially equal to the radius of curvature at the bent portion of the voice coil supporting portion and a basic point substantially identical to the center of the bent portion in the bending direction as the voice coil moves in the sound emitting direction or in the reverse direction. Rolling phenomenon can thereby be retarded, the voice coil supporting portion can be prevented from colliding against a magnetic circuit when the speaker unit is driven and generation of abnormal sound can be prevented. |
| US08041066B2 |
Wireless system for hearing communication devices providing wireless stereo reception modes
The present subject matter relates to the wireless stereo reception of first and second audio information by wireless hearing communication devices. One type of device which may employ the present subject matter is a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Various forms and protocols of signal transmission are employed in varying embodiments. The present subject matter includes various communication modes such as eavesdropping modes and relaying modes. |
| US08041064B2 |
Card type MEMS microphone
It is an object of the invention to provide an MEMS microphone having a directionality. A card type MEMS microphone according to the invention comprises a substrate having a first through hole and a second through hole, an MEMS chip in which a space formed by a diaphragm electrode and a silicon substrate is mounted in a position to surround an outlet of the first through hole and which serves to convert a sound signal propagated to the diaphragm electrode into an electric signal, and an acoustic resisting member mounted in a position covering the first through hole at a substrate surface on an opposite side to a side on which the MEMS chip is mounted, and the substrate has a terminal for transmitting an electric signal output from the MEMS chip to an electronic apparatus and takes a shape of a card which can be attached to and removed from the electronic apparatus, and the second through hole is a hole which a sound signal passes to be propagated to the diaphragm electrode around the substrate. |
| US08041063B2 |
Hearing aid and hearing aid system
A hearing aid that can reflect setting change of the hearing aid responsive to a sound environment by the user as intended, prevent the user from feeling inconvenience or displeasure caused by changing setting of the hearing aid, and enable the user to easily change the setting is provided.A hearing aid of the invention includes a microphone 101 configured to generate an input signal from an input sound, a signal processing unit 120 configured to process the input signal and generating an output signal, and a receiver 103 configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit 120 determines a time response of the input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and changes setting of the hearing aid based on the time response. |
| US08041062B2 |
Personal sound system including multi-mode ear level module with priority logic
A personal sound system is described that includes a wireless network supporting an ear-level module, a companion module and a phone. Other audio sources are supported as well. A configuration processor configures the ear-level module and the companion module for private communications, and configures the ear-level module for a plurality of signal processing modes, including a hearing aid mode, for a corresponding plurality of sources of audio data. The ear module is configured to handle variant audio sources, and control switching among them. |
| US08041061B2 |
Dipole and monopole surround sound speaker system
A speaker system utilizes dipole speaker drivers in conjunction with monopole speaker drivers in a listening area to disperse a surround sound effect to a listener. The dipole speaker drivers are physically mounted on top of the front left and right speakers and are angled in a way that the surround information is delivered to the listener via wall/room reflections. By reflecting the sound off the walls, the system provides a delayed diffuse audio signal from the dipole speakers, enhancing the surround effect. |
| US08041058B2 |
Audio processing with time advanced inserted payload signal
Audio processing apparatus in which a payload signal is inserted into a primary audio signal comprises a noise generator operable to generate a noise signal in dependence on the payload signal; a level detector for detecting a signal level of the primary signal; a modulator for respectively increasing or decreasing the level of the noise signal in response to an increase or a decrease of the detected signal level of the primary audio signal, to generate a modulated noise signal; a combiner for combining the primary signal and the modulated noise signal; and a signal delay arrangement; the modulator operating with respect to the signal delay arrangement so that a decrease in the level of the noise signal is time-advanced with respect to the corresponding decrease in the signal level of the primary audio signal. |
| US08041057B2 |
Mixing techniques for mixing audio
This disclosure describes audio mixing techniques that intelligently combine two or more audio signals into an output signal. The techniques allow audio to be combined, yet create perceptual differentiation between the different audio signals. The result is that a user is able to hear both audio signals in a combined output, but the different audio signals do not perceptually interfere with one another. The techniques are relatively simple to implement and are well suited for radio telephones. |
| US08041056B2 |
Voltage supply circuit and microphone unit comprising the same
A voltage supply circuit comprises a voltage control circuit for outputting a bias voltage control signal according to a set value based on a bias voltage of a sensor and a voltage generation circuit for generating the bias voltage to be applied to the sensor based on the bias voltage control signal. |
| US08041055B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically adjusting reminder volume on a mobile communication device
A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting volume of an audio signal on a mobile device, comprising playing the audio signal at an initial volume, sampling the audio signal, estimating a transfer function based on an echo path characteristic between the played audio signal and sampled audio signal, selecting a volume policy based on the estimated transfer function, and adjusting the volume of the audio signal in accordance with the selected volume policy. |
| US08041048B2 |
Electromagnetically-countered speaker systems and methods
The present invention relates to electromagnetically-countered speaker systems for generating acoustic sounds according to dynamic signals supplied thereto while minimizing irradiation of harmful electromagnetic waves therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to various speaker systems which do not include speaker magnets but include driver members for generating the sounds while emitting such harmful waves and counter members for generating magnetic forces for providing such sound while emitting counter electromagnetic waves capable of canceling at least a substantial portion of the harmful waves based on their configurational and phase characteristics. The present invention also relates to various speaker systems which do not include speaker magnets but include various electric and/or magnetic shields in addition to such drive and counter members. The present invention also relates to various methods of minimizing irradiation of the harmful waves of the speaker systems by the counter members, various methods of shielding such harmful waves by the electric and/or magnetic shields, and the like. The present invention further relates to various processes for providing such systems, counter members thereof, and electric and/or magnetic shields therefor. |
| US08041045B2 |
Unnatural reverberation
An electronic reverberation system employs a processor to produce a plurality of delays samples that are added to a direct signal to produce reverberant sound. The disclosed system generates or employs a list of gain value pairs that are produced based on control settings or are provided as fixed coefficients. The processor generates reverberation samples by applying these coefficients to delay samples and summing their amplitudes to produce reverberation waveform samples. The reverberation waveform samples are added to the direct signal. |
| US08041042B2 |
Method, system, apparatus and computer program product for stereo coding
A method, system, apparatus and computer program product are provided for improved stereo coding. In particular, the method, system, apparatus and computer program product provide a technique for performing Mid-Side (M/S) stereo coding, in which an additional step is added to the coding process, whereby a parameter that is used in determining when the mid and side signals will be used instead of the left and right input signals is modified prior to making the selection between the signal pairs. In particular, the masking threshold associated with either the left or the right input signal may be modified based on a relationship between the energies of the two input signals. In addition, once the selection between the signal pairs has been made, the masking thresholds of the selected signals may be further modified, again based on a relationship between the energies of the left and right input signals. |
| US08041041B1 |
Method and system for providing stereo-channel based multi-channel audio coding
