| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08117668B2 |
Optical scanning probe
The present invention relates to a scanning probe (2) for capturing data from a plurality of points on the surface of an object by irradiating the object with a light stripe and detecting light reflected from the object surface, the scanning probe comprising (a) stripe generating means (14) for generating and emitting a light stripe (55); (b) a camera (16) comprising an imaging sensor having an array of pixels to detect the light stripe reflected from the object surface: (c) means for adjusting the intensity of the light stripe (55) during acquisition of the frame, in dependence upon the intensities detected by the camera (16). It also relates to a means to modify the stripe length, a scanner with separate compartment for the processing means, and an attachable dust cover for a scanner. |
| US08117667B2 |
Systems and methods for the prevention of unauthorized use and manipulation of digital content
A number of systems and methods, alone, or in combination, achieve various levels of protection against unauthorized modification and distribution of digital content. This encompasses at least unauthorized study, modification, monitoring, reconstruction, and any other means for subversion from the originally intended purpose and license model of the digital content. The invention combines a number of techniques that in whole, or in part, serve to protect such content from unauthorized modification, reconstructive engineering, or monitoring by third parties. This is accomplished by means of methods which protect against subversion by specific tools operating on specific platforms as well as general tools operating on general platforms. Specific time domain attacks are identified, code modification can be identified and reversed, and virtual and emulated systems are identified. In addition, identification of in-circuit emulator tools (both software and hardware), debuggers, and security threats to running programs can be achieved. |
| US08117664B2 |
Radio-type interface for tuning into content associated with projects
A user can receive content relating to a common topic, such as a project, through a radio-type interface. A frequency or other indicator associated with the project can be selected on a user device. The common topic can be presented to the user, based on the selected frequency and/or an authentication. Presented information can also be provided in a common format requested by the user or as a function of the rendering device. The common format can be facilitated by a conversion component that can change information from a first format to at least a second format. The information can also be presented in more than one format. |
| US08117663B2 |
Computerized method and system for restricting access to patient protected health information
A computerized system and method for allowing restricted access to patient healthcare information is provided. Upon determining that one or more users are assigned to the location where an order for a patient is to be performed, the method allows one or more users restricted access to the order. The system includes an order entry module, an access evaluation module, a location entry module and a user module. The access evaluation module includes an assignment determination sub-module for determining whether one or more users are assigned to the specified location where an order for a patient is to be performed. The assignment determination module also includes a restricted access sub-module coupled with the assignment determination module and configured to allow restricted access to one or more users assigned to the specified location. |
| US08117658B2 |
Access point, mobile station, and method for detecting attacks thereon
A mobile station (STA) communicates with a WLAN device over a communication system includes a storage system, at least one processor, a detection module, an address determination module, a transmission module, and a response module. The STA detects a MAC management protocol data unit (MMPDU) over the communication system, determines whether the MMPDU comprises a spurious data frame posing as the STA to the WLAN device, based at least partly on a comparison of a source address and a destination address of the MMPDU with network addresses of the STA and the WLAN device, respectively, transmits a request data frame having a highest priority in a current connection state to the WLAN device, and determines whether the WLAN device has been attacked based on whether a response data frame is received from the WLAN device. |
| US08117657B1 |
Detection and mitigation of rapidly propagating threats from P2P, IRC and gaming
A network switch detects at least two simultaneous connections on a single network port. The simultaneous connections use different protocols despite using the same port. The network switch mirrors network traffic associated with the simultaneous connections to a security management device on the network. The security management device then determines a source or destination of the network traffic. |
| US08117656B2 |
Detecting surreptitious spyware
Tools and techniques are provided for detecting a particular type of spyware. Network activities and user update activities are monitored automatically, and the results are analyzed to identify related processes which perform network transmissions without performing substantive user updates. These processes are identified to a user and/or an administrator as potential spyware, and are then quarantined or otherwise handled based on instructions received from the user or administrator. In some cases, the monitoring and analysis begins with selection of a group of processes to monitor, while in other cases it begins with monitoring of network and/or user update activities in order to narrow the group of suspect processes. Devices, configured media, and method products are also described. |
| US08117654B2 |
Implementation of malware countermeasures in a network device
Embodiments include a system, an apparatus, a device, and a method. An embodiment provides a network device. The network device includes an information store operable to save a countermeasure useable in at least substantially reducing a harm caused by a malware (hereafter the “malware countermeasure”). The network device also includes a transmission circuit for sending a packet to at least one sub-network of a plurality of sub-networks. The network device also includes a protection circuit for implementing the malware countermeasure in the network device. |
| US08117653B1 |
System and approach for electronic project incentive data management, processing and implementation
Electronic processing and management of electronic project data is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, project data including incentives data is processed for a plurality of different projects, using authentication to control data communication and access. Incentive-related data fields are automatically updated upon the receipt of project data, and authenticated users are provided access to the data in real-time. |
| US08117650B2 |
Provisioning users to multiple agencies
Apparatus and methods are described for providing employee cards to employees, such as PIV cards to federal employees, including provisioning the employees to a more than one agency (and more than one card) without requiring multiple instances of enrolling and adjudicating the employee. Representatively, a sponsor enters information about the employee into a computer-displayed form (e.g., web-based). Biometric identity information is collected for the employee, but if such has already begun or is complete for at least a first agency, the collected information is used for a second agency without redundant collection. In the event an adjudication level of the first agency is at least as stringent as it is for the second agency, the employee is eligible to receive an employee card for the second agency, in addition to an employee card for the first agency. |
| US08117647B2 |
Method for generating a plurality of unique secure numbers and card comprising such a number
A process is provided for enabling the generation of valid secure numbers during a given period, these secure numbers having an optimal security level, while preserving the possibility for creating additional numbers or increasing the security level in accordance with the requirements. In at least one embodiment, the method permits the generation of as many secure numbers as are required, while having a maximum security level, which reduces the risks of sending a random number allowing the assignment of entitlements or a credit. The contradictory parameters for the quantity of generated numbers and security can be corrected at any time. |
| US08117636B2 |
Method of displaying digital broadcasting television programs and related data broadcasting programs on the same screen with options to select reserved viewing and reserved recording thereon
According to an embodiment, there is a method of displaying digital broadcasting using a digital device, the method comprising: storing, in the digital device, a plurality of television program listings, each of the television program listing including a title, telecast time information and channel information; displaying the plurality of television program listings on a screen of the digital device; and if a program from the displayed television program listings is selected, displaying detailed information of the selected program on the screen, wherein the selected program has a plurality of data broadcasting programs related to the selected program, and wherein the detailed information includes information of the selected program and/or information of at least one of the data broadcasting programs related to the selected program. |
| US08117635B2 |
Method and apparatus for targeting of interactive virtual objects
A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects available for targeting are categorized and the categories are correlated to subscriber information to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects. Upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software, and corresponding features in a user's terminal are used to accomplish these functions. |
| US08117634B2 |
Media data processing apparatus and media data processing method
A media data processing apparatus includes an input unit that inputs media data and intellectual property management data for managing intellectual property of the media data, a first encoding unit that encodes the media data, a second encoding unit that encodes the intellectual property management data, and a transmission unit that transmitted in packets the encoded media data, first timing information that controls decoding timings for the media data, the encoded intellectual property management data, second timing information that controls decoding timings of the encoded intellectual property management data, and synchronizing information for synchronizing the intellectual property management data and the media data. |
| US08117633B2 |
Communication apparatus and its control method and program
In a network including a source of video contents and a playback terminal to receive video contents distributed from the source of video contents and play back the video contents, information on viewing state of video contents is collected and the collected information is stored. Then access right of the playback terminal for the video contents is set based on the stored information on viewing state. |
| US08117628B2 |
Apparatus of dynamic anti-vibration for storage device
An apparatus of dynamic anti-vibration for a storage device to support a storage device in a housing is provided. The apparatus includes a base board for holding the storage device, a plurality of damping elements coupled to the base board and the housing which have damping characteristics to dissipate kinetic energy and reduce the vibration of the base board, and at least one actuator coupled to the base board and the housing. The actuator electrically connected to the control unit is driven by the control unit, so as to generate a force to neutralize the vibration of the base board. |
| US08117625B2 |
Module interrogation
Module interrogation techniques are described in which modules configured to rely upon one or more operating system features are interrogated to determine which features are used and by which modules. A module is loaded that is configured to interact with a plurality of features provided by an operating system. Using one or more redirection techniques, calls made by the module to access features of the operating system are redirected to alternate functionality. Based on the redirection, data is generated to indicate the features of the operating system that are used by the module. The techniques may be performed for each of a plurality of modules to populate a database that relates features of the operating system to the plurality of modules. |
| US08117622B2 |
Client application independent extensibility model
Information describing a type registration regarding which an action is being requested by the client application is received as one or more parameters of an application programming interface method invoked by the client application. Based on the one or more parameters, one of multiple type extensions to which the action being requested corresponds is determined. At least part of the information describing the type registration is sent to the one of the multiple type extensions, and the one of the multiple type extensions performs the action being requested. |
| US08117617B2 |
Energy-aware print job management
A printing system and method for processing print jobs in a network of printers are disclosed. The printers each have high and low operational states. A job ticket is associated with each print job. The job ticket designates one of the network printers as a target printer for printing the job and includes print job parameters related to redirection and delay for the print job. Where the target printer for the print job is in the low operational state, the print job related redirection and delay parameters for the job are identified. Based on the identified parameters, the print job may be scheduled for at least one of redirection and delay, where the parameters for redirection/delay permit, whereby the likelihood that the print job is printed sequentially with another print job on one of the network printers, without that one printer entering an intervening low operational state, is increased. |
| US08117614B2 |
Extract CPU time facility
An efficient facility for determining resource usage, such as a processor time used by tasks. The determination is performed on behalf of user applications that do not require a call to operating system services. The facility includes an instruction that determines elapsed time and reports it to the user as a single unit of operation. |
| US08117611B2 |
Method, system, and program product for deploying a platform dependent application in a grid environment
Under the present invention, it is determined whether sufficient resources exist for deploying a platform dependent application on its specific “native” platform in a grid environment. If not, a platform dependent portion of the application is identified, and the application is split into the platform dependent portion and a platform independent portion. Thereafter, the platform dependent portion is deployed on its corresponding native platform, while the platform independent portion is deployed on another platform in the grid environment based on available resources. Interconnections between the two portions can then be automatically generated. This can include, for example, creating remote method invocation facade interfaces, creating remote method invocation-enabled facade classes, and building a remote method invocation server for the first platform. |
| US08117608B1 |
System and method of providing mobility to personal computers
A user-centric computing system that includes a mobile storage device (“MSD”) capable of interfacing with a client personal computer (“PC”) for the purpose of using certain resources available through the client PC to access user programs, applications, data, and settings stored on the MSD. The user-centric computing system may also include a software management program configured to select the user programs, applications, data and settings to be stored on the MSD from the user programs, applications, data, and settings installed on a user's PC and to interface with the client PC. A method of providing mobility to a user PC by selecting programs installed on the user PC and storing the selected programs on an MSD and interfacing the MSD with a client PC is also provided. |
| US08117603B2 |
Operation synthesis system
An operation synthesis system includes a pipeline structure creating section for automatically creating, based on a state number assigned to a skip statement described in a high-level language in a transition to a pipeline operation and the number of cycles required to supply a pipeline with one loop designated by a user or automatically set by the system, a state transition including a loop controller and a loop leaving controller which are capable of conducting pipeline operation. It is therefore possible to transform a loop description described in a high-level language into a description of a circuit in a practical size for pipeline operation. |
| US08117602B2 |
Method and system for monitoring execution performance of software program product
A method, computer program product and system for monitoring execution behavior of a program product in a data processing system include development of a trace tool having trace strings written in a human language and provided with data fields for diagnostic information relevant to executable portions of the program product. Identifiers of the trace tool, trace strings, and data fields and components of the diagnostic information are encoded using a coded binary language. After monitoring execution of the program product, a trace report of the trace tool is translated for an intended recipient from the coded binary language into the human language, whereas an unauthorized access to the contents of the trace record is restricted. The encoding or decoding operations are performed using databases containing the respective identifiers and components of the diagnostic information in the coded binary language and the human language. |
| US08117600B1 |
System and method for detecting in-line synchronization primitives in binary applications
A system, method, and computer-accessible medium are disclosed for identifying in-line synchronization instructions in binary program code. One or more executable segments of the binary program code may be scanned to identify one or more potential in-line synchronization instructions. For each potential in-line synchronization instruction, it may be determined whether neighboring potential instructions are valid instructions. For each potential in-line synchronization instruction, it may be determined that the potential in-line synchronization instruction is a valid in-line synchronization instruction if the neighboring potential instructions are valid instructions. |
| US08117597B2 |
Method and system for specifying and developing application systems with dynamic behavior
System for specifying dynamic application system behavior, procedures and methods about its operations, and methods about how to develop such a behavior model are provided in the present invention. A Dynamic System (DS) and its operations are provided to model complex and dynamic system behavior in general. To specify behavior of an application system in a distributed environment, an external DS is used to model the external behavior, a Proactive System is used to model the reactive behavior and an internal DS is used to model the internal active behavior of such an application system. A graphical notation of DS and its components are also provided. |
| US08117593B1 |
Method for highlighting selected tasks in a program code listing
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method for highlighting selected tasks in a program code listing comprising: converting the program code listing to a mark-up language; inserting instructions at a starting point and at an ending point; and testing if highlighting is to be turned on at a point in the program code listing by the instructions provided at the starting point. |
| US08117585B2 |
System and method for testing size of vias
A system and method for testing size of vias reads a component group from a storage system and reads a via size of each via in the component group. If the via size of a via accords with a standard size corresponding to the component group, the via is determined as a qualified via. If the via size of a via does not accord with the standard size, the via is determined as an unqualified via. The unqualified via is highlighted on a printed circuit board (PCB) design map displayed on a display. |
| US08117577B1 |
Determining timing paths within a circuit block of a programmable integrated circuit
A computer-implemented method of identifying timing paths of a circuit block can include representing a circuit block including at least one bypassable component as a block diagram having a plurality of elements linked by nodes. The method can include generating a map file including a text description of each element within the block diagram, wherein the text description of each element specifies a bypass indicator for the element. The method also can include generating a plurality of sub-paths from the map file, determining timing paths from the plurality of sub-paths by selectively combining different ones of the plurality of sub-paths according to commonality of starting points and ending points of the plurality of sub-paths, and outputting the timing paths. |
| US08117574B2 |
Implementing a serialization construct within an environment of parallel data flow graphs
A serialization construct is implemented within an environment of a number of parallel data flow graphs. A quiesce node is appended to every active data flow graph. The quiesce node prevents a token from passing to a next data flow graph within a chain before an execution of the active data flow graph has been finished. A serial data flow graph is implemented to provided for a serial execution while no other data flow graph is active. A serialize node is appended to a starting point of a serial data flow graph. A serialize end node is appended to an endpoint of the serial data flow graph. The serialize node is activated to start a serial operation. The serialize end node is activated after the serial operation has been terminated. |
| US08117571B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for determining equivalence of netlists utilizing abstractions and transformations
A system, method and computer program product are provided for determining equivalence of netlists utilizing at least one transformation. In use, a netlist including a plurality of infinite portions and a plurality of finite portions is identified. Additionally, at least some of the finite portions are transformed, utilizing at least one predetermined transformation. Further, an equivalence of the netlist and another netlist is determined, utilizing at least a subset of the finite portions and the infinite portions. Moreover, an abstraction is performed on the netlist. |
| US08117569B1 |
Method and mechanism for implementing a minimum spanning tree
Disclosed is an improved method, system, and mechanism for using and constructing a minimum spanning tree. In one approach, each iteration of the process for constructing a minimum spanning tree calculates at most two additional point-pairs for nearest neighbors of points previously added to the tree. These additional point-pairs are appended to a list of point pairs, and the point-pair having the shortest distance is selected and added to the minimum spanning tree. Any metric can be employed to determine nearest neighbors, including Euclidean or Manhattan metrics. An advantage is that not all point-pairs need to be examined, greatly increasing speed and efficiency. Since every point-pair does not have to be examined, a preprocessing step is not required to reduce the number of point-pairs being considered. The resultant minimum spanning tree can be used to facilitate the routing process for an integrated circuit. |
| US08117568B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program product for fast simulation of manufacturing effects during integrated circuit design
Methods, apparatus and computer program products provide a fast and accurate model for simulating the effects of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) steps during fabrication of an integrated circuit by generating a design of an integrated circuit; while generating the design of the integrated circuit, using a simplified model to predict at least one physical characteristic of the integrated circuit which results from a CMP processing step to be used during manufacture of the integrated circuit, wherein the simplified model is derived from simulations performed prior to the design generation activities using a comprehensive simulation program used to model the physical characteristic; predicting performance of the integrated circuit using the predicted physical characteristic; and adjusting the design of the integrated circuit in dependence on the performance prediction. |
| US08117566B2 |
Method and system for representing manufacturing and lithography information for IC routing
A mechanism to compress manufacturing awareness into a small representation and to enable the router to consult the representation without performing, or understanding, detailed process analysis, is disclosed. |
| US08117562B2 |
Runtime modification of data presented in a graphical element
The present invention provides ways for application programs to allow users to dynamically update data that is presented in a GUI element. In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided that receives a command when a GUI element is displayed for the purpose of updating one or more data item(s) presented in the GUI element. In response to receiving the command, the method causes the updated data to be obtained from the user and stored in a database. Then the GUI element is “refreshed” so that the updated data is available in the GUI element for selection by the user. |
| US08117561B2 |
Method and system for managing apparatus
A storage unit is configured to store screen element data on screen elements included in an operation screen of each apparatus. A receiving unit is configured to receive screen design data on the screen elements that forms the operation screen and setting data on settings for each apparatus. A screen drawing unit is configured to draw the operation screen by obtaining required screen elements from the screen element data based on the screen design data and the setting data. The receiving unit accumulates log data received from the apparatus. The screen drawing unit updates the screen design of the operation screen based on the log data and the screen element data. |
| US08117559B2 |
Method and apparatus for virtualizing window information
A method and apparatus for virtualizing access to windows includes a hooking mechanism, a window name virtualization engine, and an operating system interface. A request relating to a window from a process executing in the context of a user account is received, the request including a virtual window name. A determination is made for a literal name for the window, using a scope-specific identifier. A request is issued to the operating system including the determined literal window name. A window handle is associated with the determined virtual window name. |
| US08117558B2 |
Converting web content into two-dimensional CAD drawings and three-dimensional CAD models
This patent application relates generally to systems, methods, and computer program products for home and/or landscape design. This application also relates to scrapping and extracting information from websites and converting this information into 2D CAD (computer-aided design) drawings and 3D CAD models. |
| US08117555B2 |
Cooperating widgets
Methods and apparatuses enable interaction with an end-user application to perform functional operations with selected elements of the end-user application or an operating environment of the end-user application. An application runtime receives an indication of a selection of an item of the end-user application, and a command to have the selected item interact with a target. The interaction of the item with the target initiates an action that is based on functionality associated with the selected item and a type of the target. The target type may be a widget, a folder, the desktop, etc. The interaction may result in creation of a standalone widget, execution of the functionality, creation of a relationship, etc. An item from the desktop may also be selected and caused to interact with the end-user application to provide additional functionality to the end-user application. |
| US08117553B2 |
Method and system to maintain a user interface context
A system, to maintain a user interface context receives a request for a first user interface element that is hidden from view on a user interface. The request causes the system to integrate the first user interface element into the user interface by regenerating the user interface to accommodate the first user interface element while maintaining the user interface context. |
| US08117552B2 |
Incrementally designing electronic forms and hierarchical schemas
A system and method that enables a designer to build electronic forms and corresponding hierarchical schemas are described. Displays of hierarchical schemas, electronic forms, and components used to build the hierarchical schemas and electronic forms are provided to the designer. The designer selects components and arranges them on a display to visually build an electronic form. As the form is built, the corresponding hierarchical schema is incrementally updated to reflect changes made to the electronic form. |
| US08117550B1 |
Real to virtual telecommunications
Computer implemented methods and systems are provided for real to virtual communications. A request from a mobile device associated with a first participant of a virtual environment is received to communicate with an avatar associated with the virtual environment. A data store is referenced to identify a second participant of the virtual environment that is associated with the avatar. Whether the second participant is participating in the virtual environment is determined. A computer is communicated with in response to determining that the second participant is participating in the virtual environment, wherein the computer is associated with the second participant at least for participating in the virtual environment. |
| US08117546B2 |
Method and related display device for displaying pictures in digital picture slide show
A method for displaying pictures during a digital picture slide show includes receiving a plurality of pictures, determining display characteristics of the plurality of pictures according to weighting values of the plurality of pictures, and displaying the plurality of pictures according to the display characteristics of the plurality of pictures. |
| US08117542B2 |
User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are contextually relevant to a selected object
An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable functionality controls that identifies the context of the object to which the user interface is relevant, which contains rich functionality controls for applying contextually relevant functionality to a selected object, and which may be efficiently switched to a different context for applying a different set of functionalities to a different or neighboring editable object. A context menu of functionalities is displayed adjacent to a selected object where the menu of functionalities includes functionalities associated with editing the selected object. The context menu includes an identification of the object context and a control for selectively changing the context and associated functionalities of the menu to a different object context for displaying a different set of functionalities associated with the different context. |
| US08117537B1 |
Platform-independent method for computer aided schematic drawings
A CAD/CAM method is disclosed for a computer system to capture and interchange schematic drawing and associated design information. The schematic drawing and design information are stored in an extensible, platform-independent format. |
| US08117534B1 |
Context translation
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a technique for context translation. According to an aspect of the technique, a mapping is consulted. The mapping maps a first message to a second message. The first message comprises a rule-specific error message that indicates one or more rules that were violated by a portion of a document. The second message comprises a context-specific message that sets forth the meaning of the error message in a particular implementation context. The second message is provided as output. Thus, the rule-specific error message is translated into the context-specific message. According to an aspect of the technique, the mapping is not embodied in executable code. As a result, the mapping can be modified without modifying and recompiling the source code of a program that consults the mapping and outputs the second message. |
| US08117533B2 |
Method and system for stylesheet rule creation, combination, and removal
A method (and system) for editing rules contained in a first document, where the rules define a transformation of data on a second document and where the first document and second document have elements constructed in a tree structure having nodes, each rule having a template structure including at least one match condition, the match condition being an expression in the template that describes a subset of tree nodes, includes selecting at least one rule in the first document and checking a match condition of the user-selected rule with the tree nodes from the second document to determine which structures in the second document match the selected rule. |
| US08117531B1 |
Interpreted language translation system and method
A computer-implemented method of processing an interpreted language element for execution on a mobile communication device including receiving at a server system a request from a remote device for a first electronic document that includes an interpreted language element, executing the interpreted language element using an interpreter, creating a context for the interpreted language element, generating a second electronic document based on a result of the execution, and transmitting the second electronic document to the remote device for display. In one implementation, executing the interpreted language element may include performing an action specified by the interpreted language element. In another implementation, the executing may include embedding the interpreted language element in a markup link that contains an address corresponding to the server system. |
| US08117530B2 |
Extensible markup language parsing using multiple XML parsers
Disclosed are a method, information processing system, and a computer readable medium for parsing a hierarchical markup document. The method includes initializing a first parser for parsing a hierarchical markup document. The first parser parses the hierarchical markup document. A shared parsing state associated with a set of parsers including the first parser is monitored. The parsing control is passed to at least a second parser. The at least second parser parses the hierarchical markup document. The shared parsing state is also monitored during the parsing by the at least second parser. |
| US08117526B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a transmit signal and apparatus and method for extracting an original message from a received signal
A method for extracting an original message from a received signal including data bits representing the original message or an inverted version thereof, an indicator indicating whether the data bits represent the original message or the inverted version thereof, and a check information which depends on the data bits and the indicator, the method including determining a check information based on the received data bits and the received indicator, comparing the determined check information with the received check information and extracting the original message based on the result of the comparison. |
| US08117523B2 |
Rate-compatible protograph LDPC code families with linear minimum distance
Digital communication coding methods are shown, which generate certain types of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes built from protographs. A first method creates protographs having the linear minimum distance property and comprising at least one variable node with degree less than 3. A second method creates families of protographs of different rates, all having the linear minimum distance property, and structurally identical for all rates except for a rate-dependent designation of certain variable nodes as transmitted or non-transmitted. A third method creates families of protographs of different rates, all having the linear minimum distance property, and structurally identical for all rates except for a rate-dependent designation of the status of certain variable nodes as non-transmitted or set to zero. LDPC codes built from the protographs created by these methods can simultaneously have low error floors and low iterative decoding thresholds, and families of such codes of different rates can be decoded efficiently using a common decoding architecture. |
| US08117518B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and a data recording and reproducing apparatus including local memory processor
In a data recovery processing, the conventional overhead, primarily, latency due to a rotational recording media is removed. Secondary, in a signal processing or in a recording and reproducing apparatus, reliability of data reproduction is improved by repeatedly processing data. These processing are achieved that input signal, i.e., raw analog signal read from the recording media is digitized to be stored in a secondary storage such as a memory or a FIFO memory. The apparatus includes a signal processing circuit to repeatedly process the stored digital signal in the secondary storage. When detecting data, operation of the circuit is efficiently controlled by a change over detector parameters, in which characteristics for the detecting performance. Resultantly, data recovery processing speed is increased and reliability of data reproduced is improved. |
| US08117516B2 |
Apparatus and method for signal transmission/reception in a communication system
A method and an apparatus for transmitting a signal in a communication system are provided. An information vector is encoded according to a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoding scheme, thereby generating an LDPC codeword. Minimum surviving check nodes are reserved for recovery of punctured nodes in the LDPC codeword. A check node is selected having a smallest cost function from among unreserved check nodes. A variable node is selected being unpunctured and having a smallest cost function from among variable nodes connected to the selected check node. The selected variable node is punctured when the selected variable node is not connected to the reserved check node. A stopping set check is performed when the selected variable node is connected to the reserved check node. The variable node is punctured when the stopping set check has been successfully performed. The check node is selected until there remains no variable node to be punctured and puncturing the variable node. |
| US08117512B2 |
Failure detection and mitigation in logic circuits
The present invention is directed to methods of monitoring logic circuits for failures. In particular, the methods are directed toward establishing parallel logic cores where failures are detected by comparing the parallel paths for equivalence at key locations by a redundancy checker. Any mismatch will result in a predetermined failsafe operational mode. In addition, important techniques are applied to periodically exercise individual parallel paths to ensure that logic cores are verified in a way that does not disturb any process being monitored or controlled. This feature is important in some industries, such as the nuclear power industry, where safety critical operations require a high state of reliability on logic circuit blocks which may be infrequently utilized. |
| US08117507B2 |
Decompressing method and device for matrices
Decompressing a matrix having a plurality of redundant matrix rows by reading selected matrix rows including at least all non-redundant matrix rows of the matrix from a memory and computing remaining matrix rows of the matrix from the read matrix rows, wherein several matrix rows are computed simultaneously. The read and the computed remaining matrix rows are provided as the decompressed matrix to an output matrix register. |
| US08117506B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for reporting delayed communication of data messages
An apparatus, and an associated method, reports when incidence of email or other data-message communication of a wireless network system. An analyzer analyzes logged information and determines the incidence, such as by calculating a ratio, of delayed versus timely message communications. If the ratio, or other indication, is beyond a threshold, a reporter generates a report to alert the high incidence of delayed communications. |
| US08117504B2 |
Automatic keyboard testing system
An automatic keyboard testing system includes a computer, an automatic testing program and a testing frame. A keyboard circuit board to be tested in placed on the testing frame. The automatic testing program is installed in the computer for generating a testing signal and has a predetermined time period. The testing frame generates a simulating signal according to the testing signal and conducts a key intersection point corresponding to the simulating signal, so that the keyboard circuit board output a key scanning code corresponding to the conducted key intersection point to the computer. The automatic testing program discriminates whether the key scanning code is transmitted to the computer within the predetermined time period. |
| US08117500B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying a relationship between multiple interrelated applications in a mainframe environment
Systems and methods are provided for identifying a relationship between multiple interrelated applications running in a mainframe environment. A repository is created to store information describing the multiple interrelated applications from the mainframe environment. A target application among the multiple interrelated applications is identified, and a frequency and a dependency relationship between the application and the multiple interrelated applications is determined. The relationship is displayed via a user interface. The relationship may be used to identify a cause of a failure in a mainframe environment. |
| US08117497B1 |
Method and apparatus for error upset detection and correction
A method and apparatus for the detection and correction of soft errors existing within an integrated circuit (IC). Run-time check stops are utilized in conjunction with processor-based, hardware mechanisms to detect and correct soft errors. At run-time, each check stop facilitates a snap shot of the hardware and/or software state of the IC to be stored into hardware and/or software based memory. Should a soft error be detected, execution is halted and the executable state of the IC that conforms to a previous check-stop location may be re-established after the soft error(s) are optionally corrected. In alternate embodiments, hardware based mechanisms may be exclusively utilized to both detect and correct the soft errors. |
| US08117495B2 |
Systems and methods of high availability cluster environment failover protection
A transparent high-availability solution utilizing virtualization technology is presented. A cluster environment and management thereof is implemented through an automated installation and setup procedure resulting in a cluster acting as a single system. The cluster is setup in an isolated virtual machine on each of a number of physical nodes of the system. Customer applications are run within separate application virtual machines on one physical node at a time and are run independently and unaware of their configuration as part of a high-availability cluster. Upon detection of a failure, traffic is rerouted through a redundant node and the application virtual machines are migrated from the failing node to another node using live migration techniques. |
| US08117492B1 |
Techniques for backup error management
Techniques for backup error management are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for backup error management comprising receiving a backup job error from a backup job, providing an error indicator and at least one user selectable option, receiving a user input corresponding to the at least one user selectable option, and modifying a backup policy to address the error based at least in part on the received user input. |
| US08117491B2 |
Disk-drive device and method for error recovery thereof
A method for an error recovery process in a disk-drive device. The method includes starting the error recovery process in response to an error which has occurred in a process corresponding to a command from a host to access a disk. The method also includes receiving a new read command from the host during the error recovery process. In addition, the method includes interrupting the error recovery process in accordance with preset conditions and reading out data from the disk at an address designated by the read command. Furthermore, the method includes transferring the read-out data to the host. |
| US08117490B2 |
Microprocessor memory management
A memory for an electronic brake control system is divided into portions that are classified as critical and non-critical. Each portion is periodically tested for faults. Upon detection of a fault, the memory is reconfigured with any operations of the brake system associated with a critical memory portion permanently disabled and any operations of the brake system associated with a non-critical memory portion temporarily disabled. |
| US08117487B1 |
Method and apparatus for proactively monitoring application health data to achieve workload management and high availability
A method and apparatus for proactively monitoring data center health data to achieve workload management and high availability is provided. In one embodiment, a method for processing application health data to improve application performance within a cluster includes accessing at least one of performance data or event information associated with at least one application to determine application health data and examining the application health data to identify an application of the at least one application to migrate. |
| US08117485B2 |
Memory system for seamless switching
Provided is a memory system for seamless switching. The memory system includes first through mth chips, where m is a natural number, connected in the form of a daisy chain and configured to transmit at least one of signals and data, a (k−1)th chip of the first through mth chips, where k is a natural number and 2≦k≦m, configured to output a (k−1)th detection signal corresponding to a phase difference between (k−1)th test data of the (k−1)th chip and kth test data of a kth chip of the first through mth chips, and the kth chip including a clock phase control unit configured to control a phase of a received clock signal and to output the phase-controlled clock signal as a kth clock signal, where the clock phase control unit of the kth chip outputs the kth clock signal in response to the (k−1)th detection signal. |
| US08117479B2 |
Electronic apparatus and auto wake-up circuit thereof
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and an auto wake-up circuit thereof. The electronic apparatus comprises a main module for performing a main function of the electronic apparatus and generating a first control signal when the electronic apparatus enters a sleep mode; an auxiliary module, coupled to the main module, for performing an auxiliary function of the electronic apparatus and generating a second control signal; and a wake-up circuit module, coupled to the main module and the auxiliary module, for generating a third control signal based on the first control signal and the second control signal. The auxiliary module maintains the auxiliary function based on the third control signal while the electronic apparatus is in the sleep mode. |
| US08117470B2 |
Home network client and server including energy-away control element and control method thereof
Provided are a home network client and server including an energy-away control element (ECE), and a control method thereof. A client advertises an ECE serving as a functional block of each service unit. The advertisement is recognized and the ECE is registered by a plug and play method. An ECE to be controlled is searched and selected among registered ECEs. State checking and management are performed on the selected ECE. The ECE is defined by each service unit in the home network server and client, and energy is controlled for each ECE, so that the energy consumption can be reduced. |
| US08117468B2 |
Selective power-down for high performance CPU/system
An exemplary microelectronic device is made up of two or more functional units, which are all disposed on a single chip, or die. The functional units on the die do not all need to be operational at a given time in the execution of a computer program that is controlling the microelectronic device. The present invention rapidly turns on and off the functional units of the microelectronic device as required by a program being executed. This power down can be achieved by turning off clock inputs to the functional units, interrupting the supply of power to the functional units, or deactivating input signals to the functional units. This results in a very significant reduction in power consumption and corresponding heat dissipation by the microelectronic device as compared to the conventional approach of keeping all functional units operational all of the time. |
| US08117467B2 |
Power management device and method thereof for managing power consumption of electronic device
A power management device and method thereof for managing power consumption of an electronic device are disclosed. The electronic device has at least one adjustable unit and each adjustable unit has a plurality of power statuses. The method includes the following steps: generating a collection table having a plurality of power status collections according to the plurality of power statuses; selecting a power status collection from the collection table; measuring the power consumption corresponding to the selected power status collection; and providing the measured power consumption to the user. |
| US08117466B2 |
Data processing device and power supply voltage generator that control a power supply voltage during an auxiliary period, and method of controlling the power supply voltage thereof during an auxiliary period
A data processing device including a power supply terminal having a first power supply voltage applied thereto; a regulator that generates a second power supply voltage based on the first power supply voltage; an internal circuit having an operation clock, wherein the second power supply voltage is supplied to the internal circuit through a power supply; and a power supply voltage variation suppressor connected between the power supply terminal and the power supply line. In this device, the power supply voltage variation suppressor sets an auxiliary period and supplies auxiliary current to the power supply line during the auxiliary period, and wherein the auxiliary period is synchronized with the operation clock of the internal circuit. |
| US08117461B2 |
Method of randomly and dynamically checking configuration integrity of a gaming system
In a gaming environment, a method of periodically downloading dynamically generated executable modules at random intervals that perform system configuration integrity checks in a secure and verifiable manner is disclosed. The dynamically generated executable modules are created on a server machine and are themselves signed using industry standard PKI techniques, and contain randomly chosen subset from a repertoire of proven hashing and encryption algorithms that are executed on the system to be checked to create a unique signature of the state of that system. The dynamically generated executable module returns the signature to the server machine from which it was downloaded and deletes itself from the system being checked. The next time such an executable module is downloaded, it will contain a different randomly chosen subset of hashing and encryption algorithms. The server that is performing the system configuration integrity check maintains a database of expected system configurations and performs the same subset of hashing and encryption algorithms as contained in the dynamically generated executable module. The result returned by the downloaded executable module is compared to that computed locally, and an error condition is raised if they do not match. |
| US08117457B2 |
Trusted hardcopy document
A trusted hardcopy document is generated using a two-part confirmation number including a private part and a public part. A public part of the confirmation number is received at a first party creating the trusted hardcopy document. The private part of the confirmation number is sent to an owner of the trusted hardcopy document by a trusted party and is not sent to the first party creating the trusted hardcopy document. A human-readable form and a machine readable form of the public part of the confirmation number are printed on the trusted hardcopy document. |
| US08117452B2 |
System and method for establishing a secure association between a dedicated appliance and a computing platform
An apparatus is provided that includes a dedicated appliance operable to interface with a computing platform. A provisioning process may be initiated such that the dedicated appliance responds by monitoring a port for a connection request from the computing platform. Upon receiving the connection request the dedicated appliance completing a connection and generates a random numeric or an alphanumeric string, the dedicated appliance calculating a key derived from the random numeric string or the alphanumeric string using a key derivation process. The dedicated appliance waits for the credential packet from the computing platform before establishing a secure connection between the dedicated appliance and the computing platform. |
| US08117450B2 |
System and method for secure data transmission
A system for secure data transmission comprises a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a string generator stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The string generator is adapted to generate a character string. The system also comprises a hashing engine stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The hashing engine is adapted to generate a hash key using the character string and a private key. The system further comprises an encryption engine stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The encryption engine is adapted to encrypt the data using the hash key. The processor is adapted to transmit the encrypted data, an identification key related to the private key, and the character string to a recipient. |
| US08117444B2 |
Host computer, mobile communication device, program, and recording medium
The object of the present invention is to provide an authentication system capable of achieving suitable authentication processing while guaranteeing the maximum convenience for the customer.A first communication terminal PD1 is built into a television TV that can be connected to the Internet, and communications with an authentication control company BS are possible via the first communication terminal PD1. The authentication control company BS is, for example, a telecommunications company, and performs authentication control for a plurality of product supplier companies SP1 to SP3 according to the product purchase status on the television TV.Furthermore, the present invention simplifies the appropriate procedures by setting authentication levels for authentication control. |
| US08117441B2 |
Integrating security protection tools with computer device integrity and privacy policy
At computer device power on, the operating system of the computer device initiates a monitor. The monitor assigns a monitoring program to each program and object (collectively, “program”) running on the computer device to monitor the activities of the program. When the monitoring program is assigned to a program, the monitoring program is assigned an integrity and/or privacy label (collectively, “integrity label”) based on predetermined criteria applied to the monitored program. The monitoring program, in turn, assigns an integrity label to the program monitored by the monitoring program. The integrity label assigned to the monitored program is less than or equal to the integrity label of the monitoring program. The monitor enforces an integrity policy of the computer device based on the integrity label assigned to monitored programs and the integrity label associated with data, another program, or a remote network resource that the monitored program is seeking to access. |
| US08117439B2 |
Issuing secure certificate using domain zone control validation
A requester requests a secure certificate for a domain name from a validating entity, such as a certification authority. To verify that the requestor has control over the domain name, the validating entity generates a pass string. The requestor enters the pass string into a domain zone. The validating entity determines if the pass string was entered in the domain zone. If the pass string is present in the domain zone, the validating entity may issue the secure certificate. If the pass string is not in the domain zone, the validating entity may deny issuing the secure certificate to the requestor. |
| US08117438B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing secure messaging service certificate registration
A method and apparatus for providing an automated SMS registration mechanism to support authentication, authorization, creation and maintenance of PKI related tasks using web authentication that is keyed by corporate Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a LDAP is protocol that organizes directory hierarchies and interfaces to directory servers that can be used by an end user to access directory listing to locate people, addresses, phone numbers, and other resources in a public Internet or a corporate intranet. |
| US08117436B2 |
Hybrid nanotube/CMOS dynamically reconfigurable architecture and an integrated design optimization method and system therefor
A hybrid nanotube, high-performance, dynamically reconfigurable architecture, NATURE, is provided, and a design optimization flow method and system, NanoMap. A run-time reconfigurable architecture is provided by associating a non-volatile universal memory to each logic element to enable cycle-by-cycle reconfiguration and logic folding, while remaining CMOS compatible. Through logic folding, significant logic density improvement and flexibility in performing area-delay tradeoffs are possible. NanoMap incorporates temporal logic folding during the logic mapping, temporal clustering and placement steps. NanoMap provides for automatic selection of a best folding level, and uses force-direct scheduling to balance resources across folding stages. Mapping can thereby target various optimization objectives and user constraints. A high-density, high-speed carbon nanotube RAM can be implemented as the universal memory, allowing on-chip multi-context configuration storage, enabling fine-grain temporal logic folding, and providing a significant increase in relative logic density. |
| US08117434B2 |
Component configuration mechanism for rebooting
Aspects of the invention support a component configuration mechanism when rebooting a circuit module (201) of a programmable logic controller (101). A component (application) may be configured from a plurality of sources, including flash memory (204) and a web-based configuration source. The configuration mechanism avoids using invalid configuration data when replacing the communication module. The circuit module may support a plurality of components, where some of the components may be associated with a web-based configuration while other components may be associated with a CPU-based configuration. If the configuration data in the flash memory of the communication module is determined to be invalid, the communication module obtains configuration data from a web-based configuration source for a web-based configured component and from an associated CPU module (202) for a CPU-based configured component. The validity of configuration data in internal memory is determined by comparing values of cyclic checksums and configuration times.12347300 |
| US08117431B2 |
Method for loading system locked pre-installation certification
A method is used for loading a System Locked Pre-installation (SLP) certification from a basic input output system (BIOS) of a computer. The BIOS includes a boot block section and a main section for initializing the hardware of the computer after executing the boot block section. The method includes determining if a set value in a predetermined address of the boot block section is equal to a preset value upon booting the computer; executing the main section of the BIOS directly and the SLP certification being disabled if matching, loading the SLP certification into a read only memory (ROM) of the computer and the SLP certification being enabled if not matching, and executing the main section of the BIOS. |
| US08117430B2 |
Boot test system and method thereof
A boot test system applied to test a cold boot in a target computer is provided. The boot test system includes a host computer and an autorun module. The host computer is used to test the target computer to turn power on/off and output a power-on signal and a power-off signal to the target computer based on a feedback signal. The autorun module installed in the target computer is used to output the feedback signal to the host computer during the boot of the target computer. Whereby, the present invention retains a fail result of the boot of the target computer for debugging by a worker. |
| US08117429B2 |
System and method for a distributed and flexible configuration of a TCG TPM-based local verifier
An improved system and method for efficiently implementing a remotely manageable secure boot on a Trusted Computing Group defined Trusted Platform Module. Various embodiments of the present invention enable a boot process which does not require a dependency on prior RIM certificates, while still requiring a dependency on the sequencing of the boot process. |
| US08117428B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically saving and restoring pad configuration registers implemented in a core power domain
According to various illustrative embodiments, an apparatus, system, and method for automatically saving and restoring pad configuration registers implemented in a core power domain are described. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a save and restore logic component implemented in the core power domain and coupled to the pad configuration registers. The apparatus also comprises a memory instantiated in an always-on power domain and coupled to the save and restore logic component, the save and restore logic component implemented in the core power domain to automatically save the pad configuration registers in the memory in a pad configuration save process before a power supply to the core power domain is switched off and to automatically restore the pad configuration registers from the memory in a pad configuration restore process after the power supply to the core power domain is switched on. |
| US08117426B2 |
System and apparatus for group floating-point arithmetic operations
Systems and apparatuses are presented relating a programmable processor comprising an execution unit that is operable to decode and execute instructions received from an instruction path and partition data stored in registers in the register file into multiple data elements, the execution unit capable of executing group data handling operations that re-arrange data elements in different ways in response to data handling instructions, the execution unit further capable of executing a plurality of different group floating-point and group integer arithmetic operations that each arithmetically operates on the multiple data elements stored in registers in the register file to produce a catenated result that is returned to a register in the register file, wherein the catenated result comprises a plurality of individual results. |
| US08117425B2 |
Multithread processor and method of synchronization operations among threads to be used in same
The Thread Data Base 1 holds a thread identifier to uniquely identify a thread in the system. The Check means 3 lets, when no thread being a target exist in the same processor, a trap (TRAP) 10 occur. The Issue means 2, when a thread being a target exists in the same processor, at a time of issuing a subsequent instruction, successively inputs a thread 9 to be executed next, as a thread serving as a target, into a pipeline. The Gate (G) means 11 uses data on the execution of a thread as an input for computation of a thread serving as a succeeding target. The Switch means 13 transfers data in a context of a thread to a context of a target thread without inputting the target thread as a non-executable thread into a pipeline while the thread is being executed. |
| US08117423B1 |
Pipeline replay support for multicycle operations
Instructions asserted in the instruction pipeline (3) of the microprocessor are accompanied by control information, comprising a group of bits, asserted within a control information pipeline (15) of the processor. The control information pipeline is synchronized to the instruction pipeline so that the control information for an instruction progresses in synchronism with the instruction. The control information may identify, directly or indirectly, the type of operation called for by the instruction and, if the operation is to be performed in parts, indicate the part to be performed. Means are included in the processor, such as a number of functional execution units (7), to interpret that control information and take appropriate action. Applied in a VLIW processor to an atom operation that requires multiple cycles to complete, in which the first part of the operation is permitted to complete and the atom then reasserted, the control information identifies the second assertion of the atom as the second part of a multi-cycle operation. |
| US08117422B2 |
Fast address translation for linear and circular modes
The core of this invention is the application of a fast comparison circuit to the problem of address translation. Traditional implementations generate the virtual address and the physical address in series. This invention generates the physical address and virtual address simultaneously. A bitwise operation on the base address, the offset address and each stored virtual address determines whether the base address and offset address sum equals the virtual address without requiring a carry propagate. Circular addressing is implemented in the match determination by masking bits corresponding to the circular address limit. |
| US08117412B2 |
Securing safety-critical variables
A system comprises a general-purpose memory, a lockable memory, a memory management unit, and a processor. The general-purpose memory includes data for a first set of addresses. The lockable memory includes data for a second set of addresses. The memory management unit selectively writes data to one of the general-purpose memory and the lockable memory and selectively locks the lockable memory by preventing writes to the lockable memory. The processor instructs the memory management unit to unlock the lockable memory before requesting a write to one of the second set of addresses. |
| US08117410B2 |
Tracking block-level changes using snapshots
Writes to blocks of a protected storage volume that occur between the beginning of a prior backup interval and the beginning of a current backup interval are tracked using a first snapshot that is maintained through the current backup interval. At the beginning of the current backup interval, a second snapshot is generated. Blocks that are indicated by a dirty block list of the first snapshot as having been changed are read from the snapshot volume for the second snapshot and copied to a backup storage volume. For the next backup interval, the second snapshot or alternatively, a newly generated third snapshot, is used to track writes to blocks of a protected storage volume that occur between the beginning of the current backup interval and the beginning of a next backup interval. |
| US08117409B2 |
Method and apparatus for backup and restore in a dynamic chunk allocation storage system
Backup and restore operations are made possible in a storage system that has dynamic chunk allocation (DCA) capability. In a DCA storage system, a chunk of physical storage area is not allocated to a segment of a volume until a write command is received targeting the segment of the volume. During a restore operation of the volume in the DCA storage system, the wasting of storage capacity when a backup image of the volume is restored is mitigated by preventing allocation of physical storage areas to segments of restore data that are only void data. |
| US08117404B2 |
Misalignment predictor
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a circuit coupled to receive an indication of a memory operation to be executed in the processor. The circuit is configured to predict whether or not the memory operation is misaligned. A number of accesses performed by the processor to execute the memory operation is dependent on whether or not the circuit predicts the memory operation as misaligned. In another embodiment, a misalignment predictor is coupled to receive an indication of a memory operation, and comprises a memory and a control circuit coupled to the memory. The memory is configured to store a plurality of indications of memory operations previously detected as misaligned during execution in a processor. The control circuit is configured to predict whether or not a memory operation is misaligned responsive to a comparison of the received indication and the plurality of indications stored in the memory. |
| US08117403B2 |
Transactional memory system which employs thread assists using address history tables
A computing system uses specialized “Set Associative Transaction Tables” and additional “Summary Transaction Tables” to speed the processing of common transactional memory conflict cases and those which employ assist threads using an Address History Table and processes memory transactions with a Transaction Table in memory for parallel processing of multiple threads of execution by support of which an application need not be aware. Special instructions may mark the boundaries of a transaction and identify memory locations applicable to a transaction. A ‘private to transaction’ (PTRAN) tag, directly addressable as part of the main data storage memory location, enables a quick detection of potential conflicts with other transactions that are concurrently executing on another thread of said computing system. The tag indicates whether (or not) a data entry in memory is part of a speculative memory state of an uncommitted transaction that is currently active in the system. |
| US08117388B2 |
Data distribution through capacity leveling in a striped file system
A data distribution technique is configured to provide capacity leveling in a striped file system. When a new node is added to a striped volume set, the striping table is evolved to accommodate the newly added node. Each node of a cluster is illustratively associated with a capacity value that takes into account, e.g., processor speed, number of processors, hardware configuration and/or software available for the node. During the evolution process of the striping table, the technique apportions stripes of the SVS among the nodes in a manner so that they are optimally assigned to the nodes in accordance with each node's capacity value. By utilizing the evolutionary striping table that incorporates capacity values, heterogeneous nodes may be utilized to their maximum capacity within a striped volume set, thereby reducing underutilized processing resources. |
| US08117383B2 |
Hardware accelerator based method and device for string searching
A method for searching within a data block for a data chunk having a predefined value, the method includes: fetching, by a processor, a data block search instruction; fetching, a data unit that includes multiple data chunks; wherein at least one data chunk within the data unit belongs to the data block; deciding whether to use a mask for data chunk level masking; searching, by a hardware accelerator, for a valid data chunk within the fetched data unit that has the predefined value; wherein the searching comprising applying a mask; wherein a valid data chunk in an non-masked data chunk that belongs to the data block; and determining whether to update the value of the mask and whether to fetch a new data unit that belongs to the data block. |
| US08117382B2 |
Data writing method for non-volatile memory and controller using the same
A data writing method for a non-volatile memory is provided, wherein the non-volatile memory includes a data area and a spare area. In the data writing method, a plurality of blocks in a substitution area of the non-volatile memory is respectively used for substituting a plurality of blocks in the data area, wherein data to be written into the blocks in the data area is written into the blocks in the substitution area, and the blocks in the substitution area are selected from the spare area of the non-volatile memory. A plurality of temporary blocks of the non-volatile memory is used as a temporary area of the blocks in the substitution area, wherein the temporary area is used for temporarily storing the data to be written into the blocks in the substitution area. |
| US08117376B2 |
Storage system and control method thereof
Proposed are a storage system and its control method capable of dealing with the unique problems that arise when using a nonvolatile memory as the memory device while effectively preventing performance deterioration. This storage system is provided with a plurality of memory modules having one or more nonvolatile memory chips, and a controller for controlling the reading and writing of data from and in each memory module. The memory module decides the nonvolatile memory chip to become a copy destination of data stored in the nonvolatile memory when a failure occurs in the nonvolatile memory chip of a self memory module, and copies the data stored in the failed nonvolatile memory chip to the nonvolatile memory chip decided as the copy destination. |
| US08117375B2 |
Memory device program window adjustment
In one or more embodiments, a memory device is disclosed as having an adjustable programming window having a plurality of programmable levels. The programming window is moved to compensate for changes in reliable program and erase thresholds achievable as the memory device experiences factors such as erase/program cycles that change the program window. The initial programming window is determined prior to an initial erase/program cycle. The programming levels are then moved as the programming window changes, such that the plurality of programmable levels still remain within the program window and are tracked with the program window changes. |
| US08117371B2 |
System and method for memory hub-based expansion bus
A system memory includes a memory hub controller, a memory module accessible by the memory hub controller, and an expansion module having a processor circuit coupled to the memory module and also having access to the memory module. The memory hub controller is coupled to the memory hub through a first portion of a memory bus on which the memory requests from the memory hub controller and memory responses from the memory hub are coupled. A second portion of the memory bus couples the memory hub to the processor circuit and is used to couple memory requests from the processor circuit and memory responses provided by the memory hub to the processor circuit. |
| US08117369B2 |
Input-output module for operation in memory module socket and method for extending a memory interface for input-output operations
An I/O module configured to operate in a memory module socket and method for extending a memory interface are generally described herein. The I/O module may include a serial-presence detection (SPD) device to indicate that the I/O module is an I/O device and to indicate one or more functions associated with the I/O module. The I/O module may also include a serial data controller to communicate serial data in accordance with a predetermined communication technique with a configurable switch of a host system over preselected system management (SM) bus address lines and unused system clock signal lines of the memory module socket. The predetermined communication technique may include a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe), a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA), a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS), a universal-serial bus (USB) or a switched-fabric (InfiniBand) communication technique. |
| US08117367B2 |
Processor system with an application and a maintenance function
A processor system with an application and a maintenance function that would interfere with the application if concurrently executed. The processor system comprises a set of processor cores operable in different security and context-related modes, said processors having at least one interrupt input and at least one wait for interrupt output. The processor system also comprises a wait for interrupt expansion circuit responsive to the at least one wait for interrupt output to provide an interrupt signal, at least one of said processor cores operable in response to the interrupt signal to schedule a maintenance function separated in time from execution of the application. |
| US08117365B2 |
Method and apparatus for communication between universal serial bus (USB) host and USB device
A method of interfacing between a universal serial bus (USB) host and a USB device. The USB host and the USB device include modules to process packets according to network protocols, instead of USB bus interfaces. Therefore, the USB device can be connected to the USB host even without a USB cable, and thus is not affected by the distance between the USB host and USB device. |
| US08117364B2 |
Enhanced protocol and architecture for low bandwidth force feedback game controller
Haptic features are stored in a haptic device by preloading or otherwise downloading them, e.g., wirelessly, into the haptic device at the time of manufacture, immediately prior to game play, during game play, and/or at any other time. Haptic features may be activated, deactivated, modified or replaced at any time. All or a subset of the haptic features may be selected as an active play list, which may be modified as necessary. A host may manage some or all device memory and the haptic features stored therein. Haptic features stored in haptic devices and control information provided by the host are used by the haptic device to execute haptic effects. The haptic device may sustain haptic effects between control messages from the host. New communication messages may be added to an underlying communication protocol to support haptic effects. New messages may use header portions of communication packets as payload portions. |
| US08117359B2 |
Memory control apparatus and method
A memory control apparatus generates a plurality of commands whose unit of data transfer is smaller than the unit of data transfer of a memory access request, and when the memory access requests are transmitted from a plurality of request sources, issues the plurality of commands to a memory in alternate order for each request source. The plurality of memory access requests are executed by time division and concurrently. |
| US08117356B1 |
Direct memory access (DMA) transfer of network interface statistics
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method that includes maintaining statistics, at a network interface, metering operation of the network interface. The statistics are transferred by direct memory access from the network interface to a memory accessed by at least one processor. |
| US08117352B2 |
Apparatus and method for selecting wireless connectivity in a wireless communication terminal
An apparatus and a method for providing an interworking service with a peripheral device in a Mobile Station (MS) supporting one or more wireless connectivity protocols are provided. Information on an execution environment of an application program for the interworking service is checked when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is executed. A wireless connectivity protocol is selected from among the one or more wireless connectivity protocols for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device using the information on the execution environment of the application program. |
| US08117351B1 |
Serial parallel interface for data word architecture
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to techniques involving transitioning serial data into a serial parallel interface. |
| US08117349B2 |
Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a set value group; an executing unit configured to execute a function using the set value group; a history storing unit configured to store history information including the set value group having been used in an execution of the function; a displaying unit configured to display the history information and an operation image corresponding to an operating portion; a specifying unit configured to specify history information and operation image designated by the user; and an assigning unit configured to assign a set value group corresponding to the specified history information to the operating portion corresponding to the specified operation image specified. When a predetermined operation is carried out for the operating portion corresponding to the operation image, the setting unit sets the set value group assigned to the operating portion. |
| US08117342B2 |
Media exchange protocol supporting format conversion of media items
A media exchange description language (MX-DL) is disclosed. The media exchange description language (MX-DL) may be used to facilitate media exchange within a media exchange network, such as a home network. Methods of determining an operability of a media item within a media exchange network are also disclosed. The methods may utilize the media exchange description language (MX-DL) to convert a media format of the media item into a compatible media format usable within a media exchange network. Devices and device components for performing the disclosed methods are also disclosed. |
| US08117339B2 |
Tracking domain name related reputation
Systems and methods of the present invention allow for tracking of domain name related reputation by a domain name Registering Entity (e.g. Registry, Registrar, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, the Registering Entity maintains a database with reputation data that can be accessed by the requesters. The Registering Entity may update reputation data based on a variety of events related to the domain name. The reputation data may be tracked on the domain name itself, URLs, domain name purchaser or registrant, or email addresses associated with the domain name. The reputation data may include various categories, such as email practices, website content, privacy policies and practices, fraudulent activities, domain name related complaints, overall reputation, etc. The registrant may opt for a reputation service while registering domain name. The requester may decide whether to allow email messages or to visit URLs based on the domain name related reputation. |
| US08117337B2 |
Method and device for implementing link pass through in point-to-multipoint network
Methods and devices for implementing Link Pass Through in a point-to-multipoint network in respect of the network reliability field are provided. Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to a network having an access gate, an access device, an aggregation device and a router. When a failure occurs in an active link between the access device and the aggregation device or between the aggregation device and the router, the access device breaks the connection between the access device and the access gate enables a standby link to conduct communication. Advantageously, when a failure occurs in the active link between the access device and the aggregation device or between the aggregation device and the router, the access device may break the connection between the access device and the access gate and the access gate may enable a standby link to conduct communication. Therefore, no matter what type of failure occurs, the embodiments of the present invention may enable a standby link to conduct communication, ensuring thereby communication reliability. |
| US08117336B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing accidental stack join protection
The subject matter described herein includes methods and systems for providing accidental stack join protection. According to one embodiment, a method includes connecting stacking ports of a first switch that is a member of a first stack and a second switch that is a member of a second stack and thereby joining the first and second stacks. The configurations of the first stack and of the second stack are detected and it is determined whether the detected configurations indicate a configuration mismatch between the first and second stacks. In response to determining that the detected configurations relate to a mismatch, the automatic joining of the first and second stacks is inhibited and the first and second stacks are allowed to continue switching traffic with their existing configurations. |
| US08117335B2 |
Service or application driven processing of network traffic using a smart router
A smart router is used to analyze messages and apply programmable policies to messages based on various diagnostics. Policies can be set by applications or other appropriate entities, such as a service layer. The smart router is able to delegate specific tasks, such as various transport (e.g., firewall, network bandwidth/congestion monitoring), service (e.g., charging, determine quality of service, identify session, filter service level content), and processing (e.g. codec transformation) tasks. Based on the result of the processing, the router can bounce, re-direct, route, or otherwise handle the network traffic. |
| US08117333B1 |
Systems and methods for distributed data forwarding
A network device includes at least one input interface, at least one processing path and at least one output interface. The at least one input interface receives data blocks from a plurality of streams in a first order. The at least one processing path processes each of the data blocks, the processing including performing one or more route look-ups for each of the data blocks. The at least one output interface re-orders the data blocks based on a number of the one or more route look-ups associated with each of the data blocks. |
| US08117329B2 |
Flow of streaming data through multiple processing modules
Frame-based streaming data flows through a graph of multiple interconnected processing modules. The modules have a set of performance parameters whose values specify the sensitivity of each module to the selection of certain resources of a system. A user specifies overall goals for an actual graph for processing a given type of data for a particular purpose. A flow manager constructs the graph as a sequence of module interconnections required for processing the data, in response to the parameter values of the individual modules in the graph in view of the goals for the overall graph as a whole, and divides it into pipes each having one or more modules and each assigned to a memory manager for handling data frames in the pipe. |
| US08117327B2 |
Data integration system with programmatic source and target interfaces
In one embodiment, a system is provided for executing bulk data transfers between persistent data stores. Programmatic source interfaces are each associated with a source store, defined according to a source interface specification, and exposed during a transfer to enable extraction from its source store of data entities for loading into any selected target stores during the transfer. Programmatic target interfaces are each associated with a target store, defined according to a common target interface specification, and exposed during a transfer to enable loading into its target store of data entities extracted from any selected source stores during the transfer. Each programmatic interface: (1) provides to its store an abstraction of transfer operations such that custom code need not be developed in connection with its store to enable transfers between its store and any other particular stores; and (2) isolates specific details associated with its store such that custom code need not be developed in connection with the transfer operations to enable transfers between its store and any other particular stores. |
| US08117323B2 |
Method and system for fast channel switching using standard RTSP messages
Method and system for performing fast channel switching in client-server systems, in which live media streams sent by a streaming server under the RTSP protocol are played by the client, are described. The existing functionality of the media player, for example seek functionality, is overloaded to provide switching between live media streams by using standard RTSP message in-band within a single RTSP session. |
| US08117315B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for archiving small objects to improve the loading time of a web page
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for improving the loading time of a web page. The present invention includes selecting archivable objects in a web page for inclusion in an archive file, the web page referencing at least one archivable object and generating the archive file from the selected archivable objects. A web page is generated, the web page configured to display in a script enabled web browser, wherein the web page comprises executable code configured to retrieve the archive file, executable code configured to unpackage the archivable objects from the archive file, and executable code configured to render the web page in a web browser using the unpackaged archivable objects from the archive file. Beneficially, the apparatus, system, and method improve the load time for web pages. |
| US08117312B2 |
Network attached storage device and method using same
A network attached storage device comprising a first file system, a first file system driver, a redirection pseudo device driver, a second file system, and a second file system driver. A method using Applicant's network attached storage device to write information to an information storage medium comprising a plurality of storage blocks. |
| US08117309B2 |
Re-download management of previously acquired digital media assets
Improved techniques that enable users to download digital media assets are disclosed. According to one aspect, digital media assets that a user has acquired from a remote media repository can be authorized for download multiple times. This, for example, allows a user to subsequently re-downloaded digital media assets that the user previously acquired. In one embodiment, digital media assets that a user previously downloaded to a user client device from a remote media repository can be made available to the user for subsequent re-download. Advantageously, a remote media repository can, in effect, provide users with a remote backup for previously acquired digital media assets. |
| US08117307B2 |
System and method for managing data streams
A system for a data stream management system includes a filter transport aggregate for a high speed input data stream with a plurality of packets each packet comprising attributes. The system includes an evaluation system to evaluate the high speed input data stream and partitions the packets into groups the attributes and a table, wherein the table stores the attributes of each packets using a hash function. A phantom query is used to define partitioned groups of packets using attributes other than those used to group the packets for solving user queries without performing the user queries on the high speed input data stream. |
| US08117302B2 |
Buddy list pruning for instant messaging system performance enhancement
A method, system and computer program product for buddy list pruning for instant messaging system performance enhancement. In one embodiment of the invention, a buddy list pruning method for instant messaging system performance enhancement can include comparing buddy list name entries in a buddy list to entries in a network directory used to authenticate users into a network supporting the instant messaging system. The method further can include characterizing selected ones of the buddy list name entries as either invalid where a buddy list name entry cannot be matched to an entry in the network directory, or as valid where the buddy list name entry can be matched to an entry in the network directory. Finally, the method can include performing presence awareness only on valid buddy list name entries in the buddy list. |
| US08117294B2 |
Managing of network equipment
An exemplary embodiment of a management apparatus can be provided. For example, the exemplary managing may include a profile device/arrangement and a process device/arrangement. The profile device/arrangement can include at least one process profile. Furthermore, the process device/arrangement can generate, by using the at least one process profile, a process description. For example, the generated process description may be a description of a physical process. Further, the generated process description may be executed in order to control the physical process in accordance with the generated process description. In addition, method, program arrangement and computer-accessible medium can be provided to perform certain procedures to generate the above-described process description. |
| US08117293B1 |
Method of receiving, storing, and providing device management parameters and firmware updates to application programs within a mobile device
A method for the efficient persistent storage of Device Management (DM) information on a mobile device is provided. More specifically, the present design provides methods for applications to access and update this information consistent with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DM standard by extending the OMA SyncML DM standard and providing a physical implementation of a tree management data structure. This implementation enables device management parameters, originating from server applications to be received, stored and accessed by a client mobile device. The present design incorporates centralized access and security rights management for securing DM information such that only permitted applications may access and update this information. In addition, the present design provides a method for retrieving firmware update packages, saving the package as specified by the OMA Firmware Update Management Object standard, and triggering the update process to apply the package by an update agent. |
| US08117291B1 |
Use of internet web technology to register wireless access customers
Internet web technology is used to register wireless access customers without the need of a programmable smart card or SIM (subscriber identity module) or a fixed line wired connection by providing an anonymous session connection between a special registration web server and the user equipment. |
| US08117290B2 |
Simple home networking
A network management system is provided for managing a computer network. The management system is configured to represent the computer network as having one of a plurality of defined network states. Once the state of the network has been identified, the management system can assist the user in making modifications to the computer network and in making recommendations to the user for possible modifications to the computer network. These modifications can include, for example, configuring network devices, removing network devices, replacing network devices, and adding new network devices. |
| US08117287B2 |
Interactive messaging system
The interactive messaging system of the present invention provides for an interactive communication process between users, both senders and recipients. The sender composes a message by filling in a template stored in data services. Once completed, the sender pushes the message to a recipient's wireless device if the wireless device contains a WAP browser, which is capable of receiving pushed messages. Typically the message includes a question along with answers for the recipient to choose from. Each answer corresponds with a pre-assigned response key and the recipient answers the question by selecting one of the pre-assigned response keys. The recipient's response is available to the sender in the form of an e-mail, WAP Push, on-line access or interactive message that is shown to the sender on an on-line status screen. |
| US08117285B1 |
System and method for bundled content delivery
A mobile communication device is provided. The mobile communication device comprises a processor, a memory, a display, a radio transceiver, and an application stored in the memory. The application, when executed by the processor, transmits via the radio transceiver a first hyper text transport protocol message identifying a markup language content file embedding a plurality of links to additional content, wherein the first hyper text transport protocol message establishes a hyper text transport protocol connection. The application receives via the radio transceiver a second hyper text transport protocol message from the hyper text transport protocol connection containing the markup language content file and a plurality of files identified by the links to additional content and presents the markup language content file and the plurality of files on the display. |
| US08117279B2 |
System and method for detecting customer premise equipment behind a router on a data-over-cable system
A system and method permits a network management agent executing on a customer premise equipment (CPE) component to determine whether a router is coupled between the CPE component and the cable modem through which the CPE component communicates with a data-over-cable network. The network management agent executing on the CPE component encapsulates the MAC address of the CPE component in a network management message that is sent to a server at the head end of the data-over-cable network. The head end compares the encapsulated MAC address with the MAC address of the device coupled to the cable modem that sent the network management message. If the MAC addresses are not the same, the server at the head end sets a router status element in the network management message response and sends it to the agent executing on the CPE component. The agent may then interrogate the router status element and determine whether a router is coupled between the CPE component on which it is executing and the cable modem through which it is coupled to the data-over-cable network. |
| US08117278B2 |
Orchestration of components to realize a content or service delivery suite
Methods, systems, and machine-readable media are disclosed for orchestrating behavior of network resources to provide a content and/or service delivery suite. According to one embodiment, orchestrating behavior of network resources to provide a content and/or service delivery suite can comprise detecting an access of the content or service delivery suite. Orchestration can be applied to the one or more network resources based on the access of the content or service delivery suite. At least one workflow on at least one of the one or more network resources can be executed based on the orchestration. For example, the at least one workflow can comprise a workflow for performing content aggregation, a workflow for performing management of content, a workflow for performing management of a service, a workflow for performing delivery of content or a service, etc. |
| US08117277B2 |
Component based infrastructure for sharing files