A system for generating stereo-channel audio signals with surround information is disclosed. The system includes a surround mapping unit configured to receive signals from a number of audio channels and generate a pair of stereo-channel audio signals based on the audio channels. The pair of stereo-channel audio signals includes binaural and spatial information. The system also includes a stereo-channel encoder configured to receive and encode the pair of stereo-channel audio signals from the surround mapping unit thereby generating a pair of encoded stereo-channel audio signals. The system further includes a stereo-channel decoder configured to receive and decode the pair of encoded stereo-channel audio signals thereby obtaining the pair of stereo-channel audio signals. The pair of stereo-channel audio signals are capable of being used to generate surround effect. |
| US08041036B1 |
Method and apparatus for preventing the interception of data being transmitted to a web site by a monitoring program
A method and apparatus for preventing the use of data involves creating a first association between a set of labels and a first set of codes, where the set of labels contains information to be displayed on a computer, while each code in the first set of codes is associated with a particular label. An encryption key is linked with the first association. The set of labels, the first set of codes, and the first encryption key are sent to the computer. Later, when codes from the first set of codes and the first encryption key are received back from the computer, the codes returned from the computer are then matched to labels from the set of labels using the first encryption key. Subsequent, different associations between the set of labels and other sets of codes are created, and additional encryption keys are also created to identify the subsequent associations. |
| US08041032B2 |
Symmetric key encryption system with synchronously updating expanded key
A method, apparatus, and system of encryption, including embedding reconfiguration information within a ciphertext block destined for a decryptor. The decryptor identifies the reconfiguration information, extracts such information, and uses it to alter a pre-cipher, which is used for decryption. The encryptor alters its pre-cipher synchronously with the decryptor. |
| US08041031B2 |
Cryptographic primitives, error coding, and pseudo-random number improvement methods using quasigroups
Stream ciphers, including synchronous stream ciphers, self-synchronizing stream ciphers, and totally asynchronous stream ciphers, employ a working key and a quasigroup transformation, where the quasigroup used is based on an initial secret key. Error-correction and pseudo-random number generation improver methods also employ quasigroup transformations. |
| US08041020B2 |
System and method for active mobile collaboration
A communication system is provided that uses loosely-coupled client-server architectures to improve the efficiency of communications. The communication system includes client and facilitator applications. The client application is a component of processor-based mobile communication devices. The facilitator application is hosted on one or more servers or other processor-based devices, and communicates with the client application via one or more couplings. The facilitator application can also be distributed among one or more portable processor-based devices including the communication devices hosting the client application. The communication system improves efficiency of voice communications by allowing communication device users to dynamically manage how and when mobile calls take place, intelligently screen calls based on caller identity, urgency, and subject matter, determine which contacts in a directory are available to talk and which ones choose not to be disturbed, and increase accessibility of enterprise and personal contact information from mobile phones. |
| US08041017B2 |
Emergency call service with automatic third party notification and/or bridging
A system for processing emergency calls in a telecommunications network includes: receiving a first call at a node (30) of the telecommunications network from a calling party that originated the first call; detecting that the received first call is an emergency call; establishing a conference bridge in response to the detected emergency call; connecting the emergency call over the conference bridge to a designated facility (40) that handles emergency calls; and, automatically originating at least one second call from the node (30) to at least one predetermined third party that is different than the calling party and the facility (40). |
| US08041012B2 |
System and method for voice-activated dialing over implicit and explicit NFA trunks
A system for voice-activated dialing including means for initiating a call through a first connection between a user's phone and a switch at a central office; responsive to the first connection, means for initiating a second connection over the implicit trunk between the switch and a voice over internet protocol gateway; responsive to the second connection, means for initiating a third connection between the voice over internet protocol gateway and a voice-activated dialing platform; responsive to a keyword sent from the user's phone to the voice-activated dialing platform, means for disconnecting the implicit trunk and signaling the switch to connect to the voice-activated dialing platform over the explicit trunk; and responsive to a dialed number sent from the user's phone to the voice-activated dialing platform, means for handing the call off from the internet protocol gateway to the switch at the central office to process through call the implicit trunk. |
| US08041010B2 |
Splitter card with integral test access
A splitter card having integral test access devices. The splitter card allows test access to be readily provided at any location where splitter cards are typically mounted (e.g., a splitter chassis). |
| US08041009B2 |
Wired transmission line testing method
The present invention relates to a wired transmission line testing method for determining at least one physical characteristic of a wired transmission line where the wired transmission line is coupled between a first line transceiver device and a second transceiver device. The wired transmission line testing method first comprises the steps of a first transceiver sending a first known excitation signal over the wired transmission line and subsequently the step of the first transceiver and the second transceiver both generating a first representation of a received signal respectively including reflected or forwarded portions of the known excitation signal and third a processing part deriving at least one physical characteristic of the wired transmission line based on the first representations generated by the first transceiver and the second transceiver.Furthermore, the wired transmission line testing method may comprise the additional steps of the second transceiver sending a second known excitation signal, then first transceiver and second transceiver both generating a second representation of a received signal respectively including forwarded or reflected portions of the second known excitation signal and the processing part deriving the at least one physical characteristic of the wired transmission line based on the first and second representations generated by the first transceiver and the second transceiver. |
| US08041007B2 |
Methods and systems for determining the average atomic number and mass of materials
Disclosed herein are methods and systems of scanning a target for potential threats using the energy spectra of photons scattered from the target to determine the spatial distributions of average atomic number and/or mass in the target. An exemplary method comprises: illuminating each of a plurality of voxels of the target with a photon beam; determining an incident flux upon each voxel; measuring the energy spectrum of photons scattered from the voxel; determining, using the energy spectrum, the average atomic number in the voxel; and determining the mass in the voxel using the incident flux, the average atomic number of the material in the voxel, the energy spectrum, and a scattering kernel corresponding to the voxel. An exemplary system may use threat detection heuristics to determine whether to trigger further action based upon the average atomic number and/or mass of the voxels. |
| US08041006B2 |
Aspects of compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing
One aspect relates to visualizing, imaging, or providing information at least partially through at least some matter of an at least a portion of an individual, based at least in part on Compton scattering to at least partially form scattered X-rays, the Compton scattering occurring primarily in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual, wherein the visualizing, imaging, or providing information is at least partially performed by converting the scattered X-rays into an at least one scintillated viewable and/or visible light that is detectable by a user. Another aspect relates to Compton scattered X-ray based visualizing, imaging, or providing information of an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual to allow the at least one individual and/or an untrained assistant to at least partially visualize, image, or provide information into the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the individual based at least partially on Compton scattered X-rays. |
| US08041004B2 |
X-ray interferometer for phase contrast imaging
An interferometer for x-rays, in particular hard x-rays, for obtaining quantitative x-ray images from an object, includes: a) an x-ray source, preferably a standard polychromatic x-ray source, b) a diffractive beam splitter grating other than a Bragg crystal, preferably in transmission geometry, c) a position-sensitive detector with spatially modulated detection sensitivity having a number of individual pixels; d) means for recording the images of the detector in a phase-stepping approach; and e) means for evaluating the intensities for each pixel in a series of images in order to identify the characteristic of the object for each individual pixel as an absorption dominated pixel and/or an differential phase contrast dominated pixel and/or an x-ray scattering dominated pixel. |