An operating system to componentize file sharing is described, in which a file transport send object is executable on the operating system to designate a shared file for sharing, and in which a notification send object is executable on the operating system to notify of the shared file. An operating system to componentize file sharing is described, in which a file transport receive object is executable on the operating system to receive a shared file, and in which a notification receive object that is executable on the operating system to notify of the shared file. |
| US08117276B1 |
Systems and methods for invoking commands across a federation
Some embodiments provide different frameworks for seamlessly issuing and executing commands across servers of different federation participants. Each framework facilitates issuance and execution of a command that originates from a first federation participant and that is intended for execution at servers of a second federation participant. In some embodiments, a framework implements a method for enabling command interoperability between distributed platforms that each operate a set of servers on behalf of content providers. The method involves receiving a command targeting a particular configuration that a first distributed platform deploys to a server that is operated by a second distributed platform. The method identifies the server of the second distributed platform that is deployed with the particular configuration. The method communicably couples to a command invocation system of the second distributed platform and issues the command to the command invocation system for issuance of the command to the identified server. |
| US08117275B2 |
Media fusion remote access system
The present invention is a system that receives data in different formats from different devices/applications in the format native to the devices/applications and fuses the data into a common shared audio/video collaborative environment including a composite display showing the data from the different sources in different areas of the display and composite audio. The common environment is presented to users who can be at remote locations. The users are allowed to supply a control input for the different device data sources and the control input is mapped back to the source, thereby controlling the source. The location of the control input on the remote display is mapped to the storage area for that portion of the display and the control data is transmitted to the corresponding device/application. The fusion system converts the data from the different sources/applications into a common format and stores the converted data from the different sources in a shared memory with each source allocated a different area in the memory. A combined window like composite representation of the data is produced and also stored in the memory. The combined representation is transmitted to and can be controlled by the users. |
| US08117270B1 |
Method and apparatus for defining messaging identities
A method and apparatus for creating a catalog for use with at least one computer system that manages a plurality of email messages. The catalog provides an index into the plurality of email messages, and comprises a plurality of identifiers that each identifies an entity. The catalog also correlates at least some of the plurality of identifiers to corresponding email addresses. The method for creating a catalog comprises creating the catalog to include information defining a temporal interval during which at least one email address corresponds to a first entity. |
| US08117269B2 |
Method for viewing non-image attachments on a portable electronic device
A method for viewing an attachment of an email message on a portable electronic device in which the attachment has a renderable format is provided. The method includes: requesting to view the attachment in an attachment viewer of the portable electronic device, building a graph structure within an attachment server representing a map of the attachment, the graph structure including at least one renderable identifier corresponding to a page of the attachment, requesting rendering of the attachment, the rendering request being send from the attachment viewer to the attachment server and including the at least one renderable identifier, initializing a rendering library and storing rendering commands -corresponding to command types of the graph structure in the rendering library, drawing the rendering commands in an off-screen bitmap, saving the off-screen bitmap as a JPEG file, sending the JPEG file to the portable electronic device and displaying the JPEG file in the attachment viewer. |
| US08117260B2 |
Method and apparatus for listening for incoming calls on multiple port/socket combinations
In a computer system having a memory, a processor, and a network interface, a method for listening on multiple conferencing interfaces having the steps of loading a set of transport components into the memory; initializing each transport components of the set of transport components to listen on a particular conferencing interface using the network interface, each transport component of the set of transport components listening to a different conferencing interface; receiving an incoming call signal on the network interface having an incoming conferencing interface; processing the incoming call signal to detect the incoming conferencing interface; and launching an application based on the incoming conferencing interface.An apparatus for listening on multiple conferencing interfaces having a set of transport components coupled to the network interface, each transport component of the set of transport components having the capability of receiving a signal on a different conferencing interface; a conference component coupled to each component in the set of transport components; a call processing module coupled to the conference component; and, a process manager coupled to the call processing module; the conference component containing a circuit for causing the call processing module to cause process manager to activate a conferencing application upon detecting a call from one transport component of the set of transport components. |
| US08117258B2 |
Distributed computing by carrier-hosted agent
A method for operating a host layer of a distributed computing system on a wide area network includes attaching an autonomous agent to a client-requested carrier, such as web content. The method includes the steps of receiving a request for specified content from a client node via the wide area network, and sending the content and an embedded agent to the client via the wide area network. The agent has program instructions configured to execute autonomously on the client node to perform a processing function. The processing function is configured to operate on raw data to produce process data, according to instructions determined by a solution algorithm of the distributed computing system. The method further includes sending the raw data to the client node and receiving the process data from the client node as it is processed by the agent. The host layer may comprise a web server hosting a web site containing consumer-oriented web pages, and the carrier may comprise an HTML page containing user content. The agent may comprise a web page-enabled application embedded in the HTML page, such as a Java™ applet. |
| US08117250B2 |
VDSL2 transmitter/receiver architecture
The invention suggests a novel pipeline FFT/IFFT architecture that not only produces time-domain samples (after IFFT) but also pushes time-domain samples into FFT in a time-based sequential order. This reduces external memory requirement for buffering the time-domain samples. Also the design is based on a mixed radix-2 and radix-22 algorithm aiming at reducing number of multipliers and adders. Compared with other FFT/IFFT design methodologies such as radix-4, it achieves the minimum multiplier use, the minimum adder use and the minimum operating memory use. On the other hand, the design architecture not only can support different FFT/IFFT size required by different VDSL2 profiles but also utilizing a novel pipeline control mechanism to reduce logic switching at low-speed profiles. This effectively further reduces the power consumption at lower profiles and enables our VDSL2 digital chipsets to compete with ADSL2+ systems in terms of power consumption. |
| US08117248B2 |
Digital filter instruction and filter implementing the filter instruction
A digital filter instruction and filter implementing the filter instruction are disclosed. The filter instruction synthesizes a digital filter and includes an instruction field, a tap length field, a coefficient address field, a data header address field, a clear accumulator bit and an update bit. The filter instruction a concise instruction format to significantly decrease memory required, allow for instruction pipelining without branch penalty, and uses a circular buffer for the data so the data address pointer is only needed to be updated for the next input sample. The filter instruction may be used to implement FIR or IIR filters by using the options of pre-clear accumulator or pre/post storing accumulator results. |
| US08117246B2 |
Registering, transfering, and acting on event metadata
A technique and associated mechanism is described for registering event metadata at a first site, transferring the event metadata to a second site using a portable module, and processing the event metadata at the second site. A user can register the event metadata at the first site in the course of consuming broadcast content. Namely, when the user encounters an interesting portion of the broadcast content, the user activates an input mechanism, resulting in the storage of event metadata associated with the interesting portion on the portable module. The second site can upload the event metadata from the portable module and, in response, provide content associated with the event metadata, including recommended content associated with the event metadata. |
| US08117244B2 |
Non-disruptive file migration
A non-distruptive migration of a native volume from a source server to a destination server performed by a file switch involves converting the source native volume to a native with metadata volume. The native with metadata volume is converted to a mirrored native with metadata volume including the source server and the destination server. The destination server includes a mirror copy of the native with metadata volume. The source server is removed from the mirrored native with metadata volume. The mirror copy of the native with metadata volume on the destination server is converted to a destination native volume on the destination server. |
| US08117243B2 |
Dynamic transactional instantiation of system configuration using a virtual file system layer
A virtual configuration system, comprising a virtualization engine and a configuration engine, for the dynamic instantiation of configuration files is disclosed. A mechanism is disclosed that allows for transactional updates to a repository of configuration settings comprising multiple files. Configuration entries are stored in a first memory location and a copy of the entries is stored in a second memory location. A virtual configuration file that includes a virtual configuration for each entry is created and used to provide the operating system with path and location information regarding the configuration entries. Simultaneously and during run-time of the computer, the configuration entries stored in the second memory location can be modified. Once the modifications are complete, a second virtual configuration file is created referencing the configuration entries stored at the second memory location. The first virtual configuration file is thereafter atomically replaced by the second virtual configuration file. |
| US08117241B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating media-exchangeable multimedia data and method and apparatus for reconstructing media-exchangeable multimedia data
A method of generating multimedia data is provided. The method includes generating a scene tree by allocating at least one piece of object information to each of a plurality of nodes and then linking the nodes based on the relationship between a plurality of pieces of object information allocated to the nodes, adding a null node to which the object information of an exchangeable media object is allocated, and thereafter recording the null node in a scene descriptor area in a scene description language. |
| US08117240B1 |
Remote application linking infrastructure
A method, system, and computer readable medium for controlling user access from a segmented network to shared remote applications stored on a remote server. The method begins by generating a folder/file structure for a remote application that is to be shared on the segmented network. A file server drive mapping to a linking infrastructure data is generated for the remote application and an icon associated with the remote application is retrieved. An application launcher file is generated for the remote application. Then, an application linker file associated with the application launcher file for the remote application is generated. A command file is generated for copying the application linker file to a user's desktop. The linker file is updated to point to the file server drive. A folder for user access to the remote application is then deployed that includes the remote application icon, the application linker file, the application launcher file, and the command file. |
| US08117238B2 |
Method of delivering an electronic document to a remote electronic device
A method of preparing a document for delivery to an electronic device including building a graph structure, include hyperlink nodes and bookmark nodes, representing a map of the document, and traversing and paginating the graph structure into successive pages each having a page index value. For each hyperlink node, the method includes storing in association with therewith a bookmark page index value that is the page index value of the page that includes the bookmark node having the bookmark that is the destination of the hyperlink of the hyperlink node. The pages may be selectively delivered to the electronic device. When a hyperlink in one of the pages is activated, the bookmark page index value that is stored in association with the corresponding hyperlink node may be identified, and the page that corresponds to the identified bookmark page index value may be transmitted to the electronic device. |
| US08117237B2 |
Optimized method and system for managing proper names to optimize the management and interrogation of databases
Optimized method and system making it possible to manage named entities or proper names that are presented in a different graphical or syntactic form and contained in a database (3), characterized in that it comprises, in combination, the implementation of the Levenshtein method by using a measurement of similarity from the Levenshtein method and of the n-grams method in order to find a canonic entity that can replace a set of named entities in a database. |
| US08117236B2 |
Coding positions of data elements in a data structure
The present invention relates to a method for coding positions of data elements in a data structure. According to the method, position codes are associated with the data elements in a pre-determined sequence, the position codes being selected in such a way that, if the lengths of the position codes are unlimited, many other position codes can be arbitrarily allocated between the positions of two data elements in order to code positions of other data elements. The present invention also relates to a method for coding positions of data elements in a data structure, whereby position codes are associated with the data elements in a pre-determined sequence, the position codes being selected in such a way that other position codes can be allocated between the positions of two adjacent data elements in order to code positions of other data elements, at least one other position code being longer than the longest position codes of the two adjacent data elements. |
| US08117234B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing storage requirements of electronic records
An embodiment of the present invention includes a system for storage of electronic records. The system includes a storage unit to store records and a processing system to store and retrieve records from the storage unit. The processing system receives non-exception based records and stores the records in the storage unit. This is accomplished by storing unique information from each received non-exception based record within the storage unit separately from information common to a plurality of non-exception based records. The stored unique information is linked with the stored common information. The present invention embodiments further include a method and a program product apparatus for storing electronic records as described above. |
| US08117232B2 |
Intelligent container index and search
Aspects are introduced for indexing contents of a shell namespace extension. A plurality of files are indexed, and it is encountered that one of the files contains at least one file reference. The file is then accessed as a shell namespace extension so that the file reference can be indexed. |
| US08117230B2 |
Interfaces and methods for group policy management
A system and method for managing group policy objects in a network, including interfaces that allow access by programs or a user interface component to functions of a group policy management console that performs management tasks on group policy objects and other related objects. The interfaces abstract the underlying data storage and retrieval, thereby facilitating searching for objects, and providing the ability to delegate, view, change and permissions on those objects, and check and save those permissions. Modeling and other test simulations are facilitated by other interfaces. Other interfaces provide dynamic and interactive features, such as to convey progress and rich status messages, and allow canceling of an ongoing operation. Still other interfaces provide methods for operating on group policy related data, including group policy object backup, restore, import, copy and create methods, and methods for linking group policy objects to scope of management objects. |
| US08117227B2 |
Method for analyzing web space data
A method for analyzing data from the web that determine the importance that a chosen subject has in society, e.g., subject matter relating a concert, a scientific discovery, a football match, a person, a corporation, a brand, or a car, and analyze such data that can represent the entire society better than the known techniques. The method according to the invention can avoid malicious alterations and is able to measure and detect the temporal relations among all the web resources that talk about a particular topic or subject matter. |
| US08117226B2 |
System and method for virtual folder sharing including utilization of static and dynamic lists
A system and method for virtual folder sharing, including utilization of static and dynamic lists. Static and dynamic lists may be created as types of virtual folders. Virtual folders expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. A static list consists of a folder of items that are in a specific order, while a dynamic list gathers a set of items based on a scope and a set of criteria. When a list is shared, the actual list is left in place on the sharer's machine or server, while permission is granted to the sharee to remotely access the list and the referenced items. If the list is changed by adding or removing items, these items are also automatically re-permissioned to allow or disallow the sharee to have access to the items. |
| US08117224B2 |
Accuracy measurement of database search algorithms
A system, method and program product for evaluating search algorithms. A method is provided that includes: defining a population of searches and database records from a search history database; applying a sampling method and direct sampling rates to each search/record pair in the population using a computing system, wherein search/record pairs having a higher variability relative to the population are assigned a relatively higher probability; randomly sampling a direct sample of search/record pairs with the computing system using the direct sampling rates to increase a likelihood of obtaining search/record pairs having the higher variability; running a search algorithm and measuring errors for the direct sample and/or for an associated indirect sample; and calculating an estimated error rate for the search algorithm using inverse probability weighting. |
| US08117221B2 |
Database obfuscation system and method
A system and method for obfuscating a database's schema while preserving its functionality by modifying the original table names, column names, table order, column order, and/or data character set such that the standard order of the original characters is maintained. |
| US08117216B1 |
Automated selection of item categories for presenting item recommendations
A computer-implemented process for reducing category overlap obtains a set of source items and an initial set of item categories associated with the source items. An assessment of the overlap between different item categories in the initial set of item categories is used to selectively eliminate one or more item categories prior to presentation of the source items and associated categories to the user, thereby resulting in reduced overlap between the item categories presented. The resulting set of categories improves the ability of the user to efficiently and effectively access source items of interest, such as recommended items generated by a recommendation engine. |
| US08117211B2 |
Information processing device and method, and program
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for selecting a content by classifying content included in a group into one of a plurality of clusters included in layers arranged based on metadata of the contents, the layers being assigned priority levels including a high priority level and low priority level, retaining a database indicating a correspondence between the classified content, the clusters corresponding to the classified content, and the layers, managing history information corresponding to contents of the user, identifying a cluster on a basis of the history information, and selecting a content classified into a layer of the identified cluster based on a priority level of the layer, and presenting the selected content and description information, the description indicating a reason for selection of the selected content. |
| US08117208B2 |
System for entity search and a method for entity scoring in a linked document database
A system has a processor coupled to access a document database that indexes keywords and instances of entities having entity types in a plurality of documents. The processor is programmed to receive an input query including one or more keywords and one or more entity types, and search the database for documents having the keywords and entities with the entity types of the input query. The processor is programmed for aggregating a respective score for each of a plurality of entity tuples across the plurality of documents. The aggregated scores are normalized. Each respective normalized score provides a ranking of a respective entity tuple, relative to other entity tuples, as an answer to the input query. The processor has an interface to a storage or display device or network for outputting a list including a subset of the entity tuples having the highest normalized scores among the plurality of entity tuples. |
| US08117207B2 |
System and methods for evaluating feature opinions for products, services, and entities
A system for evaluating a review having unstructured text comprises a segment splitter for separating at least a portion of the unstructured text into one or more segments, each segment comprising one or more words; a segment parser coupled to the segment splitter for assigning one or more lexical categories to one or more of the one or more words of each segment; an information extractor coupled to the segment parser for identifying a feature word and an opinion word contained in the one or more segments; and a sentiment rating engine coupled to the information extractor for calculating an opinion score based upon an opinion grouping, the opinion grouping including at least the feature word and the opinion word identified by the information extractor. |
| US08117202B1 |
User segment population techniques
A facility for identifying users that have an interest in a selected subject is described. For each of a number of actual users, the facility establishes a user behavior record describing the behavior of the actual user. The facility also establishes a user behavior record describing behavior of a virtual user. The behavior described by the user behavior record for the virtual user is made up of actions each tending to indicate an interest in the selected subject. The facility identifies a proper subset of the actual users whose user behavior records are most similar to the user behavior record of the virtual user as interested in the selected subject. |
| US08117201B2 |
Pre-populated and administrator defined groups in contacts lists
A contacts list for a subscriber is pre-populated based on information received from various data stores, data mining of applications associated with the subscriber, and administrator defined contacts. The list may be further maintained dynamically based on changes to contact information and/or subscriber attributes. |
| US08117200B1 |
Parallelizing graph computations
Performing an operation on a web graph is disclosed. A plurality of computers is initialized. The web graph is divided into portions. The portions are distributed to the plurality of computers. The results of the computation are propagated from the plurality of the computers to each of the plurality of computers. Optionally, a coordinator is used. |
| US08117199B2 |
Determination of a profile of an entity based on product descriptions
Relative to a given product or products, one or more attributes and, for each attribute, a plurality of possible attribute values, are defined. For a given product and attribute, one or more descriptions of the product are obtained and analyzed to determine the correspondence of the description(s), and hence the product itself, to each of the plurality of possible attribute values. In one embodiment, this analysis is based on previously-labeled training data. A knowledge base can be populated with information identifying the products and their correspondence to the plurality of possible attribute values for each attribute. This technique may be used to develop a profile of an entity, which in turn may be used to develop appropriate marketing messages or recommendations for other products. |
| US08117198B2 |
Methods for generating search engine index enhanced with task-related metadata
Methods for using task-related information to enhance digital searching are provided. A task-oriented user activity system maintains task-related information about resources accessed by a user and current user task. This task-related information is used to include task-related metadata in search engine index, e.g., by storing the metadata in the index or by storing it in resources which are subsequently indexed. Task-related information can also be used to enhance search results by filtering and ranking results to increase relevance with respect to a user's current task and/or to enhance search queries to include task-related search criteria. |
| US08117197B1 |
Adaptive user interface for real-time search relevance feedback
A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether. |
| US08117196B2 |
Search tool providing optional use of human search guides
A method and system providing optional use of human search guides to allow a user to select between a human guide assisted search and an automated search. The user is provided with an option of submitting a query requesting assistance of one or more human guides, initiating a search without requesting assistance from human guide(s) using automated results, or a combination of both. |
| US08117194B2 |
Method and system for performing multilingual document searches
Multilingual document searches are performed by ordering and filtering localized documents in different languages based on user preferences. Documents are indexed in a global search engine index using an identifier property and a language property permitting all relevant documents to be retrieved in a single search engine query. By storing documents with their identifier and language properties, documents from different cultures but with same content can be treated as equivalent. Results of the initial search include a multilingual set of documents ranked in order of relevance. Result sets are then post-processed using a data resource indicating for each multilingual user interface combination, which language version of each document should be returned. The initial search result are then transformed into a relevance based ordered list treating documents in different languages having same content as equivalent. Based on the ordered list, a final document list is prepared using localized and non-localized content. |
| US08117187B2 |
Method for controlling a relational database system
A method for controlling a relational database system by executing a database query in a relational database which contains, as an associated data structure, a plurality of data tables interconnected through relations, by using a database language, with a table of the relations being provided. A processable database statement without relation-related operations is created by indicating the data tables to which the processing functions are to be applied and by indicating the order of the selected data tables according to which the processing is to be carried out, and an access path, which concretely states the order of access to the database, is determined by first computing a partial access path, via the table of relations, between each two subsequent, selected data tables on the basis of the relations which exist between the subsequent data tables, and then assembling the access path from all computed partial access paths. |
| US08117186B2 |
Database processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product
A database processing apparatus generates a first processing instruction for acquiring an element included in the processing-target structured document, a second processing instruction for performing a natural join by using result data including the acquired element, a third processing instruction for performing a cross join by using the result data, and a fourth processing instruction for updating a correspondence relation between a result of the execution of the natural join and a result of the execution of the cross join by using these result of executions, and joins these processing instructions to generate the process plan. At this time, the database processing apparatus converts the first processing instruction into a fifth processing instruction for transmitting an acquisition request for the element to the database servers, and receiving the result data including the acquired element from the plural database servers. |
| US08117181B2 |
System for notification of group membership changes in directory service
An identity management system provides for a computationally efficient approach to monitor group changes, or events, on a directory service. Group events are monitored by use of a domain crawler process launched by an event monitoring process of the identity management system that gathers group event data and reports the collected and consolidated changes to the identity management system. |
| US08117179B2 |
Method and apparatus for presenting, searching, and viewing directories
A directory shell references one or more directories. Each directory comprises a plurality of directory objects each having object attributes and attribute data. One or more categories in the directory shell is associated with one or more directory objects and at least a portion of the associated object attribute. A user interface is operable for a user to query the categories in the directory shell. A directory interface is operable to send a search request to the directories in accordance with the query and receive data from the directories that satisfy the search request. |
| US08117177B2 |
Apparatus and method for searching information based on character strings in documents
An information searching apparatus stores, in a character-string accumulating unit, first character strings in correspondence with second character strings while classifying each of the second character strings according to an attribute thereof. The information searching apparatus further stores, in a storage unit, the attributes in correspondence with specified information each of which is specified based on at least one of the corresponding first character string and the containing document. The information searching apparatus obtains specified information based on at least one of a first character string and a document that contains the first character string and extracts, from the storage unit, the attributes. The information searching apparatus then extracts, from the character-string accumulating unit, one of the second character strings. |
| US08117175B1 |
Methods and apparatus for querying multiple data streams
A method and apparatus for querying multiple streams of data traffic are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method specifies interfaces or data sources in accordance with their properties. In turn, the method then accepts a query for querying multiple data streams and automatically constructs a set of queries in accordance with at least one specified property, where the set of queries is to be applied over the multiple data streams. |
| US08117174B2 |
Database system providing high performance database versioning
A database system providing high performance database versioning is described. In a database system employing a transaction log, a method for restoring databases to a consistent version including creating a cache view of a shared cache and performing undo or redo operations on the cache view only when a log sequence number falls within a certain range. |
| US08117172B2 |
Compact encoding methods, media and systems
A method for compact encoding including providing a first value field allocated in a first portion of a memory, wherein a portion of the first value field is utilized to store a fixed-size variable. A most significant zero bit (MSZB) is located in the first value field, and it is determined if the fixed-size variable can be written in a first area without performing an erase operation. The first area includes the N bits following the MSZB in the first value field. The fixed-size variable is written into the first area if the fixed-size variable can be written without performing the erase operation. |
| US08117168B1 |
Methods and systems for creating and managing backups using virtual disks
A computer-implemented method may, at a first point in time, back up at least a portion of a data-storage entity to a first virtual-disk file. The computer-implemented method may capture, in a second virtual-disk file, at least one change made to data in the data-storage entity after the first point in time. The computer-implemented method may also create a parent-child relationship between the first virtual-disk file and the second virtual-disk file, with first virtual-disk file being a parent of the second virtual-disk file. The computer-implemented method may further copy data stored in the second virtual-disk file to the first virtual-disk file so that the first virtual-disk file includes the at least one change made to data in the data-storage entity after the first point in time. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08117163B2 |
Backup and restore system for a computer
A method of defining a backup state of a file system is provided. A change in an electronic file stored on a computer system is detected. If the change is detected, a backup state of the electronic file is updated using an overlay icon associated with the electronic file. The overlay icon is presented in a user interface displaying the file system of the computer system. The backup state indicates that the electronic file is selected for backup processing if the change is detected. If the backup state indicates the electronic file is selected for backup processing, a copy of the electronic file is sent to a second computer system accessible by the computer system using a network. |
| US08117159B2 |
Accessing data entities
Data entities in a client-server system are accessed. The client-server system comprises a set of clients, a server system, and a repository for storing a plurality of data entities. The server system comprises an inter-transactional cache, the inter-transactional cache being accessible for each client of the set of clients. A first client of the set of clients comprises a first intra-transactional cache. If a copy of a first data entity is in the inter-transactional cache, a version identifier of the original first data entity is read from the repository. If the copy of the first data entity is to be accessed with an exclusive lock, a copy of the copy of the first data entity is added to the first intra-transactional cache. The copy of the copy of the first data entity in the first intra-transactional cache is accessed for further processing of the first data entity by the first client. |
| US08117158B1 |
Method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for taking and managing snapshots of a storage volume
A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for taking snapshots of a storage volume. According to aspects of one method, each snapshot is represented as a unique sequence number. Every fresh write access to a volume in a new snapshot lifetime is allocated a new section in the disk, called a provision, which is labeled with the sequence number. Read-modify-write operations are performed on a sub-provision level at the granularity of a chunk. Because each provision contains chunks with valid data and chunks with invalid data, a bitmap is utilized to identify the valid and invalid chunks with each provision. Provisions corresponding to different snapshots are arranged in a linked list. Branches from the linked list can be created for storing writable snapshots. Provisions may also be deleted and rolled back by manipulating the contents of the linked lists. |
| US08117156B2 |
Replication for common availability substrate
Systems and methods that supply a replication layer/agent that is generic to supporting a plurality of storage configuration as part of a distributed store. Such distributed store employs a Common Availability Substrate (CAS) for data transport and consistency, to render the distributed store scalable and available. Such an arrangement enables continuous operation of the store, while the replication subsystem creates new replicas (e.g., for load balancing, failover, and the like). |
| US08117154B2 |
Method for ensuring replication when system resources are limited
A method is provided for replicating transaction data from a source database to a target database wherein the transaction data is communicated from a change queue associated with the source database to the target database. An initial path is provided between the change queue and the target database for transaction data to flow. The initial path has a maximum transaction load capacity. It is then detected whether the current transaction load is close or equal to the maximum transaction load capacity of the initial path. If so, another path is provided between the change queue and the target database. Also, a method is provided of replicating transaction data from a source database to a target database wherein an associated with the target database has a maximum transaction threshold limit. The applier normally posts transaction data to the target database only upon receipt of a commit step or operation associated with respective transaction data. First, it is detected as to whether the maximum transaction threshold limit of the applier has been reached. If so, a commit step or operation is prematurely conducted on at least some of the transaction data in the applier, thereby causing the transaction data to become posted to the target database and deleted from the applier. |
| US08117151B2 |
File system migration in storage system
In a cluster type NAS, it is necessary to copy file data between disk devices of servers upon migration of a file system or a part of the file system. A server includes a control table for managing a file system or a part of the file system, and a mapping table for managing a relation between a logical device of a disk subsystem and a logical unit recognized by a server, and in response to an instruction to execute migration of the file system from a first server to a second server, the mapping table is referenced to send an instruction to update the relation between the logical device and the logical unit to the second server, and the second server newly recognizes a logical unit and updates a management server identifier of the control table. |
| US08117150B1 |
Method of forecasting a magnetic or electrical environment from an ocean volume
A method of ocean property forecasting. The method includes generating one of a magnetic field prediction and an electric field prediction between a first observation point and a plurality of uniform ocean cells by generating a vector sum of magnetic field contributions from a plurality of magnetic field vectors and a vector sum of electric field contributions from a plurality of electric field vectors, respectively. The method further includes generating one of a magnetic field forecast and an electric field forecast of the ocean volume at a second observation point in the ocean volume by re-using the magnetic field vectors and electric field vectors and scaling one of the plurality of magnetic field vectors and the plurality of electric field vectors by a plurality of tri-axial equivalent electrical currents with identical geometry to the first observation point. |
| US08117140B2 |
Methods and systems for applying genetic operators to determine systems conditions
Disclosed are methods, systems, and/or processor program products that include generating a population of genotypes, the genotypes based on at least one stimulus to a system, measuring at least one response of the system upon providing the population of genotypes to at least one model of the system, and, based on the measured at least one response of the system, performing at least one of: (a) applying at least one genetic operator to at least some of the population of genotypes, and iteratively returning to generating a population of genotypes, and (b) associating a condition of the system with at least one of the population of genotypes. |
| US08117136B2 |
Relationship management on a mobile computing device
A system and a method are disclosed for implementing managing relationships between data on a mobile computing based on user creation and definition of the relationships. A mobile computing device user generates asymmetric relationships between stored entities, events, tasks and communications. These asymmetric relationships are custom-generated by the user to reflect the user's classification and evaluation of the relationships. The user also assigns a score to each relationship and stored entity, event, task and communication to represent the user's classification of the relationship, entity, event, task or communication. Hence, the user assigns a value to the relationships between data as well as the stored data to indicate which relationship or stored data is most valuable to the user. The user-defined relationships between data can be automatically displayed when the mobile communication device is used to interact with a stored entity. |
| US08117132B2 |
Dating service system and method increasing member profile development and reducing unwanted communications
The present invention provides a device to increase the number of members in a dating service developing their profiles by providing a financial incentive. The invention further reduces unwanted communications from other members by allowing member recipients of the unwanted communication to receive a fee, paid by the sender, for receiving the communication. The invention further reduces unwanted communications from other members by allowing a member sending a communication to place on the profile of the member receiving the communication a comment which the receiving member cannot remove unless the received fee is returned, if the fee is not returned the member receiving the communication may post a responding comment. The invention further increases the safety of the members by providing the sender and receiver of a message a code that may be used by each to identify the other. |
| US08117129B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for performing mass transit merchant transactions
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for enabling access to mass transit systems using a financial transaction instrument including reading an identifier including financial payment information from the financial transaction instrument and determining whether the identifier is stored in a database. Access to a holder of the financial transaction instrument is provided based on the determining. |
| US08117127B1 |
Currency recycler user roles
A currency handling system, for example, a currency recycler, may be configured to receive and process currency transactions entered by different recycler users. The currency recycler may identify and/or authenticate the user attempting to perform a transaction, for example, cash withdrawals, deposits, exchanges, or administrative and other functions. Once the user has been identified, the currency recycler may identify one or more user roles associated with the user, and corresponding user thresholds and/or role thresholds which may define a set of functional limitations for the user on the recycler. The recycler may then process the user's transaction request in accordance with the applicable thresholds based on the user and user roles. |
| US08117124B2 |
Transferring funds electronically
Apparatuses and methods to transfer funds electronically via premium messages. In one aspect, an apparatus to electronically transfer funds from a customer to a supplier includes: a server component connected to a network; and a database component coupled to the server component. The server is configured to transmit a plurality of premium rate mobile terminating text messages to the mobile cellular telephone to effect a payment from the customer to the supplier after the customer has placed an order with the supplier. The server component is configured to populate the database component with an identification of the customer telephone number. The server component is configured to prompt the customer to supply additional personal data. In response to the additional personal data, the server component populates the database component with the additional personal data. |
| US08117118B2 |
Retailer debit card system
Methods for soliciting and enrolling customers for a retailer payment instrument are disclosed. For example, a method is disclosed for enrolling a customer for a retailer debit card which includes receiving enrollment data from the customer, establishing a check writer rating for the customer based on a history of checks associated with the customer and stored by the retailer, adjusting a validation threshold score based on the check writer rating, and denying enrollment of the customer if the validation score is less than the adjusted validation threshold score. Other associated methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US08117116B2 |
Using a transaction card account to make recurring loan payments
A system, method, and computer program product are used to make recurring loan payments (e.g., mortgage payments) through a transaction card account. Information is received at a transaction account system from a loan company system corresponding to an application received at the loan company system from a requester for a loan involving automatic debits to a transaction card account. A determination is made as to whether the requestor is eligible for the loan to be associated with a transaction card account. If not, the customer receives a communication of rejection. If eligible, a determination is made whether the transaction account system has stored therein a transaction card account of the requestor. If no, a transaction card account is opened for the requester and associated with the loan. If yes, the loan payment is associated with the transaction card account bill. Periodic debits to the transaction card account are automatically made that correspond to a recurring loan payment amount for the loan. |
| US08117114B2 |
Direct tracking of keywords to Ads/text
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art by providing a direct tracking module for keywords. In one embodiment, the system comprises a direct tracking module, a bid management system, a web analytics tool and a search engine. The direct tracking module interfaces with the bid management system to provide user interfaces for reviewing data about specific keyword and ads/text pairs. The direct tracking module uses unique codes to provide specific information about which combination of keyword and text generated specific Web traffic, such as traffic that generated a sale. This is particularly advantageous because the keyword/text pairs that generate a large number of sales can be reused to generate future traffic. Similarly, keyword/text pairs that do not generate Web traffic can be eliminated from the words that are purchased by the advertiser. Thus, the present invention greatly reduces the uncertainty presently provided by keyword purchasing schemes offered by present-day search engines. The present invention also includes a novel method for the direct tracking of keywords to ads/text. |
| US08117112B2 |
Auction system and method for pricing and allocation during capital formation
A computer implemented system and method determines price and allocation of equity shares. Information about an offering to accept bids for equity shares is provided to qualified potential purchasers and non-qualified potential purchasers. Bids from potential purchasers for equity shares are received through a communication network. Bids are accepted and offered to be accepted only from qualified potential purchasers. A non-qualified potential purchaser submits a bid through a qualified potential purchaser. A clearing price for the offered shares is determined based on the received bids. |
| US08117109B2 |
Systems and methods for establishing first on the follow trading priority in electronic trading systems
A trading system transitions from a first state to a second state and may award a participant, when one or more criteria and/or a status of trading rights are met, with trading priority in the second state to trade on an incoming contra order. The participant may also have an associated order modified as a result of an incoming contra order and/or be caused to automatically trade on an incoming contra order. |
| US08117107B2 |
Method for auction based simulation to extract demand curve
The present invention provides a novel simulation based method for analyzing new auction formats and rules, from limited and partially observable bidder characteristics. A simulation platform under this method is general enough to be easily modified to a specific design of auctions. This method will utilize the known results, if any, on some aspects of the auction rules under consideration, and simultaneously recover an extended set of bidder characteristics from limited and partially observed, existing bidder data, and will predict bidder behavior under the new auction rules. Advantageously, this method applies known results on some aspects of an auction format to the new learning of this format. |
| US08117106B2 |
Reputation scoring and reporting system
The reputation scoring and reporting system for accounts associated with telephone numbers and maintained in an electronic database includes processing a request for a reputation report corresponding to an account in the database. The request is authenticated via the telephone number associated with the account. A reputation report is then sent to a subscriber in response to an authenticated request. In return, transaction information between the subscriber and entity is associated with the account in the electronic database. The reputation score for the account is calculated in real-time based on the transaction information stored in the electronic database. |
| US08117104B2 |
Virtual asset groups in a compliance management system
Embodiments of the present invention can be used to assign policies to assets and enforce the policies in a dynamic environment. In one embodiment, the present invention includes discovering a plurality of assets using a plurality of distributed software interfaces over a network, each asset being having a plurality of attributes. A user can input receiving a group filter criterion, which can then be used to create and display a plurality of virtual asset groups to the user, each virtual asset group containing representations of assets having the same attributes for the received group filter criterion. In one embodiment, the present invention provides the ability to apply policies directly to virtual asset groups, and the policies are applied to virtual asset group members dynamically. |
| US08117100B1 |
Systems and methods for managing consolidated purchasing, billing and payment information
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing purchase, billing, and payment transactions. A unique identifier of a consolidated purchase card account, issued by a service provider to a user, is accepted by a plurality of vendors as a proxy of the unique identifier of their own vendor-issued purchase card account. Purchase transactions resulting from acceptance of the consolidated purchase card account are processed to produce an individual billing statement for each vendor. The individual billing statements are aggregated into a consolidated billing statement by the service provider, which is then presented to the user on behalf of each vendor. The user reviews the consolidated billing statement and provides payment instructions to the service provider. The payment instructions are processed to pay funds from a funding account of the user to each respective vendor. |
| US08117099B1 |
Billing systems conversions
A computer implemented method for converting a business account from a source billing system to a target billing system is provided. The method includes designing a conversion engine, testing the conversion engine, and executing the conversion engine to convert the business account from the source billing system to the target billing system. The conversion engine includes back-out points at which the conversion engine may return the business account to the source billing system. |
| US08117097B2 |
Method and system for identifying fraudulent account activity
A method and system is provided that evaluates several pieces of information associated with bank accounts at the time they are opened in order to assess the level of fraud risk that the new account creates for the bank. When a new customer establishes an account the various information collected during the account establishment process is analyzed using a logic algorithm that makes a risk assessment. The logic algorithm assigns a risk level wherein the highest risk accounts may be refused immediately while the next highest risk tier is flagged for further monitoring. Once flagged for monitoring, the account is subject to increased scrutiny based on various customer attributes to identify any problematic patterns. If all transactions are normal, the scrutiny flag lapses. If risky transactions continue, a hold is placed on the account and additional investigation is undertaken to either clear or close the account. |
| US08117093B2 |
Systems, applications and products in data processing for expedite orders
A system, application and product in data processing is disclosed for processing expedited orders, the method comprising. An existing availability of an order is determined. Expedited processing to the order is allowed above other orders or in advance of the standard manufacturing lead time associated with a material of the order by performing at least one of the following: changing a delivery plant; changing a requested delivery date; changing a delivery priority; and changing a quantity. |
| US08117086B1 |
Order tracking system and method using trigger events
An order tracking system comprising an interface to an order tracking database for users such as sales agents and sales managers to quickly find orders and track them as they progress. The order tracking system may track merchant orders for payment processing equipment to be installed in one or more business locations and the initiation of related payment processing services using the installed equipment. Trigger events within multiple internal computerized business applications are communicated to the order tracking system where they are stored in the order tracking database. The computerized applications that are used to manage internal business may track many activities and events, some of which are trigger events, that result in updates to the order tracking database. The trigger events from the various internal business applications allow a user of the present invention to obtain a comprehensive view of the status of an order for a payment processing solution. |
| US08117084B2 |
Method and apparatus for converting form information to phone call
A method and apparatus for establishing a phone call between a potential customer viewing information on the internet and a sales agent includes the steps of receiving a message indicating that the customer wishes to be contacted and including contact information for the customer and other information, converting at least some of the information in the message to speech, establishing a phone call to the sales agents, playing the speech to the sales agent, establishing a phone call to the customer using the contact information in the message, and bridging the first call to the second call. In some embodiments, a text message such as email or SMS is sent in addition to the phone call to the sales agent or when the phone call to the sales agent cannot be completed. |
| US08117083B1 |
Method and system for dynamically extending the duration of an auction
This is a method for use in conducting online and/or proxy-based auctions. This method achieves the best possible price in a timely manner, by more closely simulating the mechanics of a face-to-face auction transaction where bidding is not closed at a preset time but by balancing bid frequency against conducting a timely transaction. The process extends the auction closing time by a geometrically decreasing amount to accommodate bids entered near the end of the auction. |
| US08117075B1 |
Automatically identifying similar purchasing opportunities
A facility for identifying purchasing opportunities within a set of purchasing opportunities that are similar to a distinguished purchasing opportunity is described. The distinguished purchasing opportunity has descriptive information associated with it. For each of several terms occurring in this descriptive information, the facility generates a term score. Each term score reflects the extent to which the occurrence of the term and the descriptive information associated with the distinguished purchasing opportunity differentiates the distinguished purchasing opportunity from auto purchasing opportunities in the set. The facility then selects as key words the terms occurring in the descriptive information associated with the distinguished purchasing opportunity that have the highest term scores. The facility identifies purchasing opportunities of the set containing the selected key words, and establishes a purchasing opportunity score for each identified purchasing opportunity by summing the term score of the key words occurring in information associated with the identified purchasing opportunities. |
| US08117074B2 |
Scaling offers for elemental biddable resources (EBRs)
This invention describes the use of a Chip Conversion Factor (CCF) to scale offers for EBRs. The CCFs are a multiplier that will be applied to offers received for the EBRs. In general, the CCF can be computed based on any number of factors such as the cost of the EBRs, the worth of an EBR to a potential buyer (e.g., at a particular time), a customer status (e.g., preferred customer) of a potential buyer, etc. The invention helps to take into account any differences between EBRs that meet a potential buyer's requirements but that may affect the value of the EBRs relative to one another. |
| US08117069B2 |
Generating keyword-based requests for content
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically ordering advertisements received from at least one advertisement supplier. In one embodiment, a method includes sending a request to at least a first advertisement supplier; receiving one or more advertisements from the at least first advertisement supplier; identifying a prioritizing parameter associated with each of the one or more advertisements; and dynamically ordering the one or more advertisements from the at least first advertisement supplier into two or more positions of a response based on the prioritizing parameter. |
| US08117067B2 |
Achieving advertising campaign goals
Various aspects can be implemented for achieving advertising campaign goals. One aspect can be a method that includes receiving an advertising goal for a broadcast advertising campaign, translating the advertising goal into one or more rules, and automatically calculating campaign settings based on the one or more rules. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products. |
| US08117065B2 |
Wireless electronic vehicle window display system
The invention of the wireless electronic vehicle window display system employs the latest technology in electronic paper and low power consumption wireless networking devices. One contemplated embodiment of the present invention consists of three main components: A vehicle information portal, an electronic vehicle window display system subscriber, and the electronic paper. The invention is intended to provide an effective method of displaying pricing, vehicle specifications, promotions, and warranties on vehicles at the dealer's lot. The invention removes the time-consuming and costly tasks of updating information on the current paper-based window sticker. |
| US08117063B2 |
System and methods for creating probabilistic products and for facilitating probabilistic selling
A method for creating a probabilistic product is provided. The method includes creating a set of product identifiers corresponding to a plurality of products offered by a single seller, each of the plurality of product identifiers uniquely corresponding to one of the plurality of products. The method also includes selecting a subset of the product identifiers. Additionally, the method includes generating a plurality of probability values, each probability value uniquely corresponding to one of the product identifiers contained in the subset, and the sum of the probability values being equal to one. The method further includes determining a monetary value, defining a selling price. By paying the selling price to the seller, a buyer subsequently receives a product associated with one of the product identifiers randomly chosen from the subset. |
| US08117061B2 |
System and method of using demand model to generate forecast and confidence interval for control of commerce system
A method for transforming transactional data into a forecast and confidence interval for controlling a commerce system involves moving goods between members of a commerce system, and recording transaction data related to movement of goods between the members of the commerce system. The transaction data includes price, product, time, and promotion. The model parameters are estimated based on the transactional data using a demand model to generate a forecast of demand for the goods based on a proposed price or promotion. A confidence interval of the certainty associated with the forecast of demand for the goods is determined based on the proposed price or promotion. The forecast of demand for the goods and confidence interval is provided to the commerce system to control the movement of goods based on the forecast of demand for the goods and confidence interval. The forecast and confidence interval can be graphically displayed. |
| US08117056B2 |
Integrating special requests with a calendar application
The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, computer usable program code, and system for managing special requests of meeting attendees through an electronic calendar application. A host lists prospective attendees to a meeting in an electronic calendar application. The calendar application searches the attendees' profiles for any special requests the attendees may have. Upon finding a special request, the calendar application contacts an appropriate special requests service vendor and arranges for the special requests service. The calendar application then follows up by confirming the meeting with the special requests service vendor and inviting the meeting attendees. |
| US08117055B2 |
Air cargo yield management system for utilizing booking profiles and unconstrained demand
A yield management method and system, particularly for maximizing a revenue that can be obtained from a given capacity that is offered by a cargo flight; the capacity is defined by two different variables consisting of the weight and the volume of the freights that may be transported by the flight. A set of historical profiles of the capacity (weight and volume) reserved by each category is stored for different previous instances of the flight. Corresponding potential profiles are estimated independently for the weight and the volume. The estimation is carried out taking into consideration the corresponding capacity currently reserved by the category for a future instance of the flight; moreover, this result is emphasized according to a corresponding unconstrained demand for the category. A series of historical scenarios of the demand at the departure of each previous instance of the flight are then obtained from the potential profiles. A stochastic model is applied to the historical scenarios according to the corresponding probabilities for calculating the optimised weight and volume authorizations for each category. |
| US08117047B1 |
Healthcare provider organization
A business model for a healthcare provider organization (10) (HPO) which comprises a preferred provider network (PPO) or other membership agreement that allows individuals or groups to join via a membership contract. The contract allows the HPO (10) to provide a technical component of a medical evaluation or service (16). Additionally, the HPO (10) employs or retains the services of healthcare professionals (18) who participate in and monitor an evaluation of a patient (20) who can be at a remote location from the healthcare professional. The HPO (10) provides a medical diagnostic unit (24), which is known as an EFA-2, that allows the healthcare professional to receive data that pertains to the patient (20) via a real-time communication protocol (28), or the patient data is collected and stored on an electronic storage device (30). The healthcare professional then analyzes the patient data and issues recommended treatment. |
| US08117045B2 |
Method and system for providing online medical records
A method for providing a consumer with the ability to access and collect health records associated with the consumer through use of a consumer account is provided. The method includes assigning a destination address individually associated with the consumer account for receiving communications from at least one healthcare provider, associating access information with the consumer account for the consumer to use to access a secure web site, the communications including a health record associated with the consumer for which the consumer has requested and given permission to the healthcare provider to send, storing a representation of the health record, and providing the consumer with secure access to the web site using the access information and providing on the web site an interface to the health records of the consumer for the consumer to use. The destination address can be a phone number or an email address. The web site also provides for storing, organizing, annotating documents, uploading documents (including vital documents) by the consumer, and providing additional layers of security to particular documents. |
| US08117041B1 |
Method of using map data that has been organized for affinity relationships
A method is disclosed for providing guidance to a destination with a computing system that uses geographic data indexed by affinity relationships. A user specifies a municipality of relatively greater importance that is located nearby the desired actual destination. The computing system provides guidance to the user to follow a route to the specified municipality. While the user is following the route to the specified municipality, additional routes are calculated to each of a plurality of roads that cross into an affinity domain associated with the specified municipality. Before the user reaches the point at which any of the additional routes diverge from the route to the specified municipality, input is obtained from the user, one or more times as needed, specifying either another municipality progressively closer to the desired actual destination or the actual desired destination. Guidance is provided to the user to follow the routes to the closer municipalities or the desired actual destination. |
| US08117040B1 |
System and method for identifying, reporting, and evaluating presence of substance
A system and method for identifying, reporting, and evaluating a presence of a solid, liquid, gas, or other substance of interest, particularly a dangerous, hazardous, or otherwise threatening chemical, biological, or radioactive substance. The system comprises one or more substantially automated, location self-aware remote sensing units; a control unit; and one or more data processing and storage servers. Data is collected by the remote sensing units and transmitted to the control unit; the control unit generates and uploads a report incorporating the data to the servers; and thereafter the report is available for review by a hierarchy of responsive and evaluative authorities via a wide area network. The evaluative authorities include a group of relevant experts who may be widely or even globally distributed. |
| US08117035B2 |
Method and device for verifying the identity of a user of several telecommunication services using biometric characteristics
A method and device for verification of an identity of a subscriber of a communication service on a telecommunications network is provided. The communication service requires authentication of the subscriber. The verification includes comparing a reference biometric with at least one biometric characteristic detected from a biometric sample of the subscriber, in order to provide the subscriber with access to the restricted communication service. The reference biometric can be adapted and used for verification purposes based on the different security requirements of the various communication services provided on the telecommunications network. |
| US08117034B2 |
Synchronise an audio cursor and a text cursor during editing
A speech recognition device (1) processes speech data (SD) of a dictation and thus establishes recognized text information (ETI) and link information (LI) of the dictation. In a synchronous playback mode of the speech recognition device (1), during the acoustic playback of the dictation a correction device (10) synchronously marks the word of the recognized text information (ETI) which word relates to the speech data (SD) just played back marked by the link information (LI) is marked synchronously, the just marked word featuring the position of an audio cursor (AC). When a user of the speech recognition device (1) recognizes an incorrect word, he positions a text cursor (TC) at the incorrect word and corrects it. Cursor synchronization means (15) now make it possible to synchronize the text cursor (TC) with the audio cursor (AC) or the audio cursor (AC) with the text cursor (TC) so that the positioning of the respective cursor (AC, TC) is simplified considerably. |
| US08117033B2 |
System and method for automatic verification of the understandability of speech
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for processing a message received from a user to determine whether an estimate of intelligibility is below an intelligibility threshold. The method includes recognizing a portion of a user's message that contains the one or more expected utterances from a critical information list, calculating an estimate of intelligibility for the recognized portion of the user's message that contains the one or more expected utterances, and prompting the user to repeat at least the recognized portion of the user's message if the calculated estimate of intelligibility for the recognized portion of the user's message is below an intelligibility threshold. In one aspect, the method further includes prompting the user to repeat at least a portion of the message if any of a measured speech level and a measured signal-to-noise ratio of the user's message are determined to be below their respective thresholds. |
| US08117027B2 |
Method and apparatus for introducing information into a data stream and method and apparatus for encoding an audio signal
Techniques for introducing information into a data stream first obtains the spectral values of the short-term spectrum of the audio signal. Separately, information to be introduced are combined with a spread sequence obtaining a spread information signal, whereupon a spectral representation of the spread information is generated, then weighted with an established psychoacoustic maskable noise energy to generate a weighted information signal, wherein energy of the introduced information is substantially equal to or below the psychoacoustic masking threshold. The weighted information signal and the spectral values of the short-term spectrum of the audio signal are then summed and afterwards processed again to obtain a processed data stream including audio information and information to be introduced. Because the information to be introduced are introduced without changing to the time domain, the block rastering underlying the short-term spectrum are not touched, thus introducing a watermark will not lead to tandem encoding effects. |
| US08117026B2 |
String matching method and system using phonetic symbols and computer-readable recording medium storing computer program for executing the string matching method
A string matching method and system for searching for a representative string for a plurality of strings which are written in different languages and/or in different ways but share the substantially same meaning, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the string matching method are provided. |
| US08117024B2 |
System and method for automatically processing candidate resumes and job specifications expressed in natural language into a normalized form using frequency analysis
Systems and methods for automatically processing candidate resumes and job specifications expressed in natural language into a normalized form using frequency analysis. A database of elements is provided in which each element is expressed in natural language and at least some of which are associated with a corresponding set of synonymous words or phrases. Candidate resumes and job specifications are received in electronic form and expressed in natural language. The candidate resumes and job specifications are analyzed to extract elements expressed in candidate resumes and job specifications. The extracted elements are compared to the database. For each extracted element, the most frequent element or synonym is identified an used as a common form for the extracted element. A set of candidate resumes is matched with a corresponding job specification by comparing the set of elements expressed in common form for the resumes with the set of elements expressed in common form for the job specification. |
| US08117023B2 |
Language understanding apparatus, language understanding method, and computer program
This language understanding apparatus includes a storage section, a phrase interpreter, and a bidding section. The bidding section reads information on a slot of a semantic frame corresponding to a concept indicated by an information read by the phrase interpreter and information on a concept corresponding to the slot by referring to the storage section, specifies, for each semantic frame read, from the concept representation detected by the phrase interpreter, a concept representation corresponding to a concept corresponding to each slot of the semantic frame or a subordinate concept of that concept, and a concept representation whose slot of another semantic frame is not bidden, and repeats bidding the slot for the specified concept representation, thereby generating slot allocation table data indicating a bidding result. |
| US08117020B2 |
Method to determine the degree and stability of blood glucose control in patients with diabetes mellitus via creation and continuous updating of new statistical indicators
Systems and methods for determining a stability of a blood glucose concentration of a patient are provided. The system comprises a processor that may be programmed to receive blood glucose concentration test results each taken from the patient at a different time over a time period and to compute a time-averaged glucose parameter indicative of blood glucose concentration control over the time period. In addition, the processor may be programmed to compute a virtual blood hemoglobin parameter through a simulated measurement of a blood hemoglobin, the virtual blood hemoglobin parameter being indicative of blood glucose concentration control over an extended time period encompassing the time period. Further, the processor may be programmed to compute a lability factor parameter indicative of a variability in blood glucose concentration over the time period. |
| US08117014B2 |
Methods to estimate subsurface deviatoric stress characteristics from borehole sonic log anisotropy directions and image log failure directions
Methods and apparatus for estimating stress characteristics of formations. The method comprises: (a) acquiring sonic anisotropy data, image data or both associated with at least one borehole (b) employing sonic anisotropy data to estimate fast shear direction (FSA) to extract FSA observed data; (c) computing FSA from forward modeling, forward modeling utilizes a first deviatoric stress tensor to extract FSA predicted data; (d) computing FSA misfit from difference between FSA observed data and FSA predicted data to obtain computed FSA misfit relating to first deviatoric stress tensor; (e) if computed FSA misfit is equal to or less than a defined value, then store computed FSA misfit, otherwise repeat steps (d)-(h) using another deviatoric stress tensor so a different deviatoric stress tensor is used for each repeat; (f) selecting smallest stored computed misfit from group consisting of stored computed FSA misfit, at least one other stored computed misfit or combination thereof. |
| US08117011B2 |
Computer-aided design of three-dimensional objects to be fabricated
A computer-aided design apparatus generates a tree structure of coordinate systems defining the topology of a three-dimensional object to be fabricated. The coordinate systems are positioned and orientated in accordance with mathematical functions. The mathematical function positioning child coordinate systems has the identity of the parent coordinate systems as a variable so that the positions of the child coordinate systems relative to their parent coordinate systems vary in accordance with the identity of the parent coordinate systems. Data defining the coordinate systems and connections therebetween is stored in a graph. Bases having a defined relationship are identified and three-dimensional content objects are added thereto. The content objects are added using the same mathematical function to generate a three-dimensional content object in each of a plurality of coordinate systems. The mathematical function for generating the content objects has the identity of the coordinate systems as a variable thereof to generate the content object in each coordinate system with a different shape. |
| US08117010B2 |
Spectral signal detection system
A detection system which provides for continuous background estimation removal from a sequence of spectra. A panoramic field of regard may be partitioned into a large number of fields of view (FOVs). An FOV may have a chemical vapor cloud. The small FOV may maximize detection of the cloud. Such detection may require removing the spectral characteristics other than that of the target cloud. This may amount to removal of background spectra with an estimated background developed from one or more FOVs which may or may not be similar to the background of the FOV with the target cloud. A number of estimated background spectra of the other FOVs may be used individually to greatly increase the detection probability of the target chemical. |
| US08117008B2 |
Junction temperature prediction method and apparatus for use in a power conversion module
A method and apparatus for predicting junction device temperature of at least a first switching device in a power conversion module that includes the first switching device and at least a second switching device, the method comprising the steps of identifying a cross thermal impedance value indicative of how the temperature of the second switching device effects the first switching device temperature and using the cross thermal impedance value to predict the temperature of the at least a first switching device. |
| US08117007B2 |
Statistical analysis for maintenance optimization
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for identifying an interval for performing a maintenance task. The process retrieves scheduled maintenance data and un-scheduled in-service maintenance data for a given apparatus type. The process maps the un-scheduled in-service maintenance data to the scheduled maintenance data for the given apparatus type to form mapped maintenance data. The process performs a statistical analysis on the mapped maintenance data. The process identifies an optimal interval for performing the maintenance task based on a result of the statistical analysis to form a recommended maintenance interval. |
| US08117006B2 |
Method for measuring position of portable terminal and indoor illuminating apparatus for the same
Provided is a method of measuring the position of a portable terminal, comprising detecting indoor illuminating light, and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the detected indoor illuminating light, obtaining a plurality of data frames from the output electrical signal, and calculating a position of the portable terminal based on information regarding the position of a corresponding reference light source included in each data frame and an identifier corresponding to the reference light source included in said each frame and a reception time of said each data frame. |
| US08117005B2 |
Optimization and control of the freeze-drying process of pharmaceutical products
A system for monitoring the lyophilization process of a product in containers (4, 4a, 4b) arranged inside a lyophilization chamber, including a temperature measurement system (6) associated with each container housed inside (10) the lyophilization chamber, capable of surveying local temperature data for each container. The system includes a wireless communication system (8) for the surveyed temperature data and a processing module (16) for said data, located externally to the lyophilization chamber, programmed to determine at least one parameter indicative of the progress of the lyophilization process not measured by the measurement system, through the use of a predetermined representation model of the process, capable of correlating a local temperature value of the container with the parameter. |
| US08117004B2 |
Testing module, testing apparatus and testing method
To increase the overall efficiency of a test apparatus, provided is a test module that includes an instruction information storage section that stores instruction information indicating an order in which basic patterns are expanded; a basic pattern data storage section that stores basic pattern data; a plurality of pattern generating sections that each include a temporary instruction information storage section, which temporarily stores a portion of the instruction information, and that each generate a test pattern supplied to a device under test by expanding the basic pattern data in the order indicated by the instruction information stored in the corresponding temporary instruction information storage section; and a plurality of position information storage sections that independently store position information indicating reading positions of the instruction information stored in the instruction information storage section that is common to the plurality of pattern generating sections, in association with each pattern generating section. |
| US08117000B2 |
Measuring quantum states of superconducting resonators
A method for measuring the quantum state of a resonator includes, exciting an input port of a circuit with signal, measuring a phase shift of the signal at an output port of the circuit, wherein the resonator is coupled to the input and the output ports, and calculating a quantum state of the resonator as a function of the measured phase shift of the signal. |
| US08116995B2 |
Media characterization
Methods and apparatus for media characterization in a self-service terminal are described. The media us characterized in the self-service terminal by passing it by two electrodes and measuring the impedance across those two electrodes. The media is characterized by analyzing the measured impedance. The impedance may be measured by applying a modulated reference signal to one electrode and detecting the current on the second electrode. In an embodiment, the detected current may be converted into a voltage signal and mixed with a phase shifted version of the modulated reference signal. |
| US08116990B2 |
Method and system for real-time prognosis analysis and usage based residual life assessment of turbine engine components and display
A method and system for performing continuous (real-time) physics based prognostics analysis as a function of actual engine usage and changing operating environment. A rule-based mission profile analysis is conducted to determine the mission variability which yields variability in the type of thermal-mechanical loads that an engine is subjected to during use. This is followed by combustor modeling to predict combustion liner temperatures and combustion nozzle plane temperature distributions as a function of engine usage which is followed by off-design engine modeling to determine the pitch-line temperatures in hot gas path components and thermodynamic modeling to compute the component temperature profiles of the components for different stages of the turbine. This is automatically followed by finite element (FE) based non-linear stress-strain analysis using an real-time FE solver and physics based damage accumulation, life consumption and residual life prediction analyses using microstructural modeling based damage and fracture analysis techniques. |
| US08116984B2 |
Software integrated cytometric assay for quantification of the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte FcγRI receptor (CD64)
The invention relates a method of quantifying CD64 and CD163 expression in leukocytes and, specifically to a kit for use with a flow cytometer including a suspension of quantitative fluorescent microbead standards, fluorescent labeled antibodies directed to CD64 and CD163, and analytical software. The software is used to take information on the microbead suspension and fluorescent labeled antibodies from a flow cytometer and analyse data, smooth curves, calculate new parameters, provide quality control measures and notify of expiration of the assay system. |
| US08116982B2 |
System and method for automatic color segmentation and minimum significant response for measurement of fractional localized intensity of cellular compartments
A system, a method, and a programmed device for measurement of translocational activity among cellular compartments process magnified images of cellular material exposed to an agent by segmenting and compartmentalizing the images and then measuring fractional localized intensity of two or more components in the segmented, compartmentalized image. The measured fractional localized intensities are compared to determine translocation of cellular material among the measured components caused by the agent. |
| US08116981B2 |
Detector using mass spectroscopy for characterization of biological community
Provided are methods and systems for rapidly and effectively characterizing a cell as belonging to a particular genus, species, strain, or having a particular phenotype. The methods and systems utilize mass spectrometry and low-energy negative ionization to detect cell surface markers indicative of a particular cell. |
| US08116976B2 |
Satellite based positioning method and system for coarse location positioning
A satellite based positioning method and system including storing satellite sub-almanac data on a mobile station. Embodiments include using the sub-almanac data to take measurements and calculate a coarse position of the mobile station. Embodiments further include a location server calculating a correction to the coarse position, and the location server determining whether any sub-almanacs used to calculate the coarse position require replacement. |
| US08116974B2 |
Conducting localized searches in a wireless client-server navigation system
A system and method are disclosed for conducting searches and generating routes to selected points of interest using a wireless client-server (WCS) navigator. A method includes the step of requesting, at a mobile unit, information about one or more locations meeting certain criteria. Locations meeting the criteria are displayed on the display screen at the location of the user and, if a location is selected, a route to include the selected location is automatically generated. Guidance regarding how to travel to the selected location may also be provided. If the user is already en route to a destination when a route to a selected location is requested, the navigator may generate a route that includes both the original destination and the selected new location. If the user is already en route to a destination when locations matching criteria are requested, along with the locations displayed the navigator may provide information to the user as to the total travel time or distance of a route passing through the original destination and a new location or the additional travel time or distance in comparison to the original route. The method may further include the step of requesting information about a class of locations such as restaurants. |
| US08116972B2 |
System and method for determining a vehicle refueling strategy
A method for generating a fueling strategy that generally minimizes fueling costs for a specified route to be traveled by a vehicle during a multi-day time period may include, based on current and forecasted fuel prices for the multi-day time period, (i) selecting at least one day during the multi-day time period on which to purchase fuel, (ii) selecting at least one fueling station along the route at which to purchase fuel for each selected day, and (iii) determining an amount of fuel to purchase at each selected fueling station. |
| US08116970B2 |
Method and device for calculating a path which is laterally offset with respect to a reference path
The invention relates to a method of calculating a path which is offset laterally by a first distance with respect to a reference path, comprising the calculation of a flight plan which is offset with respect to a reference flight plan. The reference flight plan is defined on the basis of waypoints and of segments defining a reference path between the waypoints. Each segment has a start point and an end point making it possible to define a course corresponding to the direction of travel by an aircraft. The laterally offset flight plan is calculated on the basis of waypoints associated with the waypoints of the reference flight plan, called associated points and being situated at the intersection. The laterally offset flight path includes lines, parallel with the segments of the reference flight plan, offset by the first distance from the reference flight plan. It is further defined by the bisectrix of the angle formed by two adjacent segments at a waypoint belonging to the reference path. The method includes detection of the segments of the offset flight plan, whose direction of travel is reversed with respect to that of the corresponding segment belonging to the reference flight plan. The elementary paths are calculated, making it possible to connect the segments of the offset flight plan whose direction of travel is not reversed. |
| US08116969B2 |
Method for equalizing traffic flows and for avoiding and resolving congestion
A method is disclosed in which traffic flows are equalized. In at least one embodiment, this is achieved by virtue of road users receiving individual route recommendations from a traffic control computer in such a manner that the traffic control computer uses reports from road users and route segment parameters to determine, for each route branch point, a new respective distribution ration for the statistical frequency of the respective route recommendations at a respective route branch point at particular intervals of time, a route being allocated a higher frequency in the case of more favourable traffic conditions, and in such a manner that a respective road user receives, before a respective route branch point, a random route recommendation from the set of alternatively possible routes in accordance with the statistical frequency of the respective route recommendations. |
| US08116966B2 |
Low power microwave vehicle stopper with feedback
A low power remote vehicle stopper with feedback that can disable a moving vehicle with low power microwave interruption signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for disrupting an internal combustion engine is provided. The system includes a receiver for wirelessly receiving an emitted signal from the internal combustion engine, the emitted signal corresponding to an operational parameter of the internal combustion engine, a signal generator for generating an interruption signal in accordance with the emitted signal, and a transmitter for transmitting the interruption signal to disrupt an operation of the internal combustion engine. |
| US08116964B2 |
Method for the individual control of a set of valve actuators by the ECU
The invention relates to a system for controlling a thermal engine with valves, that comprises an engine control unit (1) and a plurality of valve actuators (3), wherein the engine control unit is connected to a communication bus (2) and the actuators are distributed into at least two sets each comprising a connection interface (4) to the communication bus, the engine control unit being designed so as to define actuator driving instructions and to transmit into the bus and for each set an individualised frame including the driving instructions for the related set. |
| US08116963B2 |
Fuel injection pin displacement profile interpolation
According to various embodiments of the invention, a map of injection pin profiles is experimentally determined at various locations spanning an engine operating plane. Injector pin profiles at points within the continuum spanned by the experimentally determined profiles are determined by interpolating between surrounding experimentally determined injector pin profiles. Various methods are used to adjust the interpolation procedure in cases where one injector pin profile has more or fewer points than the other injector pin profile. |
| US08116961B2 |
Controlling of a vehicle responsive to reductant conditions
Controlling a vehicle responsive to reductant conditions is provided. The method for controlling a vehicle having an engine with an exhaust, the exhaust having a reductant injection system including a reductant storage vessel, the engine further having a fuel system including a fuel storage vessel, may include under degraded reductant conditions, restricting vehicle motion in response to a fuel refill of the fuel storage vessel. |
| US08116956B2 |
Fault tolerant clutch actuator
A method of engaging a clutch within a drive train may include detecting a fault in a clutch engagement data link, selecting an alternative clutch control logic, detecting a value indicative of a rotational speed of a first portion of the clutch and moving a second portion of the clutch based upon the detected value. |
| US08116953B2 |
Active thermal management system and method for transmissions
An active thermal management system and method for selectively warming and cooling transmission fluid in a transmission usable with a vehicular engine is provided. The active thermal management system includes a thermal sensor which measures transmission fluid temperature and signals a valve to selectively communicate transmission fluid flow into one or more discrete fluid circuits. |
| US08116952B2 |
Control system for automatic transmission
A control system for an automatic transmission is provided with a manual shift mode capable of performing a shift command made by manual operation. While in the manual shift mode and during the operation of a downshift command generated by a shift lever, a manual shift control unit calculates a degree of power required by a driver that, for example, takes into consideration an operation intent of the driver and a road condition. A post-downshift shift speed is then determined in accordance with the degree of required power and downshifting performed. By performing only one downshift command through manual operation, downshifting in accordance with the degree of power required by the driver is performed. Downshifting to a shift speed desired by the driver can thus be promptly performed, without the operation becoming a burden. |
| US08116950B2 |
Machine system and operating method for compacting a work area
A machine system includes a compactor having a frame, at least one compacting element coupled with the frame, and a sensing system configured to output signals including electronic data indicative of a varying response of material within a work area to interaction of the compactor therewith. The machine system further includes an electronic control unit coupled with the sensing system and configured to link the electronic data with location data for the work area, and further configured to assign each one of at least two different compaction targets to different regions of the work area responsive to linking the electronic data with the location data. The machine system may further include a computer readable memory storing a compaction interaction planning algorithm, whereby the electronic control unit determines a compactor interaction plan for navigating the compactor within the work area. |
| US08116945B2 |
Electric power steering device
A rotational angle correction controller controls generation of an inverse assist torque using the “phase deviation” due to the correction of the rotational angle θ, thereby performing the rotational angle correction control to smooth rotation of the motor during two phase drive. In addition, the rotational angle correction controller includes an oscillation detection part that detects the occurrence of oscillation in the steering system. When the level of the detected oscillation exceeds the predetermined level, the correction amount in the rotational angle correction control is reduced. |
| US08116944B2 |
Systems and methods involving torque disturbance rejection
A method for controlling a steering system, the method including, receiving a first signal including a position of a component in the steering system, receiving a second signal including a disturbance signal operative to indicate an effect of a first torque disturbance in the steering system, calculating a first counter acting torque command signal operative to minimize the first torque disturbance as a function of the position of the component and the disturbance signal, and sending the first counter acting torque command signal to a motor. |
| US08116943B2 |
Method and apparatus for minimizing driver disturbance in a limited by-wire active steering system