| US08041003B2 |
Electronic packaging technique to improve sensor failure robustness
A modular sensor assembly comprises: sensor arrays electrically coupled to a sensor substrate; a plurality of integrated circuits with sensor signal processors electrically coupled to a package substrate; and an interconnect assembly including electrical paths configured to electrically couple analog output signals from a first sensor array to a first integrated circuit and from a second sensor to a second integrated circuit, the first sensor disposed adjacent to the second sensor. |
| US08040997B2 |
PH adjusting system and PH adjusting method
A pH adjusting system includes a water pit for refueling 35 that is disposed in a reactor container 10, which stores a reactor, and is capable of storing cooling water and a pH adjusting apparatus 37 that is disposed above the water pit for refueling 35 and houses a pH adjuster. The pH adjusting apparatus 37 causes a pH-adjusted solution generated by dissolving or mixing the pH adjuster to flow out to the water pit for refueling 35 below the pH adjusting apparatus 37. Consequently, even when it is difficult to dispose the pH adjusting apparatus on a floor of the water pit for refueling, it is possible to suitably perform pH adjustment in the reactor container 10. |
| US08040996B2 |
Method and system for RF signal generation utilizing a synchronous multi-modulus divider
Aspects of a method and system for RF signal generation utilizing a synchronous multi-modulus divider are provided. In this regard, a feedback signal of a PLL may be generated by clocking a counter with an RF signal output by the PLL and toggling the feedback signal each time a determined value of the counter is reached. Moreover, updates of each register in the counter and transitions of the feedback signal may be synchronous with the RF signal output by the PLL. The PLL may be part of a cellular transmitter and/or receiver which may communicate over an EDGE network. A counting sequence of the counter may be determined, at least in part, by an output of a ΔΣ modulator. In this regard, a first counting sequence may be utilized when an output of the ΔΣ modulator may be asserted and a second counting sequence may be utilized when the output of ΔΣ modulator may be de-asserted. |
| US08040992B2 |
Method of transmitting time information with fixed latency
The invention relates to a method of transmitting time information relating to the clock of the source of a sending part consisting in using a fixed latency indicator signal to authorize the source to insert time information used to slave the clock of the decoder of the associated receiving part to its clock. |
| US08040991B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing multimedia data stream
A method and an apparatus for synchronizing a data stream are disclosed. The method comprises: decoding the data stream to generate a decoded data stream and program clock references; generating a local clock reference; generating a simulated clock reference according to the program clock references and the local clock reference; comparing the local clock reference with the simulated clock reference; adjusting a processing timing of the decoded data stream according to the comparison result; and processing the decoded data stream according to the processing timing. |
| US08040990B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating sampling frequency offset, and sampling timing recovery loop including the apparatus
An apparatus for estimating a sampling frequency offset includes a waveform characteristic extraction unit, a variation quantity calculation unit, and a SFO (sampling frequency offset) estimator. The waveform characteristic extraction unit extracts a waveform characteristic of a training sequence period in one frame period of a sample data signal and outputs a waveform characteristic value corresponding to the waveform characteristic of the training sequence period. The variation quantity calculation unit calculates a waveform characteristic variation quantity representing a variation quantity in waveform characteristic between an m-th frame and an (m−k)-th frame based on a waveform characteristic value in the m-th frame and a waveform characteristic value in the (m−k)-th frame, where m and k are independently integers of 1 or more. The SFO estimator estimates an SFO of the sample data signal based on the waveform characteristic variation quantity. |
| US08040989B2 |
System and method for sampling rate adjustment of digital radio receiver
Methods and systems for adjusting a sampling rate of a digital radio receiver are disclosed that comprise the steps of receiving from a decoder a first frame of data having a first number of samples; determining at the digital radio receiver a phase difference between a receiver clock and a transmitter clock; generating at the digital radio receiver a second frame of data having a second number of samples, wherein the second number of samples depends on the phase difference between the receiver clock and the transmitter clock such that the second number of samples is less than the first number of samples if the transmitter clock is ahead of the receiver clock, and the second number of samples is greater than the first number of samples if the receiver clock is ahead of the transmitter clock; outputting the second frame of data having the second number of samples; and requesting a next frame of data from the decoder at a time that is earlier than a processing time for the first number of samples if the transmitter clock is ahead of the receiver clock and at a time that is later than the processing time for the first number of samples if the receiver clock is ahead of the transmitter clock such that the next frame of data from the decoder and a next transmitter frame are synchronized, and wherein whether the second number of samples is greater than or less than the first number of samples is determined by whether the sampling rate is increased or decreased. |
| US08040987B2 |
Channel estimating apparatus and method for use in a broadband wireless communication system
A Channel estimating apparatus and method for use in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. The receiving method includes determining a control unit for a channel estimation using burst allocation information of selected sectors; extracting pilot symbols from received data based on the control unit; and acquiring a channel estimate value for each transmission unit by performing a Joint Channel Estimation (JCE) with the extracted pilot symbols that are based on the control unit. |
| US08040978B2 |
Tracking system
The present invention relates to a tracking system comprised in a receiver, which tracking system is operable to track rapid changes in frequency and phase offset. The tracking system comprises a first system operable to perform a pilot-based phase and frequency tracking. The tracking system also comprises a second system operable to perform data-based phase and frequency tracking. The tracking system also comprises a control means connected to said first system and to said second system, which control means is operable to gradually reduce the effect of said first system, i.e. said pilot-based phase and frequency tracking. |
| US08040976B2 |
Digital receiver and method
A receiver and method is provided for sigma-delta converting an RF signal to a digital signal and downconverting to a digital baseband signal. The RF signal is split into N phases, as can be accomplished using a sample and hold circuit, and each phase is digitized, as can be accomplished using an analog-to-digital (A/D) sigma-delta converter. Polyphase decimation techniques and demodulation are applied to the phased signals to generate a demodulated digital signal. The demodulated digital signal is further downconverted to the appropriate baseband signal. |
| US08040974B2 |
Shift space-time coding for digital video broadcasting systems
A shift space-time encoding scheme applies STBC over hierarchical modulation. A low-priority bit stream is modulated to complex symbols using STBC encoding and a high-priority bit stream is modulated to complex symbols without STBC encoding. Complex symbols from the low-priority bit stream together with the complex symbols from the high-priority bit stream are added to form a hierarchical 64-QAM constellation. |
| US08040967B2 |
Noise power interpolation in a multi-carrier system
A signal is received in a telecommunication network in the form of P signals received on P corresponding antennas, where P is greater than or equal to 1. The received signals correspond to a multi-carrier signal transmitted in the form of flames comprising symbols occupying corresponding positions distributed along a time axis and along a frequency axis; a frame comprising M blocks each having at least N reference symbols. The reference symbols in each of the blocks satisfy a first maximum spacing between each other along the time axis and a second maximum spacing between each other along the frequency axis, less than a first value and a second value respectively, M being an integer number equal to at least two. M estimated noise power values are determined at frame level, each related to one of the M emitted reference symbol blocks. Values of the estimated noise power for the other symbols in the frame are then obtained from the determined estimated noise power values. |
| US08040966B2 |
Communication data using wideband communications
This disclosure relates to varying load and modulation applied to each of multiple frequency subchannels based on anticipated attenuation experienced by those subchannels. Communicating data includes identifying a static component of a transmission medium for wideband communications having at least two subchannels determining a function of noise is attenuation versus frequency for the static component selecting wideband modulation schemes for the subchannels based on the function determined and communicating a data signal over the subchannels. The transmission medium includes a medium other than a copper telephone wire between and including a carrier facility and a termination of the copper telephone wire at an access point at a user premise and copper telephone wire in a cable riser in multitenant units and multi-dwelling buildings. Independent demodulation functions may be applied to at least two of the subchannels. |
| US08040963B2 |
Method for reducing peak-to-average power ratio in an OFDM transmission system
The Peak-to-Average Power Ratio in an OFDM transmission system is reduced based on a complementary parity coding in which the coding rules are derived from an appropriate auto-correlation property of transmitted symbol sequences. |
| US08040961B2 |
Sample rearrangement for a communication system with cyclic extension
Signal detectivity is improved by implementation of address adjustment to reorder samples and to discard undesired samples. Such reordering is utilized when the time order of received samples are distorted and/or corrupted, which can occur in at least three situations. If the samples are distorted in time order, the samples are rearranged to allow the samples to return to proper order. The samples, if corrupted, are discarded and replaced with zero samples. |
| US08040957B2 |
Adaptive filtering based upon boundary strength
Adjacent regions are identified in an image. Coding parameters for the adjacent regions are identified. Selective filtering is performed at the region between the identified adjacent regions. |
| US08040956B2 |
Image decoding apparatus
An image decoding apparatus is capable of decoding coded bit streams with different coding schemes. The image decoding apparatus includes a coding scheme decision section for deciding a coding scheme from coding scheme identification information multiplexed into a coded bit stream, a setting unit for setting header information on a second coding scheme in accordance with header information in a first coding scheme, and a decoder for decoding image coded data in the first coding scheme in response to the header information on the second coding scheme, which is set. |
| US08040954B2 |
Picture coding and decoding apparatuses and methods performing variable length coding and decoding on a slice header stream and arithmetic coding and decoding on a slice data stream
A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal. |
| US08040949B2 |
Video encoding methods and devices
A dual, and possibly multiple, frame approach is used by the invention. Embodiments of the invention include making a decision to use a long term reference frame, which is a frame other than an immediate past reference frame, to conduct INTER coding, or to conduct INTRA frame coding. Other embodiments include use of long and short term reference blocks, and make a decision between two types of INTER coding blocks and INTRA coding. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a long term frame is a high quality frame. The high quality frame may be used as a reference frame under particular conditions. |
| US08040947B2 |
Bitrate control device for controlling bitrate of video data
A bitrate control device controls bitrate of video data and includes: a setting module that sets, for each frame in the video data, a target code amount to be used in encoding the frame by an encoding module for maintaining a given bitrate; an adjusting module that adjusts the target code amount set by the setting module based on given information; and a managing module that is configured to perform: saving a code amount corresponding to an amount reduced in the target code amount by the adjusting module in a virtual storage management buffer having a given upper limit, when the adjusting module adjusts to reduce the target code amount; and withdrawing a code amount corresponding to an amount increased in the target code amount by the adjusting module from the virtual storage management buffer, when the adjusting module adjusts to increase the target code amount. |
| US08040943B1 |
Least mean square (LMS) engine for multilevel signal
A method and an apparatus for slicing a multilevel analog signal using a two-level slicer having one threshold level to generate an analog error signal. The method may be performed by delaying a received multilevel analog signal in a plurality of serial analog stages (n), further delaying a multilevel analog signal tapped from stage n, combining the further delayed signal from stage n with an analog error signal e(t) to provide an analog weighting function Wn, wherein the combining of the delayed signal from stage n with Wn results in a plurality of signals XnWn, summing the plurality of signals XnWn, slicing a multilevel analog signal resulting from the summing of the plurality of signals XnWn using one threshold level to generate the analog error signal e(t), and combining the delayed signal from stage n with Wn. |
| US08040938B2 |
Method and apparatus for extended least squares estimation for generalized rake receiver parameters using multiple base stations
Exemplary combining weight generation is based on estimating received signal impairment correlations using a weighted summation of interference impairment terms, such as an interference correlation matrix associated with a transmitting base station, and a noise impairment term, such as a noise correlation matrix, the impairment terms scaled by fitting parameters. The estimate is updated based on adapting the fitting parameters responsive to measured signal impairment correlations. The interference matrices are calculated from channel estimates and delay information, and knowledge of the receive filter pulse shape. Instantaneous values of the fitting parameters are determined by fitting the impairment correlation terms to impairment correlations measured at successive time instants and the fitting parameters are adapted at each time instant by updating the fitting parameters based on the instantaneous values. |
| US08040930B2 |
Drive circuit for semiconductor light emitting element, and light source device, lighting device, monitor device, and image display device using the drive circuit
A drive circuit for driving a semiconductor light emitting element includes a board, a first pattern formed in a first layer of the board so as to be electrically connected to an anode of the semiconductor light emitting element, and a second pattern formed in a second layer of the board so as to be electrically connected to a cathode of the semiconductor light emitting element, and the first pattern and the second pattern are formed so as to overlap with each other when viewed in a direction along a normal line of the board. |
| US08040927B2 |
Ring or linear cavity of all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system and method of operating the same
A ring-cavity or linear-cavity all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system and method of operating the same are provided. The all-fiber-based ultra short pulse laser system includes a pulse pump light source, a gain fiber, a first fiber signal pump combining unit, a broadband optical isolator, a fiber saturable absorber, an assistant light source, a second fiber signal pump combining unit, and a light coupling output. The first fiber signal pump combining unit is respectively connected to the pulse pump light source and the gain fiber to emit broadband amplified spontaneous emission, then the broadband amplified spontaneous emission passes through the broadband optical isolator. The second fiber signal pump combining unit is respectively connected to the assistant light source and the fiber saturable absorber. An ASE signal actively provides passive mode locking of the cavity, and the light coupling output partially outputs the laser. A dispersion fiber controls the temporal width. |
| US08040920B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data
A digital broadcasting system and method of processing data are disclosed. Herein, a method of processing data in a transmitting system includes creating a data group including a plurality of mobile service data packets, re-adjusting a relative position of at least one main service data packet of a main service data section, the main service data section including a plurality of main service data packets, and multiplexing the mobile service data of the data group and the main service data of the main service data section in burst units. Herein, a position of an audio data packet among the main service data packets of the main service data section may be re-adjusted. Also, a position of an audio data packet included in the main service data section may be re-adjusted based upon a multiplexing position of the main service data section. |
| US08040910B2 |
Method and system for data exchange with a multimedia and ethernet enabled LAN subsystem
Aspects of a method and system for data exchange with a multimedia and Ethernet enabled LAN subsystem are provided. A networking subsystem may receive a protocol data unit via a network link, extract audio and/or video data from the protocol data unit, and communicate the audio and/or video data to an audio and/or video processor via a bus that bypasses the one or both of a northbridge and a southbridge. A networking subsystem may receive audio and/or video data from an audio and/or video processor via a bus that bypasses said one or both of a northbridge and a southbridge, encapsulate the audio and/or video data into a protocol data unit, and transmit the protocol data unit onto a network link. The protocol data unit may be received over said the network link utilizing Ethernet physical layer protocols. The bus may be scaled based on a type, format, and/or rate of data communicated over it. |