A method is provided for limiting a steering angle overlay applied by a steering actuator in a limited by-wire active front steering (AFS) system. The method includes determining a maximum rate limit for the steering angle overlay in order to minimize an undesired disturbance to the driver in the form of a torque and/or angle feedback while maximizing the rate of steering overlay allowed for a given set of vehicle operating conditions. The maximum rate limit is determined by a function of the input steering rate and braking level. A limited AFS system includes both steering and braking input devices, a steering actuator, and a controller having an algorithm. The controller uses the algorithm to calculate the maximum overlay rate limit and limits the steering actuator to the maximum overlay rate limit. |
| US08116941B2 |
Method for operating an active chassis system
A method is provided for operating an active chassis system, in which wheels of at least one axle are arranged with a toe-in angle, and actuating elements which interact with supporting assemblies which are arranged between the wheels and a vehicle body. Wheel contact forces of the wheels assume different values as a result of the actuating elements being actuated. A side force is generated at the wheels which have a toe-in angle, and a resulting yaw moment is produced. A desired yaw rate is determined based upon information from a device which is arranged in the vehicle in order to determine the profile of the roadway in a control unit, and the wheel contact forces are set as a function of the desired yaw rate. |
| US08116937B2 |
Vehicle display apparatus
A vehicle display apparatus includes an image display device (30) disposed in a region where an operator is unable to operate the display apparatus (30), and a transparent display input device (100) installed in a region from a surface portion of the instrument panel (40) to an upper portion of a center console (50). The vehicle display apparatus is designed to allow the operator to operate the image display device (30) from a remote position by manipulating the transparent display apparatus (100) disposed near the operator. |
| US08116934B2 |
Vehicle failure analysis system, vehicle failure analysis apparatus, and vehicle failure analysis method
A vehicle failure analysis system for a vehicle equipped with a plurality of control systems, each of which includes one or more components, includes: a faulty system identification unit that identifies a faulty control system from among the plurality of control systems; and a faulty component identification unit that identifies a faulty component from among the one or more components which are constituents of the identified control system. |
| US08116932B2 |
Auxiliary pump diagnostic systems and methods
A system includes an auxiliary pump that provides pressurized fluid to a transmission during an engine auto stop/start event. A mechanical pump provides pressurized fluid to a transmission during engine operation after the engine auto stop/start event. An auxiliary pump diagnostic system includes a slip determination module that determines slip of a torque converter based on an engine speed and a transmission input speed. A fault determination module diagnoses a fault in the auxiliary pump in response to an engine auto start and based on the slip of the torque converter. |
| US08116930B2 |
Dynamic decision sequencing method and apparatus for optimizing a diagnostic test plan
A dynamic diagnostic plan generator arranges diagnostic test procedures related to a vehicle symptom or operational problem in a sequence based on a probabilistic Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The diagnostic plan generator also tracks a vehicle state, and provides instructions for test preparation steps and instructions for performing the diagnostic test procedures. The plan generator further generates schematic illustrations of the diagnostic test procedures, and creates a diagnostic data structure containing information related to the diagnostic test procedures. In addition, the diagnostic plan generator sends and receives information regarding actual failure mode occurrences, for example, to and from a central database. Furthermore, the diagnostic plan generator facilitates the creation of failure mode tests by an expert diagnostics author. |
| US08116929B2 |
Imaging system for vehicle
An imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging array sensor and a control. The imaging array sensor has a plurality of photo-sensing pixels and is positioned at a vehicle equipped with the imaging system and has a field of view exteriorly of the equipped vehicle. The imaging array sensor is operable to capture image data, and the control processes the captured image data. The control, responsive to the processing of the captured image data, may distinguish an object present in the field of view of the imaging array sensor from a shadow present in the field of view of the imaging array sensor. The control, responsive at least in part to the processing of the captured image data, determines an object of interest present in the field of view of the imaging array sensor. |
| US08116927B2 |
Dynamic traction control
A vehicle in which propulsion can be distributed between first and second axles includes: a first electric motor coupled to the first axle and a second electric motor coupled to the second axle. An electric control unit (ECU) coupled to the motors causes electrical energy to be generated by the first motor in response to the ECU determining that a wheel speed of at least one wheel associated with the first axle exceeds the vehicle speed and causing electrical energy to be supplied to the second motor in response to electrical energy being generated in the first motor. |
| US08116917B2 |
System for controlling a power load
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system for controlling a power load. In one exemplary embodiment, the system includes a processor capable of receiving a signal from a sensor, where the signal is related to an ambient temperature of the sensor. The processor is further capable of generating a control signal. The system further includes an 802.11X-based transceiver that is operatively connected to the processor and capable of communicating data received from an antenna to the processor. The system further includes a switch that is operatively connected to the processor, receiving the control signal from the processor, for switch controlling activation of a power load. |
| US08116913B2 |
Heating and cooling system using compressed fluid
Use of compressed air for indoor ambient temperature conditioning. Thermal energy is imparted to or extracted from compressed air, and the compressed air is released inside a structure enclosing a space. The compressed air may be used as a direct heat conduction/extraction medium. A flow of external air is created over a heat exchanger mass, so that thermal energy of the compressed air flowing inside the heat exchanger mass is transferred to the external flow of air flowing outside the heat exchanger mass. In addition to being a direct heat conduction/extraction medium, the compressed air is used as heat transfer medium, that ultimately gets mixed with the flow of external air. Fresh external air may be used. A local feedback loop may be used to route back a portion of temperature-conditioned air to regulate a flow of external air over a heat exchanger mass. |
| US08116905B2 |
Targeted product distribution system and method
A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process. |
| US08116903B2 |
Control system and method for display of injection molding machine
A control system for controlling the display of an injection molding machine (IMM) includes a human machine interface (HMI), a driver, a controller, a timer, and a time display module. The controller controls the driver to drive the IMM to do a plurality of operations. The time display module controls the HMI to display working times of operations that have been done, and the working time of an operation that is in process in the current work cycle. The timer records working time of each operation by starting to time at the beginning of each operation, and stopping timing at the end of each operation. |
| US08116901B2 |
Method and device for controlling a motion sequence of a machine element
For controlling a motion sequence of a machine element, with which the control of the motion sequence of the machine element is carried out based on a functional relationship between a master shaft and a slave shaft, the functional relationship IS ascertained with consideration for several conditions of this motion sequence. The functional relationship includes at least one first section, which is defined by an nth-order polynomial, and at least one second section, which is at least partially separated from the first section, and which is defined by an ath-order polynomial. In this case, “a” is less than “n”. |
| US08116900B2 |
Method and associated system for recording and retrieving fabrication and/or fitting data associated with a prosthetic component
A method for fabricating a prosthetic limb socket component includes the following steps: (a) obtaining measurements of an individual's residual limb; (b) generating electronic data representing outer dimensions of the individual's residual limb utilizing (at least in part) the obtained measurements; (c) storing the electronic data representing outer dimensions of the individual's residual limb in an electronic record, where the electronic record includes cross-reference information; (d) manufacturing a first prosthetic limb socket component utilizing, at least in part, the electronic data representing outer dimensions of the individual's residual limb; (e) placing a permanent unique indicia on the prosthetic limb socket component, where the unique indicia includes data corresponding to the cross-reference information; and (f) utilizing the unique indicia data to access, with the assistance of a computer, the electronic record via the cross-reference information. |
| US08116898B2 |
Digital garment using knitting technology and fabricating method thereof
A digital garment and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The digital garment is fabricated using a knitting technique. The digital garment comprises a plurality of knitting yarns forming loops at regular intervals and interwoven through the loops, and one or more conductive digital yarns tied to the loops of the knitting yarns to form high-speed information communication circuits. The knitting yarns and the digital yarns are knitted together into a garment. During knitting, the digital yarns are used to form high-speed information communication circuits in a rapid and economical manner. |
| US08116895B2 |
Reconfigurable garment definition and production method
Computer-aided design and manufacture software and hardware automate garment and fashion definition and production. Configurable garment includes ornamental element, pattern display, and personal identifier and wireless sensor electronics. |
| US08116892B2 |
Sound effect sensing turntable for a digital music broadcaster
A sound effect sensing turntable for a digital music broadcaster includes a capacitive charge sensing plate able to independently detect the variation of charge. A signal transmission unit is disposed between the sensing plate and a control plate for transmitting signals and thus, on receiving a signal, the control plate will produce relative sound effect to be output. In operating, when a DJ's fingers slightly touch the turntable, the sensing plate will sense charge variation on the turntable and actuate the control plate to control corresponding sound effect. By detecting the variation of charge on the turntable for controlling sound effect, the mode of touching the turntable of this invention for producing sound effect is like that of conventionally controlling a vinyl record for controlling sound effect, getting rid of conventional defect of producing wrong sound effect due to assembly errors. |
| US08116888B2 |
Parameter setting system and method for programmable logic controller
A parameter setting system for programmable logic controller (PLC) includes a document module, a main program module, a parameter storage module, an interface display module, and a display interface. The document module stores application documents and an extensible markup language (XML) document of PLC. The main program module reads names and scale values of the parameters from the XML document, and outputs a control signal. The parameter storage module stores the names and scale values of the parameters from the main program module. The interface display module receives the control signal from the main program module and reading names and scale values of the parameters from the parameter storage module according to the control signal. The display interface displays the names and scale values of the parameters from the interface display module. |
| US08116884B2 |
Miniature circular mapping catheter
A cardiac ablation device, including a catheter and an expandable ablation element incorporating one or more balloons at the distal end of the catheter, has a continuous passageway extending through it from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal side of the expandable ablation element. A probe carrying electrodes is introduced through this passageway and deploys, under the influence of its own resilience, to a structure incorporating a loop which is automatically aligned with the axis of the expandable ablation device, so that minimal manipulation is required to place the probe. The probe may have an atraumatic tip with a ball formed at the leading edge. The atraumatic tip prevents any tissue damage such as perforation of heart wall. |
| US08116883B2 |
Intravascular device for neuromodulation
The present disclosure describes intravascular systems that may be used for a variety of functions. The elements of the disclosed systems include at least one device body implanted within the vasculature. Electrodes on a lead and/or on the device body itself are used to direct electrical energy to neurological targets. These systems may additionally include one or more fluid reservoirs housing drugs or other agents to be delivered to tissue. |
| US08116882B2 |
Adjustable tissue or nerve cuff and method of use
An implantable adjustable body tissue cuff, apparatus and method. The cuff is an elastomeric strap of biocompatible non-conductive material. The strap's tail and head provide adjustable length fastening by a) the tail being formed with longitudinally spaced, laterally paired locking projections and the head being formed with one or more locking apertures; or b) the tail being formed with longitudinally spaced locking apertures and the head being formed with one or more laterally paired locking projections. The locking projection shape allows for passage through the locking aperture, while restricting movement in a reverse direction. The cuff accommodates devices such as tissue stimulators or recorders, with conductive elements attached, imbedded, or printed on the strap body. The cuff is intra-operatively adjusted to optimize placement and contact between conductive elements and body tissue, without tissue damage. This cuff accommodates varying tissue diameters and simplifies manufacture and surgical placement. |
| US08116878B1 |
Dual-range compliance voltage supply for a multi-channel stimulator
In accordance with an aspect of the present systems and methods, there is provided a multi-channel stimulator having a common supply voltage, the stimulator having an electrical circuit with a dual-range compliance voltage supply such that each channel of the multi-channel stimulator is configured to be selectable among two compliance voltages. Channels which can operate at half or less than half compliance voltage can operate in the lower voltage range and thereby achieve energy savings. The stimulator can be switched between a high and low compliance voltage in a bipolar or a monopolar electrode configuration. |
| US08116874B2 |
Method and device for desynchronizing neural brain activity, controller and method for treating neural and/or psychiatric disorders
A device including at least one electrode and/or at least one chip configured to stimulate cerebral neurons that have a pathological oscillatory activity with a period duration T, n contact points that are distributed over at least one electrode and/or over at least one chip and are configured to output electrical stimulus signals to the brain, and a controller configured to drive the contact points so that the contact points output a low-frequency succession of sequences of high-frequency pulse trains to the brain, wherein, for each sequence, m contact points of the n contact points are selected, with m≧2 and m |
| US08116864B2 |
Assessing medical electrode condition
An apparatus and techniques for determining whether a medical electrode, such as a defibrillation electrode coupled to an automated external defibrillator, is in a condition for replacement. The determination can be made as a function of one or more data. In one exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more measurements of an impedance of a hydrogel bridge in a test module. In another exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more environmental condition data from one or more environmental sensors. |
| US08116863B2 |
System and method for effectively indicating element failure or a preventive maintenance condition in an automatic external defibrillator (AED)
Battery powered systems with long standby times, such as automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), may be required to indicate their operational status to a user by blinking lights or sounding speakers or buzzers. These active status indication activities consume power thereby reducing the battery life of the system. To conserve power and to be more effective in seeking attention from a human operator, the status alerts for the AED produced by an active status indicator (ASI) system can be more meaningful to humans or more unique relative to status alerts provided by conventional devices. Additionally, the ASI system may automatically adjust power consumed by the indicators in response to sensing environmental conditions of the AED. |
| US08116862B2 |
Tank filters placed in series with the lead wires or circuits of active medical devices to enhance MRI compatibility
A TANK filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device (AMD). The TANK filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor. The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are selected such that the TANK filter is resonant at a selected frequency. The Q of the inductor may be relatively maximized and the Q of the capacitor may be relatively minimized to reduce the overall Q of the TANK filter to attenuate current flow through the lead wire along a range of selected frequencies. In a preferred form, the TANK filter is integrated into a TIP and/or RING electrode for an active implantable medical device. |
| US08116861B2 |
Method and apparatus for a small power source for an implantable device
One example includes a battery that includes a stack of at least one substantially planar anode and at least one substantially planar cathode, wherein the stack defines a contoured exterior, and a battery housing enclosing the stack, the battery housing defining a battery housing exterior, wherein the contoured exterior of the stack is shaped to conform to a contoured interior of the battery housing that approximately conforms to the battery housing exterior, the battery produced by the process of modeling, using fluid dynamics, an exterior of a biocompatible housing and shaping the battery housing to conform to at least some of the exterior of the biocompatible housing. |
| US08116857B2 |
Non-linear signal separation method using non-linear state space projection method
There is provided a non-linear signal separation method using the non-linear state space projection method capable of separating an effective non-linear signal even if the S/N ratio is low by performing the time domain high speed non-linear state space projection when a signal is a multi-channel signal and has a periodicity. In the non-linear signal separation method using the non-linear state space projection method, an original signal having a complex signal which is a multi-channel and cyclic signal measured from one phenomenon is processed by using the time domain high-speed non-linear state space projection method so as to estimate a noise in the original signal and subtract the estimated noise from the original signal, thereby separating the signal to be measured in the original signal as a non-linear signal even when the S/N ratio is low. |
| US08116856B2 |
Arrangement for recording ECG signals
The invention relates to an arrangement for recording ECG signals. The arrangement has at least three electrodes, which can be connected or are connected to an amplification unit via lines, with at least two lines having no or essentially only a minimal distance from one another at least over one part of their length and being embodied as a component of a cable comprising more than two lines. |
| US08116849B2 |
Non-invasive temperature scanning and analysis for cardiac ischemia characterization
A method is disclosed for achieving improved quality of monitoring and diagnosis for heart functions. Specifically, a method is disclosed for continuous temperature measurement and thermal characterization of patient heart tissue based on non-invasive thermal mapping technology. The method includes multi-dimensional cardiac tissue temperature scanning and tissue thermal pattern analysis with high precision, which can greatly improve the efficiency and lower the medical procedure risk for identifying myocardial ischemia (MI) disorders, predicting the MI occurrence, and mapping MI characteristics and impacting MI medical treatment, such as drug delivery and long term cardiac care. A system is also disclosed for use with the method. |
| US08116839B1 |
System for detecting potential probe malfunction conditions in a pulse oximeter
An initialization module in a pulse oximeter accommodates a variety of different probes and a variety of operating parameters as well as providing for interrogation of various probe circuits for detection of probe faults. Probe fault detection for the red and infrared LED circuits of the probe is implemented using an adaptive algorithm that is dependent on the drive settings or signals applied to the LED circuits. A configurable circuit is used to provide multiple initialization values relating to a calibration circuit of the probe for improved fault detection. Additionally, potential faults with respect to the photodetector circuit of a probe are identified based on monitoring drawn by an output by the photodetector. |
| US08116836B2 |
Transportation information using communication network and method thereof
System for processing transportation information using a communication network, comprising a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle; a plurality of communication means provided with the transportation vehicle for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means; an information database means for storing subscriber information; a host server means in which is operated such that the customer communication means makes a direct call connection to the communication means of the transportation vehicles sequentially according to the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means; and a data relay means for performing a direct call connection to the customer communication means. |
| US08116834B2 |
Mobile terminal with tilting display
A slide type mobile terminal having a first body and a second body is provided. The first body includes a display and a first slide member. The second body includes a key pad and is slidably coupled to the first body. The second body includes a second slide member to slidably engage the corresponding first slide member of the first body to allow movement of the first body and the second body to enable one of closed or tilted configurations. One of the first and second slide members has a curvature along at least one end such that when the first body is extended from the second body, the first body is tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the second body. The first body receives a portion of the second body and the second body receives a portion of the first body in the closed position. |
| US08116832B2 |
Combined apparatus of phone holder and wireless earset
The invention relates to a combined apparatus of a phone holder and a wireless earset. The combined apparatus includes a phone holder and a wireless earset used cooperatively with a mobile phone. The phone holder includes a backplate, a bottom plate, a left holding arm, a right holding arm and a mounting structure. The wireless earset includes a casing, an earphone and a microphone. A holding device for holding the wireless earset is provided on the left holding arm or the right holding arm or the backplate of the phone holder. |
| US08116825B1 |
Two radio interface for mobile communication device for electronic commerce
A mobile device (1) for electronic commerce. The device includes a mobile housing (2) and a microprocessor-based unit (6) coupled to a memory storage device (5) in the housing. The device has a power supply (3) that is coupled to the microprocessor unit while supplying power to all of the components. The device has one or more input controls (4) coupled to the microprocessor unit. The device also includes a wireless receiver (or transceiver) (7) and additional wireless transceiver (8) coupled to the microprocessor based unit, to the memory storage and to one or more antennas (9). The wireless receiver is adapted to receive information comprising text, graphics and sound from a wireless network. The wireless transceiver is adapted to send and receive text, graphics and sound from a wireless network. The device also has a display (11) and speaker (10) coupled to the housing and coupled to the microprocessor-based unit. An advertisement comprising the text, graphics and sound derived from the information can also be included. The information is outputted on the display. |
| US08116818B2 |
Method and system for transmitter beamforming
A system and method are provided for improving the performance of a beamforming antenna array in a wireless communications system. A predetermined number of spatial signatures are observed for a communications channel between a base station and a mobile terminal during a predetermined time period. One or more test spatial signatures are generated based on statistical analysis of the observed predetermined number of spatial signatures. A beamforming weight is derived based on the generated test spatial signatures for beamforming by an antenna subsystem of the base station. |
| US08116815B2 |
Systems and methods for maintaining base stations in wireless networks
Systems and methods for maintaining base stations are provided. In this regard, a representative system, among others, includes a base station that is electrically connected to a first power source. The base station is configured to receive electric power from the first power source. The base station includes a wireless transmitter and a distress module that is configured to determine whether the base station lost the electrical connection to the first power source. The distress module is further configured to instruct the wireless transmitter to transmit a distress signal that includes information associated with the status of the base station responsive to determining that the electrical connection was lost between the first power source and the base station. |
| US08116811B2 |
Wireless communication control apparatus and method for mobile objects
According to one aspect of wireless communication control apparatus and method for a mobile object according to the present invention, the wireless communication apparatus and method include the steps of: collecting communication-state information corresponding to positional information of the mobile object for each of a plurality of communication methods that are used to make a connection to a wireless communication device of the mobile object, and that can be selectively set in the wireless communication device; referring to the communication-state information corresponding to the positional information indicating a current position of the mobile object, and selecting one communication method from among the plurality of communication methods that can be selectively set in the wireless communication device; and setting, in the wireless communication device, control information used for communications based on the selected communication method. |
| US08116810B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving control information of multimode mobile terminal
A multi-mode mobile subscriber station (MSS) composed of several interfaces, and a method for acquiring/updating information in the case of a handover between heterogeneous networks are disclosed. A method for transmitting/receiving control information of a multi-mode mobile subscriber station (MSS) including at least two interfaces, includes: a) requesting first control information, associated with a new access point detected by a link scanning, from a network entity for providing information associated with a specific network; b) acquiring the requested first control information and second control information supplied from the new access point; and c) performing a connection to the new access point according to the first control information and the second control information. |
| US08116804B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing biasing criteria for binary decisions for use in wireless communications to enhance protection
A criterion for biasing a binary decision requiring an unequal protection which utilizes a measured signal to interference ratio (SIR). The SIR may be derived from a determination of channel estimation. The SIR is compared against a threshold, the threshold being selected to bias the decision toward a not acknowledge (NACK) as opposed to an acknowledge (ACK) determination. The technique is advantageous for providing biased binary decisions for high speed downlink packets (HSDP) but may be utilized for both uplink and downlink applications. |
| US08116802B2 |
Transmission power control system, method therefor, and base station and mobile communication terminal that are used therein
HS-SCCH transmission power is controlled on a transmitting side depending on whether HS-DSCH transmission is to be executed, so as to maintain total reception power on a receiving side at a constant level. More specifically, the HS-SCCH transmission power of P2 is transmitted in the case where the HS-DSCH transmission is not to be executed, while the HS-SCCH transmission power is controlled to be P1=P2−ΔP, in the case where the HS-DSCH transmission is to be executed, which increases the power by ΔP. Accordingly, the total power on the receiving side remains unchanged regardless of whether the HS-DSCH transmission is to be executed, and hence the AGC function on the receiving side is kept from saturation, which allows preventing a receiving error. |
| US08116799B2 |
Method and system for controlling power in a communication system
A method for controlling power in a communication system is disclosed. The power control method includes the steps of calculating a first offset according to traffic information of a mobile station and data transmission channel quality information of the mobile station, determining a second offset according to received channel quality information of the mobile station, received from the mobile station, determining a third offset according to interference information received from other base stations neighboring the base station, and transmitting, to the mobile station, power control information determined based on the first offset, the second offset and the third offset. |
| US08116798B2 |
Method to indicate status of channels assigned to a talkgroup in a multi-site conventional communication system
A method for indicating the status of communication channels assigned to a talkgroup includes: determining the channels in various sites in a conventional communication system that service a talkgroup for media transmissions between subscribers of the talkgroup; receiving notification of the status of transmission activity on the channels; and based on the notification, providing an indication of the status of the channels assigned to the talkgroup so that the talkgroup or subscribers of the talkgroup can choose to proceed with a talkgroup communication. The notification may be received by an infrastructure device in an RF site or a central controlling entity. The indication may be that the channel is free for transmissions or is busy. |
| US08116797B2 |
System and method for wirelessly transferring content to and from an aircraft
A system and method for wirelessly transferring content to and from a vehicle, in particular, an aircraft. The content includes, for example, data, voice, video and multimedia, that can be wirelessly exchanged over a wireless communication link between an aircraft and a ground station while the aircraft is at or near a parking gate, or between aircraft. In an example, the system employs long distance metropolitan area technology, such as IEEE Standard 802.16 wireless technology, to increase transfer range. The parameter of the wireless communication link can be adjusted based on, for example, the location of the link. The content can further be provided between the vehicle and ground station based on priorities, such as the available link speed, importance of the information, and/or anticipated connection time between the vehicle and ground station. A media creation center can be networked to a plurality of base stations. |
| US08116792B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for mitigating a temporary interference condition
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for mitigating a temporary interference condition are provided. The temporary interference condition is predicted between a first cellular device and a second cellular device prior to an occurrence of the temporary interference condition. A mitigation action for mitigating the temporary interference condition is identified. A schedule and a scale or scaling for the mitigation action are determined. The mitigation action is implemented in accordance with the schedule and the scale or scaling to mitigate the temporary interference condition during the occurrence of the temporary interference condition. |
| US08116791B2 |
Sending and receiving text messages using a variety of fonts
A method for sending a text message over a telephone network from a sending device to a receiving device. A set of images (or font) is selected by a user of the sending device. The text message is displayed using the set of images on the sending device as a presented rich content message. The sending device uploads the text message and one or more codes indicative of the set of images to a server operatively connected to the telephone network. A message is transmitted from the server to the receiving device, the message including information of the text message and of the set of images. The message presented on the receiving device is the same rich content message previously presented on the sending device. The rich content message presented at the sending and receiving devices preferably includes sounds associated with the set of images. |
| US08116790B2 |
Reply message of a mobile terminal
A method of acknowledging receipt of a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal for performing the same is provided. The method includes receiving a multimedia message, reproducing multimedia contents related to the multimedia message, and sending a reply message indicating whether a complete multimedia message was reproduced, the determination of whether the complete multimedia message was reproduced based on the reproduction time information in the multimedia message. |
| US08116787B1 |
Wireless network coverage based on quality of service
Coverage-based quality-of-service (QoS) in wireless networks. A premium QoS service is provided by the network to users who qualify to receive QoS signals by moving handsets into a bounded premium service geographical coverage area. A mobile handset periodically transmits handset lat-long data to the wireless network via a control channel. The network includes data that defines the bounded geographical coverage area. The wireless network receives the handset lat-long data and maps the data to coverage area data. If the handset lat-long data maps into the coverage area data, the user handset is authorized to receive and use the premium QoS signals over a 3G network; otherwise, the user falls back to default service on a 2G network. Alternatively, the network utilizes a trained neural network to process the lat-long data to qualify the handset for premium services. |
| US08116774B2 |
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating communication transition in a radio communication system
Apparatus, and an associated method, for requesting, and allocating communication resources at a new fixed-site transceiver of a radio communication system, such as a new access point of a wireless local area network. A resource information container is formed that is structured to include information elements that identify, amongst other things, resource requirements of a mobile unit. The information elements of a resource information container include a root node, one or more leaf nodes, and, selectably, one or more group nodes. The resource information container is communicated prior to commencement of transition procedures to early-reserve or determine availability of resources at a new access point. |
| US08116773B2 |
Method and apparatus for interconnection of personal area networks (PANs)
Method and apparatus for facilitating high level handoff decisions performed by a gateway device of a personal area network (PAN) which examines criteria regarding both the devices making up the PAN as well as the enterprise networks which are the subject of the potential handoff. |
| US08116772B2 |
System and method to facilitate acquisition of access point base stations
An indoor base transceiver system (BTS) provides economical coverage by having a network-coupled base station that monitors a plurality of remote transceiver units (RTUs), or RF nodes, communicating by base-band conduits at symbol data rate. The BTS can reduce cost by interconnecting coverage nodes at the bit rate and can reduce cost by interconnecting coverage nodes at the symbol rate. The BTS can implement the modulation/demodulation function in a split fashion, with part of this accomplished in the RF Node and part accomplished in an Aggregator of the base station. System capacity can be retained by using selection combining and by using maximal ratio combining. Multiple carriers can be supported by messaging on the signal link and performing the frequency selection/generation at the remote Node. Deployment can be simplified by allowing coverage overlap of Nodes. |
| US08116769B2 |
Anchoring a communication session in a multiple mode system
Anchoring a communication session for a target mobile phone includes identifying a current access node operable to provide the target mobile phone access to a first network of a first network type. Potential access nodes operable to provide a mobile phone access to a second network of a second network type are identified. Whether the communication session can be handed off to a potential access node of the one or more potential access nodes is established. Anchoring of the communication session is initiated in the second network only if the communication session can be handed off to a potential access node of the one or more potential access nodes. |
| US08116767B2 |
Method and system for retry of packet data calls
A method and system for retry of a packet data call. The method can include the steps of attempting (210) an IP registration with a mobile unit (110) to make a packet data call using a first protocol on a network (120) that employs both the first protocol and a second protocol for packet data calls and detecting (212) a failure in the IP registration using the first protocol due to a failure in a data link layer of the first protocol. A physical layer of the first protocol is unaffected by the failure in the data link layer of the first protocol such that communications may still be performed over the physical layer. The method can also include the steps of—at the mobile unit—ceasing (214) the attempted IP registration using the first protocol on the network and attempting (216) an IP registration with the mobile unit using the second protocol of the network. As an example, the first protocol can be EVDO, and the second protocol can be 1X. |
| US08116765B2 |
Method and system for supporting network 3G data capability information in a CDMA network
A method and system of providing a mobile data device in a wireless system with information about preferred networks to connect to, the mobile data device having a preferred roaming list with a list of networks, the method comprising the steps of: adding to the preferred roaming list information about whether each network in the list of networks supports third generation data capabilities; and determining preferred networks based on information within the preferred roaming list including a geographic area and whether the network supports third generation data capabilities, whereby, within the geographic area, the mobile data device prefers networks which support third generation data capabilities over networks which do not support said third generation data capabilities. Other information that may be added to the preferred roaming list includes whether the network supports data roaming, Mobile IP services or always-on features. The preferred roaming list may also include information about the device service capabilities. |
| US08116761B1 |
Modifying wireless network paging zone broadcast based on wireless access congestion
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless access control system. The method includes monitoring a first wireless access node to determine when the first wireless access node experiences wireless access congestion, where the first wireless access node broadcasts a first paging zone identifier for receipt by wireless communication devices receiving wireless access from the first wireless access node. The method also includes, in response to the wireless access congestion at the first wireless access node, instructing a second wireless access node which broadcasts a second paging zone identifier to toggle between broadcasting the first paging zone identifier and broadcasting the second paging zone identifier at a first duty cycle. |
| US08116758B2 |
Simulating time-varying conditions in a wireless network
Time-varying conditions in a wireless network are simulated using an architecture that includes an enclosure for shielding a wireless device under test (“DUT”) from electro-magnetic interference, including other wireless devices; and at least one of: (1) a communications traffic generating device operable to generate communications traffic having selected characteristics; and (2) at least one dynamically adjustable attenuator in communication with the wireless device and the traffic generator. Embodiments of the architecture include wireless test equipment for testing operating range, roaming and capacity. The attenuator is used to adjustably attenuate signals between the device and the traffic generator over time during a test, whereby motion of the device is simulated. By connecting multiple access points, each associated with a dynamically adjustable attenuator, it is possible to force the DUT to roam between access points. The communications traffic generating device can be used to vary traffic over time during a test in order to test capacity, prioritization and admission control. For example, the communications traffic generator may include phone and data client emulators which simulate different traffic types that can be independently varied over time during a test. |
| US08116756B2 |
Method for reducing interference between adjacent sectors, and base station apparatus
A cellular mobile communication system employs frequency multiplexing as a multiplexing system and adopts a sector configuration for cells. The cellular mobile communication system includes: a device for determining a scheduling turn of a local sector for a downlink scheduler of a base station apparatus; a device for acquiring assigned frequency information about adjacent sectors; a device for assigning a frequency to the local sector while considering the frequencies not used in the adjacent sectors; and a device for notifying about the result of the frequency assignment for the local sector. Thus, the interference between the sectors can be reduced and the frequencies can be effectively used. |
| US08116755B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and moving speed detection method for the same
A mobile communication terminal and a moving speed detection method which are capable of detecting a moving speed with high accuracy are provided. A mobile communication terminal 10 includes a plurality of moving speed detector sections, i.e., a first moving speed detector section 30 and a second moving speed detector section 32 which have mutually different detection methods and a speed detection value selector section 34 to select any one of respective speed detection values of the detector sections 30 and 32 based on a predetermined selection criterion. |
| US08116752B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a mobile phone device
A method and apparatus for controlling operation of a communication device is provided. In one embodiment, a mobile phone device includes: a communication section configured to perform radio communication; an operation section including number keys and a call-initiating key; and a control section configured to activate, on the basis of an operation that is performed using the operation section, a call-initiating program or a non-call-initiating program, and depending on what operations are performed by a user using the operation section of the mobile phone device, determining whether to interrupt a currently activated program to initiate a predetermined call with increased ease of use and convenience to the user. |
| US08116750B1 |
System and method for network control of at least one cellular telephone
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for enabling an owner of one or more cellular telephones to select one or more telephone number(s) to which the cellular telephone(s) may place calls, and one or more telephone number(s) from which the cellular telephone(s) may receive calls, the control of the cellular telephone(s) occurring at the wireless network. |
| US08116749B2 |
Protocol for anonymous wireless communication
Techniques for facilitating the exchange of information and transactions between two entities associated with two wireless devices when the devices are in close proximity to each other. A first device uses a first short range wireless capability to detect an identifier transmitted from a second device in proximity, ideally using existing radio capabilities such as Bluetooth (IEEE802.15.1-2002) or Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). The detected identifier, being associated with the device, is also associated with an entity. Rather than directly exchanging application data flow between the two devices using the short range wireless capability, a second wireless capability allows for one or more of the devices to communicate with a central server via the internet, and perform the exchange of application data flow. By using a central server to draw on stored information and content associated with the entities the server can broker the exchange of information between the entities and the devices. |
| US08116746B2 |
Technologies for finding ringtones that match a user's hummed rendition
Described is a technology by which a user hums, sings or otherwise plays a user-provided rendition of a ringtone (or ringback tone) through a mobile telephone to a ringtone search service (e.g., a WAP, interactive voice response or SMS-based search platform). The service matches features of the user's rendition against features of actual ringtones to determine one or more matching candidate ringtones for downloading. Features may include pitch contours (up or down), pitch intervals and durations of notes. Matching candidates may be ranked based on the determined similarity, possibly in conjunction with weighting criterion such as the popularity of the ringtone and/or the importance of the matched part. The candidate set may be augmented with other ringtones independent of the matching, such as the most popular ones downloaded by other users, ringtones from similar artists, and so forth. |
| US08116743B2 |
Systems and methods for downloading information to a mobile device
Devices, systems and processes for accessing and management of voice and other messages. Such devices, systems and processes employ an interface which allows the user to access and manage messages on his or her user device and, furthermore, automatically to access and manage messages on remote devices via radio frequency link. These interfaces may present users with intuitive and direct options for accessing and managing voice mail, such as, for instance, to push a designated forward button when the user desires to forward a voice mail. Such common interfaces promote more efficient and effective use and management of messaging resources because they among other things eliminate the requirement to be conversant in different interfaces, rules and protocols for the different platforms on which messages may be accessed and managed. |
| US08116742B2 |
System and method of retrieving electronic mail
A communications system and method includes a mobile device having a mail user agent. A mobile office platform as a server includes a mail agent that is operative with the mail user agent for accessing one or more electronic mailboxes of the mail user agent using at least one protocol specific connector. The mobile office platform is operative for providing only the n-most recent mail headers of electronic messages to the mail user agent. |
| US08116741B2 |
System and method for delivering information to a transmitting and receiving device
Systems and methods for delivering information to a transmitting and receiving device. The device receives a notification alerting a user of the device that information is available to be obtained and, in some embodiments, providing a short description of the information. After receiving the notification at the device, the user can then use the device to obtain or otherwise act on the information at a time and at a place convenient to the user. |
| US08116733B2 |
Method and apparatus for a wireless mobile device with SIM challenge modification capability
A wireless mobile device (104) provides challenge/response based authentication by receiving a first portion of a challenge (132) from an external authentication unit (102), such as a network unit, and utilizes an internal partial challenge generator (114) that internally provides a second portion of the challenge (138) and provides the internally generated second portion of the challenge (138) back to the authentication unit (102). The wireless mobile device (104) also includes combiner logic (116) that combines the externally received first portion of the challenge (132) with the internally produced second portion of the challenge (138) to produce a complete challenge (144). The wireless mobile device (104) then utilizes a response generators (118) that takes the complete challenge (144) that was produced and generates a response (146) based on the complete challenge (144), and other secret information (110) if desired using a suitable cryptographic operation. The response (146) is sent back to the authentication unit (102) for verification. |
| US08116722B2 |
E911 call blocking for non-initialized wireless telephones
Calls from a phone identified as being a source of harassing or other undesirable phone calls are blocked at a mobile positioning center (MPC). Upon request by the PSAP, a call record detail can be obtained from the MPC revealing a simulated “callback phone number” as well as a unique number identifier of the phone, such as an ESN or MEID. The MPC then intercepts all future incoming calls from phones with that unique identifier number and routes them to a recording that advises the harasser that the phone has been identified as a harasser and is now blocked. The recording can also advise the caller how to restore service. In a preferred embodiment, the MPC sets a timer to automatically restore service after a designated length of time. |
| US08116721B2 |
Apparatus and method to provide urgent call service in a communication system
An apparatus and method for providing an urgent call service in a communication system are provided. A base station receives from a mobile station a message ranging request with a Medium Access Control (MAC) address in which a priority is set. If the priority set in the MAC address is a highest priority, the base station processes the message ranging request with the highest priority and provides the urgent call service to the mobile station. Upon detecting a request for the urgent call service, the mobile station sends a message ranging request to a base station using a Medium Access Control (MAC) address in which a highest priority is set, and receives the urgent call service in response to the message ranging request. |
| US08116720B2 |
Method and apparatus for emergency call routing using an end node
A method is provided for routing an emergency call. The method comprises receiving an emergency call and identifying an end node associated with the call. The end node may be a communications device involved in establishing the emergency call that is geographically near the originator of the emergency call. A look-up table is then accessed to identify the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) associated with the end node, and the emergency call is routed to the identified PSAP. |
| US08116716B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device having buffered clock distribution network for microprocessor and RF circuits
A mobile wireless communications device includes a circuit board carried by a housing. A microprocessor, RF transceiver and circuitry are carried by the circuit board and operative with each other. Clock buffer circuitry is carried by the circuit board and connected to the RF transceiver and circuitry and microprocessor for isolating a clock signal from the noise of the microprocessor and allowing greater isolation for the RF transceiver from RF circuitry. |
| US08116709B2 |
Frequency measuring broadband digital receiver
A microwave receiver measures the frequency F of a microwave signal in a band of frequencies whose maximum frequency is Fmax. The receiver has N frequency measuring digital stages E1, E2, . . . Ek, . . . EN providing N ambiguous frequency measurements Fm1, Fm2, . . . Fmk, . . . FmN of the signal received, the signal received being sampled, in each digital stage, at a respective sampling frequency Fe1, Fe2, . . . Fek, . . . FeN. The receiver further includes an ambiguity resolving device (40) receiving the N frequency measurements and providing the frequency F of the signal received. Each frequency measuring digital stage Ek has a one-bit analog/digital converter (50) fed directly with the microwave signal received by the receiver, means for performing a discrete Fourier transform on the basis of the samples output by the one-bit converter, and at least one detector (60, 62) of spectral line maximum of the discrete Fourier transform providing a frequency measurement Fmk of the signal received. |
| US08116704B2 |
Switching power supply
Methods and systems for enhancing system efficiency in a power amplification, modulation, and transmission system are provided. Embodiments include determining output power characteristics of a selected modulation scheme to be employed in data transmission, determining a most probable output power point of operation for the selected modulation scheme based on the output power characteristics, and controlling the output stage power supply of the system to operate at substantially optimal efficiency at the most probable output power point of operation. |
| US08116703B2 |
Wireless transmitter calibration using device receiver
Portable electronic devices are provided that contain radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. Power amplifier circuitry may amplify transmitted radio-frequency signals from the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. The power amplifier circuitry may be powered with a power supply voltage. The power supply voltage may be reduced to conserve power provided that requirements such as adjacent channel leakage ratio requirements are satisfied. Calibration measurements may be made to determine the extent to which power can be conserved by power supply voltage reductions. During calibration, the transceiver circuitry may transmit signals in a transmit subband. Test equipment that is external to the device may frequency shift the transmitted signals into a receive subband. The frequency-shifted signals may be fed back into the device. The transceiver circuitry in the device may make power measurements on the fed back signals. The power measurements may be used to compute adjacent channel leakage ratio values. |
| US08116698B2 |
Generalized MIMO-beamforming weight estimation
Techniques are provided to enable wireless communication between first and second wireless communication devices each having a plurality of antennas, where the second device sends the transmissions via less than all of its plurality of antennas. Each transmission may comprise a plurality of time-frequency instances. At the first communication device, data is derived representing parameters of a communication channel between the plurality of antennas of the first device and all of the plurality of antennas of the second device from the transmissions received at the plurality of antennas of the first device. Beamforming weights for transmitting one or more signal streams via the plurality of antennas of the first device to the plurality of antennas of the second device are computed based on the data representing parameters of the communication channel between the plurality of antennas of the first device and the plurality of antennas of the second device. The beamforming weights are applied to the one or more signal streams to be transmitted via the plurality of antennas of the first device to the plurality of antennas of the second device. |
| US08116694B2 |
System for facilitating beam training
A system for configuring antenna systems for selecting directional communication signals corresponding to other apparatuses. Apparatuses having activities that require directional wireless communication may search for other apparatuses that can fulfill these requirements. This search may include, for example, the transmission of wireless messages requesting a set of communication beams usable for beam training (for example, one or more beam training sequences). Other apparatuses that are able to satisfy the requirements of the searching apparatus may respond to the request message by transmitting a message that comprises at least information usable for configuring beam training configuration in the apparatus. |
| US08116692B2 |
Received signal to noise indicator
A method and device may be used to produce a received interference value in wireless communications. A wireless transmit/receive unit comprising a radio frequency signal measurement device may be configured to produce a value indicating a radio frequency signal, noise and interference received power. An average noise plus interference measuring device may be configured to produce a value indicating a measured average noise plus interference metric. A received signal to noise indication calculation device may be configured to calculate a received signal to noise indicator from the value indicating a radio frequency signal, noise and interference received power and the value may indicate a measured average noise plus interference metric. |
| US08116679B2 |
WLAN connection facilitated via near field communication
A near field communication (NFC) device is utilized in a mobile communications device to facilitate sensing the presence of and connecting to a wireless local area network (WLAN). A user can position the mobile communications device in close proximity to a designated location of a WLAN establishment at which an NFC device is situated. Near field communication is then detected and WLAN data can then be communicated by near field communication to the NFC reader in the mobile communications device. The NFC reader is coupled to a controller of the mobile communications device to input data received by the NFC device to the controller for processing. The data are utilized to facilitate connection to the WLAN. |
| US08116677B2 |
Adaptive radio transceiver
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08116674B2 |
Professional development system and methodology for teachers
A system and method for professional development for teachers which includes a structured framework for creating and providing online courses, qualification testing, instructional material, and mentoring teacher access, all subject specific to help teachers gain competency in their individualized teaching assignments and by extension help in the recruitment, development and retention of teachers leading to improved student achievement. |
| US08116673B2 |
Printing medium supplying unit and image forming apparatus having the same
A printing medium supplying unit comprises a printing medium loading plate configured to move up and down based on an amount of printing medium loaded on the printing medium loading plate and an elevation control unit configured to adjust an elevation height of the printing medium loading plate such that a standby position of the printing medium loading plate can vary based on an amount of the printing medium loaded on the printing medium loading plate, wherein the standby position of the printing medium loading plate is a position in which the printing medium loading plate does not supply the printing medium to an image forming unit. |
| US08116672B2 |
Image fixing device and image forming apparatus
The invention provides an image fixing device containing a tubular formed first rotating body rotatable in a circumferential direction, a second rotating body that is arranged so that an outer circumferential surface of the second rotating body is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the first rotating body, a heating unit that heats the first rotating body; and a heating auxiliary member that is arranged to be in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the first rotating body, at least a surface of the heating auxiliary member that is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the first rotating body being made of a porous metal. |
| US08116668B2 |
Toner supplying roller, developing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A toner supplying roller which is used in a developing apparatus and has the following characteristics: (1) an average diameter of a foam cell opening portion on a surface of a foam elastic member is 100 to 800 μm, (2) an unopened cell closed by a skin layer of a film thickness of 50 μm or less is present in the surface of the foam elastic member, and (3) assuming that a surface area of the foam elastic member is A, a total area of the foam cell opening portions is B, and a surface area of the unopened cell is C, the following relationship is satisfied: B A + 0.2 ≦ B + C A ≦ 0.95 . |
| US08116666B2 |
Developer container and image forming apparatus that incorporates the developer container
A toner container holds toner and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus. A housing holds the toner therein and includes a first engagement portion and an opening through which the toner is discharged into the image forming apparatus. The first engagement portion includes a first surface and either a first projection formed on the first surface or a first recess formed in the first surface. A shutter is fitted into the housing and is slidable relative to the housing. The shutter includes a second engagement portion that engages the first engagement portion when the shutter slides relative to the housing. The second engagement portion includes a second surface. Either a second projection is formed on the second surface or a second recess is formed in the second surface. |
| US08116664B2 |
Image forming apparatus with member for switching between driving force modes
An image forming apparatus forming a color image on a recording material mounts black and non-black process cartridges including a photosensitive drum and a developing roller and includes a driving source; first and second clutches connecting and disconnecting the driving source and the developing roller of the black and non-black cartridges, respectively; first and second members actable on the first and second clutches, respectively, each for switching between operation and non-operation states for respectively transmitting and not transmitting a driving force to the developing rollers; and a switching member, movable by the driving force of the driving source and actable on the first and second members for switching among first, second, and third modes, for respectively transmitting the driving force to the developing rollers of all of the process cartridges, to any one of the developing rollers, and only to the developing roller of the black process cartridge. |
| US08116658B2 |
Marking engine viewing system
A printing system includes a housing and a marking engine within the housing for marking print media conveyed on a paper path through the housing. A viewing system, such as a window in the housing, is positioned so as to enable an observer outside the housing to view a print job in progress. |
| US08116657B2 |
Upper seal for inhibiting doctor blade toner leakage
A seal assembly for inhibiting toner leakage comprises a j-seal received by a developer housing in a toner cartridge. The j-seal has an upper seat portion engagably sealing with a doctor blade seal and a leg for slidably sealing of a developer roll. The upper seat portion has an upper seat inner seal wall and an upper seat outer seal wall spaced apart a preselected distance from said upper seat inner seal wall and defining a gap therebetween. A doctor blade seal engages the upper seat inner and outer seal walls and a doctor blade bracket assembly disposed adjacent the j-seal and the doctor blade seal. The doctor blade seal further has a tongue disposed within the gap for interlocking said j-seal and sealably engaging the doctor blade bracket assembly. |
| US08116651B2 |
Printing system and method of charging to print document therein
A printing system and a method of charging to print a document therein. The printing system includes a server and a printing apparatus. The sever includes a storing part in which reference information on a document to be printed, a host communication part which receives a document including relevant information, and a host controller which charges a document registrant corresponding to the relevant information to print the document. The printing apparatus includes a printer communication part which receives the document, and a printer controller which prints the document received through the printer communication part. |
| US08116650B2 |
Image forming apparatus including chip having engine processor and basic processor
An image forming apparatus including a chip having an engine processor and a basic processor includes an image forming unit which has an image forming engine and forms an image of given image data, an engine processor to control a driving of the image forming engine, and a basic processor which is integrally provided with the engine processor and controls processes related to image formation except the driving of the image forming engine. |
| US08116648B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. When a user inputs a print request, life count values stored in a life management section are read out. A table of correlation between the life count values and a rotating speed of a driving roller is looked up, a rotating speed of the driving roller corresponding to the life count values read out is determined at which the driving roller is set to rotate. With the driving roller rotating at the set rotating speed, a printing process is performed so that a transfer belt turns at a constant running speed. Following the printing process, the life count values are updated based on the latest total number of printed copies and the latest revolving speed of the transfer belt. |
| US08116643B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method of controlling image forming apparatus, program, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus having a development unit which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier to form a visible image, the apparatus has an input unit adapted to accept input of a print job; an analysis unit adapted to analyze contents of image data included in the print job and contents of a print setting for controlling printout based on the image data; a prediction unit adapted to predict, based on an analysis result by the analysis unit, a consumption amount of a developing material necessary to develop an electrostatic latent image by the development unit when an electrostatic latent image based on the image data is formed; and a supply control unit adapted to control, based on the consumption amount of the developing material that is predicted by the prediction unit, a supply unit which supplies the developing material to the development unit. |
| US08116642B2 |
Developer stirring unit, developing device and image forming apparatus
A developer stirring unit, a developing device containing the developer stirring unit and an image forming apparatus comprising the developing device are supplied capable of correctly judging a remainder amount of developer in accommodating tank. In the developer stirring unit, a accommodating tank accommodates developer; a stirring member has at least one shaft portion and is used to stir the developer accommodated in the accommodating tank; a bearing member couples with the shaft portion and supports the stirring member to possibly rotate around the shaft portion serving as rotation axis and to possibly move along a axis direction of the rotation axis; a driving section drives the stirring member to rotate; and a judging section judges a remainder amount of the developer in the accommodating tank, wherein the stirring member is controlled to move along an axis direction of the rotation axis together with rotating along a rotation direction of the rotation axis. |
| US08116634B2 |
Adaptive injection current controlled burst mode SOA for long and wide reach high speed PON
An apparatus comprising an optical power splitter, an optical delay line coupled to the optical power splitter, an optical amplifier (OA) coupled to the optical delay line, and an adaptive injection current (AIC) controller coupled to the optical power splitter and the OA. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising at least one component configured to implement a method comprising converting an optical signal into a voltage signal, calculating an amplitude correction value for the voltage signal, inverting an amplitude of the voltage signal, adjusting the amplitude of the inverted voltage signal according to the amplitude correction value, and converting the adjusted voltage signal into a current signal. Included is a network comprising an optical line terminal (OLT) comprising an optical receiver and an AIC controlled OA coupled to the optical receiver, wherein the AIC controlled OA provides optical power equalization for any upstream optical signals. |
| US08116631B2 |
Hardened, wavelength enabled optical capacity
Providing bandwidth expansion in existing HFC infrastructures. A break in a fiber ring is established. A temperature hardened demultiplexer is coupled at the break to an input side of the fiber ring. A temperature hardened multiplexer is coupled at the break to an output side of the fiber ring. The temperature hardened demultiplexer is configured to pass-through a first predetermined wavelength to the temperature hardened multiplexer and to drop out a second predetermined wavelength. The second predetermined wavelength is extended from the demultiplexer for providing a first predetermined wavelength to an expansion node. The temperature hardened multiplexer is configured to receive the first predetermined wavelength from the temperature hardened demultiplexer and to receive the second predetermined wavelength from the expansion node. |
| US08116630B2 |
Methods for dynamic wavelength add/drop in a ROADM optical network
A system and method for dynamically adding/dropping wavelengths in a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) transport network is disclosed. The system includes at least one optical transponder, a plurality of optical fan-out devices, each arranged to receive an input signal from a network degree and coupled to at least one of a plurality of optical fan-in devices, each optical fan-in device arranged to output a signal to a network degree, the optical fan-out devices comprising at least one wavelength selective switch and the optical fan-in devices comprising at least one wavelength selective switch, the optical fan-out devices and optical fan-in devices being connected so as to enable signals input from each of the plurality of network degrees to be switched to another network degree of the plurality of network degrees; a plurality of demultiplexers for locally dropping selected wavelengths; a plurality of multiplexers for locally adding selected wavelengths; and at least one fiber switch interposed between the at least one optical transponder and the plurality of demultiplexers and multiplexers. The fiber switch is coupled to wavelengths and degrees that are allocated for a bandwidth-on-demand application. Other configurations include additional fan-in and fan-out devices interposed between a mux/demux assembly and the optical transponders to support wavelength redistribution applications. |
| US08116627B2 |
PON system method for receiving optical signal and OLT
When a signal of weak optical power is received immediately after a signal of intense optical power, input of the signal of intense optical power readily causes saturation, and the influence interferes in the signal of weak optical power to deteriorate receiver sensitivity. Moreover, when a reverse-bias voltage of APD is changed, if a difference between the voltages is large, a next optical signal is received until the receiver sensitivity of the APD becomes stable, so that receiver sensitivity deteriorates. A DBA order is determined so that a difference in reverse-bias voltage is small, and reverse-bias voltage is controlled in line with reception timing from ONU. |
| US08116624B1 |
Method and system for evaluating an optical device
Light escaping from an optical path, for example via Raman or Rayleigh scattering, can provide information about how light flows in the path or about the optical path. The path can be a waveguide, an optical channel, or a fiber that may be attached to or integrated with a substrate, for example in a passive or active planar lightguide/lightwave circuit, photonic integrated circuit, semiconductor laser, or optoelectronic element. The escaped light can be color-shifted with respect to the primary light flowing along the path. The escaped light can leave the path at an angle that facilitates detection. Processing or analyzing the scattered light, for example with support of a computing device, can help evaluate the path and/or assess a light intensity pattern thereof, for example to aid design, engineering, testing, qualification, troubleshooting, inspection, manufacturing, etc. |
| US08116623B2 |
Multi-ring network operating method and system
Provided is a multi-ring network operating method of cross-connecting at least two ring networks, the method including connecting an input working ring and an input protection ring of a ring network to an output working ring and an output protection ring of another ring network and then performing cross-connection between the same or different ring networks by using a multi-dimensional cross-connect apparatus. In the multi-ring operating method, a plurality of ring networks can be connected regardless of the protection method used by the ring networks, and the original protection method of each ring network can remain after they are connected. |
| US08116621B2 |
System and method of wireless power level control of TTL camera flash by radio
Methods and systems to set an amount of light to be emitted by a remote flash device may comprise: a first radio communication device coupled to a camera, a means for a user to set a desired light emission intensity or power emission level which may be perceptible to a first radio communication device, and at least a second radio communication device coupled to a remote flash device. The first radio communication device may transmit at least one radio signal to the second radio communication device which may comprise a power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send any sequence of data or control signals to a remote flash device which may be representative of the desired light emission intensity or power emission level. The at least second radio communication device may send activation signals to the coupled flash device, followed by allowing a delay interval to elapse, followed by sending quench signals to the coupled flash device. |
| US08116620B2 |
Methods and systems to prepare and activate a wireless camera flash by radio
Methods and systems to prepare and activate a wireless flash device may comprise a remote camera flash device comprising: a first radio communication device coupled to a camera, and at least a second radio communication device coupled to the remote camera flash device. The first radio communication device may transmit at least one radio signal to the second radio communication device in response to receiving camera communications sent from the camera, the second radio communication device sends pseudo camera communications to the remote camera flash device in response to receiving the at least one radio signal, and the second radio communication device does not transmit a radio signal. |
| US08116614B2 |
Information recording medium wherein stream convertible at high-speed is recorded, and recording apparatus and recording method therefor
An information recording medium wherein a stream which is recorded in a constrained format allowing format conversion from a first format (MPEG-TS) to a second format (MPEG-PS) and is seamlessly connected, can be converted into a second stream, and an apparatus and method for recording information in the information recording medium. The constrained format is provided for enabling conversion from a first format (for example, MPEG transport stream) to a second format (for example, MPEG program stream). Seamless playback is performed by using a third system stream (Bridge-VOB), which is composed of each of the parts the two seamlessly connected system streams. A video information presentation time by data management unit (Capsule) at the beginning of the third system stream is greater than or equal to 0.4 and less than or equal to 1 second, according to the constrained format. |
| US08116613B2 |
Recording medium, reproducing device, recording method and reproducing method
On a BD-ROM, PlayList information is recorded. The PlayList information includes MainPath information and SubPath information. The MainPath information specifies one of a plurality of AVClips as a MainClip, and defines a primary playback section (PlayItem) on the MainClip. The SubPath information specifies, among the rest of the AVClips, one AVClip as a SubClip, and defines, on the SubClip, a secondary playback section (SubPlayItem) to be synchronized with the primary playback section. The SubPath information includes In_Time information and Out_Time information which indicate In_Time and Out_Time, respectively, of the SubPlayItem. In_Time and Out_Time of the SubPlayItem match In_Time and Out_Time of the PlayItem. |
| US08116612B2 |
Centralized digital video recording and playback system accessible to multiple reproduction and control units via a home area network
A centralized Digital Video Recording (DVR) and reproduction system links several reproduction and control units (such as television receivers, etc.) and a centralized server via a home area network. This allows programming to be distributed throughout the premises, and novelly allows live-pause recording and playback to be effected from more than one reproduction and control unit in a seamless manner. For example, during a live-pause episode, a viewer can pause a program from one control and reproduction unit, and resume viewing the program from the same pause point at another control and reproduction unit on the premises. The present invention also allows a viewer to view multiple programs from the server on the same monitor using a multiple picture-in-picture display. |
| US08116610B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying video signal data with protection against digital copying
New movies from content providers are often made available on the Internet before being launched in the cinemas. Pre-released movies like DVD Videos for journalists are the main reason for this situation because some journalists seem to make these movies available to the Internet users. However, this causes significant harm to the content providers. According to the invention, the pre-releases are still DVD Videos or other conventional video formats but the playback of such encoded video signal is not possible using only a conventional DVD player or DVD player software because the playback requires additional hardware. An additional box (CP splitter box) splits the original video signal into two different video signals to be projected using two different beamers (A, B) which both are required for generating the whole video content. The beamers have different locations each with a different angle to the silver screen, and each beamer generates only a part of the video. |
| US08116608B2 |
Method and apparatus for reproducing video and audio
According to one of embodiments, a method and apparatus for reproducing video and audio changes a playback speed for video and a playback speed for audio independently of each other. To provide an apparatus and method for controlling the playback speeds shortly before a period in which the video and audio should better be played back at a normal-speed, thereby to reduce the strange feeling the user may have as the playback changes from the high-speed playback to the normal-speed playback, a video signal and an audio signal are first isolated from a content and then demodulated. A playback speed is set for the video signal modulated, and a playback speed is set for the audio signal modulated. The video signal and the audio signal, each set to a playback speed, are output. |
| US08116607B2 |
Rare-earth doped optical fiber, method of producing the same, and fiber laser
A rare-earth doped optical fiber that includes a core and one or more clad layers surrounding the core, in which the core has a rare earth dopant, and a relationship of Equation (1) is satisfied: 0 < ∫ r 0 r c D ( r ) · P p 2 ( r ) · P s 2 ( r ) r ⅆ r ∫ r 0 r c D ( r ) · P p 2 ( r ) r ⅆ r ≤ 0.35 ( 1 ) where Pp(r) represents an electric field distribution in an exciting wavelength, Ps(r) represents an electric field distribution in wavelengths of spontaneous emission and/or stimulated emission carried in the core, D(r) (mass %) represents a rare-earth dopant distribution, ro represents a core center, and rc represents a core radius. |
| US08116606B2 |
Fiber optic
A fiber optic includes a plurality of fibers each including a core made of core glass for propagating light and a cladding for covering an outer periphery of the core and made of cladding glass lower in refractive index than the core glass and an absorber glass arranged between the plurality of fibers and for absorbing light leaking from the plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers are bundled and integrated. The absorber glass contains Fe3O4 being iron oxide crystals. |
| US08116603B2 |
Low-loss Bloch wave guiding in open structures and highly compact efficient waveguide-crossing arrays
Low-loss waveguide structures may comprise a multimode waveguide supporting a periodic light intensity pattern, and attachments disposed at the waveguide adjacent low-intensity regions of the light intensity pattern. |
| US08116601B2 |
Fiber optic shape sensing
A shape sensing system to determine the position and orientation of one link with respect to another link in a kinematic chain. An optical fiber is coupled to two or more links in a kinematic chain. A shape sensing segment is defined to start at a proximal link and to end at a distal link, crossing one or more joints. A reference frame is defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. As the joints move, an interrogator senses strain in the shape sensing segment. The sensed strain is used to output a Cartesian position and orientation of the end of the shape sensing segment with respect to the reference frame defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. The pose of the kinematic chain is determined from the Cartesian positions and orientations of one or more shape sensing segments defined for the kinematic chain and from an a priori model and constraints of the kinematic chain. |
| US08116598B2 |
Location-referenced photograph repository
A photograph repository system includes data storage for storing photographs in the form of digital data files and a search feature that provides for searching for photographs by location and optionally by other search criteria. In one embodiment, a photograph repository service is accessible to users over a common data network, such as the Internet. In the photograph repository service, each stored photograph is associated with a location, i.e., where the photograph was taken and/or the location of an object in the photograph. Users can search for and obtain copies of their own photographs that they had stored previously with the photograph repository service. In addition, users can search for and obtain copies of photographs that had been taken by other users and stored with the photograph repository service. The photograph repository system can also be implemented as a standalone system, a hybrid system, or a peer-to-peer system. |
| US08116596B2 |
Recognizing image environment from image and position
A method of recognizing the environment of an image from an image and position information associated with the image includes acquiring the image and its associated position information; using the position information to acquire an aerial image correlated to the position information; identifying the environment of the image from the acquired aerial image; and storing the environment of the image in association with the image for subsequent use. |
| US08116595B2 |
Universal interface for medical imaging receptors
The present invention provides a plurality of interchangeable modules each of which is adapted to interface with at least one image receptor having predetermined physical interface parameters, including means for receiving image data from the at least one image receptor, processing means for converting the received image data into a converted, common format, and bus means for adapting to and communicating with a mother board. The interchangeable modules can be embodied in a plurality of daughter boards that are adapted for electrical connection to a mother board. Each daughter board can include the physical interface corresponding with the image receptor for which it has been programmed to receive data, with the physical interface being adapted for extending outwardly from a cabinet enclosing the daughter board and the mother board. |
| US08116591B2 |
Diffusion-based interactive extrusion of two-dimensional images into three-dimensional models
Methods and systems for creating three-dimensional models from two-dimensional images are provided. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method of creating a polygon-based three-dimensional (3D) model from a two-dimensional (2D) pixel-based image involves creating an inflatable polygon-based 3D image and extruding the inflatable polygon-based 3D image. The inflatable polygon-based 3D image is created based on a 2D pixel-based input image by representing pixels making up the 2D pixel-based input image as polygons. The inflatable polygon-based 3D image is extruded by generating z-coordinate values for reference points associated with the polygons based upon a biased diffusion process. |
| US08116590B2 |
Online image processing methods utilizing user's satisfaction loop
The present invention allows for online image processing. A sample embodiment of the method comprises the steps of determining graphical layers (predetermined graphical layers) and steps (predetermined steps) for creating an image. A substitute layer maybe obtained from a remote User. The predetermined steps may be repeated using predetermined graphical layers and the substitute layer, thus, creating a new image. The image may be further delivered to the User. If the User is not satisfied, the graphical layers or steps may be changed and method repeated. Described systems and methods may allow users to create complex digital images using remote servers, without the use of graphical tools on the user's computer. Even users without substantial technical or artistic skills may create complex digital images. |
| US08116583B2 |
Light modulation panel and imaging lens
A light modulation panel is inserted into an optical path of an imaging lens composed of an image-forming optical system to make the imaging lens function as a depth-of-field-extended optical system. The light modulation panel has power that makes a peak position of defocus MTF when the imaging lens is used alone to function as the image-forming optical system and a peak position of defocus MTF when the imaging lens functions as the depth-of-field-extended optical system by insertion of the light modulation panel into the optical path of the imaging lens coincide with each other. |
| US08116582B2 |
Techniques for positioning images in electronic documents
Techniques for positioning images in an electronic document. The images may encode information that can be decoded by devices configured to read the images. An area within the electronic document for positioning the image and a set of one or more colors to be used for the image are determined. The determined area and set of colors are such that the image when positioned in the electronic document blends in with the contents of the electronic document while still being clearly visible for reading by reader devices that are configured read and decode the information encoded by the image. |
| US08116578B2 |
Method and apparatus for effectively compressing motion vectors in video coder based on multi-layer
A method and apparatus of improving the compression efficiency of a motion vector by efficiently predicting a motion vector in an enhancement layer from a motion vector in a base layer in a video coding method using a multi-layer are provided. The method includes obtaining a motion vector in a base layer frame having a first frame rate from an input frame, obtaining a motion vector in a first enhancement layer frame having a second frame rate from the input frame, the second frame rate being greater than the first frame rate, generating a predicted motion vector by referring to a motion vector for at least one frame among base layer frames present immediately before and after the same temporal position as the first enhancement layer frame if there is no base layer frame at the same temporal position as the first enhancement layer frame, and coding a difference between the motion vector in the first enhancement layer frame and the generated predicted motion vector, and the obtained motion vector in the base layer. |
| US08116575B1 |
System for anomaly detection using sub-space analysis
Described is a system for anomaly detection to detect an anomalous object in an image, such as a concealed object beneath a person's clothing. The system is configured to generate a subspace model for a normal class using training images. The normal class represents normal objects in a common class. The system receives a novel image having an object in the common class. A set of geometric landmarks are identified in the object in the novel image for use in registering the image. The novel image is registered by warping the image so that the geometric landmarks coincide in the novel image and the training images, resulting in a warped novel image having an object. Thereafter, the system determines if the object in the warped novel image is anomalous by measuring the distance of the warped novel image from the subspace model. Finally, if anomalous, an operator is notified accordingly. |
| US08116573B2 |
Category weight setting apparatus and method, image weight setting apparatus and method, category abnormality setting apparatus and method, and programs therefor
When images are classified into categories, which of the categories has important images can be understood easily without a burned on a user. For this purpose, a category weight calculation unit statistically calculates a weight of each of the categories obtained by classification of the images, based on at least one of characteristic quantities comprising the number of images therein found by considering similar images therein, a total photography time thereof, a rate of similar images therein, a rate of human images therein, and an average number of human faces therein. |
| US08116569B2 |
Inline handwriting recognition and correction
As a user writes using a handheld writing device, such as an electronic pen or stylus, handwriting input is received and initially displayed as digital ink. The display of the digital ink is converted to recognized text inline with additional digital ink as the user continues to write. A user may edit a word of recognized text inline with other text by selecting the word. An enlarged version of the word is displayed in a character correction user interface that allows a user to make corrections on an individual character basis and also provides other correction options for the word. |
| US08116567B2 |
Digitizing documents
Techniques for performing page verification of a document are provided. The techniques include performing a recognition technique on a document to recognize one or more objects in the document, excluding the one or more recognized objects from the document, and performing page verification of the document, wherein page verification comprises visual inspection of the document excluding the one or more recognized objects. |
| US08116565B2 |
Collation device and collation method for authenticating users
A reading unit supplies card information that has been read from a card to a management unit by way of a read-out unit. The management unit assigns a high order of priority to card information that has been newly read and stores the card information to which this order of priority has been given in a memory unit. A fingerprint scanner supplies input fingerprint information to a selection unit by way of a generation unit. The selection unit, upon receiving the input fingerprint information, supplies this input fingerprint information to a collation unit and further, selects a plurality of items of registered fingerprint information that are stored in the memory unit starting in order with items having the highest order of priority. The collation unit, upon receiving the input fingerprint information, collates this input fingerprint information with the registered fingerprint information in the order selected by the selection unit, and determines whether registered fingerprint information that matches the input fingerprint information is present within the plurality of items of registered fingerprint information. |
| US08116563B2 |
Image processing device and method, recording medium, and program
An image processing device for processing image data includes: a gray level transforming processing unit which receives input, of image data, performs gray level transforming, and outputs image data having all of multiple color information by each pixel being configured of one of the multiple color information; the gray level transforming processing unit further including a first gray value computing unit for computing a first gray value according to the brightness of a pixel of interest which exists in a pixel location of interest; a second gray value computing unit for computing a second gray value by gray value transforming as to the first gray value; and pixel value gray level transforming unit for computing a pixel value subjected to gray level transforming of the pixel of interest, based on the first gray value, the second gray value, and the pixel value of the pixel of interest. |
| US08116552B2 |
Apparatus for generating data for determining a property of a gemstone and methods and computer programs for determining a property of a gemstone
A method of capturing data for gemstone analysis is provided. The method includes capturing images of the gemstone under differing lighting conditions, and comparing the captured images. |
| US08116549B2 |
Method and apparatus for standardizing ultrasonography training using image to physical space registration of tomographic volumes from tracked ultrasound
A clinical and training apparatus that collects and processes physical space data while performing an image-guided procedure on an anatomical area of interest includes a calibration probe, a tracked ultrasonic probe, a wireless tracking device that tracks the ultrasonic probe in space and an image data processor. The physical space data provides three-dimensional coordinates for each of the physical points. The image data processor includes a memory holding instructions. The instructions include determining registrations used to indicate position in image space and physical space; using the registrations to map into image space, image data describing the physical space of the tracked ultrasonic probe and the anatomical area of interest; and constructing a three-dimensional (3D) volume based on ultrasonic image data. The apparatus includes a storage medium that stores a plurality of 3D volumes acquired by the image data processor for later retrieval. |
| US08116548B2 |
Method and system for detecting 3D anatomical structures using constrained marginal space learning
A method and apparatus for detecting 3D anatomical objects in medical images using constrained marginal space learning (MSL) is disclosed. A constrained search range is determined for an input medical image volume based on training data. A first trained classifier is used to detect position candidates in the constrained search range. Position-orientation hypotheses are generated from the position candidates using orientation examples in the training data. A second trained classifier is used to detect position-orientation candidates from the position-orientation hypotheses. Similarity transformation hypotheses are generated from the position-orientation candidates based on scale examples in the training data. A third trained classifier is used to detect similarity transformation candidates from the similarity transformation hypotheses, and the similarity transformation candidates define the position, translation, and scale of the 3D anatomic object in the medical image volume. |
| US08116546B2 |
Lung cancer diagnosis using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained at three time points
A malignancy classification method and medium for diagnosing a region of lung tissue based on MRI data are disclosed. The classifying includes: setting time points T1 and T2 measured from injection of a contrast agent. T1 represents a wash-in time point for malignant lung tissue at which a first concentration value of the injected contrast agent is substantially equal to or near a peak for injected contrast agent concentration in the region of lung tissue. Patient concentration values of the contrast agent for the area of lung tissue at time points T1 and T2 are obtained, and a malignancy classification for the region of lung tissue is provided by comparing the obtained sample concentration values with a predetermined malignancy profile. A visual representation of the malignancy classification of the region of lung tissue is outputted. |
| US08116539B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and method for controlling image capturing