| US08040907B2 |
Switching method
A switching device comprising a plurality of ingress ports and a plurality of egress ports. The switching device is arranged to receive data packets through the ingress ports and to forward received data packets to respective ones of the egress ports. The switching device further comprises an ingress module for each of the ingress ports, each ingress module being arranged to receive data packets from a respective single one of the ingress ports and to store the received data packets in one of a plurality of data structures provided by the ingress module, each ingress module being further configured to select a data packet from one of the plurality of data structures, and to request permission to transmit the selected data packet to an egress port. The switching device also comprises at least one egress module arranged to receive a plurality of requests for permission to transmit data packets through a particular egress port, the request being generated by the plurality of ingress modules, and to select one of the plurality of requests. |
| US08040903B2 |
Automated configuration of point-to-point load balancing between teamed network resources of peer devices
A plurality of peer network devices are configured to load-balance data transmitted between them on a point-by-point basis. Each peer device has a team of network resources coupling it to a local area network. A peer device transmitting data to one of the other peer devices load-balances the data over the team of resources of the receiving one of the peer devices. Each peer device multicasts to the other peer devices a data frame from that includes peer data defining attributes of the team of the multicasting peer device. The multicast data frame is updated with new peer data whenever one or more of the attributes of the team of the multicasting peer device are changed. |
| US08040900B2 |
N-port network adaptor
Methods, systems and computer program products for an N-port network adaptor that is interchangeable between a network switch and a network adaptor. Embodiments of the invention include a method in a network device having a random access memory, a nonvolatile random access memory and a flash memory, the method including operating in a network switch/router mode of operation, operating in a network adapter mode of operation and switching in between the network switch/router operation and the network adapter operation in response to receiving a device configuration signal. |
| US08040899B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing automatic protection switching for media packets transmitted over an ethernet switching fabric
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing automatic protection switching for media packets, such as ATM cells or IP packets that carry media content, in a device that includes an Ethernet switching fabric are disclosed. According to one method, first and second packet network interfaces of the device are configured to function as working and protection APS interfaces. At least one of a media processing resource and an Ethernet switch fabric of the device are configured to replicate egress media packets from the media processing resource to the working and protection APS interfaces. Egress media packets from the media processing resource are forwarded to the working and protection APS interfaces via the switch fabric. Ingress media packets received at the working APS interface are forwarded to the media processing resource via the Ethernet switch fabric. Media packets received at the protection APS interface are discarded. |
| US08040898B2 |
Wireless terminal, access point, system provided with the same, and wireless communication method
A wireless LAN communications system with high transmission efficiency is provided. When a first wireless terminal normally receives a Data1 signal from an access point, the wireless terminal transmits an ACK signal. In the case where the wireless terminal has transmission data, the client transmits a Data2 signal to the access point after an SIFS interval. Meanwhile, when the access point or a second wireless terminal receives the ACK signal from the first wireless terminal, the second client waits a (DIFS+random number) interval, in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. As a result, the first wireless terminal is able to transmit the Data2 signal with priority, without interference from signals from other devices. |
| US08040896B2 |
Service selection in a shared access network using virtual networks
The present invention discloses a method and architecture for enabling multiple services or service providers to share the facilities of an access network infrastructure that provides physical connectivity to subscribers. |
| US08040892B2 |
Switching system and method for communicating information at a customer premises
A switching system (14) at a customer premises communicates information associated with one or more subscribers. The switching system (14) includes multiple subscriber line ports (17) for communicating xDSL signals with subscribers, the xDSL signals containing both data signals and POTS voice signals. A logical port (20) communicates data signals and packetized voice signals from the subscribers with a central office, the switching system (14) converting between the POTS voice signals of the subscriber lines (16) and the packetized voice signals of the logical port (20). A LAN port (21) communicates data signals with a server complex (23) using a LAN (22) to provide data services to the subscribers. The switching system (14) may include a switch (32) that receives voice signals on a first virtual circuit (VC), switches the voice signals out of the switching system (14) on the first VC, and also communicates received data signals for routing. A router (32) within the switching system (14) may receive the data signals from the switch (32) on a second VC, determine a third VC for the data signals, and route the data signals to the switch (32) on the third VC for communication out of the switching system (14) on the third VC. |
| US08040887B2 |
Encapsulation of E1-type frames under ethernet
An apparatus (D) is dedicated to processing E1 data frames in communications network equipment (ETPL) including at least one E1 line interface unit (LIU1). The apparatus (D) includes a processor adapted, on receiving from at least one E1 interface unit (LIU1) at least one E1-type frame addressed to a given E1 destination port, to encapsulate that E1-type frame in a payload data field of an Ethernet frame in order to send it to an Ethernet destination port providing access to the given E1 destination port. |
| US08040885B2 |
Wireless network system and communication method in a wireless network
Disclosed is a wireless network system and a method for transmitting and receiving various information and data related to broadcast or multicast services in a wireless network. |
| US08040883B2 |
Probe insertion for one or more network address translated addresses
In various embodiments, one or more methods and/or systems described may provide probing and/or data replication capabilities for monitoring a user's computing device and the data the user's computing device transmits and/or receives to and/or from one or more networks. In some embodiments, an authorization signal may be intercepted, where the authorization signal may convey information about the user and/or the user's computing device, and a probe to replicate data to and/or from the user's computing device may be initiated. In various embodiments, the replicated data may be communicated to a mediation computing device, where one or more analyses may be performed. |
| US08040877B2 |
Voice over IP architecture
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network is described in which session state is maintained in access switches, but not signaling gateways which maintain transaction state only during pendency of a related transaction. The signaling gateway further provides transparent inter-operation between the VoIP network and non-IP networks, such as the PSTN, by means of a translator which directly translates messages between the networks. |
| US08040875B2 |
Network support for caller ID verification
Caller ID information provided coincident to a Voice over IP (VoIP) call is validated by one or more network devices. An originating router detects an offered IP address associated with a calling party node, for example, upon receiving a SIP Invite message initiated by the calling party node. The originating router determines the validity of the offered IP address and hence determines the validity of the Caller ID information based on the validity of the offered IP address. The originating router sends indicia of the validity to a terminating router, connected to a called party node, by inserting a verification bit in the SIP Invite message and sending the transformed SIP Invite message to the terminating router. Alternatively, the terminating router may query the originating router for indicia of validity. Upon receiving the indicia of validity, the terminating router may notify the called party node and so inform the called party whether it can rely on the Caller ID information. |
| US08040872B2 |
Frame forwarding apparatus