An image capturing apparatus includes: an image capturing device which receives an optical image of an object subjected to light via an image capturing lens and converts the optical image into an image signal; a face detecting device which detects a plurality of human faces from the image signal; a face distance calculating device which calculates a distance between the detected human faces; a notice device which gives a notice corresponding to the calculated distance between the human faces; a timer shot device which performs a real shooting after an elapse of a first predetermined time since a shooting instruction; and a control device which gives the shooting instruction to the timer shot device when the calculated distance between the human faces is less than a predetermined value. Accordingly, even when the shooting object includes persons, a well composed shooting can be easily realized. |
| US08116538B2 |
System and method for verifying face of user using light mask
A system and method for verifying the face of a user using a light mask are provided. The system includes a facial feature extraction unit for extracting a facial feature vector from a facial image received from a camera. A non-user Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) configuration unit generates a non-user GMM from a facial image stored in a non-user database (DB). A user GMM configuration unit generates a user GMM by applying light masks to a facial image stored in a user DB. A log-likelihood value calculation unit inputs the facial feature vector both to the non-user GMM and to the user GMM, thus calculating log-likelihood values. A user verification unit compares the calculated log-likelihood values with a predetermined threshold, thus verifying whether the received facial image is a facial image of the user. |
| US08116533B2 |
Operator interactive document image processing system
Methods and systems for operator intervention in a document processing system are disclosed. One possible method includes capturing images of documents within a document processing system. The method further includes executing computerized analysis of the images to establish an acceptability determination regarding the images. The method further includes manually reviewing the computer analysis of the images to confirm or override the acceptability determination. |
| US08116530B2 |
Map change detection device, map change detection method, and program
Changes in houses and buildings on a two-dimensional map are detected using three-dimensional data obtained from stereo images. A change detection device that detects changes in features that are targets described on a map has a stereo processor, a feature height calculator, and a demolition and/or new building detector. The stereo processor is inputted with a plurality of images taken of predetermined regions from a plurality of different positions, and extracts digital surface model data representing surfaces of the regions in three-dimensional coordinates. The feature height calculator extracts feature heights where an elevation of ground level is subtracted from the digital surface model data extracted by the stereo processor. The demolition and/or new building detector detect changes in the feature that are the targets described on a map by comparing feature height data and map data. An elevation region extractor extracts an elevation region that is a set of points having a height greater than or equal to the predetermined value, compares the elevation region and the map data, and detects changes in the feature constituting the targets. |
| US08116525B2 |
Object detection method and apparatus thereof
An object detection method and an apparatus thereof are provided. In the object detection method, a plurality of images in an image sequence is sequentially received. When a current image is received, a latest background image is established by referring to the current image and the M images previous to the current image, so as to update one of N background images, wherein M and N are positive integers. Next, color models of the current image and the background images are analyzed to determine whether a pixel in the current image belongs to a foreground object. Accordingly, the accuracy in object detection is increased by instantly updating the background images. |
| US08116523B2 |
On-vehicle image processing apparatus
An on-vehicle image processing apparatus includes: an image taking apparatus for taking an image of a forward view of a vehicle; an edge detection section for generating a detection image data based on the image data; and a feature point detection section for detecting at least one feature point based on the detection image data. The feature point detection section categorizes the at least one feature point into a lane division line feature point, a branch feature point, and a dead end and obstacle feature point. The detection image data includes a lane division line detection scanning region set in a near region from the vehicle, a branch detection scanning region set in a middle region from the vehicle, and a dead end and obstacle detection scanning region set in a far region from the vehicle. The amount of scanning process can be reduced. |
| US08116516B2 |
Controlling use of audio or image content
The present invention relates generally to controlling use of audio (e.g., ambient or digital audio) or image content (e.g., the image content may comprise video). One claim recites a method comprising: receiving data representing audio elements or image picture elements, the audio elements or image picture elements being captured using a sensor; using a programmed electronic processor, analyzing the data representing audio elements or image picture elements to extract identifying information therefrom; communicating extracted identifying information to a database; receiving control information from the database; carrying out an action based at least in part on the control information. Of course, other claims are provided as well. |
| US08116510B2 |
Loudspeaker
A magnetic circuit part of a loudspeaker is formed of a plate, a magnet, and a yoke. A step is disposed in the plate that comes into contact with a disc-like magnet and forms a magnetic gap. A loudspeaker is provided where the step moves a voice coil away from the leakage magnetic field of the yoke, the influence of the leakage magnetic field is eliminated even when the output is large, the distortion is small, and the sound quality is high. |
| US08116509B2 |
Electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer and array thereof
An electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer and an array thereof are provided. This electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer includes a support, an elastic board disposed on the support, a magnetizer on the elastic board, and a magnet field generator for vibrating the magnetizer, wherein, the thickness of the magnetizer is of the order of microns. The thickness of the elastic board is also of the order of microns. This electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer is able to produce acoustic waves of high frequency, which are useful for ultrasonic therapy. |
| US08116506B2 |
Speaker, image element protective screen, case of terminal and terminal
Arrangement of an internal component (not shown) arranged in the vicinity of the top side is different from that of the hinge side of an image element protective screen (2). An actuator (5) is fixed to the top side of the image element protective screen (2) and an actuator (4) is fixed to the hinge side of the image element protective screen (2). Since Arrangement of the internal component in the vicinity of the actuator is different, different sound pressure frequency characteristics or the like are experienced when each actuator is driven independently. When the actuators (4, 5) are driven simultaneously, sound pressure frequency characteristics and vibration frequency characteristics can be flattened. Isolation between the vibration speed of a vibrator near one actuator and the vibration speed of a vibrator in the region near the other actuator that are produced by respective actuators is set at 10 dB or above. |
| US08116500B2 |
Microphone orientation and size in a speakerphone
In various embodiments, a speakerphone may comprise multiple (e.g., 16) microphones placed in a circular array around a central speaker. The microphones may be mounted vertically in the speakerphone with their respective diaphragms substantially parallel to the top surface of the speakerphone. The centrally mounted speaker may be coupled to a stiff internal speaker enclosure. The speaker enclosure may be made of a stiff, heavy material (e.g., a dense plastic) to prevent the speaker vibrations from excessively vibrating the speakerphone enclosure (which may affect the microphones). The speaker enclosure may also include a raised rim and ridges to increase its stiffness. |
| US08116499B2 |
Microphone adaptor for altering the geometry of a microphone without altering its frequency response characteristics
A method of improving the “tight space” usefulness of a unidirectional microphone of the type having an otherwise screw-together headpiece and handle, includes the steps of: (a) fabricating an adapter having male- and female-threaded ends and a cavity of a specified volume that extends between these ends, and where each of these ends has a centerline and these intersect at a prescribed angle, (b) fabricating the adapter's cavity so that its volume is approximately equivalent to that of the volume of handle's acoustic chamber, and (c) connecting the adapter's male-threaded end to the handle and its female-threaded end to the headpiece in such a manner as to not appreciably change the frequency response characteristics of the microphone. |
| US08116498B2 |
Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone includes a unidirectional microphone unit including a cylindrical metallic unit case having a front audio terminal on a front surface and a rear audio terminal on a side surface; an acoustoelectric converter having a diaphragm and a backplate, disposed in the metallic unit case; and a metal mesh covering a rear audio terminal from an inside of the unit case. A coil spring having an outside diameter larger than an inside diameter of the unit case is disposed in the unit case to thereby press the metal mesh against the inner wall surface of the unit case to contact the metal mesh with the unit case. |
| US08116497B2 |
Portable speaker system for outdoor umbrella
A portable system for an outdoor umbrella includes a portable housing, a detachable locker, and an audio device. The portable housing includes a first housing body and a second housing body defining a mounting slot for a shaft of the outdoor umbrella fitting therewithin. The detachable locker includes a first locker provided at the first housing body and a second locker which is provided at the second housing body and is releasably locked with the first locker so as to detachably lock up the second housing body with the first housing body. The audio device includes a speaker supported in the first housing body and an audio input operatively coupling with the speaker such that when the audio input sends an audio signal to the speaker, the speaker is adapted for producing audio sound as an additional function for the outdoor umbrella. |
| US08116496B2 |
Earpiece for a hearing device with bayonet fitting
An earpiece for a hearing device is provided with a high retaining force in an ear shell in a repeatedly detachable manner. The earpiece comprising a receiver including a receiver connecting piece at the sound outlet and an ear shell in which the receiver is fixed and which holds the receiver in the ear canal and possesses, when worn in the ear canal, an inner side facing the eardrum and an opposite outer side on which the receiver is detachably fixed. The receiver is attached to the ear shell via a bayonet fitting. A first part of the bayonet fitting is fixedly connected to the receiver connecting piece. A second part of the bayonet fitting is rotated from the inner side of the ear shell to the first part of the bayonet fitting. The bayonet fitting ensures sufficient retention and wear-free releasing and closing. |
| US08116495B2 |
Reinforced earbud device, system and method
Various earbud embodiments comprise a sleeve portion, a base portion, a bell portion, and reinforcement members. The sleeve portion defines a central void extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the earbud. The base portion encircles the sleeve portion. The bell portion connects the sleeve portion to the base portion. The bell portion defines at least one aperture, and includes at least one web portion connected to the base portion at a connection point. At least one reinforcement member at each connection point extends from the base portion to the web portion to strengthen the structure at the connection point. |
| US08116494B2 |
Method for generating an acoustic signal or for transmitting energy in an auditory canal and corresponding hearing apparatus
Changing batteries in hearing apparatuses worn in the auditory canal is to be designed in a more user-friendly manner. To this end, a hearing apparatus is provided with a first component which can be worn in the auditory canal, said component comprising a receiver unit for the wireless reception of signals. The hearing apparatus also exhibits a second component which is separated from the first component in terms of design, said second component likewise being able to be worn in the auditory canal and a transmitter unit for the wireless transmission of signals and/or energy to the receiver unit of the first component. The first component can be designed to be battery-less. The second component, which is positioned further outside in the auditory canal, can be easily removed from the auditory canal in order to change the battery. |
| US08116492B2 |
Rechargeable hearing device
The hearing device operated with an accumulator and comprising an externally accessible electrically conductive structure element is provided. The structure element fulfilling an additional function as a contact element, in order to receive a charging current when electrically connected to an external charging device. The term “structure element” is understood in the context of the present invention to mean an element, which is constitutively present in the structure of the hearing device due to its construction, e.g. the structure element can be a housing element, a fastening element, such as a screw, a control element, a nameplate or suchlike. |
| US08116484B2 |
Sound output device, control method for sound output device, and information storage medium
To provide a sound output device capable of preferably outputting, while utilizing control data created based on an assumption that sound data will be output via a certain number of speakers, the sound data via a number of speakers that is larger or smaller than the certain number. The main control data storage unit stores main control data. The first sound output control unit outputs sound data from the one or more main speakers based on the main control data. The sub-control data storage unit stores sub-control data. The second sound output control unit outputs the sound data from the one or more sub-speakers based on the main control data and the sub-control data. |
| US08116482B2 |
Low noise microphone for use in windy environments and/or in the presence of engine noise
A microphone for use in windy environments. The microphone uses a transducer to flood the environment outside the microphone with a high frequency (such as an ultrasonic) acoustic field. The sounds desired to be detected are mixed with the high frequency carrier, and can then be received by the microphone with less wind noise. The microphone then demodulates the desired sound signals from the high frequency carrier. The microphone can be configured in a special emitter-receiver configuration that also reduces interference from engine noise. |
| US08116479B2 |
Sound collection/reproduction method and device
To provide a sound collection system using a plurality of microphones arranged in the proximity to one another and having an excellent directivity for an arbitrary position in the sound field space. A plurality of control points are set around a plurality of sound collecting microphones. A desired response function matrix A (ω) and a transfer function matrix C (ω) between the control points and the respective microphones are measured. A control filter H arranged in a digital signal processing unit (2) is connected to each of the microphones constituting the sound collection device (1). The control filters H are arranged for the number of output channels of a reproduction unit (4). An output of each of the control filters H is added for each channel and outputted to each channel of the reproduction unit (4). By specifying a microphone directivity upon sound collection at a control point, the control filters H are decided according to the measured desired response function matrix A (ω) and the transfer function matrix C (ω) of the specified control point. |
| US08116475B2 |
Audio generating module
An audio generating module is disclosed comprising a transmitting medium, a power unit and a transmitting unit. The power unit is used for providing power. The transmitting unit, situated in the transmitting medium, connects to the power unit for receiving power, and generating an audio in the transmitting medium according to a preset mechanism. |
| US08116472B2 |
Noise control device
A noise control device reduces noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other. The noise control device includes sound output devices, which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, each for outputting a sound to a corresponding space. The noise control device also includes a noise detection device, which is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces. Further, the noise control device includes a signal generation device which is a single device for generating, based on the noise detected by one noise detection device, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output device. |
| US08116463B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting audio signals
A method and an apparatus for detecting audio signals are disclosed. The input audio signal is inspected to check whether it is a foreground frame or a background frame; the detected background signal is further inspected according to the music eigenvalue and the decision rule. Therefore, background music can be detected, and the classifying performance of the voice/music classifier is improved. |
| US08116462B2 |
Method and system of real-time identification of an audiovisual advertisement in a data stream
Method and system of identification of at least one audiovisual advertisement in a data stream, such as a digital television broadcasting, by detecting energy drops in an audio stream of the data stream and comparing a segment of the audio stream starting at the energy drop with an audio segment of the advertisement. The comparison step requires only a few seconds of data to perform the detection. Therefore, the identification of the advertisement is provided before the end of the advertisement in the data stream. |
| US08116459B2 |
Enhanced method for signal shaping in multi-channel audio reconstruction
The present invention is based on the finding that a reconstructed output channel, reconstructed with a multi-channel reconstructor using at least one downmix channel derived by downmixing a plurality of original channels and using a parameter representation including additional information on a temporal fine structure of an original channel can be reconstructed efficiently with high quality, when a generator for generating a direct signal component and a diffuse signal component based on the downmix channel is used. The quality can be essentially enhanced, if only the direct signal component is modified such that the temporal fine structure of the reconstructed output channel is fitting a desired temporal fine structure, indicated by the additional information on the temporal fine structure transmitted. |
| US08116454B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing security in a radio frequency identification system
One aspect involves receiving by a tag of wireless communications that utilize a first security provision, and wireless communications that utilize a second security provision different from the first security provision. A different aspect involves receiving by an entity of an authentication request that is based on a first digital certificate unknown to the entity, and determining by the entity, without external authentication of the first digital certificate, whether the first digital certificate is in a trust relationship with a second digital certificate that is different from the first digital certificate and that is known to the entity. |
| US08116448B2 |
Acoustic echo canceler
An echo canceler is constituted of an adaptive filter for generating an echo replica simulating an echo occurring in an echo path lying between a speaker and a microphone, a subtracter for subtracting the echo replica from the sound received by the microphone, a double-talk detector which extracts a prescribed frequency band, in which the signal level is attenuated due to the echo path, from the output signal of the subtracter and which determines a double-talk event with respect to the extracted frequency band, and a controller for controlling the adaptive filter to update the echo replica in the double-talk event. |
| US08116444B2 |
System and method of publishing contact information
A system and method of publishing contact information is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a command to publish a collection of contacts to a plurality of recipients, where the collection of contacts is associated with a network address book of a sender. The method also includes receiving a distribution list that identifies the plurality of recipients. Additionally, the method includes sending a notification to each of the plurality of recipients, where the notification includes an invitation to subscribe to the collection of contacts. The method also includes sending the collection of contacts to at least one of the plurality of recipients who subscribes to the collection of contacts. |
| US08116442B2 |
Method and apparatus for audio conference bridge initiated remote device muting
Method and apparatus for providing an audio conference bridge initiated remote device muting are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a conference bridge is configured to detect a remote mute request from a remote Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device, such as a VoIP telephone. Responsive to this request, the conference bridge sends an indication to the remote VoIP device to cease transmitting audio traffic while still transmitting out-of-band DTMF data. |
| US08116437B2 |
Voice communications menu
Methods and systems are described for providing a telecommunications services menu accessible via a voice interactive system, such as a voice services node. A subscriber accesses a voice communications menu by accessing a voice services node. The voice services node queries a customer profile database to obtain a list of telecommunications services available to the subscriber. At the voice services node, a voice prompt is constructed for providing the subscriber a voice menu of the available services. After the subscriber receives the voice prompt of menu items, the subscriber may select a service from the provided menu. |
| US08116431B2 |
Automobile scanning system
A dual energy x-ray imaging system searches a moving automobile for concealed objects. Dual energy operation is achieved by operating an x-ray source at a constant potential of 100KV to 150KV, and alternately switching between two beam filters. The first filter is an atomic element having a high k-edge energy, such as platinum, gold, mercury, thallium, lead, bismuth, and thorium, thereby providing a low-energy spectrum. The second filter provides a high-energy spectrum through beam hardening. The low and high energy beams passing through the automobile are received by an x-ray detector. These detected signals are processed by a digital computer to create a steel suppressed image through logarithmic subtraction. The intensity of the x-ray beam is adjusted as the reciprocal of the measured automobile speed, thereby achieving a consistent radiation level regardless of the automobile motion. Accordingly, this invention provides images of organic objects concealed within moving automobiles without the detritus effects of overlying steel and automobile movement. |
| US08116428B2 |
Method and apparatus for assessing characteristics of liquids
A method to perform security screening at an airport on hand-carried baggage. The method includes requesting passengers with hand carried baggage to remove from the baggage a container that holds a liquid and perform an x-ray inspection on the hand carried baggage and on the container while the container remains outside the baggage. According to the method, the results of the x-ray inspection are used to determine if the baggage contains illegal objects and if the liquid is a security threat. |
| US08116427B2 |
Radiological imaging apparatus
A radiological imaging apparatus of the present invention comprises an image pickup device and a medical examinee holding device that is provided with a bed. The image pickup device includes a large number of radiation detectors and radiation detector support plates. A large number of radiation detectors are mounted around the circumference of a through-hole and arranged in the axial direction of the through-hole. The radiation detectors are arranged in three layers formed radially with respect to the center of the through-hole and mounted on the lateral surfaces of the radiation detector support plates. Since the radiation detectors are not only arranged in the axial direction and circumferential direction of the through-hole but also arrayed in the radial direction, it is possible to obtain accurate information about a γ-ray arrival position in the radial direction of the through-hole (the positional information about a radiation detector from which a γ-ray image pickup signal is output). The use of accurate information about γ-ray arrival increases the tomogram accuracy. As a result, the present invention enhances the, tomogram accuracy, that is, the PET examination accuracy. |
| US08116421B2 |
Apparatus for inspecting and testing startup range neutron monitoring system
An apparatus for inspecting and testing a startup range neutron monitoring system for a nuclear reactor. The apparatus includes: a neutron-flux detector; a preamplifier that amplifies an electric signal output from the neutron-flux detector; a pulse measurement unit that counts times when electric signal output from the preamplifier exceeds a discrimination voltage; a discrimination-voltage setting unit that applies the discrimination voltage to the pulse measurement unit; a voltage-setting unit that applies a voltage to the neutron-flux detector; an arithmetic processing unit that calculates an output power of the reactor based upon an output signal of the pulse measurement unit; an output unit that outputs data representing the output power of the reactor, calculated by the arithmetic processing unit; and an inspecting/testing unit that sets the discrimination voltage and the voltage to be applied by the voltage-setting unit. |
| US08116416B2 |
Method for determining synchronization code under SMIA
A method for determining the synchronization code under a standard mobile imaging architecture is provided. This method is essentially to solve any possible error occurring as transferring the images among the mobile devices. If any error is occurred to the transferred bit stream, it will cause fault in the image data. Consequently, the present invention provides an approach to compare every input data with iterative comparison operation, so as to obtain the position of synchronization codes under SMIA. Therefore, the correct synchronization code will solve the possible error translation. |
| US08116413B2 |
Signal level adjuster with incremental gain adjustments, for RF communication equipment
A signal level adjusting device (AD), for RF communication equipment arranged to received primary RF signals, comprises i) a tuner (TU) comprising a gain control means (SI,R), arranged to define a first or second digital command signal respectively each time it receives a first or second digital control signal respectively, and a gain adjusting means (VGA) arranged to decrease or increase respectively its gain by a fixed value when the command signal defined by the gain control means (SI,R) is a first or second command signal respectively, in order to adjust the level of the received primary RF signals, and ii) a demodulator (DEM) comprising a level control means (LCM1) arranged to generate a first or second digital control signal respectively each time it detects an increase or decrease respectively of the level of secondary signals representative of the adjusted signals output by the tuner (TU). |
| US08116409B1 |
Method and apparatus for SerDes jitter tolerance improvement
Apparatus and methods detect the presence of an isolated pulse in a communications signal, such as a data signal carrying data for a serializer/deserializer (SerDes). An example of an isolated pulse is a “1” pulse preceded and followed by “0” pulses, or a “0” pulse preceded and followed by a “1” pulse. These isolated pulses can exhibit a narrow pulse width, and under severe jitter conditions, may not align with a baud sample point, which can cause the isolated pulse to be missed, resulting in a data decoding error. By detecting the presence of these isolated pulses and determining the most likely baud period to which they belong, jitter tolerance can be improved for many channel conditions. This can improve jitter tolerance of a SerDes receiver for links that suffer from various sources of Deterministic Jitter (DJ) such as Duty Cycle Distortion (DCD) and Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI). |
| US08116408B2 |
Gain control for reduced interframe spacing (RIFS)
A method and apparatus is disclosed to recover at least one information payload from a frame and/or to configure one or more reception parameters to receive a future frame to support RIFS. A physical layer device (PHY) receives at least a training sequence embedded in the frame of a transmitted communication signal using a receiver filter bandwidth corresponding to a variable filter training sequence bandwidth. The PHY determines an amount of gain necessary to recover an information payload embedded in the frame based on the recovery of the training sequence. The PHY determines an amount of gain necessary to recover an information payload embedded in the frame based on the recovery of the preamble. A previous communications receiver gain is adjusted by the difference between the amount of gain necessary to recover the information payload and the previous communications receiver gain. The PHY adjusts the receiver filter bandwidth from the variable filter training sequence bandwidth to a variable filter information payload bandwidth. The PHY recovers the at least one information payload embedded in frame using the variable filter information payload bandwidth. The PHY adjusts the receiver filter bandwidth from the information payload bandwidth to the variable filter training sequence bandwidth to receive the future frame. |
| US08116407B2 |
Data recovery system and method thereof
A data recovery system and method is disclosed. Said data recovery system comprises a maximum-likelihood detector, a non-maximum likelihood detector, signal-length calculator, a determining unit and a selecting unit. The maximum-likelihood detector transforms a digital signal into a first binary signal. The non-maximum likelihood detector transforms the digital signal into a second binary signal. The signal-length calculator calculates a length of the first binary signal and a length of one previous to the first binary signal. The determining unit generates a selecting signal when the length of the first binary signal and the length of one previous to the first binary signal meet a criterion. The selecting unit coupled to the maximum-likelihood detector and the non-maximum likelihood detector, selectively outputs the first binary signal or the second binary signal based on the selecting signal. |
| US08116404B2 |
Diversity receiver and method for controlling power thereof
The present disclosure provides a diversity receiver. The diversity receiver includes a plurality of tuners, a plurality of demodulators operatively coupled to the plurality of tuners and a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of demodulators and the plurality of tuners. Each tuner is capable of receiving a modulated signal from a path of a plurality of distinct paths. The controller determines information for each path and computes a ratio of signal strength to an additive noise for each path based on determined information. Further, the controller adjusts power of signal in each path based on comparison of computed ratio of signal strength to additive noise with a predetermined threshold. The diversity receiver also includes a MRC circuitry operatively coupled to the plurality of demodulators and configured to combine the signal of each path for obtaining a resultant combined signal having an improved ratio of signal strength to additive noise. |
| US08116398B2 |
Transmission method, transmitter, and receiver for multi antenna wireless communication system
A transmitter includes first generator to generate pilot source signal by modulating pilot sequence, second generator to generate data source signal with time length longer than that of pilot source signal by modulating data sequence, first cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of first shift amount to pilot source signal to generate first pilot signal, second cyclic shifter to performs cyclic shift of second shift amount to data source signal to generate first data signal, third cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of third shift amount to pilot source signal to generate second pilot signal, fourth cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of fourth shift amount to data source signal to generate second data signal, first transmit antenna to transmit first pilot signal and first data signal, and second transmit antenna to transmit second pilot signal and second data signal. |
| US08116392B2 |
Method for transmitting/receiving signal having spread training symbol in mobile communication system
A method for transmitting/receiving signals in a mobile communication system, a pilot configuration of a mobile communication system capable of transmitting much more data using a conventional pilot signal, a channel estimation method, and a receiving method are disclosed. A method for transmitting a signal equipped with a training symbol in a mobile communication system which includes a transmission end capable of transmitting an output signal equipped with a training symbol for channel estimation of a reception end, includes the steps of: a) adding training symbols having the same amplitude to data symbols transmitted via subcarriers, and calculating the output signal transmitted via the subcarriers; and b) transmitting the calculated output signal via the subcarriers. |
| US08116391B2 |
Quantization of channel state information in multiple antenna systems
A new vector quantization algorithm for reducing bit rate used for channel state information feedback in a variety of multiple antenna systems on flat and frequency selective channels. The receiver chooses an instantaneous capacity maximizing entry from a small finite set of predefined covariance matrices. The codebook of covariance matrices is constructed based on separate optimization of the channel eigenmodes and power division between them. If, for the given channel realization, one of the predefined covariance matrices provides higher capacity than equal power distribution the indexes of the two codebooks are fed to the transmitter, otherwise, the transmitter uses the open-loop approach. A vector quantization algorithm in which receiver chooses an instantaneous throughput maximizing modulation matrix from a finite set of predefined matrices (code-words). The codebook of modulation matrices is constructed based on joint optimization of the dominant channel eigenmodes of users and separate quantization of power levels. |
| US08116388B2 |
Time domain interference averaging with multiuser diversity in OFDMA systems
Interference between multiple users operating under multiuser diversity within a coherence bandwidth in an OFDMA system is reduced by spreading out the users' transmission symbols randomly in time within the coherence bandwidth. When transmission symbols are randomly dispersed, the variance of interference between users in the same sub-band is reduced on average. |
| US08116385B2 |
Method for the transmission of a data word
A method for transmitting a data word, according to which a codeword supply (CV) is provided, the number of individual codewords (C1 . . . C31) of the supply corresponding at least to the number of data positions (#1 . . . #31) of the data word (DW), the codewords being formed from a basic codeword (C1) by means of cyclical shifting, and the cross correlation function of each codeword (C2 . . . C31) with the basic codeword (C1) having a distinct extreme value, the position of which is characteristic of the individual codeword (C2). An individual codeword (C1) which is combined with the respective date (0) of the data position (#5) so as to obtain a combined result (VE5) relating to the individual data positions, is assigned to each data position (#1) of the data word (DW). The combined results (VE1 . . . VE31) relating to the individual data positions are added in order to obtain a sum word (SW) that is cross-correlated with a reference (R) following transmission, said reference (R) corresponding to the basic codeword (C1) or being created from the basic codeword (C1) by means of cyclical shifting. The respective data (0,1) of the data word (DW), which relates to the individual data positions, is reconstructed from the position and quantity of the values of the obtained correlation function (KKF) by allocating in a fixed manner a corresponding data (0,1) to each value (−6;26). |
| US08116382B2 |
System and method of data word flipping to prevent pathological conditions on high-speed serial video data interfaces
Systems and methods are provided for reducing pathological conditions in a serial video interface. A sequence of parallel data words that are to be transformed by a data-scrambling algorithm comprise an input signal. The bit order of one or more of the words in the sequence of parallel data words is reversed and the sequence of parallel data words, now including one or more bit-reversed words, is transmitted. The signal resulting from application of a data-scrambling algorithm to the sequence of parallel data words, including one or more bit-reversed words, has a reduced likelihood of including a pathological condition. |
| US08116379B2 |
Method and apparatus for parallel processing of in-loop deblocking filter for H.264 video compression standard
A parallel deblocking filtering method, and deblocking filter processor performing such deblocking, for removing edge artifacts created during video compression. The method includes loading luma samples for a macroblock. Filtering is performed on a set of vertical edges of the macroblock using information in the luma samples, with vertical edge filtering occurring concurrently with the loading of the luma samples. The method also includes filtering a set of horizontal edges of the macroblock using information in the luma samples. The horizontal edge filtering occurs in parallel with vertical edge sampling and with loading operations. The use of parallel and concurrent operations significantly enhances the efficiency of the deblocking method. Storing of filtered samples is also performed in the method, and this storing is performed concurrently with some loading operations as well as filtering operations. Edge filtering includes performing filtering to the H.264 standard and its deblocking filtering algorithm. |
| US08116372B1 |
Data structure and method using same for encoding video information
A data structure and method of use thereof for encoding video information are described. Macroblock parameters are initialized, and it is determined whether an operating point is selected. If the operating point is selected, then the following occurs: each quad of nodes of a first node level are obtained and a check for merger is done on them; each quad of nodes of a second node level is obtained and a check for merger is done on them; nodes of a third node level are obtained and check for merger is done on them; nodes of a fourth node level are obtained and a check for merger is done on them; and modes are assigned responsive to cost of combinations of encoding modes associated with possible mergers. |
| US08116371B2 |
VLC technique for layered video coding using distinct element grouping
The layered coding technique is employed to achieve the image quality scalability for video coding standards. The desired image quality scalability can be achieved by refining the image coefficients in subsequent enhancement layers. In most cases, the refinement coefficient consists of some binary information such as whether this coefficient is refined in this coding pass, whether this coefficient is positively or negatively refined, etc. Because it is generally difficult to code binary information efficiently with VLC (Variable Length Coding) technology, this disclosure introduces a method to code refinement symbol more efficiently with VLC by grouping the symbols of distinct binary elements. |
| US08116365B2 |
Equalizer architecture for data communication
An update algorithm for equalizer coefficients in a communications system using phase correction symbols. Instead of using a traditional all symbols slicer update algorithm, the equalizer is updated during phase correction symbols for optimal performance in low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. In lower signal-to-noise ratio conditions, the equalizer uses a phase correction circuit to compensate for distortion caused by a communication channel when a demodulated data stream contains an unknown phase offsets resulting from a fast dynamic distortion. More specifically, the phase correction circuit uses a phase correction signal to correct for the unknown phase offsets in a demodulated data stream in lower signal-to-noise ratio conditions. The equalizer then corrects for distortion caused by the communication channel based upon the phase corrected demodulated data stream. |
| US08116363B2 |
Method of determining true error vector magnitude in a wireless LAN
Systematic transmit IQ phase and amplitude imbalances in the transmit chain of a wireless local area network (WLAN) cause a corresponding systematic shift in the roots of a constellation diagram. Additional random phase noise in the transmit chain will cause a further Gaussian distribution of points in the constellation diagram about the systematically shifted roots. This random distribution represents a true error vector magnitude (EVM). By transmitting a known training sequence through the transmit chain, which it is known will be shifted to all of the systematically shifted roots in the constellation diagram, the Gaussian spread around those shifted roots can be analysed to determine the true EVM. |
| US08116361B2 |
Multimode multicarrier modem system and method of communication over the same
An alternative approach to coping with the ever increasing demand for faster communications hardware is to design modems that are capable of operating its speeds at a higher data rate than a speed required for a single port of the standard communication rate for that modem. Basically, by utilizing a resource manager, that directs the data in and out of the various portions of the modem in an orderly manner, keeping track of which of the ports is being operated at any given point in time, a standard single port modem can be reconfigured, for example, at an over clocked rate, to manipulate the data input and output of a modem. |
| US08116360B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing loss of service from hardware failure in a network
A spare receiver in a CMTS is used to prevent loss of service to subscribers during a failure of a receiver. The beginning of a mass modem de-registration event is detected by the operator or automatically by the CMTS. Upon detection of the beginning of the mass modem de-registration event, the spare receiver matrices to the troubled receiver and is configured according the communication parameters of the troubled receiver. The spare receiver sends communications to one or modems normally registered with the troubled receiver to determine if the mass de-registration event is the result of a failed receiver or a connection problem. In the event of a failed receiver, the spare receiver stays matriced with the troubled receiver and passes communications to/from from modems normally registered with it. The cable operator may swap out the troubled receiver and repair the system without significant loss of service to the subscribers. |
| US08116358B2 |
Single oscillator transceiver
A frequency plan is provided for particular use in a transceiver. Advantageously, a single oscillator may be used to generate desired frequency signals. One or more power splitters receive the signal and equally divide the signal into first and second signals having a frequency substantially equal to the original. Multipliers on each arm of the transceiver receive a signal and increase the frequency of the signal. In one exemplary embodiment, multiple signals having different frequencies may be transmitted over the same cable due in part to the generated frequency separation between the signals. In another exemplary embodiment, multiple signals may be transmitted over multiple cables. In another exemplary embodiment, the frequency plan may self correct a transmit signal based on a reference signal, such as the receive signal. Additionally, multiple signals over one or more cables may be transmitted at or below 3 GHz. |
| US08116356B2 |
Linear transformation matrices for distributed diversity
A signal for relay is received from a first node. From a local memory that stores K transform matrices (K being an integer greater than one) is selected a transform matrix that is associated with a relay rank order. The matrices define an optimal tradeoff of diversity gain versus spatial multiplexing. The received signal is transformed using the selected transform matrix, and the transformed signal is relayed over a wireless channel to a second node. In a particular embodiment the received signal is an input symbol vector of N consecutive symbols (N being an integer at least equal to two) and the transform linearly combines the N symbols of the input vector according to the relay rank order. In various embodiments the first node may give the rank order, it may be mutually agreed via signaling among the various relay nodes, or it may be based on an intrinsically generated random number. |
| US08116353B2 |
Spread spectrum modulator and demodulator
A spread spectrum modulator converts input sequences composed of digital symbols into n≧2 spread-spectrum sequences. The spread spectrum modulator can generate spreading code and can combine the spreading code with the input sequences to produce the n spread spectrum sequences for transmission from n respective antennas of a radio transmitter. Each spread spectrum sequence corresponds to a sum of at least two contributions mutually shifted by a time substantially less than the duration of a symbol, each contribution being the product of a version of one of the n input sequences times the spreading code. |
| US08116348B2 |
Gas laser device
A gas laser device is presented that produces a near diffraction limited round beam exiting the discharge vessel. Through the use of a simple focusing system, additional waveguide strip and a spatial filter in conjunction with the new asymmetric hybrid planar waveguide resonator, a round diffraction limited beam can be produced exiting the discharge vessel. Furthermore, a second and very similar design is presented that allows for spatial filtering to take place directly outside of the discharge vessel, thereby enabling filtering of the beam to be an added option. |
| US08116346B2 |
CO2 laser output power control during warm-up
A CO2 gas discharge laser includes a housing enclosing spaced-apart electrodes and a lasing gas. A laser resonator extends between the spaced-apart electrodes. An RF power supply provides RF power for creating a discharge in the lasing gas, causing laser radiation to be delivered by the laser resonator. The power of the output radiation is directly dependent on the RF power provided to the electrodes and inversely dependent of the temperature of the gas discharge. A signal representative of the discharge-temperature is used to adjust the RF power supplied to the electrodes such that the power of the output radiation is about constant. |
| US08116344B2 |
Red surface emitting laser element, image forming device, and image display apparatus
A red surface emitting laser element includes a first reflector, a second reflector including a p-type semiconductor multilayer film, an active layer between the first reflector and the second reflector, and a p-type semiconductor spacer layer between the active layer and the second reflector, the p-type semiconductor spacer layer having a thickness of 100 nm or more and 350 nm or less. |
| US08116338B2 |
Method for reducing errors while transferring tokens to and from people
A system, method and computer program produce for handling and minimizing miscommunication and transformation of tokens that are processed by humans, either verbally or in writing, during some part of a usage scenario. This is accomplished by filtering out confusing tokens, as determined by calculating a distance metric for each token. A distance metric may be calculated along a print modality, a visual modality or a verbal modality. |
| US08116335B2 |
Methods and apparatus for data communication
A data communication apparatus, comprising an interface for enabling communication with a remote entity via a network and a control entity in communication with said interface. The control entity is operative to establish a packet-switched connection with the remote entity through the network and to negotiate with the remote entity using in-band signaling entry into a codec-bypass mode of operation. In this way, a codec-bypass connection, which enhances speech quality, can be established over a packet network, which reduces bandwidth. |
| US08116334B1 |
Dataflow FIFO communication buffer using highly-multiported memories