A MVAC spoofed frame or a loop frame generated by a user is prevented from obstructing communication and the source port ID of a fraud is reported to the network administrator. A MAC frame forwarding apparatus adds the input port ID and the source MAC address of a received frame. The MAC frame forwarding apparatus has a frame forwarding management table and a frame discarding management table. The frame discarding management table has a MAC address to be discarded, indicating a received frame to be discarded if the address matches the source MAC address of the received frame, a target port ID, and the number of discarded frames. A management apparatus discards a received frame if the source MAC address matches the MAC address to be discarded and counts the number of discarded frames. If the number of discarded frames exceeds a predetermined level, the port ID, the MAC address, and the number of discarded frames are reported to the management apparatus, and the source port of the fraud is reported to the administrator. |
| US08040870B1 |
Automatic timing synchronization for wireless radio networks
Radios synchronize their timing mechanisms using a timing signal that those radios propagate from one radio to another. Radios that are close to each other transmit only during times that none of the other nearby radios is trying to receive. In one scheme, a “master” radio initiates communication while another “slave” radio responds in a pre-determined manner. The master generates and propagates an inverted timing signal to the slave, which propagates approximately the same inverted timing signal to other radios in the slave's cluster. Each radio can be in one of three different modes: “source,” “auto,” and “recipient” modes. A “source” radio generates a timing signal independently. A “recipient” radio uses a received timing signal and forwards it to other radios. An “auto” radio behaves as a “recipient” radio while a timing signal is detectable, but behaves as a “source” radio if the timing signal is lost. |
| US08040868B2 |
Communication system, communication method, mobile station and base station used for the same
A communication system and method for measuring communication channel qualities of one or more partial bands of a communication band is provided. A mobile station represents measured communication channel qualities of the partial bands by relative value information in a frequency direction and/or time direction and selectively communicates the relative value information to a base station. The relative value information in the frequency direction represents a difference in the communication channel qualities of the partial bands at a first timing. The relative value information in the time direction represents a difference between the communication channel qualities of the partial bands at a second timing and the communication channel qualities of the partial bands at a time prior to the second timing. |
| US08040867B2 |
Method of multi-antenna wireless data emission, emitter and receiver using the method
A method and device in the domain of wireless communication, and more specifically coding and decoding schemes useful in the context of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) or MISO (Multiple Input Single Output) communications especially used in conjunction of OFDM-like transmission schemes. A space frequency block code applies some well chosen two by two space frequency block codes to each pair of frequencies κ and κ+N/2. The proposed SFBC keep the constant envelope property for each antenna while leading to a good performance by introducing some spatial diversity. |
| US08040866B2 |
CDMA-based mobile terminal, CDMA-based mobile communication method, and communication quality estimating method
A mobile terminal comprises an antenna, radio unit, signal processing unit, signal analyzer unit, received signal information storage unit, and reception quality storage unit. Signal processing unit comprises a received signal processing unit and notified information processing unit, while the received signal information storage unit comprises a common pilot channel information storage unit and common control channel information storage unit. Received signal processing unit measures the reception quality of a common pilot channel and stores it in the common pilot channel information storage unit. Notified information processing unit extracts transmission power of the common pilot channel and common control channel from report information, and then stores them in the common control channel information storage unit. Signal analyzer unit calculates the reception quality of the common control channel and the interference signal level, based on the information stored in the received signal information storage unit. |
| US08040865B2 |
Method of assigning precoding vectors in a mobile cellular network
The invention concerns a method for assigning precoding vectors in a mobile cellular network as well as a base station (21). A base station (21) provides a code book comprising indexed precoding vectors to one or more mobile stations (41, 42, 43) associated with the base station (21) via a downlink channel (1001, 2001, 3001). A mobile station (41, 42, 43) associated with the base station (21) selects one or more indices of preferred precoding vectors from the code book and reports the indices of the one or more preferred precoding vectors to the base station (21) via an uplink channel (1002, 2002, 3002). The mobile station (41, 42, 43) selects one or more indices of preferred companion preceding vectors from the code book, which are precoding vectors that shall preferably be used by the base station (21) for other mobile stations served by the base station (21) on the same time/frequency resource, and reports the one or more indices associated with the preferred companion precoding vectors to the base station (21) via the uplink channel (1002, 2002, 3002). For each mobile station associated with the base station (21), the base station (21) determines a precoding vector based on the reported one or more indices of the preferred precoding vectors and based on the reported one or more indices of the preferred companion precoding vectors. |
| US08040863B2 |
Demand pull and supply push communication methodologies
Systems and methods for determining whether a node in a bandwidth-sharing ad hoc network should advertise as a borrower or a lender of bandwidth, or alternatively not advertise as either a borrower or lender of bandwidth. The method comprises establishing an ad-hoc network between nodes configured to be a borrower of bandwidth or a lender of bandwidth. At least one of the nodes advertises to be the borrower of bandwidth or the lender of bandwidth in the ad hoc network based on at least one selected factor. |
| US08040862B1 |
System and method for providing emergency services in a visited communications environment
An apparatus for routing in a network environment, is provided that includes an application manager residing in a home network and being operable to interface with an access terminal that makes an emergency call. When the call is placed, a call establishment message is transmitted and is marked as an emergency call, the home network recognizing an identity of a visited network emergency services application server that resides in a visited network. If the access terminal cannot reach the home network at the time the emergency call is made, the access terminal can make the emergency call directly through the visited network emergency services application server. In more particular embodiments, the home network knows the identity through configuration or through dynamic means. Alternatively, the home network knows the identity through a registration mechanism via the access terminal. |
| US08040860B2 |
Mobile IP solution for communication networks
Disclosed is a method including supporting multiple IP addresses in a functionality configured to operate as an endpoint of tunnels conveying data, which is destined to mobile nodes; and dynamically assigning the multiple IP addresses for use in mobile nodes. Also corresponding apparatus, computer program and system are disclosed. |
| US08040859B2 |
Identification of the location of nodes distributed in ad hoc networks
A location of node i in a network having a plurality of nodes is identified by intersecting regions that are guaranteed to contain the node i with respect the other nodes that are neighbors of the node i and iteratively minimizing the size of the intersection region containing the node i. |
| US08040854B2 |
OFDM wireless communication method and wireless communication apparatus
In a wireless communication system wherein at least two communication units employ the TDD wireless communication method based on OFDMA, an OFDM wireless communication method and a wireless communication apparatus are disclosed. The first communication unit transmits a pilot signal over the whole subband zone configured of divisions of a predetermined system band. The second communication unit having a plurality of antennas estimates a propagation path of the subchannels constituting continuous frequency blocks making up a subband from the pilot signal received. The second communication unit determines the array weight used at the time of signal transmission to the first communication unit using the estimation result. |
| US08040848B2 |
Mobile communication system, base station apparatus, and mobile station apparatus
To improve throughput of the whole system while reducing power consumption. In a mobile communication system comprising a mobile station apparatus and a base station apparatus, the base station apparatus creates an interference information table based on channel quality of an uplink channel, and at the same time, transmitting the interference information indicator table to the mobile station apparatus, and the mobile station apparatus determines a state of interference in an uplink frequency band based on the interference information indicator table, determines a frequency band of a measurement pilot channel, which is a pilot channel used to determine received quality, and make a request to the base station apparatus for a transmission resource. For example, the mobile station apparatus determines a frequency band with lowest interference among the uplink frequency bands as a frequency band of the measurement pilot channel. |
| US08040847B2 |
Channel estimation feedback in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system or the like
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a channel state information packet is encoded by a receiver side device and is fed back to the transmitter side device. The transmitter side device decodes the channel state information packet to extract an estimate of the channel response function. |
| US08040844B2 |
Wireless communications apparatus and methods employing opportunistic frequency band use
A base station selectively communicates with terminals using first and second separately allocated frequency bands, e.g., separate cellular/PCS bands, of a government spectrum allocation based on propagation conditions between the base station and the terminals. The base station may transmit in the first frequency band and receive in the second frequency band during a first time slot and transmit in the second frequency band and receive in the first frequency band during a second time slot. The base station may transmit to a terminal in the first frequency band while receiving from the terminal in the second frequency band during the first time slot and may transmit to the first terminal in the second frequency band while receiving from the first terminal in the first frequency band during the second time slot. |
| US08040838B2 |
Communication system, multicast switching device, and communication method
A communication system includes an MP high-order switching device which determines, for each of a plurality of switching devices, transmission timing at the which the switching device transmits packet data to a plurality of devices connected to the switching device so that data reception timings at a mobile terminal become simultaneous among the plurality of base stations, and a communication section which, in each of the plurality of switching devices, transmits packet data to the plurality of devices connected to the switching device, based on the determined transmission timing corresponding to the switching device. |
| US08040837B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
When communicating with a second wireless station, a first wireless station judges, based on link-related information received form the second wireless station and link-related information extracted from a signal transmitted by a fourth wireless station, whether a transmission link from the third wireless station to the fourth wireless station and a transmission link from the first wireless station to the second wireless station can be concurrently established without interference with each other. If judging affirmatively, the first wireless station transmits a signal to the second wireless station in synchronization with a signal transmitted by the third wireless station to the fourth wireless station. Preferably, when the first wireless station having a concurrent transmission control function communicates with the second wireless station having a interference reduction function, the first wireless station controls the interference reduction function of the second wireless station based on the link-related information received from the second wireless station and interference information, such that the transmission link from the third wireless station to the fourth wireless station and the transmission link from the first wireless station to the second wireless station can be established at the same time without interference with each other. If judging that the concurrent transmission is available, the first wireless station transmits a signal to the second wireless station according to a timing that overlaps transmission of a signal from the third wireless station to the fourth wireless station. |
| US08040834B2 |
Wireless communication method and apparatus for reporting traffic volume measurement information to support enhanced uplink data transmissions
A wireless communication method and apparatus for reporting traffic volume measurement (TVM) information used to support enhanced uplink (EU) data transmissions between a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), i.e., a mobile station, and a Node-B. After storing EU data in a buffer, the WTRU sends an initial TVM information request message to the Node-B indicating that the WTRU has EU data available to send to the Node-B. In response, the Node-B schedules one or more allowed EU data transmissions. The WTRU transmits at least a portion of the stored EU data to the Node-B via the allowed EU data transmissions. In one embodiment, the initial TVM information request message is sent by the WTRU only after the quantity of EU data stored in the buffer of the WTRU exceeds an established threshold. Otherwise, all of the stored EU data is transferred to the Node-B without requiring scheduling by the Node-B. |
| US08040832B2 |
Channel arrangement method and radio communication device
Provided is a radio communication base station device which can prevent lowering of use efficiency of a channel communication resource for performing a frequency diversity transmission when simultaneously performing a frequency scheduling transmission and the frequency diversity transmission in a multicarrier communication. In the device, a modulation unit (12) executes a modulation process on Dch data after encoded so as to generate a Dch data symbol. A modulation unit (22) executes a modulation process on the encoded Lch data so as to generate an Lch data symbol. An allocation unit (103) allocates the Dch data symbol and the Lch data symbol to respective subcarriers constituting an OFDM symbol and outputs them to a multiplexing unit (104). Here, when a plurality of Dch are used for a Dch data symbol of one mobile station, the allocation unit (103) uses Dch of continuous channel numbers. |
| US08040831B2 |
Method and system for control channel beamforming
A system and method for managing control information in a wireless communications system. The method comprises broadcasting a predetermined number of preambles through beamforming from a base station, detecting, by a subscriber station, a predetermined frame associated with one selected preamble that has the highest power level, and identifying one or more subcarriers for carrying control information through the selected preamble. |
| US08040830B2 |
Apparatus and method for negotiating frame offset between base station and relay station in broadband wireless communication system using multi-hop relay scheme
Provided are an apparatus and method for negotiating a frame offset between a Base Station (BS) and a Relay Station (RS) in a wireless communication system using a multi-hop relay scheme. A communication method of a superordinate station includes, upon detecting an initial access of an relay station, determining an offset value between a frame number used in the superordinate station and a frame number to be used in the relay station; generating a message including RS frame offset information corresponding to the offset value; and transmitting the generated message to the relay station. Accordingly, since the base station and the relay station share the frame offset, the base station can transmit a specific broadcast message in advance to the relay station by considering the frame offset, and the relay station can transmit data, which has to be transmitted in synchronization with the base station at the same time point or at the same frame number, to a Mobile Station (MS) at an exact time point. |
| US08040829B2 |
Method of addressing messages and communications system
A method of establishing wireless communications between an interrogator and individual ones of multiple wireless identification devices, the method comprising combining tree search and Aloha methods to establish communications between the interrogator and individual ones of the multiple wireless identification devices without collision. A system comprising an interrogator, and a plurality of wireless identification devices configured to communicate with the interrogator in a wireless fashion, the respective wireless identification devices having a unique identification number, the interrogator being configured to employ tree search and Aloha techniques to determine the unique identification numbers of the different wireless identification devices so as to be able to establish communications between the interrogator and individual ones of the multiple wireless identification devices without collision by multiple wireless identification devices attempting to respond to the interrogator at the same time. |
| US08040828B2 |
Method for managing dormant nodes in wireless sensor network
Provided is a method for managing dormant nodes in a wireless sensor network. The method includes the steps of: a) acquiring and storing information on distance and location of sensor nodes registered in a corresponding cluster among at least one cluster managed by a managing node; b) selecting a dormant object node among the sensor nodes by the managing node; c) transmitting dormant information that the dormant object node should go into a dormant state for a predetermined period through a beacon message to the dormant object node and creating a dormant node management table; and d) updating a dormant time of the dormant node management table every beacon cycle by the managing node according to setup of a dormant time central managing function and notifying dormancy expiration to the corresponding dormant node. |