A First In First Out (FIFO) communication buffer for receiving data from a source and distributing the data to a first sink and a second sink is disclosed. The FIFO communication buffer includes a FIFO memory and a FIFO control circuit. The FIFO memory includes a first data port, a second data port, and a third data port. The FIFO control circuit provides the first address, the second address and the third address. The FIFO control circuit increments the first address toward the second address and the third address when valid data is received, and increments the second address and the third address when data is read out. |
| US08116329B2 |
Relay station, base station, power management method, and computer readable medium thereof for use in a wireless mesh network
A relay station, a base station, a power management method, and a computer readable medium thereof are provided. The relay station is located within the coverage area of the BS. The relay station comprises a receiving/transmission module and a determination module. The receiving/transmission module is configured to receive a BS beacon in a first period of time. The determination module is configured to allow the BS to transmit a data to the relay station according to the BS beacon, so that the receiving/transmission module transmits a power saving poll to the BS, receives a power saving poll ACK in the first period of time, and receives the data in a second period of time after the first period of time. |
| US08116328B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting value of statistic parameter
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for adjusting the value of the statistic parameter so as to enable an MGC dynamically adjust the statistic parameter under H.248 framework. The method extends the H.248 protocol. The MGC sends adjustment information to the MG. The MG adjusts the value of the specified statistic parameter in a specified adjustment manner according to the adjustment information. The adjustment manner may be direct value assignment or one adjustment operation executed by the MG combining with a local preset parameter. If the adjustment information can not be recognized or supported by the MG, or the adjustment information is not suitable for the statistic parameter, the MG returns corresponding error information to the MGC. The adjustment to the statistic parameter value by the MGC may be issued to the MG for execution at the same time with other operations such as audit. |
| US08116325B2 |
Active networks
An active node of a communications network includes a forwarding component for forwarding a packet of an active application, a processor for processing the packet, and a forwarding control component for modifying path data associated with the packet, based on the processing. The forwarding component can forward said packet directly to the network or via the processor. The processing can include executing code contained within the packet, and/or executing code to process application data in the packet. The path data can include the MPLS label stack of the packet and/or MPLS tables of the forwarding component. To allow processing based on multiple labels of a packet, the forwarding component can include a loopback connection between its input and output ports. |
| US08116321B2 |
System and method for routing asynchronous signals
A router, for routing at least one input signal to at least one output, comprises at least one input module and at least one output module. Each of the input and output modules includes at least one clock selector circuit for selecting from among a first and second clock signal, and an oscillator signal, as a common output clock signal for the at least first router, based in part on whether at least one of the first and second clock signals has toggled. The clock selector circuit provides redundancy as well as distribution of clock signals among elements within each module. |
| US08116319B2 |
Method for supporting coexistence considering while subchannel allocation in a broadband wireless access system
A method for supporting coexistence in a mobile station for supporting a coexistence mode of WiMAX and secondary wireless communication system while considering subchannel allocation, the method comprises, requesting a band adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) for adjacent subcarrier permutation to a base station by transmitting first coexistence information, after the secondary wireless communication is turned on, and requesting a release of the adjacent subcarrier permutation to the base station by transmitting second coexistence information, if the secondary wireless communication system is turned off. Accordingly, it is possible to provide simultaneity of different wireless communications when a sleep mode is used and improve simultaneity of different wireless communications even when the sleep mode is not used. |
| US08116318B2 |
Method for scheduling ATM cells and a device having ATM cell scheduling capabilities
A method for scheduling a transmission of ATM cells, the method includes: receiving an indication that a scheduling session should starts; and repeating the stages of: selecting a channel representative queue out of multiple queues that are associated with different quality of service traffic threads that belong to that channel; scheduling a transmission of frames from channel representative queues and from single queue channels; wherein the scheduling comprises processing a scheduling table that comprises multiple sets of entries, wherein each set of entries is associated with a different transmission priority level, and wherein at least one set of entries comprises a link to a transmission parameter table that is associated with a channel representative queue. |
| US08116311B1 |
Method and system for tag arbitration in switches
Method and system for a switch element is provided. The method includes (a) receiving a portion of a packet at a port of the switch element; (b) generating a tag based on an estimated packet size obtained from the portion of the packet; (c) sending the tag with the estimated packet size to a transmit segment of the port; (d) selecting a request from among a plurality of pending requests for processing the packet associated with the tag; (e) receiving an actual packet size for the packet in step (a); (f) determining if the actual packet size is different from the estimated packet size; and (g) adjusting an arbitration weight used for selecting the request in step (d), if the actual packet size is different from the estimated packet size. |
| US08116310B2 |
Reducing packet flooding by a packet switch
Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, computer-readable media, mechanisms, and means for reducing packet flooding by a packet switch. A packet switch receives a flood prevention request message from an upstream router, with this message identifying a forwarding media access control (MAC) address and one or more destination MAC addresses of downstream routers. The packet switch looks up, typically in its forwarding data structure(s), these specified MAC addresses of the downstream routers in order to determine its corresponding ports on which to communicate with these MAC addresses. The packet switch updates its forwarding data structures accordingly such that a received multicast packet having as its destination MAC address the received forwarding MAC address will be forwarded out only these determined ports. |
| US08116308B2 |
System and method for providing improved packet traceability
A method and apparatus is described which enables location information associated with a client to easily be obtained by a service provider in a packet-based network. The location information may be the location of the client itself, or may be location information associated with devices in a communication facility established by the client. Location information associated with the client may be provided to services such as emergency services to facilitate fast dispatch of resources to assist the client. Location information associated with facilities of the client may be used to facilitate lawful interception of client communications. In one embodiment, the location information is obtained using information included in one of a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) or Provider Backbone Transport (PBT) packet. |
| US08116304B2 |
Method and system for duty cycling a network port based on duty cycling of a link communicatively coupled to the port
Aspects of a method and system for duty cycling a network port based on duty cycling of a link communicatively coupled to the port are provided. In this regard, in a network node communicatively coupled to a network link which operates at a plurality of data rates, one or more components of said network node may be cycled through a series of configurations, where a processing capacity and/or a duration of each configuration may be based on the plurality of data rates on the network link. Exemplary components of the node may comprise one or more hybrids, transmitters, receivers, processors, and/or memory elements. The components may be cycled through the series of configurations during each of a series of time intervals. The series of configurations may be based on one or more of a type of data communicated over said network link and an application running on said network node. |
| US08116302B1 |
Method and system for providing call screening in a packet-switched network
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for determining whether a call in a packet-switched network to a first destination is to be forwarded, forwarding the call to a second destination based on a determination that the call is to be forwarded, notifying the first destination that the call has been forwarded, receiving a request from the first destination to screen the call, and enabling the first destination to screen the call. |
| US08116301B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiple media digital communication system
The present invention is embodied in a digital communication system where multiple media data sources are time multiplexed into a packetized data stream, each packet having an assigned priority and the packetized data stream transmitted in substantially the order of assigned priority. At both the transmit side, and the receive side, audio packets are given priority processing over video packets, which in turn have priority over text/graphics data packets. Continuous real time audio playback is maintained at the receiver by delaying the playback of received audio in a first in/first out (FIFO) buffer providing a delay at least equal to the predicted average packet delay for the communication system. Optionally, the average system delay is continuously monitored, and the audio playback delay time is adjusted accordingly. Audio playback is slowed or accelerated in order to shrink or grow the difference in time between the sender and receiver. In another aspect of the invention, a conference of three or more callers is created by broadcasting a common packetized data stream to all conference callers. |
| US08116299B2 |
Techniques for listening to a caller leaving a voicemail message in real-time and real-time pick up of a call
In one embodiment, techniques allow a callee to listen to a caller leaving a voicemail message on a voicemail system. An applications oriented network (AON) device is configured to detect a connection to a voicemail system when a caller calls a callee. A notification message is then sent to the callee that indicates a voicemail message is being left. The callee is presented options in which the callee can decide to listen to the voicemail message in real time as it is being left by the caller. Also, the callee may answer the call from the caller as the voicemail message is being left. The applications oriented network device receives a response indicating whether the callee wants to listen to the voicemail message or not. If the callee wants to listen to the voicemail message, the applications oriented network device sends a copy of the voicemail message being left by the caller as it is being received from the caller. |
| US08116295B2 |
Distributed medium access protocol for wireless mesh networks
This invention defines a medium access protocol for the support of mesh networking in wireless communications. It defines a phase for intra-cell and a phase for inter-cell traffic. During the inter-cell traffic a beacon phase is used for the reservation of transmissions. In this phase also information about the mesh topology is included and parallel transmission are supported. Even though this medium access protocol is intended to be proposed in standardization of IEEE 802.11 mesh networks (802.11) it could be used in any wireless mesh network. |
| US08116294B2 |
RF bus controller
A radio frequency (RF) bus controller includes an interface and a processing module. The interface is coupled for communicating intra-device RF bus access requests and allocations. The processing module is coupled to receive an access request to an RF bus via the interface; determine RF bus resource availability; and when sufficient RF bus resources are available to fulfill the access request, allocate, via the interface, at least one RF bus resource in response to the access request. |
| US08116293B2 |
Closed-loop rate control for a MIMO communication system
In a MIMO system, rate control is achieved with an inner loop that selects rates for data streams sent via a MIMO channel and an outer loop that regulates the operation of the inner loop. For the inner loop, SNR estimates are obtained for each data stream based on received pilot symbols and/or received data symbols. An effective SNR is derived for each data stream based on the SNR estimates, a diversity order, a MIMO backoff factor, and an outer loop backoff factor for the data stream. The rates are then selected for the data streams based on the effective SNRs for the data streams. The outer loop adjusts the outer loop backoff factor for each data stream based on the performance (e.g., packet errors and/or decoder metrics) for the data stream. |
| US08116292B2 |
MAC multiplexing and TFC selection procedure for enhanced uplink
A method implemented in a wireless communication system including a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a Node-B and a radio network controller (RNC) for quantizing multiplexed data allowed by grants to closely match a selected enhanced uplink transport format combination (E-TFC) transport block size is disclosed. The amount of scheduled and non-scheduled data allowed to be transmitted is quantized so that the amount of data multiplexed into an enhanced uplink (EU) medium access control (MAC-e) protocol data unit (PDU) more closely matches the selected E-TFC transport block size. In an embodiment, the amount of buffered data allowed to be multiplexed by at least one grant, (a serving grant and/or a non-serving grant), is quantized so that the sum of scheduled and non-scheduled data including MAC header and control information multiplexed into a MAC-e PDU more closely matches the selected E-TFC transport block size. |
| US08116283B2 |
Reverse link automatic repeat request
An Access Network (AN) can send an acknowledge message (ACK) to an Access Terminal (AT) to indicate that the AN has successfully decoded the data received in the first set of slots of the first data packet. The AN can send a negative acknowledge message (NAK) to the AT to indicate that the AN has not successfully decoded the data received in the first set of slots of a first data packet. Based upon receipt of the NAK, the AT can resend the data by sending a second set of slots of the first data packet containing redundant data. Based upon receipt of the ACK, the AT can send a first set of slots of another packet. The AT can gate off for a predetermined period of time after sending the first set of slots of a first packet and before sending a next set of slots. |
| US08116280B2 |
Method for managing communications and related core network node
A first group of core network (CN) nodes are arranged for transmitting a change request from a source to a target radio network controller (RNC), to a CN node selected from the set of CN nodes to which the target RNC is connected. Relating to a communication in progress with a first RNC (11) and a first CN node (13), for which a change from the first to a second RNC (12) is requested: the change request is transmitted from the first CN node to a second CN node (14) of the first group, and is forwarded from the second to a third CN node (15) selected, according to predetermined criteria, from the set of CN nodes to which the second RNC is connected. |
| US08116279B2 |
Mobile communication terminal supporting multi-modal communications and method for providing seamless service upon handover to the mobile communication terminal
A method of providing a handover service to a mobile communication terminal supporting multi-modal communications, and a mobile communication terminal for performing the method are provided. More particularly, a method of eliminating an interruption of a data transmission service occurring during a handover between different communication networks, and a terminal for performing the method are provided. A method of providing a handover service of a mobile communication terminal supporting multi-modal communications can include: transmitting and receiving data to/from a corresponding node via a first access network and a second access network while simultaneously maintaining an association with the first access network and the second access network, determining a point in time of completing a handover registration, and releasing an association with the first access network after the point in time of completing the handover registration. |
| US08116278B2 |
Spectrum sharing between OFDM and non-OFDM radios
A signal is generated in the time domain (e.g., GSM, CDMA waveform), digitally sampled at a rate N per symbol interval T over an observation window of length JT to achieve a vector of JN samples. The JN samples are transformed via a DFT of size JN to the frequency domain, where they are mapped using the DFT coefficients to subcarriers of an OFDM or SC-FDMA waveform. Then an IDFT is executed to convert the samples back to the time domain, which are then transmitted on the mapped subcarriers. For the case of a portable device cognitive radio, subcarriers other than the JN subcarriers may be used for pilots or zero weights may be applied to them. For the case of a network node, pilots or samples for other users may be mapped to the other subcarriers, in which case the IDFT is size M>JN for transforming all the user signals. |
| US08116274B2 |
Method and apparatus for reporting a buffer status
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) reports a buffer status as part of scheduling information for enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) transmissions. For reporting the buffer status, the WTRU calculates a total amount of data available across all logical channels for which reporting is requested by a radio resource control (RRC) entity. The total amount of data includes an amount of data that is available for transmission and retransmission at a radio link control (RLC) entity and an amount of data that is available for transmission in a medium access control for enhanced dedicated channel (MAC-i/is) segmentation entity in case that a MAC-i/is entity is configured. The WTRU sends scheduling information including a total E-DCH buffer status (TEBS) field that is set based on the total amount of data. |
| US08116268B2 |
Method for controlling data transmission
A method for controlling data transmission comprising following steps of: obtaining transmission delays and time differences between a RNC and respective base stations by the RNC; configuring cells and a common channel for data transmitting by the RNC; controlling a start time of data transmission of each cells by the RNC; informing a UE of a frame offset and a chip offset of the common channel through an interface Uu by the RNC; and receiving configuration parameters of the common channel transmitted from the RNC by the UE. In the present invention, merging of signals transmitted from different cells via the common channel has been achieved so that the quality of signals received by the UE has been improved and the throughput of the system has been enlarged. |
| US08116266B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting MBMS radio bearer type
A method and apparatus for selecting a radio bearer type for providing a service to a plurality of mobile terminals according to a count of mobile terminals obtained through responses to a service response request message from a network is provided. An MBMS radio bearer type is selected according to a count that includes RRC-connected mobile terminals that still need to establish a connection in order to receive an MBMS such that the radio bearer type established is sufficient to provide the MBMS to all mobile terminals desiring to receive the service. |
| US08116265B2 |
Channel estimation
To allocate a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) to a modulation and coding pair (MODCOD) in a second generation digital video broadcasting satellite (DVB-S2) adaptive coding and modulation (ACM) system, a hub periodically transmits pilot frames of alternating MODCODs, which are identified by the VSAT. A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) at the VSAT site maintains telemetry of good and bad frames. A processor may then poll this telemetry to determine an optimal MODCOD to be allocated to the VSAT. |
| US08116261B2 |
Message display terminal, gateway server, program for message display terminal, and program for gateway server
A message display terminal for displaying content existing on a network comprises reception means which receives an HTTP response message, a first display area for displaying a message body, a second display area for displaying other information, and display control means which lets the second display area display advertisement data. |
| US08116260B1 |
Simulcasting MIMO communication system
A wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system includes signal simulcasting. Base stations include a plurality of transmit antennas and terminals include a plurality of receive antennas to form MIMO channels. In one embodiment, a simulcasting MIMO wireless communication system includes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). This arrangement achieves the spectral efficiency advantages of OFDM and simulcasting. |
| US08116259B2 |
Method and system for diversity processing based on antenna switching
Methods and systems for diversity processing based on antenna switching are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include switching among a plurality of antennas in a multi-antenna wireless terminal to receive packets. An antenna may receive a number of packets before switching to another antenna, where the number of packets may be pre-determined or dynamically determined. The received packets may be diversity processed where portions of a plurality of the received packets may be combined to form a single data packet. Similarly, antenna switching may also be used to transmit packets. For example, a data packet may be apportioned to a plurality of packets, and each of those packets may be transmitted via the antennas. Accordingly, if the number of packets to transmit is one, each antenna may transmit one packet, and the antenna switching may select another antenna with which to transmit a packet. |
| US08116255B2 |
Device for semi-transparent multiplexing of data stream for a communication satellite
A device (D) is dedicated to data stream processing within a communication satellite of a communication network. This device (D) comprises processing means (MT) whose job is, in the event of receipt of a first incoming data stream whose carrier exhibits a first modulation and comprising at chosen locations chosen insertion blocks, i) to detect the insertion blocks and at least one characteristic of the carrier of the first incoming stream, chosen from among its frequency, its phase, its timing and its amplitude, ii) to modulate, in accordance with the first modulation and having regard to each detected characteristic, data packets to be transmitted to a destination common with that of the first incoming stream, and iii) to replace with the modulated packets certain at least of the insertion blocks detected in the first incoming stream which has not been demodulated, so that the resulting stream is transmitted by the satellite, with its first original modulation, to the common destination so as to be demodulated therein as if it had been constituted by a single modulator. |
| US08116253B2 |
Controlling forward and reverse link traffic channel power
Forward link transmission power to a user terminal in a wireless communications system having a plurality of beams is controlled by determining a baseline power level, Pbaseline, from a received active pilot channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); determining a power margin, Pmargin, from an identified interference susceptibility; determining a power level correction, Pcorrection, based on an identified quality of service metric (QSM); determining a fade correction factor, Pfade, based on a detected fade environment; and setting Ptransmit based on Pbaseline, Pmargin, Pcorrection and Pfade. For example, Ptransmit may be set to a power level that is substantially equal to the sum of Pbaseline, Pmargin, Pcorrection and Pfade. The determination of each of Pbaseline, Pmargin, Pcorrection and Pfade may be performed in independently running control loops or processes. |
| US08116250B2 |
Medium access control discard notification
A method is provided for a base station set (NODE B) adapted for RLC and MAC-hs signaling in acknowledged mode (AM), the base station set at least forwarding protocol data units (MAC-d PDU) from a Radio Network controller (RNC) to a user entity (UE), the method comprising the steps of monitoring (1) the MAC layer of the transmission entity of the base station set (1), if a MAC discard has occurred in the MAC layer (3), that is, protocol data units (PDU's) have been deleted in the input buffer of the base station set (NODE B), transmitting (7) a discard notification message from the MAC transmission entity in the base station set to the RLC layer of the radio network controller (RNC), indicative of the discarding of protocol data units. There is moreover provided a method for a radio network controller (RNC) adapted for RLC and MAC-hs signaling in acknowledged mode (AM) and a method for a user entity (UE) adapted for RLC and MAC-hs signaling. |
| US08116249B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless communication device
An access point transmits data frames to a plurality of wireless terminals by MC or BC communication. When the data frames are transmitted, data to identify the presence of the return of an ACK frame as affirmative acknowledgment with respect to transmitted contents is applied to an MAC header. In a case where a Block ACK frame is requested as affirmative acknowledgment with respect to the transmission of a plurality of frames in the MC or BC communication, the plurality of wireless terminals return the Block ACK frame to the access point and the wireless terminals other than the wireless terminal itself by the MC or BC communication. |
| US08116247B2 |
Adaptive mechanism for dynamic reconfiguration of mesh networks
In a wireless mesh network of network nodes, there is identified a first subset of the nodes that have a direct connection to at least one end user, and a second subset of nodes that are necessary to maintain connections among the end users. The first subset is exclusive of the second subset. Nodes that are not within either the first subset or the second subset enter a power savings mode, which may include shutting down completely for a predetermined period. This enables power savings in that only the minimum number of nodes that are necessary to maintain connectivity of the end users may remain powered. A centralized node may make the decisions and inform individual nodes to shut down, or each node may run the same algorithm using the same input information and determine its own shutdown decision. |
| US08116245B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of wireless LAN device
A method and apparatus for reducing the power consumption of a wireless LAN device that operates in a wireless network are disclosed. The method for reducing the power consumption includes receiving a high throughput (HT) frame; judging whether the received HT frame is decodable; and if the received HT frame is not decodable, switching the wireless LAN device into a standby mode, and maintaining the device in the standby mode for a duration of the HT frame. |
| US08116243B2 |
Wireless sensor network and adaptive method for monitoring the security thereof
The present invention relates to a sensor network having node architecture for performing trust management of neighboring sensor nodes, and to an adaptive method for performing trust management of neighboring sensor nodes for monitoring security in the sensor network. The sensor network includes a base station and a plurality of sensor nodes for reporting sensed information packets to the base station through radiofrequency signals relayed by other sensor nodes. A judge sensor node may have a trust estimator in its node architecture to evaluate trustworthiness of a neighboring suspect sensor node by determining a personal reference and receiving personal references from jury sensor nodes. Based on the trustworthiness of the suspect, the judge may modify a route for transmitting packets to the base station. |
| US08116242B2 |
Receiver having multi-antenna log likelihood ratio generation with channel estimation error
A receiver and methods of operation wherein Log-Likelihood-Ratio calculation are performed for arbitrary channel estimators with linear Minimum-Mean-Square-Error (MMSE) combining, successive cancellation combining, or joint detection. In some embodiments, the use of linear MMSE or successive cancellation combining may be employed to greatly lower the computational complexity over joint detection.In (401) a channel estimation MSE as a function of frequency, the transmitter modulation type, and a noise power are provided to the LLR component (313). A signal from a transmitter is received at one of the various antennas (301), (303) and respective receiver component (305), (307) in block (403). The channel estimation component (309) computes a channel estimate for the signal from the transmitter, or computes multiple channel estimates for multiple transmitter sources, in block (405). In block (407), decoder inputs are determined as a function of the channel estimates, the received signal, noise power, and channel estimation MSE. |
| US08116240B2 |
Bi-directional bridge circuit having high common mode rejection and high input sensitivity
A bidirectional communications interface is provided that connects a transmitter and a receiver, or a transceiver, to a transmission line. Under an embodiment, the bidirectional interface generates positive and negative polarity data signals using two separate differential amplifiers that receive differential signal pairs from each side of a differential link to the transmission line and the transmitter. The bidirectional interface controls common mode rejection in each of the separate differential amplifiers using bias signals generated in response to an output common mode feedback voltage from each of the differential amplifiers. An output amplifier combines the positive and negative polarity data signals to form single-ended output logic signals. The output logic signals represent data received on the transmission line, and are provided to the receiver. |
| US08116237B2 |
Clearing house for publish/subscribe of status data from distributed telecommunications systems
A distributed contact center and method of managing data transfers between the distributed parts of the contact center is provided. Distributed parts of the contact center are joined together through a known communications initiation protocol, then one or both of status information and control signals are transferred between the distributed parts using lossless communication protocols. The status information and/or control signals may be published to a large number of interested entities through the use of conference call facilities. |
| US08116234B2 |
Detection of home network configuration problems
A diagnostic tool for identifying a configuration of a private network that may disrupt operations involving communication between two devices on the network. The tool, when run on a device in the network, can identify a “double NAT” configuration in which the device may be separated from other devices on the private network by a NAT device. The tool, when run on a computing device, identifies a NAT device, such as a router, to which the device is connected. The tool then identifies a list containing one or more other devices that may be connected to the NAT device. The tool tests whether these other devices also perform NAT functions and are on the private network. Both the NAT device and the devices that may be connected to the NAT device are identified and a determination is made of whether those devices are on the private network by sending requests using one or more protocols that devices on a private network conventionally use but are not conventionally used by devices on other networks. |
| US08116232B2 |
Method and apparatus for non-disruptive call modification
A method and system for changing the extent of data plane resources controlled by a control plane for a network connection which spans a contiguous set of nodes controlled by existing network control resources is disclosed. This is done in a non-disruptive manner. This typically involves two steps: i) Creating a new set of control plane resources for said network connection such that said data plane resources are shared with said existing network control resources; and ii) then terminating the existing network control resources such that said data plane resources are fully transferred to the new set of control plane resources without disrupting said network connection. The existing network control resources can be either a control plane resource or a non control plane resource. An example of a non control plane resource is network management software (e.g., an OSS (Operation Support System)), which forms part of the Management Plane. It should be noted that this does not need to be done for a complete end-to-end connection, but rather can be executed for the portion of the end-to-end connection which is to be controlled by the control plane. |
| US08116231B2 |
Apparatus and method for enabling discovery of wireless devices
A wireless device (A) in a first antenna sector (40) is discovered using a directional antenna (322), which sends and receives signals in multiple antenna sectors. Multiple primary beacons are transmitted in corresponding primary beacon time slots (1P-4P), which correspond to the antenna sectors (10-40) and have associated secondary beacon time slots (1s-4s). A secondary beacon is received from the wireless device in a first secondary beacon time slot (4sA) associated with a first primary beacon time slot (4P) corresponding to the first sector, the secondary beacon being responsive to a first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot. An additional first secondary beacon time slot (4s) is added in association with the first primary beacon time slot. The additional first secondary beacon time slot enables an additional wireless device in the first sector to send an additional secondary beacon in response to a subsequent first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot. |
| US08116229B2 |
Reducing packet drops in networks guaranteeing in-order delivery
In one embodiment, the convergence node switches of a destination node switch in a network having multiple equal paths between a source switch and destination switch are identified. When a new equal cost path is added to the network, packets are flushed up to the convergence node switch closest to the source switch. |
| US08116223B2 |
System and method for supporting automatic establishing and disconnecting several wireless connections
A method for automatically establishing wireless connections between a plurality of grouped wireless devices and a third party wireless device, comprising the steps of: forming a connection group having a first wireless device and at least one additional grouped wireless device; configuring a connection table to record connection group attribute parameters for the connection group, the connection group attribute parameters including connection parameters of said first wireless device and other grouped wireless devices; configuring the first wireless device in the connection group such that it is capable of establishing a wireless connection with a third party wireless device; and establishing an additional wireless connection between the third party wireless device and the wireless devices of the group if the additional wireless connection satisfies a connection parameter specified by the connection table in the connection group. |
| US08116215B2 |
Method and apparatus for discriminating type of packet loss
A method and apparatus for discriminating the type of packet loss occurring in wireless transmission are provided. The method includes calculating an average arrival interval of packets received during a time period and discriminating the type of packet loss for a lost packet among the packets based on a difference between the calculated average arrival interval and a reference average arrival interval. |
| US08116209B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying errors and stranded resources in networks
Techniques are disclosed for identifying one or more errors and/or one or more stranded resources in a connection-oriented or circuit-switched network. By way of example, a technique for identifying at least one of an error and a stranded resource in at least a portion of a connection-oriented or circuit-switched network comprises the following steps/operations. Field data is obtained directly from one or more elements of the network. At least a portion of the obtained field data is examined to determine an existence of at least one of an error and a stranded resource with respect to one or more element-level constructs. Data synthesized from at least a portion of the obtained field data is analyzed to determine an existence of at least one of an error and a stranded resource with respect to one or more network-level constructs. |
| US08116207B2 |
Systems and methods for weighted monitoring of network services
A method for determining service availability using a plurality of weighted monitoring agents includes: establishing, by an appliance, a plurality of agents, the plurality of agents monitoring a service executing on a server, and each agent having an assigned weight; computing, by the appliance, a sum of the assigned weights of the agents reporting the service as currently operational; determining, by the appliance, the sum falls below a given threshold; and transmitting, by the appliance, an indication that the service is unusable. Corresponding systems are also described. |
| US08116206B1 |
Method and system for routing frames in a network
A method for routing frames is provided. The method comprises: receiving a frame at a receive port segment of a port for a switch element; generating a tag based on information included in the frame, where the tag identifies a location where the frame is stored in the receive port segment; transmitting the tag to a destination port for the frame; generating a request for the frame, wherein the destination port generates the request for the frame; transmitting the request for the frame to the port that received the frame, where a field in the request differentiates the request for the frame from the tag generated by the receive port segment of the port that received the frame; and transmitting the frame stored at the receive port segment, in response to the request sent by the destination port. |
| US08116204B2 |
Scheduler
The present invention relates to a node and a method in a cellular radio network telecommunication system for assigning resources to users, comprising a network node having resources to be allocated to users being present in a radio cell served by the network node. The invention comprises:—assigning a priority to each user in the radio cell, where a user consuming a larger portion of the resources is assigned a lower priority than a user consuming a lower portion of the resources,—receiving a rate request, requesting a larger transmission rate, from a first user having a first priority. If not sufficient free resources are available to fulfill said first users rate request, the following steps are performed:—selecting a second user having lower priority than said first user,—sending messages to said first and second users indication the scheduled grant, and—transferring resources, assigned to said second user, from said second user to said first user, to thereby decrease the consumed resources for said second user and increase the consumed resources for said first user. |
| US08116203B2 |
Multiple virtual channels for use in network devices
A method for establishing a virtual channel between network devices is disclosed. In the case of a local network device establishing a virtual channel with a remote network device, a virtual channel request message is sent from the local network device to the remote network device. A virtual channel acknowledgement message and a remote capability list are received and a virtual channel resume message and a local capability list are sent. The virtual channel is then enabled. In the case of a remote network device establishing a virtual channel with a local network device, a virtual channel request message is received from a local network device by a remote network device. A virtual channel acknowledgement message and a remote capability list are sent and a virtual channel resume message and a local capability list are received. The virtual channel is then enabled. |
| US08116198B2 |
Method for configuring a telecommunication system
A method and system for configuring a CDMA telecommunication system having at least one sending entity and at least one receiving entity, each entity configured to transmit data on at least one physical channel (DPDCH) via a transport channel composite (CCTrCH) of multiple transport channels. At least one entity includes a data processing module configured to determine for each transport channel a first parameter (RMi) proportional to a rate matching ratio (RFi) and a second parameter representing a maximum physical bit rate (Ndata) and to transform for each of the transport channels a number of symbols before rate matching (Nk) into a number of symbols after rate matching (Nk+ΔNk), where the number of symbols after rate matching (Nk+ΔNk) is obtained approximately by multiplying the number of symbols before rate matching (Nk) by the rate matching ratio (RFi). |
| US08116197B2 |
Method for finding protected path in mesh networks
A method of finding a primary communication path in a mesh network, which would be at once a protected path having a fully guaranteed segmented node or node-link protection. The method comprises defining a required protection type and further selecting each specific path segment of the desired communication path based on initial user's requirements and topology information of the network. Each specific node path segment N for the communication path is selected upon ensuring that it can be protected in the network by a node backup path satisfying the initial user's requirements. Each specific link path segment L for the communication path is chosen if it can be protected in the network by a link backup path satisfying the initial user's requirements and if the node path segment N to which segment L leads cannot be protected by a suitable node backup path. |
| US08116196B2 |
Shared mesh signaling method and apparatus
In a mesh network, a network element for providing protection switching in a 1:N shared mesh protection scheme having a first protection path associated with a pair of working paths selected from the N working paths is disclosed. The network element comprising: (a) a link for connecting the network element to a first working path of the pair of working paths in a path layer of the network, the path layer including a plurality of interconnected network elements; (b) a routing table accessible by the network element, the routing table for having local protection channel information associated with a local protection segment separate from the first protection path, the local protection segment connecting the network element and one of the interconnected network elements adjacent to the network element; and (c) an identification module for using the local protection channel information to identify an available protection channel on the local protection segment in the event of failure of a local working segment of the first working path, the local working segment connecting the network element and said one of the adjacent interconnected network elements; wherein the available local protection channel on the local protection segment is used to switch local network bandwidth from the failed local working segment to the local protection segment after the failure has been detected. Selection functions are also disclosed. |
| US08116194B2 |
Optical information recording method, optical information recording medium, optical information reproducing device, optical information reproducing method and optical information recording and reproducing device
The invention is able to enhance a recording speed. In the invention, a recording mark (RM) composed of a cavity is formed by vaporizing a two-photon absorbing material by a two-photon absorption reaction as an embodiment of a photoreaction against a recording light beam (L1) as recording light to be condensed at the time of recording information. Also, in a recording layer (101), the information is reproduced on the basis of a return light beam (L3) formed by modulation of a readout light beam (L2) irradiated as prescribed readout light at the time of reproducing inform in conformity with the presence of absence of the recording mark (RM). Then, in the recording layer (101), in view of the fact that the a two-photon absorbing particle having a two-photon absorbing material coordinated with a metal fine particle (MN) is dispersed in a binder resin configuring the recording layer (101), the two-photon absorbing material having a two-photon absorbing characteristic is disposed as a vaporizable material in the vicinity of the metal fine particle (MN) dispersed in the binder resin. |
| US08116192B2 |
Optical recording medium with write-once and rewritable properties
A write-once optical recording medium is described, which in addition to the write-once properties also has rewritable properties. The optical recording medium has a recording layer with at least a first recording sublayer and a second recording sublayer for recording information marks by alloying material of the at least first and second recording layers. The materials of the at least first and second recording sublayers are chosen such that the alloyed material is a phase-change material adapted for recording additional data as phase changes of the alloyed material. |
| US08116191B2 |
Device for reducing power consumption of optical drive and method for the same
A device and method for reducing power consumption of an optical drive are proposed. The present invention samples a carrier control signal and then compares the samples of the signals with predetermined threshold signals. According to the comparison result, the present invention increases or decreases an output signal index. The variation of the output signal index is used to control phases of diphase excitation control signals so as to control the rotation direction of a motor or make it stop. The present invention need not output the diphase excitation control signals continuously. It only needs to output a predetermined number of the diphase excitation control signals after the output signal index is increased or decreased. Hence, the present invention reduces the time for outputting the control signals and greatly reduces the power consumption of the optical drive thereby. |
| US08116189B2 |
Optical pickup lens
An optical pickup lens for focusing a light beam from a laser light source on an optical information recording medium is a single lens. The optical pickup lens has two surfaces, and a surface R2 opposite to a surface R1 closer to the laser light source has a continuous shape. When the surface R2 has radii h1, h2 and h3 (h1 |
| US08116184B2 |
Recording/reproducing device and method using pulse sequences, and information recording medium
A recording/reproducing device includes a laser and a laser drive carried by a pickup having a drive for movement and an input for recording information. A control controls the drives to retrieve recording parameters from a predetermined portion of the recording medium, creates pulse sequences using the input recording information and retrieved recording parameters, and forms recording marks having recording mark lengths between a predetermined and maximum lengths, a top section, a last section including a cooling period, and an intermediate period. Heat of mark front edges is controlled by recording parameters for top sections that are classified according to recording mark lengths and recording parameters of the first through the maximum recording mark lengths are classified into a same group. Heat of mark rear edges is controlled by cooling start positions for cooling periods classified according to recording mark lengths. |
| US08116181B2 |
Apparatus for and method for recording data on a rewritable optical record carrier
A recording device for recording data on a rewritable optical record carrier (11). The device comprises recording means (21, 22, 25) for forming marks on the record carrier during recording operations by irradiating the record carrier with a radiation beam (24), the marks representing the data. Further, the device comprises control means (20) for controlling the recording operations and beam control means (31) for controlling a write power of the radiation beam with reference to an optimum write power by changing the write power within a predetermined write power range around the optimum write power for subsequent write cycles, each of the write cycles comprising at least one recording operation. Variation of the write power improves the overwrite quality, in particular, in the management area, such as the file system area. |