| US08040823B2 |
Method and system for network data transmitting
A method and system for network data transmitting in a communication system includes transmitting a data from at least one transmission node to at least one receiving node of a transmission-receiving group among the plurality of communication nodes by utilizing a node ID, the node ID of communication node in the group is being assigned by a N-carry operation of a determined number N. |
| US08040820B2 |
Modelling service flows in dynamic access domains
A topology aware system that facilitates activation of a new service in a dynamic network is provided. The system automatically determines changes in network topology and provides current topology information to determine an optimal service activation path for the new service. The optimal service path is determined by combination of shortest path using standardized algorithms over discovered adjacencies, logical roles assigned to devices and a service-hub for a particular UNI. The service hub is discovered automatically by employing current topology information determined by the system itself. Thus, the system can activate a new service to a dynamic network without any manual topology feed. |
| US08040819B2 |
Discovery and identification of upstream device characteristics for self-configuration of customer premises equipment
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a customer premises equipment (CPE) apparatus includes a first communications unit and a processing unit. The first communications unit is adapted to send and receive messages over an upstream network. The processing unit is adapted to control the sending and receiving of messages through the first communications unit. The processing unit is adapted to perform each of a plurality of first sequence tests until the first sequence tests are exhausted, and each of a plurality of second sequence tests until one of a second sequence test passes or the second sequence tests are exhausted. The processing unit is adapted to receive test results from the performed test and to configure the CPE based upon the performed test results. |
| US08040816B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus that successively change communication frequency band
A wireless communication apparatus including: a specific external communication section configured to communicate with a specific external communication device through a wireless communication while successively changing a communication frequency band that is a frequency band in which a communication is performed; and a communication condition recognizing section configured to recognize a communication condition in each of a plurality of frequency ranges each having a predetermined range width, wherein the specific external communication section determines, on the basis of the recognized communication condition in each of the plurality of frequency ranges, a set number of a plurality of communication planned frequency bands in each of which the specific external communication section is planned to communicate with the specific external communication device, by allocating to a part of the plurality of frequency ranges, and wherein the specific external communication section communicates, in the determined communication planned frequency bands, with the specific external communication device while successively changing the communication frequency band. |
| US08040815B2 |
Spectrum coordination controller
A method, wireless controller, and information processing system that define communication channel allocation. Communication channel allocation commands associated with a first network are monitored (102). The first network (102) comprises a plurality of communication frequencies assigned by the communication channel allocation commands. A set of communication frequencies are determined that have been assigned to wireless devices (108) associated with the first network (102) in response to the monitoring. A specification of unused communication frequencies within the plurality of communication frequencies are transmitted to a second network (104) in response to the determining. |
| US08040814B2 |
Relay apparatus, conduction confirmation method thereof and conduction confirmation circuit
The relay apparatus relays frames in which a plurality of network identifiers are set and comprises a frame determining unit, a converting unit, and a sending unit. The frame determining unit determines whether a frame received at a communication port is a specific frame or not. The converting unit converts, when it is determined that the received frame is a specific frame and when the communication port is a blocking port, a network identifier set in the specific frame to another network identifier among the plurality of network identifiers. The sending unit sends the specific frame, the network identifier of which has been converted by the conversion unit, from a port opposing the communication port. |
| US08040809B2 |
Client QoS based connection session jogging
Aspects of a method and system for a client QoS based connection session jogging are provided. While receiving a service over a particular delivery route, a user of a user device is provided with the capability to request an alternate route to continue to deliver the service via a user interface operation. The user device generates a connection handover (HO) request and transmits the request to a network management (NM) server. The NM server determines the alternate route and continues the service over the determined alternate route. The NM server supports both unsolicited and solicited connection HO request. A connection session profile associated with the particular delivery route is updated based on the determined alternate route information. The service is continued over the alternate route with the updated connection session profile. A connection HO request indicates a desired QoS from the user of the user device for the received service. |
| US08040806B2 |
Methods of generating data block in mobile communication system
Disclosed is a method for generating a lower layer data block to be transmitted from a specific layer in a transmitting side to a receiving side in a mobile communication system. The method includes receiving an upper layer data block from an upper layer and generating a lower layer data block including at least part of the upper layer data block and a buffer status indicator indicating a status change of a data buffer associated with a group identifier corresponding to the upper layer data block. According to this data block generation method, states of buffers carrying upper layer data blocks are transmitted to a base station using minimum radio resources, thereby increasing system efficiency. |
| US08040802B2 |
Method of controlling congestion for wireless communications
An exemplary method of controlling communications includes determining a total congestion window size for a router device. An allocation of at least a portion of the determined total congestion window size to allocated at least one mobile station that communicates with the router device over a wireless link is determined based on the determined total congestion window size. The determined allocation is then reported to a source of a communication intended for the at least one mobile station. |
| US08040801B2 |
Service interface for QoS-driven HPNA networks
An out-of-band signaling model media control (MC) terminal for an HPNA network includes a QoS management entity (QME) and an admission control entity (ACE) and provides end-to-end QoS by passing the QoS requirements from higher layer to the lower layers of the HPNA network. The QME receives an end-to-end QoS message characterizing a session for a user application. The ACE performs an admission control decision relating to the session based on the end-to-end QoS message characterizing the QoS stream. A resource control module, when part of the ACE, performs at least one admission control decision relating to the session based on a resource permission, and a policy control module, when part of the ACE, performs at least one admission control decision relating to the session based on a policy permission. |
| US08040797B2 |
Sliced tunnels in a computer network
In one embodiment, a sliced tunnel is signaled between a head-end node and a tail-end node. One or more fork nodes along the sliced tunnel are configured to furcate the sliced tunnel into a plurality of child tunnels of the sliced tunnel. Also, one or more merge nodes along the sliced tunnel are configured to merge a plurality of child tunnels of the sliced tunnel that intersect at the merge node. |
| US08040796B2 |
Voice over IP system recovery apparatus for service and packet groups based on failure detection thresholds
A system comprising a SIP failure chandler, wherein the SIP failure handler monitors SIP failures and issues an alert and reroutes call traffic based on a service group number if a SIP failure threshold is exceeded wherein the service group number is associated with a detected failure, where the service group comprises a plurality of IP addresses. |
| US08040794B2 |
Server to network signaling method for rapid switching between anycast multicast sources
The subject application is directed to a system and method for rapid switching between anycast multicast sources. Multiple streams of data are received by a server. The server associates a separate source address to each of the received streams and sources the multiple streams of data with the associated addresses to a recipient. The server determines whether each of the multiple streams of data is up or down. The server periodically sends status information with the associated address for each of the multiple streams of data to the recipient indicating whether each of the multiple streams of data is up or down. |